If you’ve ever been confronted with moving your ADSL router or other networked devices, there may be a better way.

I had to address this exact issue recently when I had to move my ADSL router. In past times I just ran an extended phone line to the location in which it would be best used to connect my devices via Ethernet cables; however this would reduce the download speeds I would receive which I just had to live within the past.

In the last week I’ve moved my modem out of sight, but not out of mind as my desktop workstation remains disconnect from the network, wireless isn’t an option due the constant video streaming to my TV. So my only solution which I’ve found without getting an electrician onsite is, Ethernet over Power which will fix my issue in a matter of minutes through easy non-technical setup.

First a brief run down on how Ethernet over Power works:

Simply, it uses two adapters which plug into any wall mounted power socket. Just connect the devices which need to be networked and it’s online by using your existing power wiring through your house or workplace.

This is a fantastic solution for any of those tricky black-out spots where the Wi-Fi signal isn’t strong enough to reach, or the speed is just unbearable to live with.

Running unattractive Ethernet cables through the walls or above the ceiling? Ethernet through power is able to replace these nasty cables with great fashion and possibly put you in the good books with the missus once again (if that’s even possible).

So I’m going to be up straight with you, and answer that question that’s in the back of your head right now, “what do you compromise”.

The devices are nowhere near the speed in which they quote; 200mb/s & 500mb/s. Recent research has seen them average 30 – 60mb/s which is fast enough for the average user to stream high definition videos as I have done in my case. As an ex-gamer, I will always say, there is no substitute for pure Ethernet, so I don’t recommend using these for games which require super low latency games like FPS (First Person  shooters) series; Battlefield, Call of Duty, Team Fortress, however I’ve found Ethernet of Power smoother than Wi-Fi gaming.

So which one should I buy?

We and our clients have had good experiences with these adapters from Netgear and Netcomm and can supply these from around $100 depending on the number of connections and speed of the connection that you require.

When are Ethernet over power convertors not a good idea?

• When they don’t work in your environment! This sounds a bit silly, but what I mean is that for all sorts of environmental reasons they will sometimes not work well or at all. Sometimes this can be fixed by moving to a different power point, other times it will not. The only way to be sure is to try them. These devices will only work if the 2 different power points are on the same power circuit in your house or office.
• If you need a really fast, reliable connection you will still get the best results by installing a network cable. So these are not going to replace conventional network cabling in many business environments.

Written By Steve Bakker