Forum Discussion

already_used's avatar
already_used
Tuning in
2 years ago

Home Hub 3 - network problems

Hi All

Been having odd network performance for a few months with a home hub 3. Have reset it a few times but no change. Sonos speakers keep dropping off the network, no sound sonos app can't find them. They come back on, can be a few times a day or not at all. Devices get a DHCP address but have no connectivity, no ping to anything. It is random. Tonight my laptop connects to the main WiFi, DHCP address correct, no connectivity. I swap to the guest WiFi, which I recently enabled to test, and the laptop is fine, swap back and no connectivity. Really odd. I think the Hub is on it's way out, I spoke to VM but they offered WiFi MAX, I don't have a signal issue I have a connectivity issue. I have 3 Powerline adapters to get RG45 wired connections, i've tried turning these off but nothing changes. Anybody else had these type of issues?

  • jbrennand's avatar
    jbrennand
    Very Insightful Person

    Can you clarify, are your issues only evident on wifi connections or do you see them at the same times on devices connected directly to the Hub on ethernet cables? If you don't know, can you check on one to help diagnose whether it is just a wifi issue or it could be network connection/Hub related? 

    What are the Hub lights showing/doing when this happens - on a Hub3 is the base light a steady white(ish) or flashing green?

    You could try this..

    ________________

    If you haven't done this already - try it first - it helps sort some Hub3/4/5 wifi issues for some devices.
    Go into the Hub’s settings. Type in  http://192.168.0.1  into your web browser’s url box and login with settings password on the Hub's base sticker (or your own if you changed it). Then in Advanced>wireless signal >smart wifi - tick the disable “channel optimisation” box or the“Smart Wifi” box and save settings.  May be different pathways and wording on the 3 Hub types

    This (message 2) is for a Hub3… https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Hub-3-Wi-Fi-constantly-dropping/td-p/5391375

    Then, go to advanced>wireless signal>security, rename the 2.4 & 5 GHz network ssid's.  Just type over to change 'em to whatever you like and something that will differentiate them (e.g - Billybob_2 & Billybob_5) Try to avoid spaces and periods in the SSID names as they can cause issues with certain devices. Use the same password for simplicity,  Then, apply settings and restart the Hub.  Your 2 wifi networks will now be clearly separated - and you can then select the network you want each device to connect to… individually from the "available networks" list on each of your devices. 

    Note all your wifi devices will need re-connecting to the new SSID's and passwords.
    All things being equal, 5 GHz is always better/faster and subject to less congestion/interference (and is better for iDevice speeds than the 2.4 one - although the 2.4 one has the better "range" and will be needed when the 5 GHz drops out of range and some older/cheaper/dumber or “specialised” devices can only use this one.

     

    • already_used's avatar
      already_used
      Tuning in

      Thanks for the detail John, in this instance the router was faulty. WiFi Signal strength was fine and authentication, DHCP address and routing all fine but connected devices, wired or not, randomly stopped communicating. The list of connected devices was up and down like a yoyo. I suspect a fault in its layer 2 services. An upgrade to a hub 6 sorted the issue.

  • legacy1's avatar
    legacy1
    Alessandro Volta

    You need to get your own router with 1Gb ports and use hub in modem mode

    • already_used's avatar
      already_used
      Tuning in

      hi Alessandro, i needed a replacement hub, in this instance there was a fault in Hubs layer2 services. Putting the hub is modem mode and running my own router would have helped but then I’d have too many devices on my cabinet 🙂

  • Hi already_used,

    Thank you for your post. I'm very sorry to hear about the issues with your service. 

    To confirm, is the drop of connection affecting all devices?

    ^Martin

    • already_used's avatar
      already_used
      Tuning in

      Hi Martin,

      Engineer swapped for a Hub 6, problem sorted, LAN stable and WiFi performance best we’ve had, so much so I no longer need power line adapters and get the same throughput on wired and wireless.