Poor WiFi - Conflicting Reports on WiFi Distribution

[bdw]

I am having problems with the WiFi signal distribution in my home.

I have a smart TV in my living room and a laptop in my kitchen. These are essentially the same room because it's open plan.

My Virgin Connect app reports that the signal is "Great" at both locations but I am having issues with it. At times the laptop wifi indicator is down to the first dot and the TV drops out when streaming, etc. My mobile also shows no more than two bars even when I am sitting beside the router (Hub 3). The router is in my home office upstairs.

Is there a problem here or do I need to get some sort of a booster?  

[jbrennand]

The wifi from VM's Hubs is poor for many people, so.....

What Hub model is it and what are the various Hub lights showing/doing when this happens?

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

[bdw]

Hi John,

This is the hub, The only light that shows when it is working is the bottom white/pink light.

My PC is connected via ethernet and there are no issues. It's only the wireless signals that are a problem.

[jbrennand]

OK. So the Hub3 has Poundshop performance. If ethernet connections are finer, you can try separating the SSID's of the 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi bands by renaming them in the settings and at the same time switch off "channel optimisation" apply and save the settings. All wifi devices will need reconnecting to the best SSID at each location. Also use a wifi scanning App to find the best wifi channels to use (just select and use channels 1,6,11 on 2.4GHz) - this often helps Hub3 users get better wifi performance - but its still no substitute for getting better kit 🙂
To address the wifi, VM now supply “wifi Pods” (no longer doing “boosters”). Pods are free to customers on 1GB or Ultimate Oomph packages - is that you?

If not you will be charged £5/month. Its a simple solution and should work for you. However, you would soon pay off that cost by buying a "better" wireless solution that will be yours to own and use forever.

[bdw]

"a "better" wireless solution" ?

[Adduxi]

---

@bdw wrote:

"a "better" wireless solution" ?

---

If you really want a solid wifi solution, you can either rent pods from VM. or buy you own solution.  No ISP supplied Router is guaranteed to give wifi to every corner of every room.  A lot of users here purchase their own wifi kit and don't use the Hub's wifi.  Personally I use PoE Access Points and have no problems with wifi anywhere in my house.

[jbrennand]

Get either a…

(1) Mesh System,
(2) Wireless router,
(3) Wireless access point(s)
(4) Powerline adapters,
(5) A combination of (2,3,4).

[Paulina_Z]

Hi @bdw,

Welcome back to our Community Forums! Thank you for your post, and I'm sorry to hear that you're unhappy with your Hub 3 performance. We'll be more than happy to look into this for you.

Please let us know if this wireless issue happens across all WiFi devices in your home, or just some? 

Have you taken a look at some of the advise provided on this thread?

Please let us know if you'd like any further assitance.

Thank you,

[bdw]

As I said earlier my Virgin Connect app reports that the signal is "Great" at both locations but I am having issues with it. At times the laptop Wi-Fi  indicator is down to the first dot and the TV drops out when streaming, etc. My mobile also shows no more than two bars even when I am sitting beside the router (Hub 3).

The router is in my home office upstairs.

Other than moving the router around (within the confines of the cable length) I have not tried any of the other fixes. 

[Natalie_L]

Thank you for your reply. 

As a provider we are unable to gurantee WiFi throughout the property but we do offer equipment in order to help with this. 

As other members have advised, there are option for you to purchase additional third party equipment or we also offer our own smart WiFi Pods. 

More information on these can be found here

Thanks