Help needed re rural poor internet / multiple users wfh and teens!

JJ_Egan

OP have you checked you are on the best speed that can be supplied .

Neil49

Installing a mesh network could be the way to go. Given that you have thick walls it would be advisable to go for 4 devices located fairly closely to ensure that the signal is strong enough to create the mesh throughout the house. The setup app will guide you with regards positioning each device. 

https://www.pocket-lint.com/smart-home/news/google/147083-what-is-a-mesh-network-home-better-wifi-improvements-explained

As you are also having mobile phone reception issues it could be worth checking to see if your phones and network provider have wifi calling capability. If so then your calls can be routed via your network. I have a Google mesh network and am on the Three mobile phone network. Phone reception is patchy but my phone automatically connects to WiFi calling and  when it does that I find that the reception is excellent.

If you go down the powerline route then you need to make sure that the router and powerlines are all on the same electrical circuit. You mention that the cottage has an annexe, is the power supply coming from the same fuse board or are they set up separately? 

wongataa

Deleted_User said:

It must be the cottage walls but his room seems to be somewhat of a dead spot for wifi and all of our phones lose connection and he is lagging a lot on his games. I really want to get this sorted. Is it likely that a third line is the way to go and wire his computer in to it so it's not lots of wifi signals?

So is your issue poor internet speeds or poor Wi-Fi?  Poor Wi-Fi connections have nothing to do with how good your internet connection is.  As mentioned wired connections are more reliable than Wi-Fi connections.

fred246

Powerline adapters work great in my house. So any device that doesn't move is on the powerline network PCs,TVs etc. Only mobile devices allowed on the wifi. I have found that the Gateway node on the Mesh network works best (makes sense if you think about it). So I have my gateway node on a powerline adapter in the middle of the house with the other nodes scattered about to give complete coverage. Works great.

Rodders53

fred246 said:

Powerline adapters work great in my house. So any device that doesn't move is on the powerline network PCs,TVs etc. 

Only work on the same ring mains in my house.  Otherwise they were worse than useless as unreliable and slow data speeds for me.

An ethernet cable run externally (UV protected cable) solved a lot of my problems, and a 4-unit wifi mesh network (instead of a second wifi access point) has helped with the others.

OP what ISP, what type of connection (ADSL, FTTC, FTP) and what speed?  
Almost all connections are provided by BT Openreach and a second line will suffer the exact same problems as the current one if rural cabling distances from the box and exchange is the cause.  It might give you 2 x the data throughput, but...
Some mobile phone networks can be faster than BT lines in rural parts - but need external antennas (aerials) to work in some building types.

macman

pramsay13 said:

We have the same issue with a large old house with thick walls. 
We have powerline adapters so one plugs into the electric circuit and connected to the router. 
The other adapters plug in wherever we want a signal. They can be WiFi hotspots or we can plug them into computers or laptops directly.
I'm not sure why you would have 3 lines, as long as the rooms are all on the same electrical circuit these will work well.

No, they merely have to be on the same phase. Which, in most domestic supplies, means any circuit running off the same CU.
What the OP really needs to establish is whether the issue is due to poor wi-fi in the property, or poor line speed due to the rural location. The first is readily fixable, but the latter may require an alternative source of supply, such as satellite or microwave, if available.

J_B

JJ_Egan said:

OP have you checked you are on the best speed that can be supplied .

OP

It would help to know who your ISP is perhaps, but more importantly are you on ADSL or fibre, and if fibre, presumably FTTC?

We are 'rural' and got fed up with 3Mbps ADSL and no fibre availability so we went with a WISP https://www.airband.co.uk/

greyteam1959

You have 3 lines to your property ??
How much a month are you paying ??

onomatopoeia99

glennevis said:

Deleted_User said:

Thanks @littleboo. Unfortunately the router is in the kitchen which is a long way away so it isn't possible. @flashg67 we have these but unfortunately they don't seem to work for our situation, I'm not sure why!

Ethernet cables can be 100m (300 feet) long. I doubt your cottage is that big.

Usually "isn't possible" means "I don't want to" when it comes to installing ethernet cable.  Very few people have homes that exceed the maximum length, mostly they would prefer to avoid the work of installing the solution that will work and prefer bodges that are less effort but also slower and less reliable.  

fred246

I had a relative who was an 'early adaptor". They were the first person I knew with cable TV. They invited me round to demonstrate it. The cable TV fitters had drilled a hole in the ceilings of most rooms and there was a wire dangling down from almost every room. What a mess! I don't remember anything about the TV. My only memories were "what a mess". If you can run the cables to your liking that is fine. For me the powerline adapters are perfect. If they don't work for you then think again.