I’m never a fan of wireless network even though I have a D-Link DIR-655 Wireless N router at home. I’ll mainly be using the 4 ports Gigabit switch available on the DIR-655 for connections of my Mac mini server, MacBook Pro, NAS and Playstation 3. The OpenNet’s Optical Fibre termination point is in the living where most of my servers, NAS, computers being in the bed room. Hence I’ve decided to try out the new Aztech HomePlug HL280E which enable network connection through the use of powerline up to 1000Mbps.
A pair of Aztech HL280E Adapter from Bizgram
I’ll be performing a series of tests using iPerf (TCP mode only test).
Test Machines & Software
Server: MacBook Pro 2.66GHz Intel Core i7, 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, Raid-0 (2 x 240GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSD Serial ATA 2.5″ Solid State Drives)
Server IP: 192.168.2.2, Gateway 192.168.2.1, Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Client: MacBook Pro 2GHz CoreDuo, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB SATA HDD
Client IP: 192.168.2.1, Gateway 192.168.2.1, Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Power Strips: 02 x Taiyo 8 Gang 3 Metres Extension Sockets
Tool version: iperf version 2.0.2 (03 May 2005) pthreads
iPerf Commands
Server: iperf -s
Client: iperf -c 192.168.2.2
Client will attempt to iperf server IP for 3 times in succession.
Test 1 (Server and client in the bedroom, on the same wall socket)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location: Bedroom
Test 1 - iPerf results
Test 2 (Server connected to wall socket, client connected to wall socket)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location: Living Room
Test 2 - iPerf results
Test 3 (Server connected to wall socket, client connected to power strip)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location: Living Room
Test 3 - iPerf results
Test 4 (Server connected to wall socket, client connected to wall socket)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location: Utility Room (Room furthest away from bedroom with wall socket extended from kitchen’s existing power circuit)
Test 4 - iPerf results
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location: Living Room
Test 5 - iPerf results
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location: Living Room
Test 6 - iPerf results
Test 6 will be the likely scenario of how my network will be deployed since there’s only 1 wall socket closest to where all my NAS, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro were, hence the HomePlug for the bedroom will definitely be on a power strip.
When my SingTel exStream gets activated eventually, a network speed of 50 Mbits/sec isn’t too bad.
More about the snapshot at sgwoot.com posted by guest blogger.
