Using Powerline with Airport Extreme

[bjfs]

Hi!

Have this bizarre situation in this relatively compact 2 up 2 down student flat where, because the router is at the very front of the house the signal doesn't reach the back of the house (where my room and another flatmate's room is). This is a real issue, not for my MBP but for our iOS devices and my xbox one (which I want ethernet connect anyway).

Initially I tried a TP-Link Powerline wireless extender but even after returning it there were constant drops in speed (pretty much dropping out at times and occasionally not working at all). I've now got my MBP sharing the internet ethernet to WIFI and it seems to work fine for the iOS devices but isn't a permanent solution and doesn't allow me to wire in my xbox. So what I'm thinking is:

So I have two of these Powerline adapters:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-PA211KIT-200Mbps-Powerline-Adapter/dp/B004INVKP4/

And so I get that plugged in and paired up via the Virgin Super Hub then plug the ethernet into: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-Airport-Extreme-802-11n-Generation/dp/B0058HC4U4/
and that should create a good signal for all the apple devices to enjoy and allow me to ethernet connect my xbox.

Anybody see any problems/drawbacks? Will it work?

Thanks!

 

[Altemose]

Hi!

Have this bizarre situation in this relatively compact 2 up 2 down student flat where, because the router is at the very front of the house the signal doesn't reach the back of the house (where my room and another flatmate's room is). This is a real issue, not for my MBP but for our iOS devices and my xbox one (which I want ethernet connect anyway).

Initially I tried a TP-Link Powerline wireless extender but even after returning it there were constant drops in speed (pretty much dropping out at times and occasionally not working at all). I've now got my MBP sharing the internet ethernet to WIFI and it seems to work fine for the iOS devices but isn't a permanent solution and doesn't allow me to wire in my xbox. So what I'm thinking is:

So I have two of these Powerline adapters:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-PA211KIT-200Mbps-Powerline-Adapter/dp/B004INVKP4/

And so I get that plugged in and paired up via the Virgin Super Hub then plug the ethernet into: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-Airport-Extreme-802-11n-Generation/dp/B0058HC4U4/
and that should create a good signal for all the apple devices to enjoy and allow me to ethernet connect my xbox.

Anybody see any problems/drawbacks? Will it work?

Thanks!

Yes, that will work fine. You would plug an Ethernet cable from the main router into one of the power line adapters and the other adapter in the room for the Express. Then plug the cable out of the second adapter into the WAN port on the Express and configure with identical settings as the main router. You can use the LAN port for your Xbox if necessary.

 

[bjfs]

Yes, that will work fine. You would plug an Ethernet cable from the main router into one of the power line adapters and the other adapter in the room for the Express. Then plug the cable out of the second adapter into the WAN port on the Express and configure with identical settings as the main router. You can use the LAN port for your Xbox if necessary.

Great, thanks Altemose! Always wondered, is there any advantage to having the name and password the same? Presumably, once you're connected, you're connected. Would also mean the original router would act almost as a guest network (and I can see which router is having problems if they do)?

Also would you think it would be worth getting the 6th generation airport rather than 5th?
It is considerably more, both laptops are too old to support AC, and we both have 5s which don't support it - think it would only be my iPad that could harness it!


PS. Thanks again for your idea to install w8 on my hdd on a PC, worked a great, and still working a flawlessly!

 

[Altemose]

Great, thanks Altemose! Always wondered, is there any advantage to having the name and password the same? Presumably, once you're connected, you're connected. Would also mean the original router would act almost as a guest network (and I can see which router is having problems if they do)?

Also would you think it would be worth getting the 6th generation airport rather than 5th?
It is considerably more, both laptops are too old to support AC, and we both have 5s which don't support it - think it would only be my iPad that could harness it!


PS. Thanks again for your idea to install w8 on my hdd on a PC, worked a great, and still working a flawlessly!

If the Extreme can cover your whole house than simply plug it into the Virgin SuperHub Router and set the Virgin to bridge mode. Then make the Extreme the router. You would then need to use the power line adapter from the Extreme to the Xbox.

Now if you need both routers to cover your home, then make them both use the same information with the Extreme in Bridge Mode. This will allow clients to roam between the two routers for the best signal (aka a roaming network).

 

[brentsg]

Powerline has always provided quite variable results, depending on the particular environment in which it's installed. I've finally had good results in my home when using the new AV2 products, but YMMV.

 

[Altemose]

Powerline has always provided quite variable results, depending on the particular environment in which it's installed. I've finally had good results in my home when using the new AV2 products, but YMMV.

Normally I would strongly state against it but as a student flat they don't have a choice. They can't run wire through the crawl space.