Do powerline adapters cut Internet speeds?

[bingaloman]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if using powerline adapters reduce your internet speeds. Our main router/modem is downstairs and my computer is upstairs and I have a powerline adapter to run an ethernet to my computer. When running a speedtest on my PC, I only get like 9-10mbps download speed when we are paying for 24mbps. SO I try to speedtest on my iPhone which is on WiFi on the same network but has only 2 bars since I'm upstairs and I get like 18-20mbps download on my phone over WiFi.

So this leads me to think that using a powerline ethernet adapter cuts speeds. Is this so? If so what is the best option I should go about? Would it be better if I were to just buy a really good WiFi adapter for my motherboard?

And also when trying to set up an access point for upstairs using one of my old routers, my speed is also only like 9-10mbps using the access point connection since it is also connected with an ethernet using the powerline adapter.

Any suggestions or help is appreciated, thanks!

 

[USAFRet]

Generally, in terms of performance, decreasing:
Ethernet
Powerline
Wifi

Powerline or WiFi is hugely dependent on the environment.
For powerline, house wiring has an impact.
For Wifi, distance, building construction, neighbors, other electrical devices...

 

[Mr5oh]

Powerline adapters are notoriously slow. They work well under very ideal circumstances, and in places where wireless / wired isn't an option they work. They just aren't fast. If your house has old wiring, or a bunch of noise in the wiring, it will be slow.

Wireless is generally faster than a power line adapter.

Downstairs is not a good place for a wireless router.

 

[bingaloman]

Powerline adapters are notoriously slow. They work well under very ideal circumstances, and in places where wireless / wired isn't an option they work. They just aren't fast. If your house has old wiring, or a bunch of noise in the wiring, it will be slow.

Wireless is generally faster than a power line adapter.

Downstairs is not a good place for a wireless router.

So I guess WiFi is my way to go then? And also if I want to set up an access point for upstairs using my old router, is there any way for me to completely have the AP wireless? Because right now I have to set it up by using an ethernet from the powerline adapter which also makes my AP only have like 9-10 mbps

 

[USAFRet]

Powerline adapters are notoriously slow. They work well under very ideal circumstances, and in places where wireless / wired isn't an option they work. They just aren't fast. If your house has old wiring, or a bunch of noise in the wiring, it will be slow.

Wireless is generally faster than a power line adapter.

Downstairs is not a good place for a wireless router.

So I guess WiFi is my way to go then? And also if I want to set up an access point for upstairs using my old router, is there any way for me to completely have the AP wireless? Because right now I have to set it up by using an ethernet from the powerline adapter which also makes my AP only have like 9-10 mbps

WiFi may or may not be better.
Only way to know is to try. Every house is different.

 

[bingaloman]

Powerline adapters are notoriously slow. They work well under very ideal circumstances, and in places where wireless / wired isn't an option they work. They just aren't fast. If your house has old wiring, or a bunch of noise in the wiring, it will be slow.

Wireless is generally faster than a power line adapter.

Downstairs is not a good place for a wireless router.

So I guess WiFi is my way to go then? And also if I want to set up an access point for upstairs using my old router, is there any way for me to completely have the AP wireless? Because right now I have to set it up by using an ethernet from the powerline adapter which also makes my AP only have like 9-10 mbps

WiFi may or may not be better.
Only way to know is to try. Every house is different.

I know it'll be better because my brother's computer is in his room next to mine and he has a TP-Link PCI WiFi card and he gets like 24+mbps compared to my powerline adapter connection of 9-10mbps. I was just wondering if there was any other way to get my speeds faster using wired but guess not.

Thanks!

 

[McHenryB]

The truth is that if you are on a 24mbps Internet connection then the way you are connected to the router (wired, powerline, or wireless) should make no difference whatsoever as they are all considerably faster than that. If it does then there is something very wrong with your network setup.

 

[USAFRet]

I know it'll be better because my brother's computer is in his room next to mine

False assumption

In my house, router downstairs, laptop upstairs, I can see a 25% 'speed' decrease walking 20 feet down the hall.

 

[axlrose]

Wondering about this. I just moved my pc upstairs to an office. The only hardline into the house is in the basement. Had to have that installed when we moved into the house through the poured concrete basement. I just moved from 25mbps to 50mbps. I should have checked speeds before I moved my pc, but I just installed a new powerline adapter that claims up to 1000mbps and 300-400 over the wifi. I just did a speedtest and got about 14mbps.

 

[USAFRet]

Wondering about this. I just moved my pc upstairs to an office. The only hardline into the house is in the basement. Had to have that installed when we moved into the house through the poured concrete basement. I just moved from 25mbps to 50mbps. I should have checked speeds before I moved my pc, but I just installed a new powerline adapter that claims up to 1000mbps and 300-400 over the wifi. I just did a speedtest and got about 14mbps.

This may be due to the specific powerline device you're using, or your house wiring.
But please start your own thread on this. This one is 3 years old, and I'm probably the only one seeing it.