Today it is difficult to imagine a house or apartment, and even more so an office, and often an industrial building, which would not be equipped with the ability to connect to a data network. Local networks and the Internet have firmly entered the life of almost every modern person and production processes in all sectors. And if the creation of a computer network in a room is difficult or impossible with the use of familiar technologies, and is such a need present? Probably, one should pay attention to one of the most progressive solutions in the world of network technologies today - data transmission via electrical wiring. There are certainly electric wires everywhere, which means that using a special device - a Powerline adapter, solving the problem of building a high-speed data network and Internet access can be simplified many times.
Disadvantages of Existing Networks
So, the presence of a fast network within a house or apartment is practically a necessity in the modern world. The most common and popular technologies, for example, Wi-Fi, quite often cannot satisfy the needs of demanding users. Due to the large thickness of the wall and ceilings, obstacles arise for the passage of radio waves, which, in turn, leads to a deterioration in the quality of communication and a decrease in the data transfer rate, which causes a decrease in the speed and quality of communication. Wired networks are not characterized by such shortcomings, but cable laying is very often an inconvenient, and sometimes simply unacceptable, solution for various reasons. The use of Powerline adapters, which will be discussed below, allows us to forget about such problems.
Powerline Features
As mentioned above, in the case of using Powerline technology, data is transmitted through electrical wiring. Electric wires are already laid in any room, so this technology seems very interesting to many users. Despite the fact that the development of the technology has been going on for a long time, its mass implementation and popularity today has not reached its peak, due to the presence of some technological difficulties of implementation. At the same time, reviews about Powerline adapters from users who are already using the solution in their homes and apartments are mostly positive. Here, probably, the most important is the right choice, implementation in the existing network and configuration of the devices in question.
Powerline Technology
According to the manufacturers, the latest generation of adapters has the ability to transfer data at speeds up to 1000 Mbps. To implement such a speed allows the use of three wires of an electric network 220V. Previously used standards assumed that only two wires would be involved, and this, in turn, should provide a speed of up to 500 Mbps. Regardless of the standard used in the design of a particular Powerline adapter, the principle of operation of these devices has not changed since its inception. The device receives information packets through the LAN port, and then transfers the received data on the wiring to the second adapter. This second adapter, having received and recognized the signal, is engaged in its decoding, and subsequently sending it further to the data network via its own LAN port. We can conclude that the work of the Powerline adapter is based on the same principle as data transmission via Wi-Fi, only the data transmission medium is not radio, but electric wires.
Modern standard
The devices in question are produced by many manufacturers, but only well-known brands can guarantee the proper level of reliability and compliance with the declared characteristics. A modern Powerline network adapter must support the Homeplug AV2 standard, which requires the use of a wider frequency range than previously released solutions. In addition, some devices have the ability to use, in addition to phase and zero, an additional grounding wire of the mains. Modern adapters have the ability to calculate the signal strength on each of the three wires, and then use the most suitable of them. Testing results show that this principle actually significantly increases the speed with which data is transmitted, including over long distances. Almost all reviews of Powerline-adapters Homeplug AV2 talk about increasing efficiency when using the considered approach.
Manufacturers
Almost all well-known manufacturers of network equipment have in their arsenal of products offered to users the devices in question for building a network using Powerline technology. Since such networks have not gained mass distribution, it is difficult to recommend a specific brand, which should be preferred to the end user. In general, models from different manufacturers show the same performance and may be suitable for use in various places and situations. In terms of price and quality, one of the first places among the assortment offered in computer stores in our country is Tp-Link Powerline adapters.
Scope of delivery and software
Technology features require the use of at least two adapters on the same network, so in most cases the user will find a set of Powerline adapters in two in the product box. In general, such a solution is prepared for operation, but before proceeding to the connection, it is worth paying attention to the PC software, which in most cases is supplemented by the delivery set. Such an application allows you to get information about the rated speed at which specific devices that are included in the network are working. Among other things, the software allows you to find the optimal outlet for connecting the Powerline adapter, as well as update the firmware of the device.
Customization
Driving Ethernet Powerline adapters is usually straightforward, and setting up the kit takes only a few minutes. To simplify the first start-up, you should initially insert the adapters into adjacent sockets or an extension cord. After both devices are connected to the electrical network, you need to press the “Pair” key and hold it for several seconds on the first of the adapters, which will put the device into connection mode. On the second adapter, the button will have to be held down for 1-2 minutes.
Connection
After completing the above pairing procedure, you can proceed to the direct integration of adapters in the network. In the usual case, this is done by performing several steps.
- Connect one of the adapters with an Ethernet cable to the LAN port of the router, which is the basis of the network.
- Connect the second adapter from the kit to an outlet located in the same circuit as the first device.
- Waiting until the Powerline indicators on the adapters light up.
- Connect to a second computer or router adapter using an Ethernet cable.
- Additionally. To add another Powerline adapter to the existing network as a signal amplifier, just plug it into a free outlet.
Conclusion
Having examined the technological features of Powerline-adapters, we can conclude that the use of such devices in the future is promising. Today, the technology provides a good level of performance. The ease of installation and configuration of devices, as well as their effectiveness and ability to use in places where the use of other methods of building computer networks is difficult, attracts more and more consumers.