Forum Discussion

Duffster2's avatar
Duffster2
Joining in
4 days ago

NO WIFI COVERAGE UPSTAIRS IN MY HOUSE!!

I've been attempting to resolve the issue of no/low WiFi coverage in my home for months. In fact, years because I've been told to buy boosters - which didn't fix it - and I gave up constantly going back to Virgin to resolve. It's a gaslighting situation - apparently my fault!! That I need to invest in better boosters!! So, early in the summer I again made contact. Long story short - after very many calls, cut offs, emails - I was told to increase my broadband and charged £5 extra per month. IT HAS NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE AT ALL!! And the so called Resolutions Team are useless. When they eventually reply to email they ALWAYS begin with "we tried calling you" when they did not!! No missed calls. No messages on voicemail. No evidence to support the claim!! As you can tell, I'm beyond frustrated and annoyed. What do I do?? 

6 Replies

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    4 days ago

    Time to stop using VM Pods or any other brand of Wi-Fi Repeaters
    and focus on investing in a suitable a Wi-Fi network for your property.

  • Cardiffman282's avatar
    Cardiffman282
    Community elder
    4 days ago

    VM has a (pretty feable but industry standard) wifi guarantee. Its Ts and Cs are here https://www.virginmedia.com/the-edit/online-safety/wifi-guarantee

    Experienced forum bods stick their hubs in modem mode and use their own better routers/networking kit. 

    You were missold your speed upgrade if you were told it would improve your wifi upstairs. Raise a formal written complaint about it via your online account. You can also demand the call recording via the dsar route https://www.virginmedia.com/help/dsar-faq

     

     

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    4 days ago

    Anyone who is told by a VM agent that increasing their broadband speed will improve wi-fi coverage should immediately start the process to escalate a case to the ombudsman for mis-selling.

    If you are on the 1 Gbps service or on Volt, I believe you become eligible for VM's pods (assuming your reference to 'boosters' is something different).

    If you are not eligible for pods, you have to accept the fact that VM's default wi-fi from the hub may not be suitable for your home.

    Your options from there would be to get your own superior networking equipment (which may be a better router or a mesh system or additional wireless access points). Unfortunately this option is at a cost to you for initial purchase.

  • Kath_P's avatar
    Kath_P
    Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
    2 days ago

    Hi Duffster2, 

    Thanks for taking the time to contact us via the Community. It's lovely having you on board with us in the Forums. ⭐

    We're sorry to hear you're having issues with your WiFi Connection. There are so many things that can influence a WiFi connection some of which include but are not limited to, a fish tank being in the same room, walls being built with concrete instead of brick, it could even be that your next door neighbours router is interfering with yours. Due to this, we are only able to offer limited help. Please have a look here.

    The Hub's location could also be causing the coverage problem so we do need to check the positioning of it. Can you please ensure the following: 

    • > Out in the open
    • > Next to the TV not behind it
    • > Away from large bodies of water (e.g. fish tanks)
    • > Away from baby monitors and cordless phones
    • > Away from microwaves

    Think of the Hub as a radio, and WiFi as the sound - the further away you are from the radio, or the more obstacles that are in the way (walls, electronic devices etc.), the quieter the radio & the poorer the WiFi. 

    If that doesn't help, you can download our Connect App which will allow you to scan areas of your home and will offer help. If a VM WiFi Pod will help, the app will give you the option of adding this. You can view more information on that here and here.

    If after going through the self-checks, you still need some help, feel free to pop back to us here so we can help further. 

    Many thanks, 

  • Tudor's avatar
    Tudor
    Very Insightful Person
    2 days ago

    You cannot "boost" the WiFi signal, it’s totally a no no. What you can do is increase the range of the WiFi signal, but at the cost of some loss. There are various options, but the simplest to try is to install a Ethernet cabled WiFi access point back to the VM hub and you could always use two or more and turn off the hub’s WiFi signal. Another option is a Mesh System perhaps with the VM hub in modem mode, but again the mesh system slave units are far better if Ethernet cabled. Last option is your own retail router with WiFi, but this will probably not cover all your home with additional Wireless Access Points. I use a business grade router, no WiFi, with four Wireless Access Points.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    2 days ago

    You have to smile, folks have several UHD TVs, his & her latest iPhones, more CCTV cameras than the City of London Police, extreme laptops / PCs and gold plated iPads & PS5s etc ... but suggest invest a few hundred quid in what is needed to make it work really well throughout the home and the screams of horror sound like they are from the Spanish Inquisition :o)