Broadband Connection Problem

[Twityk]

I am having a problem with my broadband connection when using devices upstairs in my house. The broadband modem is located downstairs.

Background:

I have a Virgin Media Hub 5 on their VM200 package. My current devices are 1) Windows PC operating on Windows 10 which is connected to the hub via a cable (not wirelessly). 2) A 9th generation Apple ipad.  3) A Samsung Galaxy A33 Mobile Phone  4) A Panasonic Smart TV connected wirelessly.

I have noticed that when I am using the A33 upstairs the connection is very weak, resulting in the phone switching to Data most of the time.  The ipad seems to work OK.  I never have any connection problems with any devices downstairs.

I live in a small two up two down Victorian end of terrace house so nowhere in the house is very far from the modem. I would have expected my current modem to be more than strong enough to cover the whole property. The modem sits on a desk next to my PC and it is not hidden behind anything that might interfere with the signal.

I am not particularly tech-savvy but I am aware that historically it was wise to connect certain devices to either the 2.4GHz broadcast signal from the modem or 5.0GHz.  Historically, after doing some research, I was advised to connect devices that could potentially be taken some distance from the modem to 2.4GHz and other devices that are relatively close by to the 5.0GHz. Consequently my TV runs off 5.0GHz, as it’s only feet away from the modem, and my phone in the past was on 2.4GHz.  However, when I came to set up my new phone a couple of weeks ago and attempted to log into my network, it found my modem’s address Ok but there seemed to be no choice as to whether to log on to 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz. Is this because it’s now clever enough to automatically log in to the ‘best’ frequency?  I checked my TV and that is definitely on 5.0GHz but I don’t know what my ipad and phone are on, as the settings on the devices don’t differentiate between the two frequencies.  And even if I did know, would that make any difference to my ultimate problem – my phone not being able to get a signal upstairs?

This post is just an initial attempt to ascertain what might be the problem here.  Should I be contacting Virgin direct to get them to investigate the modem? Or maybe Samsung to see why their phone isn’t logging in to a network as expected? Any help or advice would be much appreciated

[Tudor]

I would try 802.11n/ac/ax mixed first if you have not got an Apple HomePod mini otherwise 802.11a/n/ac/ax mixed. ax is the WiFi 6 (2.4 & 5 GHz), ac is WiFi 5 (5GHz only) and n is I think WiFi 3 and a is also WiFi 4. Unfortunately it’s exceedingly confusing. 

[Twityk]

Well, I didn't think we would get there but I think (and hope) that the problem has been solved. Thank you to both newapollo & Tudor for their help and advice. The crux of the matter was, I believe, that my mobiles had automatically connected themselves to 5GHz instead of 2.4GHz, and when they were taken a distance away from the hub they were losing signal. Even now the signal is not max strength but it's good enough to produce fast wi-fi access. Using the information provided by both newapollo and Tudor I was able to get an idea about what all the information in Advanced Settings > Wireless > Wireless Settings actually meant. After amending the settings and seeing in Advanced Settings > Wireless > Security that the phones were on 5GHz, I was able to see what the problem was. newapollo's genius suggestion that I change the name of the 5GHz WiFi Network Name (SSID) in the Security Settings enabled me to then go into the wi-fi settings of each of my portable devices (and my TV) where I could then see both the 2.4GHz & 5GHz signals separately listed. Previously, because the name was identical for both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals I was only seeing one signal to log on to. Now that there are two separately identifiable signals in the wi-fi network lists I can choose the one I want. Hope that all makes some kind of sense. Thanks again for your input

[Tudor]

Glad you got it sorted. Roaming between bands is both done on the device and the router (VM hub), it looks that perhaps there is a problem on the Hub side as most devices have been extensively tested.

[Opme1981]

Thanks for the info i will try to figure it out for more.

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