These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

Out of Pod Experience

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
 

Powerline Networks
Author
Previous Topic Next Topic
Fodan
Phoenix Ashes Inc.
#1 - 2012-10-15 13:52:09 UTC
Anyone have any experience setting these up ?

Trying to set one up for a friend. Initially bought 2 adapters - one at the router and one at his PC - breeze to set up worked right away.

Then tried to add a second PC in another room - based on FAQs online etc bought a 3rd (same model) adapter and put it in - worked right away thought all was well till found that the first one has now lost internet connection. Nothing we have tried will let both PCs see the internet - it seems to be either on or the other - both see a LAN connection but 1 gets the error that it doesn't have a valid IP configuration)??

Wondering if this is something to do with the router (its one of those British Telecom home hub things (eww) ) ?

Thanks for any replies !
Caleidascope
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#2 - 2012-10-15 17:41:48 UTC
For starter check the router. There should be a place where it shows the range of IP addresses that your LAN can use. For example, my LAN uses addresses from 192.168.1.30 to 192.168.1.40, so since the range of addresses is from 30 to 40, I can connect 10 devices:
PC1 192.168.1.30
PC2 192.168.1.31
PC3 192.168.1.32
etc.
If your router is set for just one address, then it will only work with just one device and will reject all other devices.

Does the manufacturer of the powerline adapter have a howto on setting up the network with multiple adapters?

Life is short and dinner time is chancy

Eat dessert first!
Jonah Gravenstein
Machiavellian Space Bastards
#3 - 2012-10-16 05:46:40 UTC  |  Edited by: Jonah Gravenstein
Uggh Homehub Sad

Make sure that the homehub is set up as a DCHP server, IIRC the homehub IP should be 192.168.1.254, username and password should be on a sticker on the homehub, if it's a homehub 3 it may be on a pull out tab on the top.

Ethernet over mains adaptors don't like being plugged into extension leads, make sure that they're plugged directly into a wall socket or things can get funky and temperamental. Some of them also need a software installation to configure them (the devolo ones definitely do)

Check the IP address of both PC's, both should be in the 192.168.1.* range, if you're using windows it can be done from either the control panel or via cmd.exe (type ipconfig /all if using cmd).

In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded.

New Player FAQ

Feyd's Survival Pack
Sin Pew
Ministry of War
Amarr Empire
#4 - 2012-10-16 07:41:16 UTC
All the powerline solutions I've used or seen, acted funky over time. Between few hours to a couple days, they would lose the network and need to be plugged again.
For the thing to work, you almost need to have a dedicated electric cable between the devices if you don't live in a very modern building with very high quality cabling. All in all, it's far less of a hassle to staple an ethernet cable around the place to have reliable network or use WiFi if you don't want cables, but then you'll have the packet retries latency, faraday cage effects, nearby networks interferences...

[i]"haiku are easy, But sometimes they don't make sense, Refrigerator."[/i]
Fodan
Phoenix Ashes Inc.
#5 - 2012-10-16 11:10:09 UTC
Thanks for the suggestions guys - I'll be going over there at the weekend and will have a look at the router's IP and DHCP settings etc (assuming these Mikey Mouse BT things let you do that Roll). I've already floated the idea of getting a proper router instead Blink

The people I'm doing this for live in a large old farmhouse with very thick walls so Wi-Fi is a bit of a non-starter. Laying in proper cat 5 cabling would also me a major operation so powerline seemed the best compromise. Worked perfectly for their needs prior to them trying to add a 2nd PC onto the network !

The manufacturer's FAQ says something like 'adding an extra PC is as simple as buying an extra powerline adapter and just plugging it in', yeah right Roll
Myn Minayin
Shiva
Northern Coalition.
#6 - 2012-10-16 13:44:16 UTC
Have you thought of using wifi and shoving the access point in the roof? I had much better signal throughout the house doing that. As you say walls are thick, floors not so much
Othran
Route One
#7 - 2012-10-16 14:31:41 UTC  |  Edited by: Othran
Its probably the encryption setup.

I vaguely remember having similar issues about a decade ago on Devolo kit and IIRC its because the powerline stuff automatically pairs the first two adaptors but doesn't add the third/fourth/etc.

I remember having to use the bundled software to get all three working together.
Sin Pew
Ministry of War
Amarr Empire
#8 - 2012-10-17 13:25:23 UTC
Also keep in mind that while in the same building, different power outlets can be part of seperated electrical circuits, more likely in old constructions, thus on seperate "networks".

[i]"haiku are easy, But sometimes they don't make sense, Refrigerator."[/i]
Fodan
Phoenix Ashes Inc.
#9 - 2012-10-20 15:05:45 UTC
Went round there today and got it fixed Cool

Turned out to indeed be a problem with the DHCP server - in the settings it appeared to be set for a range of addresses but it was only actually using 1 which was ping pong'ing between the two PCs on the powerline network.

Rebooting the router didn't work but turning the DHCP server off, rebooting then turning it back on did. All now working as intended Cool

Thanks again for suggestions
Grimpak
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#10 - 2012-10-21 07:20:17 UTC
Fodan wrote:
Went round there today and got it fixed Cool

Turned out to indeed be a problem with the DHCP server - in the settings it appeared to be set for a range of addresses but it was only actually using 1 which was ping pong'ing between the two PCs on the powerline network.

Rebooting the router didn't work but turning the DHCP server off, rebooting then turning it back on did. All now working as intended Cool

Thanks again for suggestions

feels like it's bound to happen again tho.

[img]http://eve-files.com/sig/grimpak[/img]

[quote]The more I know about humans, the more I love animals.[/quote] ain't that right