Trouble connecting using Devolo homeplugs

JessB

Hi,
Having read through some of the home networking threads I'm really hoping someone can help me as I'm useless! Apologies is advance for the long post...

I've just bought a Devolo homeplug high speed powerline twin pack in order to move my Mac upstairs where wireless coverage won't reach. I'd done some reseach which seemed to say it was as easy as putting the plugs in the sockets - but after two days I still can't get it to work!

Downstairs I have a phone socket which a Netgear wireless router is plugged in to. Upstairs (loft room) there is no phone socket - tried moving the Mac up there a while ago but the wireless just isn't powerfull enough - we live in quite an old house with thick walls.

So, bought the homeplugs and put one into the Netgear via ethernet cable and the other into the Mac upstairs. Also took the opportunity to move the Netgear to a different, more conveneintly located phone socket, still downstairs.

Turned the Netgear back on as well as the Mac and I just can't get online. I wonder if it's because I unplugged and moved the Netgear - so now the Mac doesn't recognise it. Or is it something different that I'm missing.

Please help a confused forum newbie at the end of her tether!!!

Bob63

Check that the network interface on the Mac is enabled - goto System Preferences --> Network (see below) and make sure that DHCP is selected. Unlike my pic below you should see that the built-in ethernet is connected once it is plugged in properly to the Devolo unit. You should also see the Link light on both Devolo units to confirm that you have a homeplug network establish and the Eth Link light on both units to show they have ethernet connections to each unit, if you don't see both lights then revert to the old tech support chestnut of "Is it plugged in sir?" - check and double check that all the cables are plugged in until they click and that the Devolo units are plugged into a socket that is turned on. Finally, as you have moved the Netgear box to a different line, do you have ADSL filters plugged into every used socket on your phone system, and do you have the filters setup correctly? Remember that you can't piggy back filters - a common error when the ADSL modem is plugged into an extension and the extension isn't plugged directly into the master socket, but is itself plugged into a filter on the master socket.

imnogeek

Additional to above don't forget the homeplugs need to be plugged into a wall socket or at a push you can use an extension lead but NOT one with surge protection

Cranky

I believe if it's on 2 different ring mains it won't connect.

aliEnRIK

imnogeek wrote: »

Additional to above don't forget the homeplugs need to be plugged into a wall socket or at a push you can use an extension lead but NOT one with surge protection

Ive just found out about NOT using it through a conditioning block

Bob63

Cranky wrote: »

I believe if it's on 2 different ring mains it won't connect.

Not true. We have two consumer units in the house and three if you count the garage/shed. Our homeplug setup works in any part of the house on any circuit.

You may be thinking about phases - if your neighbour is on a different phase then they definitely won't be able to see your network.

JessB

Thanks for your advice cheesy.mike. Last night I made sure DHCP was selected in system preferences (although with all the fiddling round I've been doing an annoying message keeps popping up saying 'your system preferences have been changed by another application' - however many times you click 'OK' this just won't go away - but that's another issue!).

Both lights on both plugs are on and all connections checked - still can't connect to the internet. It seems to be trying as I don't get a 'you are not connected to the internet' page anymore but still not successful. I'm going to call Virgin (my ISP) tonight to make sure I've got the right ISP address etc etc.

espresso

JessB wrote: »

I'm going to call Virgin (my ISP) tonight to make sure I've got the right ISP address etc etc.

You don't need to call Virgin, who won't be interested in your home network anyway, because you can check if your router is actually connected yourself.

Bob63

As you have moved your router to a different phone socket then it is almost certainly going to be an extension wiring / ADSL filter issue. (Assuming you are using Virgin's ADSL service not their cable modems. If it is the latter then you are on your own as I don't have cable out here in the sticks)

Do you have an ADSL light on the modem/router?
What does it say if you connect to the router through your browser e.g. http://192.168.0.1 (or whatever the default IP address is for the router). Does it say ADSL connected? This might help.

Mike

Leopard

If your router is using MAC filtering (that's "MAC" as in "Mandatory Access Control", not "Mac" as in "Apple Mac") as a security measure, ensure that you add the MAC IDs of both the Devolo powerline adaptors to the router's Access List.

Unless you do so, your router will (as it is supposed to do) not permit them to use its network.

The individual MAC ID of each Devolo powerline adaptor should be written on a small sticker attached (somewhere) to each device.

RDA

Leopard wrote: »

If your router is using MAC filtering (that's "MAC" as in "Mandatory Access Control", not "Mac" as in "Apple Mac") as a security measure, ensure that you add the MAC IDs of both the Devolo powerline adaptors to the router's Access List.

Unless you do so, your router will (as it is supposed to do) not permit them to use its network.

The individual MAC ID of each Devolo powerline adaptor should be written on a small sticker attached (somewhere) to each device.

"MAC" stands for Media Access Control, not Mandatory Access Control.