Saturday 18 February 2012

Vernacular broadband


Broadband in our neck of the woods is good, maybe because we’re close to the exchange in Maentwrog and not many people use it. But inside the house the wireless facility struggled to get round or through thick stone walls.

We’re BT customers so I looked on their website for advice but nothing seemed to fit. I found some forums in which people were asking what to do and others were explaining what they had tried, how complicated it was and maybe eventually they had got it to work.  I don’t like uncertainty in these matters!

Googling away I found a YouTube film in which a member of staff from Solwise explained in simple words how their product extended wireless reach through the mains. It seemed so easy I felt there had to be a snag; so I phoned.  My hand was held and guided to select the right product, credit card details taken and the following morning two small gadgets arrived, about the size of a 3-way plug adaptor.

One plugged in to the mains by the computer with a USB cable into the BT hub. The other gadget plugged into a socket in the living room. Power switched on and without any messing around or ‘configuring’ the wireless laptop worked perfect in the living room. It also works in the bedroom above and the bedroom above that one.

For an outlay of £80 we have high speed broadband whizzing around a house built 430 years BTI – Before The Internet.

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