Help - Broadband signal very week upstairs in back room. Advice...

HappySad

Broadband signal is extremely week upstairs exotically at the back of the house. The Wifi box in the front room down stairs. What can be done? We have a new Virgin broadband line with new wifi box.


Can I ask Virgin to provide another wifi box upstairs to get a better signal upstairs? Would I have to pay extra line rental fir a second box?

What can I do to improve wifi signal throughout the house?

Ant555

There are things that can be tried to boost the signal.

If you have the new Virgin Media Superhub then my experience was that the wireless range was incredibly naff and I ended up using the superhub in 'modem mode' and plugged my Netgear wireless router back in. I'm not sure of your level of expertise but this might be something to try later on in the process if you get nowhere.

Having said that, even when I plugged the Netgear router back in the signal at the far corner of my house in the conservatory was still poor so I have these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-WPA281KIT-Powerline-Extender-Wireless-Starter/dp/B0067GS29W/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1367424513&sr=1-2&keywords=tp-link+281

They are not cheap but basically you plug one into a normal plug socket at the router end and connect the supplied network cable. The other unit plugs into a normal power socket closer to the affected wirless area, it talks to the first box over your power cables (which I still think is amazing!) and is an additional wireless point.

I have set it so that the wireless network name is different because I don't move around when on wireless and also so I can tell which one I am connected to however its entirely possible to set it up with the same SSID and password as your existing wireless which might make things simpler.

With the TP-Link home plugs I have absolutely no issues with wireless anywhere in the house.

Hope this helps.

punksluck

I take it you do not have phone socket more central downstairs? I put mine in the hall as it is dead in the middle of my house. That way every room upstairs gets a good enough signal.

HappySad

Ant555 wrote: »

There are things that can be tried to boost the signal.

If you have the new Virgin Media Superhub then my experience was that the wireless range was incredibly naff and I ended up using the superhub in 'modem mode' and plugged my Netgear wireless router back in. I'm not sure of your level of expertise but this might be something to try later on in the process if you get nowhere.

Having said that, even when I plugged the Netgear router back in the signal at the far corner of my house in the conservatory was still poor so I have these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-WPA281KIT-Powerline-Extender-Wireless-Starter/dp/B0067GS29W/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1367424513&sr=1-2&keywords=tp-link+281

They are not cheap but basically you plug one into a normal plug socket at the router end and connect the supplied network cable. The other unit plugs into a normal power socket closer to the affected wirless area, it talks to the first box over your power cables (which I still think is amazing!) and is an additional wireless point.

I have set it so that the wireless network name is different because I don't move around when on wireless and also so I can tell which one I am connected to however its entirely possible to set it up with the same SSID and password as your existing wireless which might make things simpler.

With the TP-Link home plugs I have absolutely no issues with wireless anywhere in the house.

Hope this helps.

The device looks great. I have never seen a product get thousands of reviews on amazon. Would I have to put both of these devices into the same electrical house circuits? I am sure that the downstairs has a different electrical circuit with it own separate fuse with upstairs on another circuit.

macman

No, it doesn't matter what circuit they are on, they just have to be on the same CU.

Ant555

As already said by 'macman' it doesn't matter.

Mine are on two different circuits as one is plugged in the conservatory which for some reason was installed with its own breaker/switch in the consumer unit.
Note:-you are safe because if you order from amazon then you can always send it back within 7 days for a full refund. Just make sure you are careful with the packaging when opening it. (I know you can with other retailers but its just Amazon make the process so simple and easy)

I have tried it on an extension lead as well just to see if it would work and it ran fine.

I am on 20Mb Virgin media broadband and through these TP_link powerplugs I regularly watch NetFlix movies in HD using wireless on my lap top and its fine.

As I said, there may be other things to try, but for me this was a no-fuss setup that has really been worth the money as once configured it is something I have just forgotten about because they 'just work'.

If you decide this is the way to go then just one question.

What devices and how many devices are you currently using on WIfi?


PS - just incase you were wondering, once configured these devices remember their settings so you can unplug them or even turn off the power to your house and they still work when switched back on.

COVKID

Just had an email from My Memory for a Trendnet Powerline 200 Adapter Kit for £24.99 including postage,which looks like it might help.Have a look on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxdflfqKowI All the best

Kernel_Sanders

HappySad wrote: »

exotically

It looks like English isn't your native language, so maybe you meant 'especially'. It's quite fortunate you didn't type 'erotically', though....