Socket Connections

[jeromewilson]

So I've bought a couple of HomePlug powerline networking units - on paper they're a great alternative to wireless networking, particularly if you want good speed for streaming video.

Anyway, S*d's Law, I'm getting really poor speeds. It's been suggested that the situation can be improved by opening up all of the sockets in the house, checking and tightening the connections, and there's certainly anecdotal evidence to back this up.

I was wondering if anyone has any tips before I embark on this tedious though slightly worrying task? I'm not exactly and electrics / DIY expert. I was vaguely thinking that, as I'm going to all that trouble, maybe I should put a spot of solder or some other kind of conductive paste (?) on the connections while I'm at it. Although I also wonder if that would be well overboard / unnecessary / mental

Any thoughts would be very welcome...

Cheers.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Unnecessary and probably not possible anyway.

Make sure you turn the power off...

 

[RF Lighting]

You should not make screwed connections onto soldered wires.

Solder is too soft, and produces a bad joint.

 

[FDJ]

So I've bought a couple of HomePlug powerline networking units - on paper they're a great alternative to wireless networking, particularly if you want good speed for streaming video.

Take them back and get your money back.
Preferably use a wired network or wireless.
Those devices cause a large amount of interference over a wide area and IMHO should be illegal.
Frank

 

[jeromewilson]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Frank,do you have a bit more info about the interference problems (RF?) with Homeplugs? Thanks.

 

[plugwash]

Those devices cause a large amount of interference over a wide area and IMHO should be illegal.

Do you have a source for that? I had heared of problems from utilities running networking long distances over mains but not of problems with in house mains networking. I was under the impression that the inductance in an electricity meter did a pretty good job of blocking the signals escaping the property.