Having a PLC is a good solution to improve WiFi coverage in our home and as an alternative to the WiFi repeater, but we do not always use it as we should or it does not always fulfill its function if you do not know how to place it or where to place it. That is why you must take this into account if you want your PLC to work well and improve the wireless signal in your home.
We are clear about how a WiFi amplifier works but we are not always clear how to configure or how to use the rest of the devices. You may not know how to have a WiFi Mesh network at home or you may think that PLC is just plug and play. But you have to keep in mind where to plug it in and how to plug it in if you want it to really do its job.
What to take into account
How does a PLC work? There is a main device that captures the signal emitted by the router. Connected to the power, it transmits this signal to the wiring to a secondary PLC that we have connected in the room where we want to make the connection. It is this second device responsible for “removing” the wiring connection and give us coverage through a good WiFi signal in this room where WiFi usually does not reach of the router itself. It can generally be via Wifi but there are also devices that have an Ethernet port that allows us to connect by cable from this final room, having better speed and making the most of the rate we have contracted although there is no mains socket in this room.
Although it depends on the model, generally both will be connected and synchronized with a synchronization button and with an LED light or pilot that will indicate whether the synchronization has been successful or not. Once this process is done, all we have to do is connect via cable or WiFi connection, as always.
There are also models that operators offer so that the television decoder works correctly. This is the case of Orange. Orange has Liveplug HD+ PLC adapters that are self-installable and offer their clients to be able to connect the decoder to the router when they are not located in the same room. This is how we get the 4K deco to work well. In this case, installation is as simple as other PLCs: both plug in and press the pair button. A pairing LED will flash and the second adapter will connect to the first.
Why you should never plug it into the power strip
As we said, The PLC works with the house’s electrical network, and it will depend on its quality so that your connection is more or less stable. Starting from this basis, it is normal that the more devices there are between the main PLC and the secondary PLC, the worse the received signal will be and therefore, the signal will not be as fluid and stable as we need.
In this case, Using a power strip can cause signal loss considerable and, even if there are approved power strips or multipliers, it is advisable to use a wall socket so that the service is the best possible.
One of the most interesting characteristics of PLCs is that many models have a built-in plug which means you don’t lose that plug to be able to connect other equipment. Using this, you can plug the PLC directly into the wall socket and the power strip or multiplier, connect it to the PLC. In this way, you will ensure that you have all the plugs available with your power strip without losing quality in the connection and data transfer of your PLC.
