Homeplug might work for STB but not for the rest, it will not meet my requirement. Homeplug's performance depends on too many variables:
- the age and quality of the power cable
- the electrical noise in the power supply
- the existence of high noise electrical appliances (fridge, microwave, aircond etc)
- and the length of the wires.
I've tried many version of homeplugs in my existing setup not only they didn't meet even half of the advertised speed (which is expected by the way), but most importantly the latency introduced by homeplug is horrible. My work requires access to multiple VM workstation across different countries and involves GUI so latency really could kill me.
Some off topic rant and disclaimer: I'm in no way a network expert but my requirements are slightly different from normal. Single device for Unifi or BTU + Router setup doesn't matter to me as long as it is a reliable solution. Here's my experience with TM:
8 years back i was the one of the first batch that installed Unifi VIP5, i remember we used to call it HSBB and the installation backlog was as long as half a year!
While they gave passable Alcatel-Lucent branded BTU, the orange color router was complete crap.
And that was a time not many people who has the networking knowledge to figure out what voodoo TM was using to manage the triple-play traffic.
KLseet was one of the first that figure out the VLAN tagging thingy but there wasn't any consumer level router except microtik that manages VLAN tags.
I remembered spending hours and hours reading his instruction, then with trial and error and finally using the orange TM router as a bridge to manage the VLAN tag and pass the routing job to a proper router.
I do note that VLAN is a common practice for ISP everywhere to manage Voice/IPTV/internet traffic to end user but TM just made life harder for everyone. I still remember they left all the password default and left a backdoor open supposedly for easy troubleshooting from their end. I do not know if this is now improved.
8 years has passed and I am now coming back again to similarly confusing TM.
- There's different promotion price and promotion package everywhere.
- I wasn't allowed to apply using my own name because i am still overseas and cant do biometric verification and no reps are allowed even with authorization letter (although i later found there was a line for authorized person in the service application and acceptance form), i had to borrow someone else's name to register my unifi. How's ironic is that for fraud prevention.
- Installer came and i communicated with him over the phone. Asked him to test if my existing cables are Cat5e / Cat6 capable of GBe, he either doesn't understand or just lazy. I asked him to extend the fiber to my TV area at which i can solve all my current requirement all at once but instead, he just plug the BTU into my existing fiber box, with literally no cabling work involved and then tell me cabling is not part of installation.
- Didn't have a TV currently at the new place and he claim he wont install the STB because lack of TV. I explain TV will arrive later so i would like to have the STB ready and he dozed off.
- Called TM and complained about the cabling and STB, next day he came by and drop me a these bunch of stuffs. What am i going to do with these fiber? Does he honestly thinks average person have skills and tools to splice the fiber?
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I'll be back next weekend to try and find the best way to sort this out. Too bad Time does not service my area.