Line conditioner / Homeplug networking question

[pangea33]

I am currently using Clearwire.com for my broadband connection. It was the only choice since I have no home phone service and cable isn't available on my street.

Its provides decent service as long as the receiver is in an area with reasonable signal. Murphy's Law dictated that this location is not in my office, so I am forced to use homeplugs through my house wiring to get the signal to my Linksys router.

The connection seems to be unaffected by surge suppressors, or at least not to any degree that it bothers me. With hurricane season coming, I am thinking about a line conditioner and UPS. My search has not turned up any evidence that this will disrupt the signal, but I don't want to pay shipping for an item that is unusable.

Does anyone have any reason to think that this should cause problems. Thanks so much for any input.

[yawningdog]

Uh, am I the only one around here who's never heard of a homeplug?

[pangea33]

Sorry to make an assumption like that. All the great responses on here make me spoiled, and I start to assume that every person knows everything that I know. :)

Homeplugs are a set of transmitters / receivers that use the wiring in your home for networking. The stats below were taken from the following link: http://www.clearwire.com/store/clearplug.htm

Standard: IEEE 802.3 Homeplug power line v1.01
Data Rate: up to 14Mbps
Modulation: OFDM
Frequency Band: 4-21MHz
Power Input: 110V AC — 60Hz, DC Power<5W
Encryption: 56-bit DES
Interface: RJ-45

My wireless modem is set up wherever I can find the best signal in the house. A cat5 cable runs from that into one of the homeplugs. In my office I have another plugged into the wall, with a cat5 cable running to the WAN port of my Linksys router. The firewall router behaves just as if it were connected directly to the modem.

This is probably a technology that stagnated because of the advances in 802.11 wireless evolution. These aren't fast enough to use for PC networking, but they seem well suited to this purpose since I might hit 1.5Mbps from the broadband when I am really lucky. I can see where conditioning the AC current could possibly affect these, but haven't been able to find confirmation of that. They seem to work fine with surge suppressors / power strips, and its the PC that would benefit from UPS auto shutdown. Just wondering mainly out of curiousity I suppose.

I was just hoping to avoid spending money on technology that I couldn't use.

Thanks for reading this far down :D

[david eaton]

There should be no problem, if you can arrange to "extract" the data signal on the supply side of the UPS.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Look's dangerous to me, especially if you live in an area that loses power often due to electrical storms.

[pangea33]

I am not sure what leads you to the conclusion that these are dangerous. My computer is also plugged into the wall, and I am not worried about it electrocuting me. The plugs were handed to me by the Clearwire rep, I didn't make a decision to use them on my own.

[Fruss Tray Ted]

I'm not so worried about you getting zapped as I am about the possibility of your pc getting some circuits (modems etc) fried from voltage spikes from your house mains when a pole gets struck by lightning.

Usually you are connected to your mains and modems through surge suppressors. This setup does not look that way though it may be built into the units themselves.

Thing is though, your house wiring is able to handle w-a-y more current to your pc than a phone line or cable connection. And considering the voltage and amperage abilities of lightning, you yourself have a greater chance of being on the lethal receiving end. 1oo million to 1 billion volts or more can jump a considerable distance through your peripherals and onwards to you if conditions are right.

As is, I always unplug my more valued pc's whenever I hear the first rumble of thunder. I use an older disposable one until it has passed or watch tv etc...

[david eaton]

My original comment was directed at the practical topic of whether these would work with a UPS.
My feelings about lightning, having seen the damage it can do, and the seeming capricious way it can behave lead me to the same conclusions as FTT. Unplug when there is lightning about.

I use an older disposable one until it has passed or watch tv etc...
Watching TV?? what happens if lightning stikes the TV antenna?? :)

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Answer:
I used to value watching tv. Now I only value possesion of the remote... :rolleyes:

There is also a song my brother enjoyed playing for me on his geetah...

She was a level-headed dancer on the road to alcohol
I was just a soldier on my way to Montreal

Well, she pressed her chest against me
About the time the jukebox broke
She give me a peck on the back of the neck
And these are the words she spoke

Blow Up Your TV, throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home

Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try and find Jesus on your own