And for my next aerial assault, Belkin is getting it.

[drmike]

Sorry, I am slammed today.   I did an unboxing with today's mail of my Powerline Adapter, a Belkin.

This isn't a PowerLine technology at all.  It isn't even news per se.  But I haven't seen mention of the matter and I am wondering how these shitheads are allowed to be selling what they are (FALSE ADVERTISING GALORA).

Belkin is another scammer company that should make the lowenders hearts warm.  It's coming...

 

[AuroraZero]

Sounds like an eBay purchase to me right there.

 

[drmike]

Hahaha! Ebay, land of the import mocku-gear rebadgers.   I do buy on Ebay, but sparingly these days as it has gone to crap there.

The powerline kit:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350631,00.asp

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA24G15S6443

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabit-Powerline-HD-Starter-Kit/dp/B002GHCZMG

Clearly, Amazon reviews and buyers are going to be my new go to double-sanity check before purchases like these.  PCMag clearly must be a paid sponsorship opportunity.  You know of course, right, that Belkin was outted for paid fake reviews and buying positives all over....  Oh you didn't?  Now you do.

The sealed retail box for this says:


Operating Range**
* Up to 300m in wall powerlines
So here's what is up.  These don't operate via the powerlines.

They plug into the wall (and are freaking huge - blocking all sorts of other plugs from use on a standard 3x3 socket surge splitter.

In my office, I have two different power lines.  Two different utility meters, pulled from different utility lines too.  Different everything.  No cross over anywhere.  Totally isolated.

These devices have 3 LEDs - one on the top middle is for quality of the signal between the two devices. Blue, amber or unlit.  Amber is what I get. Which says "Link rate less than 200Mbps".  The box touts this gear as "Up to 1000 Mbps".

I carelessly wired one end into power meter #1, I then plugged the other into power meter #2.

Guess what?  They are commnicating   Even though on different lines, thrown through surge protectors, etc.

Problem is, like I said, they are communicating from two different utility powermains.

I know, they are just that strong   I sincerely farking doubt it.

So time allowing, and weather cooperating, one of these is getting thrown on DC solar setup upside an AC inverter, entirely off grid.

It would be IMPOSSIBLE for these to work where one wasn't even on-grid.

Unit I have next to me right now, this Belkin shit, it's damn hot.  Need to get my laser meter.  But let me say it reminds all around of the high powered, non-FCC legit, multi-watt omni style wifi devices that were steady coming out of China for eons.  I have a unit similar size like that and thermals are very similar in hand feel --- doubt this is working on wifi spectrum and I am not an electronic / bench meter sort of person...

PS: someone mentioned the high wattage use of similar devices.... the thermals + wattage are very good sign of a transceiver (wireless) setup instead of working via mainline power wires.

 

[drmike]

Cleaning one of my workstations and desks today (that's what this set of powerline adapters were for -- but a different office).

So right now... I have 1 unit plugged into my main power and the internet router.

The other unit into my seconday power grid pull and a PC.

Me, I am standing in between them - to the left is one, to the right is one.

Zero logical way this could be working since on different power / meters /etc.

Ran a speed test download like 100kB/s tops, which is paltry.

Enabled the push button encryption on both, and they won't communicate at all. No clue.

The connection between the two unit dies randomly - requiring unplugging and sometimes facory resetting of the units before they connect to one another again.

Very fascinating.... Time to clear some plug space and put them on same utility service and see how they behave...

 

[Kalam]

Do you have a UPS? Plug one into an outlet and the other into the UPS, then yank the cord out of the UPS to run one on battery. Would be amusing if it works.

 

[drmike]

So... plugged both into the same power service.  Possible they are on the very same circuit too.

Remote speed test now is peak over 500K/s, but often blippy up and down on throughput. (bandwidth on normal wired connection to same test doesn't behave like that.

Hopefully this week I can have an offgrid field testing day and see what we have and probably take one of these apart to see what is in these very strange units.

 

[drmike]

Do you have a UPS? Plug one into an outlet and the other into the UPS, then yank the cord out of the UPS to run one on battery. Would be amusing if it works.

Yeah I might try that.... 

 

[drmike]

I figured out what is wrong with Belkin, they are straight outta Compton ( a nod to NWA --- http://rapgenius.com/Nwa-straight-outta-compton-lyrics).

Seriously, founded there and were based there until recent times Belkin was.

 

[VPSCorey]

Once you throw in the new code requirements of AFCI breakers throughout the panel, surge arrestors and UPS's etc those powerline adapters die.  They work perfectly if both are on the same wire, but after that pfft..

Moca adapters work though, but you have to have the cable there.

 

[drmike]

Afci gfci etc... Yeah here if it were not for extension cords, most of my neighbors would not even have electric.


Those modern safety things pffft. Just do not trip on the cords.... Or you y2k someone out.

 

[AuroraZero]

Afci gfci etc... Yeah here if it were not for extension cords, most of my neighbors would not even have electric.


Those modern safety things pffft. Just do not trip on the cords.... Or you y2k someone out.

Now you are starting to sound like my neck of the woods. I do mean the woods literally since where I live you can barely get satellite TV and never could get satellite internet. At least it is quiet and I do not have to worry about the neighbors though ........