NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
PLP2000 + Wireless access point to cover dead zone
I have to explain my environment a bit. I'm in an apartment where the Internet access point is near the entrance at one end of the apartment, but my office (where I really need it) is in a bedroom at the other end of the apartment. In between them is the master bedroom. I can get very good speeds (Internet access around 300 Mbps) on wifi in the area around the entrance. It only drops slightly in the master bedroom (200 - 275 Mbps). However, in the office, it drops significantly (2 - 5 Mbps). My provider says that is because there is a refrigerator and a few other things between the router and the office.
Sooo, I tried Netgear PLP2000 powerline adapter units at the router, in the master bedroom, and in the office. I still get really good speeds in the master bedroom, but only about 10 Mbps in the office. If I muck around with which plugin I use, I can sometimes get the middle light to turn green, but the speeds just aren't good. For now, I have an ethernet cable running from the powerline adapter in thee master bedroom to a switch in the office, and I'm getting around 200 Mbps, which is more than adequate. However, I don't really want that cable laying around to trip over and be a bit unsightly.
My question is... would I be better to keep the PLP2000 in the master bedroom, and connect some type of wifi access point to it there (since it's right next to the office and gets good speed), or should I go with a wifi extender in the master bedroom, and just have it connecting to the main router? Since the master bedroom is right next to the office, I'm assuming that the wifi issues would not exist between there and the office (i.e. there is nothing but a wall between).
Thanks for any advice.
The orbi devices do support both wired and wireless backhaul connections. And they can use both at the same time. I have some using wireless and some using the wired backhaul.
28 Replies
Its not something we can say 100% "go this route as it'll work better"
Apartments are challenging because there's so many things that can cause interference or block signals (like a fridge) and cause issues.
An extender might not be a bad idea so you pick up the signal from an angle.
It *might* work and be ideal. Or there might be enough interference from something else that causes issues.
You've already tried the powerline route and know it has issues. If you wanted to try the extender route, I'd recommend buying from somewhere with a generous return policy so if it doesn't give you the performance you expect, you can always return it.
Thanks plemans for the info. I'm currently trying a "mesh" network, both as a router and as an access point. Both are giving me much better speeds than the powerline adapter, but they're still dropping a lot of speed in that one area. I have been mucking around with placement to see where it works better and have it working to a point that is acceptable. However, I'm greedy, so may try some other options to see if I can get the speed bumped up in the office.
JaggedMac wrote:
My provider says that is because there is a refrigerator and a few other things between the router and the office.
I find that a strange suggestion. Is the ISP talking about wifi interference there?
One thing to consider is trying to suppress the noise from that domestic hardware.
There are two lots of noise to consider, wifi and mains. Netgear advises against using noise suppression mains sockets for plugs, but it might be worth trying to cut back on the mains noise with a noise suppressing adapter for the fridge.
Apart from that idea, I'd heed what plemans suggests.
Thanks, michaelkenward. The fridge is physically directly in line between the router and the office, so I'm assuming the provider tech was referring to the metal of the fridge blocking the wifi signal, but maybe it creates other interference, as well. It's just kind of weird that the wifi is so dead in that one room, while being exceptional everywhere else. As I mentioned in my other reply, I'm trying out a mesh network, as it kind of tests out the access point concept.
JaggedMac wrote:
Thanks, michaelkenward. The fridge is physically directly in line between the router and the office, so I'm assuming the provider tech was referring to the metal of the fridge blocking the wifi signal, but maybe it creates other interference, as well. It's just kind of weird that the wifi is so dead in that one room, while being exceptional everywhere else. As I mentioned in my other reply, I'm trying out a mesh network, as it kind of tests out the access point concept.
I can't tell from your first message if it is the wifi that is slow in the office, or the Powerline, or both.
If it is a wifi thing, and if it is the fridge – Americans buy fridges that are bigger than some kitchens in other countries – you could investigate using Powerline to deliver wired Ethernet to devices in that room.
As this is an office, you probably have a wired PC. Powerline LAN might cut through wifi interference.
