Powerline Networking: housemate modem interference?

jmowat

Commendable
Jan 31, 2017
2
0
1,510
Hello.

My TrendNet TPL406E powerline Adapter, from my desktop to my Hitron CGNM2350 modem, has been providing steady cable internet until downstairs neighbours installed a new cable modem on their own account this afternoon. Since then, my desktop is connected 'Unidentified Network' with no Default gateway or DNS server, and is not connected to the internet. Troubleshooter reports the Local Area Connection has no valid IP configuration.

A second desktop has a wired connection directly to our modem withoht issue. Phone I'm typing on connects to our modem's wifi without issue. The problem is with the Powerline. I reset our Powerline adapters to no effect, although they both read steady green on PWR, PL, and ETH. I suspect the powerline adapters may be having difficulty "finding" each other with the additional IP address on the electrical circuit -- But I really have no idea.

I have now tried a fresh setup with a new, never-before-opened set of powerline adapters and am getting the same error. Yet the previous set had been working fine UNTIL the installation of a new modem on this household electrical circuit, albeit on a separate IP address. Now it connects to nothing.

Any advice on how I can diagnose and resolve this interference?

EDITED: more detail

EDITED AGAIN: more information
 
The modems do not matter so much. Even if there were connected they would be connected on the wan side.

Now if you and the downstairs neighbor are on the same electrical power meter and they also had powerline units the units could try to form 1 network which is not going to work in your install.

You could try to change the password/key for your powerline units. This would make your 2 units pair only with each other. The problem is they will still compete for bandwidth on the electicial cables with the other pair.

If there is not another pair of powerline in your neighbors place then I don't know. The networks should be completely isolated.
 

jmowat

Commendable
Jan 31, 2017
2
0
1,510


Thanks for your input, this is useful to know. But also very puzzling because downstairs users are on wifi dongles.

The only thing that led me to suspect the new modem -- or even whatever the technician might have done during installation -- was the timing and persistence of the error. Good wired signal, new installation, zero wired signal.

At this point I will just have to box up the adapters and get a wifi one I think. I just want to know the cause!