Network Attached Wireless Adaptor
If you have
a device that has a standard Ethernet connection, there are now adaptors that
can provide them with wireless connectivity. A good example is the Netgear
Universal Wifi Internet Adapter. This simple and compact device is powered by
either a conventional power plug or a USB port and plugs into a device's
Ethernet connection. It then connects wirelessly to your router and transfers
the data sent and received to the Ethernet port. This allows you to wirelessly
connect smart TVs, games consoles and set-top boxes that otherwise would need a
cabled connection. It supports 802.1 1 n speeds and costs approximately £38. It
works with PCs as well, giving you a valid alternative to wireless USB
adaptors, which can be difficult to get working with operating systems other
than Windows.
Netgear Universal Wi-Fi Internet Adapter
Access Points And Range
Extenders
If you live
in a small, modern flat or apartment, a single wireless connection provided by
your router is usually enough to deliver connectivity to all corners of your
properties. If you live in an old house with thick brick walls or have a
particularly large house, there will almost certainly be wireless black-spots
where the connection quality is poor or even unusable. This is where the
plethora of range extenders and access points come into play. Some access
points can double as range extenders, whereas others cannot. If in doubt, check
the online documentation to see if the product is right for you.
A wireless
access point is simply a wireless switch. You plug it into your existing wired
network and it allows wireless access.
If you can
run an Ethernet cable from your router to a remotely positioned access point,
it will allow you to connect wireless equipment in those pesky black-spots. If
you can't practically run a cabled connection, access points can be cleverly
combined with Powerline adaptors to provide a high-quality connection anywhere
in your home.
Repeaters
are a little different. With these you position them at the furthest location
from your main router where connection quality is still of high quality, and
they extend its range further by repeating all outgoing and incoming traffic
generated by the router's wireless antennas. This is perfect if you just need to
extend the wireless reach of your router a little, but it probably won't help
if you have extremely thick interior walls, where an access point and Powerline
combination is a much safer proposition.
Powerline Equipment
Logitech Alert 750e Outdoor Master System : Powerline Adapter
We've
covered the well-understood Powerline adaptors elsewhere in this issue, but
there is actually a bewildering array of choice in this now-crowded field.
Basic adaptors are usually quoted as supporting a connection speed of around
200Mbps, but as with quoted wireless connection speeds, in reality you will
struggle to get anywhere near this bandwidth. A good HomePlug connection speed
is between 20 and 50Mbps and is still more than fast enough to stream even HD
video without a broken picture.
More
expensive HomePlug adaptors aim to offer much higher speeds. These come in
400Mbps and even speeds of over 1Gbps. Although these can provide considerably
higher frequencies over modern wiring ring mains, or if the distance being
travelled between HomePlugs is not too far, they can result in rather
unpredictable consistency when used in older houses or over longer distances.
Our advice would be to keep things simple and only buy the expensive fast
HomePlug adaptors if your intended usage really needs the extra speed.
Simple
Powerline adaptors just have a single network connector on each end and serve
the same purpose as an extremely convenient Ethernet cable. It is, however,
possible to buy more advanced Powerline adaptors that work as a switch,
allowing you to connect multiple devices at one end to a single Powerline plug
next to your router. If you already have a spare switch, you don't need one of
these - simply plug a switch into the remotely located end of your Powerline
network, but if you don't, they can be a handy space saver. This kind of
product is ideal if you have multiple devices at one end of your Powerline
network - for example, a television with games consoles and a media PC
attached, all of which need network access to the router located in a different
location.
If you need
to add a third link to your Powerline network, you don't need to buy another
two Powerline adaptors; just buy a single unit and pair it with your existing
plugs. This third plug will then also be able to connect to the original plug
you purchased next to the router. It's wise to stick to one manufacturer of
Powerline network adaptor. Although many brands will interoperate successfully,
you will get the most predictable and consistent performance when all of them
are the same product!
Some
Powerline adaptors don't work over extension blocks - particularly if they have
built-in surge protection. Ideally, you want to plug your Powerline adaptor
directly into an electronic socket. If you can't spare the power point, some
Powerline adaptors come with plug-through sockets, allowing you to plug the
adaptor directly into the wall, and then other devices into the socket on the
HomePlug.
