Ok I bought some netgear xe102 powerline ethernet adapters: http://www.netgear.com/Products/PowerlineNetworking/PowerlineEthernetAdapters/XE102.aspx They work as long as I don't plug a certain desktop computer into the wall socket. With out that computer plugged in, I will be able to get ~350KBS bandwidth through the adapters. With the computer plugged in, it will drop the speed down to 66KBS. Turning the computer on results in the adapters not even working at all I bought this power strip today: http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/pr...?selectedTabId=specifications&imageI=#tab-box It has a built in emi filter. I thought it might clear it up but it didn't. The problem is definitely that computer's psu. Unplugging it from the wall results in everything working fine. I am just wondering if there is anyway to modify the psu so it won't put out noise? Maybe like solder some capacitors somewhere or something? My only other option would be to buy a new psu for it. The other computers in the room don't effect anything, it's just this one....
It might be the network card as well.... does it support PoE or anything like that. It sounds like if the PC has power then it's shoving noise or voltage spikes down the ethernet cable... Swap out the network card and see if it has any effect
Dragon, good intentions, but I think these are Ethernet over Powerline, not Power over Ethernet adapters, at least, if I glanced correctly... =) Basically, these allow you to send "Ethernet" over the powerlines, where as the other sends power to Ethernet devices... Actually, it probably ISN'T noise related. In fact, it's probably almost the opposite problem. These type of devices, along with X10 and Insteon, rely on being able to modulate a signal onto the power line. If you are plugging in an EMI filter, or other device (most power strips), this tends to filter out the signals that are being modulated onto the power line, because, in all reality, the modulated signals can be considered noise by most devices just using the AC mains as power only. Your best bet, is to plug the Ethernet adapter into a socket that is on a different circuit than the computer you are plugging in. If that isn't possible, I've found that moving these types of devices just a few feet (on the same circuit) from the offending device, helps. So, if your computer is plugged into one socket, try plugging the Ethernet adapter into a socket a couple sockets away from the computer, then give it a go.
Yea I tried different plugs in the room and I got the same results. None of the other computers bother the adapters, it's just this one older desktop. Turn it on and it kills the adapters. I plugged the "noisy" computer into the filtering power strip but it did not help anything. The adapters are always plugged right into the wall socket. Maybe I should try moving the computer to a different plug?
Well, I tend to think it's not a noise problem, but they do make specific filters you can buy to plug in to a socket, that will filter out noise, if that's a problem. http://www.smarthome.com/_/ProductResults.aspx?Ntt=noise filter
It sounds like the computers EMI filtering in the PSU is killing the signal strength of the powerline adapter. Do a test, run it with it plugged in with the switch on the back off, and with the switch on, but the computer off. If it kills the speed with just plugging it in, but the switch off, then most likely the problem is the EMI filter in the AC inlet connector, if it only does it with the switch on the back on, then it could be something else. Its sounding like like the filter on the AC inlet isnt up to snuff anymore. An external noise filter should have worked as long as the adapter was 'outside' the filter and the powersupply was 'inside' If the filter uses a series inductor it will block the high frequency component that the network adapter adds. Without that, just using caps/MOVs to suppress spikes and hf noise, it will 'short' the high frequency the network adapter uses.
Yea, turning the switch off on the psu does the same as unplugging the power cord. I pulled the power strip apart and the "filter" in it is just a couple of big disc caps. I have a clip on ferrite coil laying around somewhere. I will try and find it and put it on the cord and see what it does. Might get lucky....
Ok I played with moving the computer to different plugs. Some were worse than others but not by much. I did verify that the filter in the power strip does help some. Hmm I found a filter made for EoP though: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Cori...sem/rpsm/oid/178827/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do I think money would be better spent on a new psu though...
