Can You Use a Powerline Adapter for Gaming? (better than Wi-Fi?)

We know that you are tired of your Wi-Fi connection, and that you want to go back to good old reliable Ethernet and find a powerline adapter for gaming. Can You Use a Powerline Adapter for Gaming?

But before you give up on wireless and get a powerline adapter, we thought it would be a good idea to go though some fixes before you spend money on more products that you might not even need.

Table of Contents

Gaming Powerline adapters

Wi-Fi , What’s it good for?

Wi-Fi is a great way to get an internet connection and share it with everyone in the home. But when your signal starts dropping out, you may start wondering about alternatives. This article will take a look at some solutions for weak Wi-Fi connections that are available on the market today.

Wi-Fi is short for wireless fidelity; this means that you’re connecting to the internet wirelessly through your router, which sends signals all around your house and into every room of your home.

The problem with this setup is that these signals can easily be disrupted by other devices like microwaves, cordless phones or even walls! So how do we solve this? There are some quick things you can try before resorting to professional help which we will cover in our article below.

How to Solve Weak Wi-Fi

We have covered Wi-Fi issues extensively in our articles for our UK readers with Virgin Media, but not everybody has the same requirements.

This means that some of the solutions that we have mentioned previously here and here, might not apply to your gaming needs.

With that in mind let’s take a look at some tried and tested methods to help you get the best internet signal possible.

If you are not yet ready to give up on Wi-Fi for your Comcast Xfinity, Virgin Media, or any other ISP connection that you might have, then look at our Wi-Fi booster article here. We have written especially for our Virgin Media readers, but rest assured that these same tips will work for any ISP that you are using.

1.) Reset Your Router

Nothing is more frustrating than thinking that you have an issue with your Wi-Fi when it may actually be down to your router as opposed to the device itself. So one of the best things you can do is to completely reset your router. This will mean that your Wi-Fi network and the settings will be restored to factory default, which may solve any issues with the quality of your connection or signal strength.

2.) Change Wireless Channels

It might be that your Wi-Fi signal is having a lot of interference with other devices, such as microwaves, cordless phones or even walls. To try and combat this problem we recommend changing the wireless channel of your router to one which is less popular; this will mean fewer people around your area are using it. If you’re not sure what channels to select, then check your manual for instructions.

3.) Install a Range Extender

If you don’t have an internet connection in certain areas of your house, then it’s likely that these spots may have poor coverage due to the layout of the building or the design of your home. One way to solve this problem is by installing a Range Extender. These are great if your Wi-Fi is not reaching all corners of your house, and can help with latency if you have poor signal.

4.) Move your router

One of the best ways to get a better Wi-Fi signal is to simply move your router.

The reason for this is that routers are often installed in awkward locations or near interference sources like microwaves, which can affect coverage and quality.

By moving it, you will increase the strength of the connection in corners of your home that previously had little or no coverage. However, if you have a lot of devices this could also create interference because the signals from all the different routers will be interfering with each other.

5.) Use a powerline adapter

Sometimes its a good idea to do away with the inconsistency of Wi-Fi and stick to Ethernet. This is tricky though, because running wires through your house or apartment can be tricky, expensive, and ugly if not done properly.

We highly recommend powerline adapters for their ease of use and reliability. Powerline adapters turn your electricity network into a high speed internet connection, which means that you can send data from one point to another through the wires in your home or office.

The best powerline adapters for gaming

A powerline adapter is a great option to solve the issue of broken or patchy Wi-Fi. This device uses your power outlets electrical wires in your wall and ceiling to setup a new network, so you won’t be limited by the reach of your router. With a powerline adapter, you’ll be able to enjoy gaming from anywhere in your house without interruptions or lag, provided your electrical plugs are on the same electrical circuit.

Do powerline adapters need to be on the same circuit?

Yes they certainly do. This is because the electrical cables in your home will act just like the wires on a network. The transmission method is different, but the requirements are the same- a physical connection between network nodes is needed to transmit data.

You might be wondering what a powerline circuit is, and the answer is actually quite simple. The different elements of your home that run on electricity are sperated into different segments, we call these segments circuits. Some houses have fuses associated with each circuit, so when a fuse blows, or a switch trips the power to that section of your house will drop.

This helps to isolate the electrical segments for safety reasons, and it is essential for modern homes. This is less than ideal for houses that have segments or circuits that don’t extend all the way from one end of the house to the other. This is very rare though, as most wall plugs will be on the same circuit in a small to medium sized home. 

If you are really stuck and you aren’t sure if a powerline adapter will work in your home, then you can contact an electrician and ask them to add an existing wall socket onto the circuit that you want to communicate on. 

So now we know that powerline adapters do need to be on the same circuit.

Zyxel G.hn 2400 Wave 2 Powerline Kit

If you’re looking for a way to expand your network, the Zyxel G.hn 2400 Wave 2 Powerline Kit is the perfect solution. This innovative kit provides superior powerline performance and Gigabit Ethernet port for blazing speed and faster transfer rates. It also converts your home’s existing power outlets into high-speed network ports with simple Plug and Play Setup.

