Getting wi fi on a desktop as good as adsl cable

hubb

For some reason the broadband that is connected by an extention lead (that has worked for 13 years non stop) to my pc upstairs no longer works. I have tried a new router on it and it doesnt work. Broadband is comming through the master socket downstairs ok. I also have my phone line connected to an extention to upstairs which works fine. I tried the broadband router downstairs direct in the socket and it works. I tired it upstairs with the filter via the phone socket extention and it wont work with that either ( but the phone upstairs is working as normal) A mystery. Why would the sky broadband suddenly not be able to travel upstairs via a cable when it has been doing for years? The cable hasnt been moved, broken etc.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, i need to know how I can get my Pc connected upstairs without a cable, just wi fi. I need it as fast as the cable as its music etc. is there a device good enough to plug into the desktop to make it wifi ready as i need it back online asap for my business.
Thanks.

wiogs

Does your wifi currently extend as far as upstairs?

"I have tried a new router on it and it doesnt work."

What does this mean? You replaced your Sky router that is connected to the phone line downstairs?

RumRat

Have you checked the cable? just because it hasn't moved does not mean it can't have a problem.
Failing that change to powerline adapters to connect your upstairs PC. In fact, if it's for business use I'd choose those over wifi anyway.

hubb

The router was upstairs (o2) with a long broadband cable running into master socket downstairs. It suddenly stopped working. I opened the not yet used sky one they sent me last year ( carried on using the o2 router because it was working fine with the new sky account) tried that on same cable, and in the phone extention socket and not working. Took it downstairs into master socket and works. It should work upstairs too but not. I can get wi fi all around the house on my ipad.

penrhyn

If you are not minded to repair your extension then you can either buy s wireless dongle or card for your desktop, or a pair of power line homeplugs and use the mains for the Ethernet connection.

hubb

For the life of me i cant understand why the bb cant travel upstairs with 2 different cables. One erhernet and one phone line extension with the filter plugged in which gives a live phone tone, both working for over ten years no problem. Nothing moved, changed, broken. So it isnt the cables, the bb works perfectly downstairs. Changed filters and still it wont pick up.

espresso

hubb wrote: »

For the life of me i cant understand why the bb cant travel upstairs with 2 different cables. One erhernet and one phone line extension with the filter plugged in which gives a live phone tone, both working for over ten years no problem. Nothing moved, changed, broken. So it isnt the cables, the bb works perfectly downstairs. Changed filters and still it wont pick up.

Describe your exact setup e.g. master socket > ADSL filter > extension cable to upstairs etc.

wiogs

hubb wrote: »

The router was upstairs (o2) with a long broadband cable running into master socket downstairs. It suddenly stopped working. I opened the not yet used sky one they sent me last year ( carried on using the o2 router because it was working fine with the new sky account) tried that on same cable, and in the phone extention socket and not working. Took it downstairs into master socket and works. It should work upstairs too but not. I can get wi fi all around the house on my ipad.

A "long broadband cable" does not plug into a master socket.

Do you mean you extended your phone line upstairs by means of an extension cable? You then plugged your router and phone into this extension?

Viberduo

I see it likely that the signal has degraded, any sort of extension of that sort is not recommended for broadband as even a few feet could potentially degrade the signal, its just if your needs are low you would not notice it, i.e if I had a line capable of 20 meg and got 20 meg with router plugged in at master, with a extension it may be 15 so you assume thats the max your line is capable of, and little things not noticable to many people such as a second or so delay when loading a page due to noise on the extension, and if you ever did online gaming you would get lag.

Also it would not be consistent lag or delays i.e it may see to load instantly but sometimes under a second delay, sometimes none, sometimes a second delay but you do not notice.

Wired is always the best overall for extensions but in ethernet form as even a cheap 2 or 3 quid long cable would have almost zero problems, its also good of you want a wireless extension you can plug a second compatable router upstairs into the ethernet cable to have a strong wireless signal upstairs.

A cheap 50m ethernet cable is 2 or 3 quid on ebay and since you mention you have extension lead anywhay I assume you can route it quite easily.

Powerline is the simplest answer but cheapest is about £20 for a kit but not a very good one but for simple usage like yours it will be good enough and far better than your current setup.

hubb

The long ethernet cable has worked fine for years. Anyway, i have gone the powerline route for £25 and its sorted the problem but thanks for the suggestions. Still a mystery why it didnt work but perhaps the signal has dropped.

hubb

Well I must say that since using a powerline adapter my speeds have slowed down. Today particularly slow, almost as if when I had dial up :-(