Our preferred way of connecting to the Internet is usually Wi-Fi due to the versatility and mobility it offers us. Secondly, we would have the Ethernet network cable, which is undoubtedly the one that can best take advantage of all the bandwidth of our connection. On the other hand, the third alternative would be the PLC, in which our data will travel through the electrical wiring of our home. All of them are good alternatives, and depending on the situation, it may be convenient for us to use one or the other more, but perhaps not all of them have the same future. In this article we are going to see why PLC devices will end up disappearing.
The present of the PLC, advantages and limitations
The PLC stands for Power Line Communications and thanks to the technology they use we are going to take advantage of the electrical network in our homes to turn it into a high-speed broadband line. PLCs are a very interesting alternative to connect to the Internet in a simple way in our home. On some occasions it can avoid us having to put an Ethernet network cable to obtain good speeds. In this way we can avoid having to lay a cable of several meters externally or having to put it through a channel if it is available.
Another advantage of PLCs is that you are not exposed to interference from neighboring networks, as is the case with Wi-Fi networks. As for the types of PLC that we can find, they are of two types:
- Those that offer us only Ethernet connection. Some come with up to 3 Ethernet ports so you can connect multiple devices. Ideally, these ports should be Gigabit Ethernet if we want to exceed the actual 100 Mbps speed.
- Those that have Ethernet and Wi-Fi ports. Our data will travel through the electrical network and then from the place where the PLC is located, a Wi-Fi network would be created to which we could connect our devices.
PLCs are generally plug-in type and are sold in pairs so that they are linked together. However, it should be noted that they have their limitations and the speed may be reduced:
- For the quality of the electrical installation.
- Distance.
You may also be interested in these tips to make your PLC work faster.
Why will they end up disappearing?
Currently having good PLCs and achieving a speed of 100 Mbps and even a little more is not complicated. Obviously we will need ones that have a Gigabit Ethernet port and with that speed we will be able to carry out the vast majority of tasks without problems.
One of the factors why PLCs will end up disappearing, without a doubt, may be due to the electrical wiring in our homes. In this aspect, old or faulty wiring can cause us serious stability or performance problems. If we take into account that the renovation of the electrical installation of a home supposes carrying out an expensive work, and with the passage of time they will cease to be profitable. As we require higher speeds, the situation will get worse because reforms of this type are not carried out often.
Another important factor is the distance, as it increases we will see with the speed it will reduce more and more. Not to mention that we should not use PLCs with power strips or have devices that emit electromagnetic interference nearby. Therefore, the ideal is that it is inserted directly into the plug, on many occasions it is possible but not always. You may be interested in how to troubleshoot PLCs.
You also have to count on Wi-Fi, which is one of its main competitors. With each regulation they reduce the latency more and more and obtain better speeds. At this point, it is worth highlighting the Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 standards that, in addition to improving speed and latency, also add another 6GHz band.
However, what will end up doing away with PLC devices is with newly built homes that have Ethernet network wiring in every room. Since 2011 in Spain, all new constructions must have an Ethernet network socket in all rooms, living room and kitchen, in all rooms except bathrooms. For this reason, by having a network connection in all the rooms, we could connect WiFi mesh systems with Ethernet backhaul, and in this way achieve the best possible performance, so we will no longer need to use PLC devices.
In short, PLCs will end up disappearing or at least have a complicated long-term future. One solution that could save them would be if they managed to develop a technology that would allow them to operate at high speeds on old electrical networks, and even be able to overcome the network wiring that new constructions have.
