Smart plugs powerline ethernet and dirty electricity

[Labob]

So I use a power line adapter from my server to my roku. Not so much for movies wifi works fine for that but for OTA signal. I networked my antena so my local channels are available anywhere I am logged on. That takes some bandwidht. Now I also use a lot of smart plugs. I've always had an issue with the powerline adapters dropping its bandwidth to almost nil. I lucked out last week and was looking at them when my better half asked google to turn on the night lights. Google lite up our house and bamm I got a red light on the powerline adapters.  Nothing but luck because I had no idea why it keept losing signal. So a bit of reading and my conclusionis the smart plugs are poluting the electric curent causing the drop in signal. So the question is how to I add a filter to this problem. A house filter is over a $1000 and not going to happen. Individual plug filters as well will run up a big bill I have over 30 smart plugs. I was trying to figure out if a ferret line filter would work on the plug I'm using the powerline adapter on. Add it before the plug. Will that screw up teh signal  as well ?? I ask because its not stopping the incoming noise but blocking it from the power line adapter. I hope this makes some sence to somebody. Its an interesting problem though. And yes for now if I want to watch OTA signal I turn off teh plugs but thats not a real fix is it    Thanks for any idea and thoughts

 

[BUDMAN]

That's what we referred to as RF in the automobile business and was 99% of the time caused by aftermarket equipment. I know this is no help but I know what you are dealing with.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2024 by BUDMAN
added link

[srt4fun]

I used to use them as well for TVs and such. Found that if they were on the same leg they would work better. But even so, if certain appliances turned on it would disrupt the network. Even if they were on the same branch circuit they would get slow. Got so fed up I just ran Cat6 to each room, lol. Filters aren't necessarily a good thing, had a power strip that had a filter in it but the power line adapter would not work, while plugged into it, until I removed the filter from the strip, hahaha. My whole house is automated with zwave and zigbee devices so I agree with you that filtering each device is really not going to happen...probably cheaper (and much much more reliable) to just run cat6 through the house than to buy filters for each device!

[Labob]

I whis I could its a big house 3 stories office is in the 4th bedroom conversion so is the fiber . running cat 6 through the house I would have to create a room in teh basement to collect everything. Such a big big job. Thats why I'm trying to find a way to filter one outlet and not have it cut the bandwidth. If possible which seems like a lot of work too  

[WeednFeed]

So I’m assuming all these plugs MIGHT be on more than 1 circuit?

The first thing I would do is to see if only one smart plug is the bad apple. Just disconnect 1 smart plug at a time, do your test to see if you can identify 1 bad smart plug. If it is just one remove it or replace it. 

If all those smart plugs are in the same circuit maybe running that the circuit through a UPS. Uninterrupted Power Supply if you have one.  

[bds1961]

For switch’s and plugs in my house I used the Insteon products. They communicate to each other through both RF and line carrier signal.  Have never had an issue with them interfering with any other thing in the house. Great products but not cheap

[srt4fun]

Ahhh yes, I see the predicament... How many powerline devices do you have in-network? which models do you use?

I had 2 in place at the beginning, then added a 3rd later. When it was 2 it was quite reliable, unless heavy electric usage. After I added the 3rd (same model) did notice a degradation of the powerline network (dropping to orange/red more often)... Possibly due to the "noise" from the additional repeater. If you are using more than 2 devices, try removing all but 2, activate your smart plugs a few times, and observe your signal status. If it stays good, add back a powerline device one at a time, and repeat test. That may help you find the saturation limit for your devices. But then again, it may be a single powerline device that is pulling your network down. If you are comfortable with your electrical panel, you could make sure that all your powerline devices are on the same phase (crossing phases can reduce signal quality by a little or a lot depending on your home's electric supply). Some AFCI/GFCI breakers can filter your powerline signal as well...

Edited January 21, 2024 by srt4fun

[Labob]

2 power line plugs d-link av2 1000 .It use to be 2 tp-link powerline plugs but inan effort to find teh issue I replaced them with newer ones. (Bigger Bettter Faster  .  Runng tp-link smart plugs 11 plugs 3 light switches. After about 6 plugs turned on the signal drops fast.After a couple more the light goes red and I buffer.  Also the signal drops slower if I turn the plugs on from the outer edge of the circle so to speak. 

[srt4fun]

Ahhh, gotcha, so just one pair. Then there's not much to do that's easy or cheap...filtering each smart plug individually has the possibility to not help the situation either. The best suggestion I have is to check if both circuits that the adapters are plugged into are the same phase. If not, plug one of the adapters into a nearby circuit on the same phase as the other and retest with your smart plugs. Hopefully there will be improvement. If they are already on same phase, then I don't have any other suggestions

 

The ones I have are a pair of Netgear PL1010v2s and a matching WiFi powerline extender. If you want to try another brand I could send you these ones (They have been sitting on a shelf for 6+ months), lol.

