Adding a new internet line

My wife has a sewing machine that runs some crazy embroidery software...loading that is a story unto itself...  But to get patterns and other creative things from the net required a new internet wire. It's too far from the router to hit with a good wi-fi signal and for some reason, I could not get that old computer to log in anyway.  (after the switch to T/W cable, lots of things act differently...but that's another story too.)
 
After attending an electronic security training conference a few weeks back..... I learned a few new things.... such as    Internet over existing house electrical wiring.  I had heard about it well over a year ago but passed on it as a gimmick as opposed to a serious technology that was reliable.  Seems they have been working hard on this to perfect it and make it a viable platform. It was actually recommended as a way to get internet to the cameras in a training session and was set up and running in the room.
 
OK... I'm convinced after seeing it work in real time with a camera.
 
I looked on line and found the Belkin Powerline AV-500.  I bought the kit. One transmitter/recvr combo.   This device sends 100mbs internet over your existing house wiring up to 900 feet. I figured, if it didn't work, I could send it back...
 
So when they came in, I read the instructions, one page with only 3 steps.....  Hummm...can it really be that simple?  I plugged them in....the lights flashed like the instructions said.... I plugged in the short cat5 jumpers..... connectivity!!!!  and green lights.... so I unplugged the one the computer/lappy was plugged into and moved ot to the location where my wife has her embroidery machine set up.....plugged it in, let it find the other device and connect..... waaa laaa.... she now has internet..... albiet not at 100mbs..... more like 50mbs but she can get the stuff she needs off the net without me having to crawl under the house and fish a cat5 up the walls to make the hardwired connection.
 
My next project is to install a similar wi-fi extender in that area of the back porch using similar technology so I can check email and such from the back deck with my phone.....  
 
Some cool stuff..... Under $80 for one of the kits, and the other was about $40 for the pair.  I can't even install a hard wire internet connection  in my own house for that price.  So next time you need to run a new hardwired internet connection....remember this and check Amazon...... that's where I found mine. 
 
 
 
 

Hi, Herb.
I bought the Netgear Powerline 500 kit a few weeks back to try to get connected with my smart TV. And it is a Wi-Fi hotspot, too.
I also didn't want to run a 20 foot cable from my bedroom to the living room, so I thought I'd give it a try.
Not working yet,  but I haven't spent a lot of time troubleshooting it. I'm on vacation next week so I plan on some phone time with Neatgear and/or TWC.
I have connectivity from the TV to the access point, and connectivity between the 2 Netgear devices, but for some reason I can't connect to the internet. I'm glad you have yours working. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

jamesg1213
Nice one Herb, I hope something like that's available over here, this house is a wi-fi nightmare.

The perfect excuse.

jamesg1213
Pfft. Ask Dave. I ain't starting another song till that 'un's done.

Heh heh

so far so good.  The AV500 needs to be linked up on the same circuit.... so plug them in and let them see each other on the powerlines.... in the same room usually works.  Once they are talking on the same circuit, then unplug one and move it and hook up the computer or TV and see what the signal strength is.   Red= around 10mbs   Yellow= up to 50 mbs   and Green=100mbs 
 
Greg, push the reset button on them both while they are plugged in. They will reconnect and authenticate and you should have connectivity at that point. I had to do that to get my laptop on the net with them.

RobertB
I don't know that the technology is perfect, but it's a least viable.

I've used the Netgear divices for years because I did not wish to make the effort of running live cable upstairs. Turned out to be a very satisfactory, simple, and easily implemented solution. Note that the electrical wire may affect how fast the speeds are, although I do not know the physics behind that. I would assume newer built homes may experience more optimal speeds (better wire???). I get around 5Mbps which is adequate for my needs.

Another option not to forget is when you wish to have a wireless connection, but the location is too far from the main wireless router. You can add a wireless repeater, where the repeater is located within the range of the main router, and subsequently within the range of the new wireless connection devices. In my case, I have one hard-wired connection upstairs, so I added the repeater to that line. Now all upstairs rooms can connect wirelessly, whereas before some rooms were beyond the wireless range.