Help and advice Virgin Media wifi issue and router

Options
1246

Comments

  • buglawton
    buglawton Posts: 9,235 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Options
    ChuckMountain wrote: »
    As the other responses have said I still think you need to do some testing. Unfortunately IOS is really locked down these days and some of the apps don't run if you have an Android phone then you can still get the apps

    Have a look at this video, its a random one I found and it shows that his choice of channel in the 2.4GHz region is not good as lots of people are on it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW2b2yB69W8
    For this reason to do the wifi survey I use Inssider (free legacy version) on the laptop.
  • ChuckMountain
    ChuckMountain Posts: 194 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Options
    buglawton wrote: »
    For this reason to do the wifi survey I use Inssider (free legacy version) on the laptop.


    Thanks wasn't sure if (still) worked on the Mac or not :)
  • mart44
    mart44 Posts: 218 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    Options
    I had trouble with the VM Superhub 3 wi-fi covering the far reaches of our bungalow so I put the hub into modem mode and installed a Netgear Orbi router and satellite. The Satellite is placed in the loft and now there are no more wi-fi dead spots within the property. Very happy with the set-up.
    Error! - Keyboard not attached. Press any key to continue.
  • ftsos
    ftsos Posts: 172 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker First Post
    Options
    @ChuckMountain I purchased and installed UBIQUITI NETWORKS Pro https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016XYQ3WK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. By the way even the older model no longer comes with the POE Injector. I wish they told me. Anyway, although its made a difference, its still not great. The wifi is better. But there are times when its hard to connect. Its mainly upstairs. This is not a big house, and the previous ISP's or routers never had the problem. So I can now only think that because the VM is in the kitchen whereas all the other routers were in the storeroom - the location must be the issue. Because the WAP is in the same room as the router. I am assuming if it was in a different room it could make a difference? Would one of these be better? https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/tp-link-tl-pa9020p-av2000-2-port-gigabit-pass-through-powerline-starter-kit-a53wf

    Then the wireless signal could be placed upstairs.
  • buglawton
    buglawton Posts: 9,235 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Options
    A quick way to resite your router without laying cable is to put VM router in modem only mode, connect it to one poweline adapter, then place the 2nd powerline adapter at a perfect central location (even in loft) and connect a new router (the ‘modem in’ Ethernet sock) to it. So you will have ‘virtually’ wired a router to a new location in the house without new cabling. This method allows you to try various locations on the house without wiring. Location of the wifi is even more crucial than brand or model.
  • ChuckMountain
    ChuckMountain Posts: 194 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Options
    ftsos wrote: »
    @ChuckMountain I purchased and installed UBIQUITI NETWORKS Pro https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016XYQ3WK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. By the way even the older model no longer comes with the POE Injector. I wish they told me. Anyway, although its made a difference, its still not great. The wifi is better. But there are times when its hard to connect. Its mainly upstairs. This is not a big house, and the previous ISP's or routers never had the problem. So I can now only think that because the VM is in the kitchen whereas all the other routers were in the storeroom - the location must be the issue. Because the WAP is in the same room as the router. I am assuming if it was in a different room it could make a difference? Would one of these be better? https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/tp-link-tl-pa9020p-av2000-2-port-gigabit-pass-through-powerline-starter-kit-a53wf

    Then the wireless signal could be placed upstairs.

    Glad you have made some progress. :beer:

    It's as quite a few people including myself expected the location is the problem. Kitchens generally have a lot of metal fridge, oven, hob, cutlery drawer, tiles and pipework. This can have a very strange effect on WiFi. One of my closest rooms to my WAP is my downstairs loo which has some pipework running horizontally round it. My old WAPs (before AC Pro) struggled completely with this room, my UniFi does work but its a bit hit and miss and its no more than about 12 feet away.

    I actually have my WAP in my kitchen but on a back wall away from all the equipment, have no tiles and the cabinets are wood. Its actually positioned on top of one of the units pointing upwards, which I don't think is recommended. However this gets the entirety of my house with acceptable speeds everywhere. My house is a reasonable size.

    As they say location, location, location :D

    I come back to my original post if you had been able to move the VM router to the same place as the old ones I suspect you wouldn't have any of these issues.

    Ok let's solve this one. What speed is your BB? The reason I ask is that powerlines hardly ever get near their advertised speed.

    Check out this review on AVForums of the one you linked to

    https://www.avforums.com/review/tp-link-tl-pa9020p-powerline-starter-kit-review.12664

    It's lucky to get 1/10th of its advertised speed and in some cases nearer 1/20th.

    I disagree with Greg's statement of the 1200 one doing 430Mbps. It does it once on his other test the rest of the time it performs more like this one. It's a statistical anomaly and I think the ASA should look at the advertising of these products.

    If you are paying for 200 or more BB then I would avoid a PowerLine solution as that will become the limiting factor. At a 100Mbps you might be ok.

    I would try and hardwire by buying a long network cable, or installing a cable with a socket and using patch cables. That way guarantee of speeds and no issues. A 20m cable picking a random one on Amazon is £9

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Data-WHITE-Premium-Network/dp/B009WWI1XU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1523610228&sr=8-4&keywords=20m+network+cable

    You don't necessarily have to have in same place as other ones but is there anywhere you can put it that would give you better coverage. Even the other side of the kitchen.

    PS how does it get power if it does not have PoE injector, does it have a separate wall psu ?
  • ChuckMountain
    ChuckMountain Posts: 194 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Options
    buglawton wrote: »
    A quick way to resite your router without laying cable is to put VM router in modem only mode, connect it to one poweline adapter, then place the 2nd powerline adapter at a perfect central location (even in loft) and connect a new router (the ‘modem in’ Ethernet sock) to it. So you will have ‘virtually’ wired a router to a new location in the house without new cabling. This method allows you to try various locations on the house without wiring. Location of the wifi is even more crucial than brand or model.

    Yes but a couple of provisos, the fastest VM services will out pace most powerlines. A lot of the 1,200 - 2,000Mbps ones will struggle to get close to 200Mbps depending on the environment. So this will become a limiting speed factor in Internet connections so you could be paying for speed you could never use.

    He has bought a WAP which does not have routing capabilities.
  • ftsos
    ftsos Posts: 172 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker First Post
    Options
    Hi, Chuck, to answer your question, I bough POE Injector from Maplin. I am going phone Virgin and ask them what it would cost them to move the router and do new cabling.

    To make matters worse, they have automatically extended my contract by 12 months without letting me know. I only noticed when I logged in the other day.
  • ChuckMountain
    ChuckMountain Posts: 194 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Options
    Yep hopefully you can argue that wireless is rubbish etc. and therefore move it pronto :)

    Any particular reason they put it in the kitchen? Do you have any other VM kit? If you do you could try it at that location too.

    It might be just worth buying a 20m cable if you get it under a tenner to see where the best location for the WAP is anyway.
  • RumRat
    RumRat Posts: 4,789 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    Options
    ftsos wrote: »
    Hi, Chuck, to answer your question, I bough POE Injector from Maplin. I am going phone Virgin and ask them what it would cost them to move the router and do new cabling.

    To make matters worse, they have automatically extended my contract by 12 months without letting me know. I only noticed when I logged in the other day.
    How have they done this? Once your contract is up you just roll on and can stop it or change it at any time.
    If you make any changes i.e speed upgrade etc they make a new contract, but, they then email with you with the confirmation.
    Drinking Rum before 10am makes you
    A PIRATE
    Not an Alcoholic...!
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards