Why PLC Devices Are Malfunctioning And How To Fix It

To improve Internet speed, to have better coverage, we can make use of different devices that can help us. In this way we managed to improve Wi-Fi, a technology that is increasingly present in our day to day. We have more and more devices that connect without using wiring. However, problems sometimes arise that can influence performance. In this article we are going to talk about problems that can arise with PLC devices and how to correct them.

Problems with PLC devices

PLC devices are one of the options we have at our disposal to improve Internet coverage in our homes. Normally they are a pack of two devices and one of them connects to the router and electricity, while the other connects to electricity in another area of the home.

Why PLC Devices Are Malfunctioning

In this way we can carry the connection from one point to another through the electrical network. This allows us to bridge the gap and avoid problems that affect performance or Internet speed. We can connect both wirelessly and also through network cable.

However, sometimes failures can arise. We try to connect to a PLC device and we see that the Internet does not work or that the connection is very slow. It is something that can happen even if we apparently have everything well configured.

Luckily, as is often the case in these types of complications, we can take into account some tips to improve it. In this way we can connect with more guarantees and not have problems that may affect performance.

Why is the PLC slow

One of the main problems when using PLC devices is slow Internet speeds. This could logically affect the proper use we make of the connection. There are different reasons, as we will see. Also some recommendations to keep in mind.

We are using a power strip

This is one of the most common mistakes users make, and it certainly affects the performance of PLC devices a lot. By using a power strip and connecting the devices there, we can see a significant decrease in performance. After all, we are not connected directly to electricity, but through another device.

Therefore, our advice to avoid problems with PLC devices is to connect the device directly to the electrical network. Strips and the like should be avoided, which could significantly affect proper operation.

Problems with electrical wiring

Beyond being able to have problems with the strips, it could also be due to a bad state of the electrical wiring . This fact could affect the speed of the Internet and the stability of the connection. If we are connecting the PLC to an old or faulty wiring we could have these types of problems.

In this case, the solution would be more complex, since we would depend on the entire electrical connection of the home. If we see that the problem is important and persists, we would have to opt for other devices to improve the wireless connection.

Interference with other devices

Another point to consider is the possibility of interference with other devices. It could happen that we have another electrical device connected nearby, such as a television, computer or any other. This could cause interference and thus damage the stability of the connection, have a loss of speed and, ultimately, there are problems.

Therefore, our advice is to place the PLC devices as far away as possible from other electrical appliances. We have mentioned that it is important that they are not connected to a power strip, but directly to the electricity. It is also important that they are away from other devices that may interfere.

Too much distance from the router

It can also happen that we are simply too far from the router . Although PLC devices can cover a large area, the truth is that the further we are from the access point, the more problems we can have.

What we could do in this case is try to put the PLC devices closer to the router. Thus we reduce the risk of some kind of problem and we could always connect through a LAN cable that we can place.

Bad configuration with PLCs

Many PLC devices allow some configuration changes to be made . We can do this even from the mobile application. One of these options is the improvement in terms of energy saving. However, it could be causing problems and causing the speed that arrives to be very limited.

Therefore, a question to take into account is to enter the configuration of the PLC devices, in case of having this option, and see if we have something wrongly configured. Especially it is necessary to observe if we have activated the energy saving mode.

We are using the wrong band

As we know, wireless networks today allow us to connect through the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands . Each has its positive and negative points. For example, the first is the most suitable when we are going to connect from a considerable distance, although it offers lower speed. On the other hand, the 5 GHz band is the fastest, although more sensitive to obstacles and distance.

It is possible that we are connected to the wrong band or that is not the most optimal in certain circumstances. We can simply try switching to another band and see if it improves the signal speed. It is very common for PLC devices to be dual band.

The LAN cable is bad

Many PLC devices allow us to connect both by LAN cable and by Wi-Fi. In the first case, it is essential that we are using a compatible cable that allows Gigabit Ethernet. Otherwise we would have limited speed and we could have problems navigating.

That is why we must take a good look at the type of Ethernet cable we are using. It must be in good condition and of course have the correct category to be compatible with maximum speed. So we can connect our equipment by network cable and not have performance problems.

In short, these are some tips that we can give to try to solve problems with PLC devices. We must avoid failures that can damage the speed and stability of the connection. In this way we will be able to navigate with total normality, without cuts appearing.