Advice needed to improve very poor broadband speed.

Norman-B

I have been with TalkTalk for nearly 6 years. I have 'phone and Broadband. I've been reasonably contented with things until 8 months or so ago. Very poor BB speeds have stopped me from renewing my contract for another 12 months. 6 months ago I was sent a new router (after complaining) and that seemed to improve things slightly. Then it was back to normal very quickly.
I have a desktop down stairs next to the router and have been getting speeds of between 2 and 4Mb/s but 0.75mb/s on my laptop upstairs. I had a visit from a TT techie today and he installed a new (larger) router and I obtained an increase to 7.67Mb/s on desktop but upstairs only getting 0.22Mb/s on laptop. The TT techie suggested that I purchase Network Plugs to improve things upstairs.

So my question is, if I buy these, do I just plug one into a power socket near the router and another to a socket in the room I use the laptop in? Can I use the laptop wireless or do I need to connect laptop to one of the plugs with some sort of cable?

Any advice welcomed as I'm having a 'senior moment' over this!

AlecEiffel

You could try changing the wireless channel on the router in case you are picking up interference. That may explain the loss in speed via wireless (though there could just be too much "stuff" between the laptop and the router. Have you seen what speed you get using the laptop wirelessly but in the same room?).

Can't help you with the homeplugs though.

Norman-B

Thank you for the reply.

I connected my laptop to the router downstairs and did a speed test. I also did a speed test without connection the laptop in the same room and there was little difference between speeds. Connected 7.1Mb/s and wireless 6.7Mb/s. The TT chap altered the wireless channel for the best one for my setup.

The TT techie assures me that the problem upstairs is caused by a 'deadspot' and these plugs will solve the problem.

AlecEiffel

Ah well. Homeplugs it is then.

Basically you plug one into a plug socket near your router. You then plug an ethernet cable from the router into the homeplug.

Upstairs you will plug in another homeplug into a plug socket. You then plug another ethernet cable from that homeplug into the laptop.

You can get some that have a wifi capability. So the one upstairs will act as a mini wifi hotspot too.

That is the limit of my knowledge.

closed

move the router, to remove the deadspot, or adjust the aerial if it's external. which router is it?

remove the bell wire if you have an extension, this may speed up the connection to the isp slightly

use insidder to determine the correct wireless channel, it's better than picking a random channel and hoping.

laptop has built-in wireless?

utilities to diagnose the problem: (ie check for wireless overlap, and check signal strength as you move things)

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_view.html
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html
http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/homedale.html

cheaper and simpler to find out the exact problem, than jumping straight to homeplugs

microwaves and video senders/wireless cctv can cripple wireless.

Norman-B

So I have to use a cable to connect laptop. Oh well, that will have to do as I'm unwilling to carry on with less that 1 Mb/s upstairs.

Thanks again.

Norman-B

closed, thanks for the advice.

londonTiger

have you tried changing the isp? it could help

doverswot

Another possible option if you want extend your wireless would be to install one of these. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007SU0BJU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They're simple to install and the only requirement is you need to have a power socket in a mid point location between your router and the poor coverage area.

I purchased one of these 6 months ago and it's worked brilliantly.

zappahey

londonTiger wrote: »

have you tried changing the isp? it could help

No, it won't. The ISP is clearly fine (look at the connection speed downstairs) and the problem is the wireless connection to the laptop.

Norman-B

doverswot wrote: »

Another possible option if you want extend your wireless would be to install one of these. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007SU0BJU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They're simple to install and the only requirement is you need to have a power socket in a mid point location between your router and the poor coverage area.

I purchased one of these 6 months ago and it's worked brilliantly.

I did find this with a Google search but was put off by the fact that there is no pairing button on my TT router. Would it pair automaticlly without the need of a pairing button?