Edited January 22, 2024 by srt4fun

[KaptCrunch]

On 1/20/2024 at 9:58 PM, Labob said:

I whis I could its a big house 3 stories office is in the 4th bedroom conversion so is the fiber . running cat 6 through the house I would have to create a room in teh basement to collect everything. Such a big big job. Thats why I'm trying to find a way to filter one outlet and not have it cut the bandwidth. If possible which seems like a lot of work too  

no pain no gain bobby

use the plumbing vent stack to reach your floors through the home, from basement to roof  using Cat 6 STP cable, UTP is a waste of money IMHO.

Note: A single run of Ethernet cable is designed to work at a maximum of 328 feet or 100 meters.

use a manageable switch to 2-3 routers of your choice for each floor.

this set-up wil meet your needs and fire walled to the Max

Modem>managed smart switch>network PC terminal>Routers>and rest of hardware

And a Smart-UP to run system in basement.

 

 

guaranteed  protected and fast, with a fishing tape can run the RJ45 cable along plumping stack to each floor and branch out to routers on each  floor. from routers have wire or wireless  coverage

 

 

[KaptCrunch]

with the extra port on smart switch can run to the patio/garage and IP Phone modem also

if longer than 100m add a router as a repeater

for the smart-up can find those at government sales or auctions a lot cheaper just buy new battery's around $50-80 and last 4-6 years is my experience

 

Note: if have a IP Phone the smart-up will have a a phone when power is off (depends on load run time of smart-up, can parallel the battery's to increase run time)   

 

 

Edited January 22, 2024 by KaptCrunch

[KaptCrunch]

i can a test that dirty power not good for computers, for having brown outs was losing HDD's to corrupt writes to platter. 

[Labob]

Thanks Kapt seems like an aful lot of work to watch my local news once a day   srt4fun I will try to figure out the wireing plan to see if I can get the smart plugs off the powerline run. Seem like a good plan. Thank you for all you ideas and hard work.

[Bogleg]

I use a Powerline Adapter as well.  Mine goes Orbi Router -> Powerline Adapter -> Powerline Adapter -> TV.  The TV in the family room is connected to it.  I have two smart plugs on the same circuit as the Powerline Adapter the TV is using - both Sonoff smart plugs running floor lamps.  In my office where the cable modem is I don't have any smart plugs on that circuit.  To my knowledge I haven't had any issues with this setup.  

[KaptCrunch]

8 hours ago, Labob said:

Thanks Kapt seems like an aful lot of work to watch my local news once a day   srt4fun I will try to figure out the wireing plan to see if I can get the smart plugs off the powerline run. Seem like a good plan. Thank you for all you ideas and hard work.

really not that hard using plumbing stack as runway provided is a straight run drop set-up as depicted, by using solid heavy rod with a hole in to tie twine rope and all your runs that match available ports from switch in one attempt.  when reach a floor have hole in stack passage an hook your line in.  Other choice is  chimney.

if own the home is a bonus when sell time come around.                           

[PHUCKITMAN]

12 hours ago, Labob said:

Thanks Kapt seems like an aful lot of work to watch my local news once a day   srt4fun I will try to figure out the wireing plan to see if I can get the smart plugs off the powerline run. Seem like a good plan. Thank you for all you ideas and hard work.

Doesn't your Local News Broadcast have a cast on the Web? Most of the big City Stations down here in the States replay their News braodcasts online as well as have a person updating anything that just happened before they can go on air for whatever reason like not wanting to interrupt a Soap Opera or Game Show?

[KaptCrunch]

6 hours ago, PHUCKITMAN said:

Doesn't your Local News Broadcast have a cast on the Web? Most of the big City Stations down here in the States replay their News braodcasts online as well as have a person updating anything that just happened before they can go on air for whatever reason like not wanting to interrupt a Soap Opera or Game Show?

Samsung has free content but has ads,  other is digital air the quality is far better than internet 

[YACCster]

Get a good mesh wifi setup maybe?

[Labob]

2 hours ago, YACCster said:

Get a good mesh wifi setup maybe?

Got a mesh system going I love it too.

[Labob]

10 hours ago, PHUCKITMAN said:

Doesn't your Local News Broadcast have a cast on the Web? Most of the big City Stations down here in the States replay their News braodcasts online as well as have a person updating anything that just happened before they can go on air for whatever reason like not wanting to interrupt a Soap Opera or Game Show?

I can watch local news on global but they run lower 3rds and the right side 20% is adds adds adds. If I watch Ota it's full screen and the picture it true 1080. 

[MikeB]

Use a light switch !!!  Problem solved.  People are getting too lazy  

[BlackRose]

wrap tinfoil around them,,,,,lol

[Labob]

30 minutes ago, MikeB said:

Use a light switch !!!  Problem solved.  People are getting too lazy  

To me its a startrek thing. Find it really cool. Odd maybe lazy yes but fun  

[Labob]

27 minutes ago, BlackRose said:

wrap tinfoil around them,,,,,lol

I would love to place a faraday cage of sorts around them but then they would not work ? Than MikeB would have his way unless I started breeding and teaching the kids to runaround turning lights on and off. Scary solution. Aluminum is for hats.

[Labob]

35 minutes ago, MikeB said:

Use a light switch !!!  Problem solved.  People are getting too lazy  

Its even more fun when you start using ifttt  https://ifttt.com/explore