The Zyxel G.hn 2400 Wave 2 Powerline Kit allows you to enjoy lag-free online gaming, smooth 8K video streaming, fast file transfers without having to worry about running out of bandwidth or range due to its long reach up to 100 meters (328 feet). With this kit, you can easily connect multiple devices in different rooms at once without any need for additional wiring!

You can check out the specs of this powerline adapter right here.

The TP-Link AV2000 Powerline Adapter is the perfect solution for your home. It’s easy to set up and can be used on any electrical circuit, so it doesn’t matter what type of wiring you have in your house. You can even use multiple adapters at once! This adapter offers speeds up to 2000Mbps and has a range of 300 meters. It also features an energy saving mode that automatically reduces power consumption by up to 85%.

Plug & Play installation makes this product as simple as possible – no configuration required! Compatible with all HomePlug AV2 devices, including other TP-Link adapters, this is the best power line networking kit available today. This is an ideal product for gamers that don’t want to be slowed down with technical setup and configuration, just plug it in and start playing.

You can check out the specs of this powerline adapter right here.

NETGEAR Powerline adapter Kit

Netgear Powerline is a great way to extend Internet access to any room in your house. Simply plug the adapter into any electrical outlet then plug in your device into the adapter. It’s that easy! You can now enjoy high-speed access to all of your favorite online entertainment from anywhere in your home.

NETGEAR Powerline 500 AV2 Adapter Kit (XAVB5001) is an easy and convenient way to extend your Internet connection, allowing you to stream HD movies and play games where you want. The HomePlug AV2 technology supports gigabit speeds, with a more reliable connection than wireless.

You can check out the specs of this powerline adapter right here.

TRENDnet Powerline 1300 AV2

The TRENDnet Powerline 1300 AV2 Adapter with Built-in Outlet is the perfect solution for your home or small office network. It features two Gigabit Ethernet ports and a built-in electrical outlet to connect your wired devices such as computers, game consoles, smart TVs and streaming media players.

This adapter kit comes with two TPL-423E adapters that provide fast speeds up to 1000 Mbps over existing electrical lines. The Powerline noise filter reduces interference from other connected devices, allowing you to enjoy high performance networking without any data loss or delays. For future use, the built-in socket and pass-through outlet allow you to expand your wired network without running new cables!

You can check out the specs of this powerline adapter right here.

The TP Link AV1200 powerline adapter is a networking device that enables you to extend your home network by using existing electrical cables. With a speed of up to 1200Mbps, it can provide you with lag-free HD streaming and smooth online gaming.

It also features advanced HomePlug AV2 technology that allows you to add multiple adapters for greater coverage and works under 110 240V. The Gigabit port provides full speed of your internet connection and the power adapter is universal voltage so it can be used around the world.

You can check out the specs of this powerline adapter right here.

Conclusion

So how did we land on the powerline vs WiFi gaming question? It is certainly a very interesting dichotomy for gamers, and as usual, there are no black and white answers. Instead, we have a nuanced set of sub questions that you need to ask yourself.

  1. Is your existing WiFi dropping out, not working properly, or laggy in games?
  2. Is your WiFi especially congested at certain times of day?
  3. Do you prefer the solid pings and speeds associated with Ethernet?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, and you don’t want a WiFi booster, then you need a powerline adapter for your gaming.

No matter what your internet needs are, there’s a powerline adapter for gaming to suit your home networking requirements. Whether you need better Wi-Fi coverage in the house or want to connect devices without any wiring hassle, these products should have an answer for your problems and can provide lag free HD streaming and smooth online gaming with speeds up to 1200Mbps!

I hope this article helps you to find a solution for your Wi-Fi problems. Let me know what you decide to do!

FAQ

Are powerline adapters good for gaming?

Yes, power line adapters are good for gaming. One thing to know is that they might not be if you don't have the right wiring in your house. HomePlug AV devices cannot work if there is a 'double-feed' on your circuit in other words when the same circuit feeds two or more locations due to pigtailing wire runs from different rooms, and then also running back to where they originally came from to plug into different wall outlets.

Are powerline adapters as fast as Ethernet?

Powerline adapters are not as fast as Ethernet but they do work almost as well. Powerline adapters are worth the investment. Powerline adapter speeds vary from adapter to adapter and installation to installation, so your experience may vary.

Do powerline adapters reduce ping?

Yes, they do. When it comes to speed, powerline adapters are comparable to Ethernet, and perform better than most Wi-Fi connections. For one thing, the speeds delivered by powerline adapters are considerably faster. This makes for snappier downloads and more responsive video. This makes it great for low latency applications such as multiplayer games.

Do powerline adapters need to be on the same circuit?

Yes they do. This is because the wires need to be physically connected to each other, and an electrical circuit is a series of wires that are all connected to one another.

Is a powerline adapter better than WIFI?

Powerline adapters are capable of providing workable internet connections that usually match or exceed the WiFI speeds. They also don't require a signal to be sent, so there is no 'dead zone'.