Household Wifi Coverage

[DHHGMG889216]

Hi,

We've recently moved into a flat and joined VM on the M150 plan. The coverage from the router is fine for some of the rooms, but as soon as we go into the kitchen and the adjoining room we plan to use as a workspace, the signal drops significantly, so that it is "fair" in the kitchen (but drops out frequently), and non-existent in the work space. 

On a recommendation from someone I know, I have purchased a TP-link AC1200 dual band wi-fi range extender and booster to try and improve the situation, but it doesn't seem to have had any impact at all, with both those rooms still struggling to connect. 

I'm not the most tech-savvy so would appreciate some help in terms of what we can do to get the coverage to extend to the two rooms mentioned.

[Tudor]

Your best option is an Ethernet wired Wireless Access Point. This can be located in the same location as your devices. ‘Boosters’ don’t boost, they just extend the range of the WiFi signal and should be placed mid way between the source, the VM hub, and the target device.

[DHHGMG889216]

Thanks Tudor - are those the plug-ins that use the mains connection? I might have a couple of those somewhere so will dig them out. From memory you plug one in next to router and ethernet to it, and then one in the nearest socket to the device you're attempting to connect, and ethernet directly into that - is that correct?

[Adduxi]

You are talking about Powerline Adapters which use the mains for connecting to the Hub and themselves.  The best solution, as suggested by Tudor, is to run an ethernet cable from the Hub to the offending room and use this to connect a Wireless Access Point.  Be aware cables can be run externally, not just through the house.  This type of solution is by far the best, personally I have 3 of these around my house.

[DHHGMG889216]

Thanks Adduxi, 

I think the issue will be getting the landlord to agree to that as would involve rewiring - can always ask the question. In the event we are not permitted to do that, what would be the best thing we could do?

[Adduxi]

You can think about using Powerline Adapters to carry the Broadband circuit via the mains wiring in the house. This will have no impact on the property.  Just make sure the adapters have the socket passthrough to avoid losing the use of a socket.

Or you can use a Mesh system, so these Wifi access points plug into a socket and will talk to each other, thus extending the Wifi signal out through the property.  Note however they still need to be within reach of each other to propagate the signal.  They normally have indicators on the units to show if they are too far apart.

[DHHGMG889216]

Thanks for the comments.

I've utilised the TP link powerline adaptors I already had, with 1 attached to main router, and 1 in the room with the dead zone. This did create a connection, but it is very slow <1mbps on both download and upload, and sometimes still cuts out. Is there a way of improving this speed just using the powerline adaptors? 

If not, is the answer a mesh system? I don't know what that is but can look it up. Are there any particular recommendations for a mesh system using Virgin fibre?

[Adduxi]

I believe the TP Link's may have software to check the connections.  It could also be the ring mains are separate for up and down and this will affect the speed.  Nothing you can do about that one.

As for a Mesh system, check the Deco series, as some users here have good things to say about them.