Wifi Plug / Broadband problem?

motorguy

We;ve an L shaped house where the phone line comes in at one end on a single story part and we use network plugs / wifi adapters to get broadband around the rest of the house.

All works well and we get roughly 20MB/S through the plugs which is more than fast enough for watching Netflix, gaming, etc.

Now, where the problem lies is that periodically the signal drops for a few seconds. Sometimes this is just to one device, sometimes its to all devices (but not often). It will come back after a few seconds though.

Devices connected are

• Samsung TV
• Apple iPad
• 2 laptops
• 2x Android Phones.

We've pretty much replaced EVERYTHING over the last six months including

• All the wifi adapters
• The main network plug itself from the router.
• The BT router itself for a TP-Link AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit VDSL/ADSL Modem Router.

With the new equipment its "better" than it was, but still does it. Probably twice an evening.

It also happens when we stream from a memory stick in the AC1900, so we've deduced its not a broadband issue per se, its to do with the house network.

Can find no particular reason why it happens and it can happen to one device whilst another device beside it continues to work fine.

Anyone any ideas?

womble12345

What do you mean by network plugs and wifi adapters?

arciere

womble12345 wrote: »

What do you mean by network plugs and wifi adapters?

Yes, this. If you are using wifi range extenders/repeaters, that could be your problem.

arciere

Also, is it 20 MBps or 20 Mbps (megabytes/megabits)?

motorguy

Apologies - homeplugs? Is that the right term?

Anyways, one of these from the router to the electric circuit

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XCH0QX4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then these or similar - one downstairs, one upstairs.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerline-Adapter-Homeplug-Wireless-Extender/dp/B00C580FZA/ref=sr_1_5?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1539883772&sr=1-5&keywords=devolo+wifi

All works fine, but periodically drops the connection.

motorguy

arciere wrote: »

Also, is it 20 MBps or 20 Mbps (megabytes/megabits)?

If i do a broadband speed test from the kitchen (via the wifi homeplug) i get around 20Mb/s.

https://www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk/?&again

If i do it across at the other side of the house i get around 60Mb/s connecting directly to the router.

That would be in line with the fibre speed we're expecting coming in to the house.

I'm "assuming" that the loss is because we're going across the electric cables in the house, not via network cables.

Not concerned about the speed, concerned about the dropping of the connection.

grumpycrab

Somehow rule out homeplugs - could be an electrical blip? (e.g. fridge/freezer going on/off). e.g. buy a long ethernet cable.

motorguy

grumpycrab wrote: »

Somehow rule out homeplugs - could be an electrical blip? (e.g. fridge/freezer going on/off). e.g. buy a long ethernet cable.

Yes, i think you're right RE: the electrical blip.

I'm fairly stuffed on ethernet cable front because of the shape and size of the house. I think it would need to run maybe 80-100 ft round the edges of four rooms including a long hall to get to where we need it.

The only alternative would be to bring in a second line to the other side of the house and run broadband on it too, which then starts to get stupidly expensive.

grumpycrab

Mesh, while perhaps on the expensive side, is a major improvement in wifi propogation. This is probably best value at the moment.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07D9CC637/

motorguy

grumpycrab wrote: »

Mesh, while perhaps on the expensive side, is a major improvement in wifi propogation. This is probably best value at the moment.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07D9CC637/

Thanks for that. I was wholly unaware of this. I think that may be the way forward. Thank you. :beer:

forgotmyname

Microwave used to kill the download speed here. I was just monitoring the download speed one day, just as the wife was cooking.
The speed dropped in blocks and i thought that strange until i clicked it dropped whenever she powered the microwave. As soon as it turned off the speeds increased.

What other wireless devices do you have? Cordless phones? Cutting out when someone makes a call or receives a text etc??