Third powerline adaptor & YouView TV.

[Danathan]

Is it possible I’m missing something whilst attempting to set up an additional YouView box via a third powerline adaptor?

Spoke to technical in BT. I think advisor out of his depth. Told me I need an extra box subscription (I don’t) and transferred me to value (sales), who transferred me back toTV tech. He said, after an extended time on hold, that the third adaptor needs to be ‘paired’ with the other set by plugging it in next to one of them, and pressing the ‘add’ button. He sounded less than confident. It didn’t work.

I have a constant on-screen message asking to wait while it connects to my router. I don’t think I have the patience to phone in again and chance getting another well-meaning advisor who is clearly guessing. Any suggestions?

I’m not interested in the extra channels on my ‘main’ box, by the way, just to get the extras like Netflix, NowTV & Amazon Prime Video that I pay separately for.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@Danathan 

See https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/legacy/3646%20BT%20Mini%20Connector%20Kit%20WHITE%20User%20Gu...

It shows you how to add an additional one.

[Danathan]

@Keith_Beddoe 

Thanks so much for that. Tried this a number of times. The data light does not illuminate in every mains socket in the property, and not the one I need it to. I suppose this is what people mean by separate ring mains? Do you think anything is able to be done?

[Keith_Beddoe]

Not sure what to advise on this. Its possible one of the BT Device experts can help.

If the extra one works in a nearby socket, then its probably an issue with the way your mains wiring is connected.

All I can suggest would be to run an Ethernet cable from the home hub, to the other box.

[TimCurtis]

@Danathan 

An example of a ring main issue would be if you had a split load consumer unit and the circuits were on different halves of the unit.

[Danathan]

@Keith_Beddoe
Thanks again. How may I get hold of a device expert, do you think?

[Danathan]

@TimCurtis
Thanks for that. Not sure I understand what you described. Is this a likely cause of the issues I’m having?

[TimCurtis]

@Danathan 

I'll elaborate.

There are 2 basic styles of consumer unit - ignoring the old style fuse boxes. There's one that has only 1 master circuit breaker to control all the individual fuse trip units and one that is split into 2 discrete sections with 2 circuit breakers and accompaning RCD units.

The first style should cause no basic problem to PLAs whereas in the second example where you split the ring circuits over the 2 discrete halves one half will not talk to the other half.

So if your mains power circuits are not on the same half , say upstairs is on one half & downstairs on the other half, you will not be able to use PLAs successfully between upstairs & downstairs.

[Danathan]

Thanks for the suggestions, information, and advice.

I have abandoned trying to do it with the powerline adaptors. A cheap 300 mbps wi-fi booster is now working the YouView box. To my great surprise it does everything I need it to.