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Extending WIFI range using a homeplug
yellowcab - 29/5/14 at 06:24 PM

So I bought a twin pack of home plugs, to extend my wifi range down to my shed & garage…

I plugged one of them in the same room as the Virgin Media Super Hub, and plugged the ethernet cable into it - thats fine… I made sure it was in a wall socket, and not a gang extension as I've read that can make them not work.

I plug the second 'receiver' in my shed which I have ran power down to - but it doesn't seem to be working or giving out a WIFI signal?

Is it because my upstairs / downstairs plug sockets are on different MCBs in the RCD or should that not matter?

Surely you don't need to have all the receivers on the same 'circuit' so to speak?

Anyone else have these problems?

The brand is TRENDNET TPL-406E

Thanks

blakep82 - 29/5/14 at 06:29 PM

I think it really needs to be on the same circuit, under the same main fuse/circuit breaker
So if youve got different circuits upstairs and downstairs, that won't really work

One of these with an aerial upgrade?
http://www.tp-link.com/resources/images/faq/2009417135214959.jpg

[Edited on 29/5/14 by blakep82]

gremlin1234 - 29/5/14 at 06:38 PM

quote:
I plug the second 'receiver' in my shed which I have ran power down to - but it doesn't seem to be working or giving out a WIFI signal?
they don't have built in wifi
it extends an ethernet network only.
there are some netgear ones that do have wifi as well, and undoubtedly there will be some others that do too.

Barkalarr - 29/5/14 at 06:46 PM

Be careful with them - mine were getting really hot.
I eventually ran some Ethernet across to the garage to carry my internet.
I personally found the home plugs crap because of this. I figured it was better to run a cable than come home to a pile of burning ash!

coyoteboy - 29/5/14 at 06:51 PM

Personally I'd just get either a wifi extender/AP or I'd buy a monster high gain antenna. I'm in the process of fitting a high gain antenna into my back garden so I can have wifi in the garage and greenhouse.

wylliezx9r - 29/5/14 at 06:56 PM

Your setup should work. I have done exactly the same at my place with no problems, the one in my garage even runs off extension lead. nHave you tried both indoors to check there isn't a fault with the equipment.

HTH.

yellowcab - 29/5/14 at 07:00 PM

D'oh!

Just figured the ones I have are TPL-406E which are ethernet only LOL no wonder it won't give off a WIFI signal lol

I have subsequently now ordered the TPL-410AP to go with it

Thanks all !

JMW - 29/5/14 at 07:02 PM

homeplugs work faultlessly in my house even across different consumer units (fuse boxes). I surmise they use the neutral phase of my supply. I also have a homeplug wireless extender to cover the area that the router aerial doesn't reach.

JMW - 29/5/14 at 07:03 PM

Meant to add that the wireless extender homeplug does get hot, like Barkalarr says.

yellowcab - 29/5/14 at 07:07 PM

Thanks for your help chaps

SteveWalker - 29/5/14 at 07:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by JMW
homeplugs work faultlessly in my house even across different consumer units (fuse boxes). I surmise they use the neutral phase of my supply.


They use the live. If you think about it, your two consumer units' live feeds are connected together at the meter/Henley block/isolator (whichever you have). The requirement is that they must be on the same phase. Without special additions at the consumer unit you cannot use them between two sockets on different phases of a 3-phase system.

JMW - 29/5/14 at 09:05 PM

I did have some reason why I thought it was the neutral phase as opposed to the live phase but I can't recall what it was now. In any case you sound like you know more what you are talking about than me so I will defer. For curiosity's sake I did try to find out how they worked using traditional research methods (google) but I failed.

coozer - 30/5/14 at 03:26 PM

Costco currently have WiFi extender setup in for £25, I'm tempted....