Need reliable wireless repeaters or Powerline data links?

[treezleef]

Hi,
We are installing electrical equipment into domestic houses. This equipment needs to be monitored 24/7 by an internet connection, back to our office. An ethernet port on the equipment allows this internet connection to be made.
The equipment is not usually installed near the household router. Therefore, an ethernet cable from the equipment usually goes to either…

1….a pair of Powerline data links, or
2…a wireless repeater…

….in order to get connected back to the household router.
However, in some cases, the internet connection fails. We suspect faulty, unreliable Powerline data links, or faulty , unreliable wireless repeaters.
Do you know of reputable brands of these devices, so that we can stick to those?
(We already know that we must only use those types of Powerline data links which can be programmed to never to go into “Power-save” mode.)

 

[Electrical2go]

Hi @treezleef,

We use the Draytek VigorAP 810 to extend our networks. Very reliable and never had a fault.

Link > Draytek VigorAP810

Cheers,
Ivan

 

[Avo Mk8]

Hi
What you need is called a 'wireless access point' rather than 'repeater'
And another vote for Dratek

These days equipment with the communication requirement you are asking about often have the wi-fi access hardware built in.

 

[Rockingit]

Hi @treezleef,

We use the Draytek VigorAP 810 to extend our networks. Very reliable and never had a fault.

Link > Draytek VigorAP810

Cheers,
Ivan

Out of interest, how many devices have you tried using via additional switched plugged in to one of these AP's? I'm softly looking for my own solution to some rural issues!

 

[Electrical2go]

Out of interest, how many devices have you tried using via additional switched plugged in to one of these AP's? I'm softly looking for my own solution to some rural issues!

I must add, I only know we use these because i have 2 sitting on the desk which i over ordered for a new branch. Our IT Department take care of the installations. So i'm not quite sure what you're asking. Can you put it in laymen terms so I understand. I can then ask out IT guys. ?

 

[Avo Mk8]

Out of interest, how many devices have you tried using via additional switched plugged in to one of these AP's? I'm softly looking for my own solution to some rural issues!

Apologies for a slightly peripheral ? comment, but I have a Netgear 8 port switch with currently 5 devices on it, including 1 streaming video, all on a single AP, unfortunately not the Draytech but a BT disc access point. all works fine.

 

[treezleef]

Thanks, i wonder, if we want to check if there ethernet cable has gone "bad" (internal wire come loose)

We wonder if sending one of these ethernet cables (below) to the customer, and getting him to take the origianl ethernet cable out, and replace with the below , and see if we then get internet connection?...i guess this is the easiest way to check for cable problem? (without going to the property)

Ethernet cable:
https://uk.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg02598/cat5-lead-1m-black/dp/3498225?st=ethernet cable

(so the cust would remove the original ethernet cable, and put in this one, between equipment and household router.)

 

[Avo Mk8]

Thanks, i wonder, if we want to check if there ethernet cable has gone "bad" (internal wire come loose)

We wonder if sending one of these ethernet cables (below) to the customer, and getting him to take the origianl ethernet cable out, and replace with the below , and see if we then get internet connection?...i guess this is the easiest way to check for cable problem? (without going to the property)

Ethernet cable:
https://uk.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg02598/cat5-lead-1m-black/dp/3498225?st=ethernet cable

(so the cust would remove the original ethernet cable, and put in this one, between equipment and household router.)

Only worth taking this route (probably with a longer cable) if a fault analysis shows that failure of the cable is a factor on a significant number of occasions. Intuitively I would suspect this is one of the least likely explanations for not receiving data from your customers.
Is anyone doing analysis on exactly what are the causes of failing to receive the data?

 

[treezleef]

thanks.......some customers have just a cable from equipment to router, and yet still dont have internet connection.,...in these cases, i assume its likely that its the cable thats at fault, but dont really know for sure.

 

[DPG]

thanks.......some customers have just a cable from equipment to router, and yet still dont have internet connection.,...in these cases, i assume its likely that its the cable thats at fault, but dont really know for sure.

As someone mentioned above, this really needs someone to visit the locations and see exactly what the issues are. A random/swapping bits out approach may fix some of the faults, but it is not going to get to the root cause.

Surely your company should be doing this - it's a poor approach to customer service if not.

 

[Mikegh]

Is that treezleef back again with his connectivity issues

The only thing I ever learnt about data was that wired was better than wireless

I stuck to that up to now but it's probably getting a bit dated

I think the wireless is catching up

 

[Avo Mk8]

However, in some cases, the internet connection fails. We suspect faulty, unreliable Powerline data links, or faulty , unreliable wireless repeaters.

I'm not clear if you, or a local agent, install the product you talk about, or if the customer is expected to do it himself/herself. If the latter, I'm not surprised there are problems?
There are lots of reasons why a connection through a router may not work - the router security settings/ the need to open particular ports, software issues, ISP issues (this is not my field, just saying problems are often not hardware).
If your company is helping customers get set up and working, and this process is going well, but then much later the connection is lost, then that does admittedly point more towards problems with the physical (or repeater) connection.

Just as a comment, we have Honeywell Evohome control for our heating, and when the internet communication between our system and their server is interrupted, we get a polite email telling us so. And then when the connection is restored, we get another email saying all is now well. We know this because when the Openreach engineer messes about down the road with our internet feed, we get the messages!?

 

[snowhead]

With wireless is you can't go at it with an amateur approach, which seems to be what's happening here.
The same is happening with the wired connection.

With a professional wireless installation the signal strength is checked before any permanent equipment is installed as it could be that the preferred location is in a wireless black or poor spot.

I don't know what the equipment is or how much it costs the customer but if I was paying for it I wouldn't be happy with having a cable sent with the instruction try this and see if it works.