An (almost) free upgrade
Posted by: trickydickie on 16 February 2013
Over 2 years ago we added a second internet connection to our network which is used to support domesic and business use, we needed the resilence of a second connection so added a cable connection to our existing ADSL facility.
Due to the positioning of the cable connection being nowhere near the Router I added a Homeplug pair of ethernet over mains adaptors, this allowed the cable modem to be connected to a Draytek router that handles both connections with failover etc.
I wasn't keen on doing this but it was the easiest solution at the time. I couldn't detect any downside on the performane of the hifi which wasn't at the level it is now.
With a recent upgrade of the cable connection I realised I wasn't getting the full potential of the now 100mbit/s connection, maxing out at 60mbit/s despite the Homeplugs being decent quality 200mbit/s models.
Today I have completed the removal of the Homplugs, with a hole through the sitting room wall into the understairs cupboard where the router resides, a 3 way cat 5 socket and some long lengths of flat ethernet cable have completed the job As I have combined a telephone connection, Lan and Wan into a single pattress sized socket.
I now have close to 100mbit/s internet connection speed having done a speed test and got 90 and this was with 3 customers backing up to us while the test was running.
The best improvement though is with the Hifi, the sound has improved noticeably. It's similar to the improvement when I added a Hicap to my 202, or the recent change from non DR Hicap to a Hicap DR on my now 282. Probably not to the same magnitude but similar in terms of results. There is an enhanced rightness to the sound if you follow me.
I posted before that I didn't notice when I added them, Simon was quick to correct me, and I now see he was right! Sometimes you need to reverse something to appreciate the change or it may be that the system is now more revealing and shows this up.
I urge others with Homeplugs to experiment. It was quite a bit of effort to do but I am delighted with the results.
Richard
Ps: any tips on how to get carpet back into a threshold bar, I had to cross a doorway, I suspect £30 spent on a carpet fitter may be required!
Richard, interesting write up... I am glad it's not just me 
RFI is the scourge to us audio enthusiast music appreciators.....
Sorry regarding carpet threshold, in our turn of 20thcentury house the downstairs thresholds are wooden and wide with the carpet tucking in under, so it does make it easier for this type of thing.