PLC are three acronyms that refer to “Power Line Communications”, and are used to refer to a type of device that allows us to extend the reach of our Internet connection by using the plugs and electrical network of our home.
There is no doubt that this makes a significant difference compared to Wi-Fi repeaters which, as most of our readers will know, what they do is wirelessly repeat the signal they receive from the router.
Traditional PLC devices are wired to the router, while repeaters work wirelessly. However, it is not all differences between these devices, since they have two important things in common, that both plug into a socket to obtain the food they need and that are used to expand our Internet connection.
How a PLC works
To extend our Internet connection using PLC devices we need two units, the first will be connected to the router and installed in a socket close to it, and the second will go in the socket of the destination area, which is the one where we want to expand our Internet connection. We can connect a console, a computer, a television or any other compatible equipment to that second unit.
The unit connected to the router picks up the Internet connection signal, and sends it through the electrical network to the second device. The latter receives the data from the equipment that we have connected, and then a two-way communication is established through the electrical network between the router and our equipment, which is what makes it possible to have an Internet connection.
PLCs they are very easy to usesince we only have to connect the main one to the router, insert it into a socket, connect the second PLC to the socket in the room where we want to expand the connection, connect the equipment we want to use, synchronize both PLCs using the button included and that’s it .
It is important to note that there are also PLC devices with Wi-Fi repeater functions. These operate like a traditional PLC, that is, they use the electrical network to extend the Internet connection, but they allow us to establish both wired and wireless connections, and they are the best option in most cases.
Remember that this type of device are sensitive to electrical interference, and that these can reduce the quality of the signal and give stability and performance problems. Therefore, ideally, you should not connect them to power strips that are shared with other devices, and you should also take into account that if they are connected to plugs that belong to two different electrical installations, they will not work. The latter is very important in houses or offices with several floors that may have different electrical networks.
Advantages offered by this type of device
We have already anticipated the first, and that is they are very easy to use. They do not require any type of complex configuration and do not present any compatibility problems, since in this sense they are universal. However, we must be careful when choosing the PLC that we are going to buy, since each one can have support for different Wi-Fi standards, if it also includes repeater functions, and offer different features.
Secondly, we have an advantage that is inherent in his own way of working. As are devices that use the electrical network they can bridge great distances, overcome obstacles and also sources of wireless interference without any problem. This makes them an ideal solution to extend our Internet connection even in very complicated situations.
Finally we have a third advantage that is very important, and that is that they are very cheap, and offer great value for money. Think, for example, of what it might cost you to expand your Internet connection in a large house with two floors, or in one with two floors and an attic. In those cases, something as simple as a kit of two PLCs with a Wi-Fi repeater would allow you to bring your Internet connection to any of those floors effortlessly, and with minimal investment.
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