WIFI connection unreliable

[Statler]

My virgin media WIF is supplied by a Hub 5 router and I use 3 Devolo adapters to create a mesh network in an effort to provide a consistent signal throughout my house.

Despite this my wife has a constant problem with connecting her phone and work laptop to the WIFI and regularly has to use her data allowance to connect.

All the Devolo adapters confirm they are connected to the correct WIFI as does her phone and laptop. 

The router is located in an upstairs room and the room she is located in has a Devolo adapter so I really can't understand why she has this problem.

I use my laptop in the same room as the router and am connected by ethernet cable so I don't have problems with connection. My phone doesn't seem to have a problem connecting when I move around the house either so again I cannot see why she has issues connecting to the WIFI.

Does anybody have any advice on why this is happening and how to resolve it?  

[Statler]

Just downloaded VM Connect app and carried out speed checks in every room. Readings are over 300 Mbps in almost all rooms. One spot in the room she uses most is giving a reading of 54 Mbps but not where she sits which gives a reading of 292Mbps.

All those readings suggest not a problem with the WIFI signal throughout the house so could it be the settings on her phone and laptop?

I am getting a VM WIFI pod delivered so will locate it in the room she uses most often. There is already a Devolo adapter in the room so is this going cause a conflict does anybody know?

[jbrennand]

Devolo kit is usually high price and spec - what model/type/numbers are you using?

[Client62]

Given the kit you have I would not want an inferior VM Pod in the house at all.

There is already a Devolo adapter in the room ( with the wife's laptop ). 

Review the placement of the Develo Mesh units.

The installation guide would have mentioned that Wi-Fi Repeaters need to be placed
mid way between the ISP's Hub and the place to be covered. 

Placing a Wi-Fi Mesh or Repeater close to the laptop  may well introduce another Wi-Fi hop
needlessly degrading speed and adding latency.

[Statler]

I have a Devolo Mesh WiFi 2 whole house WiFi kit which uses 3 adapters with one plugged in downstairs and the other two in rooms upstairs.

Another issue I have is the JVC TV that is plugged into one of the upstairs adapters via ethernet cable does not provide a consistent picture as it keeps pixelating and it cannot access the internet. I thought that the whole point of using a Devolo system via the electrical circuit is it would provide a strong signal and consistent picture with internet access.  

[Tudor]

Is the first Devolo adapter connected by Ethernet cable to the hub or is it relying on the Hub’s WiFi signal?

The first unit should be connected via an Ethernet cable and it’s best to run them in modem mode, not router mode as you have described.

[Statler]

The first adapter is connected by ethernet cable. 

How do you check and change to modem mode if it is in router mode?

The Home icon on all the adapters quite frequently turns to red then back to white - this is beginning to annoy me intensely.

I have moved the downstairs adapter into the hallway and carried out more speed tests via VM app and all readings are over 300 Mbps. Not had a chance to see if moving this adapter has any impact of wife's phone/laptop issue yet.

[Statler]

My VM Hub 5 is in router mode but no idea about the Devolo adapters.

[Tudor]

Don’t know the full instructions for the Devolo to put it into router mode, but VM hub’s instructions follow: 

How to put a VM hub into modem mode:

1) Access your hub on 192.168.0.1, sign on and put it into modem mode. On the Hub3 the bottom LED will change to magenta, on a Hub4 the LED band will be green, on a Hub5 the LED will be green. Best done from a wired connection.

2) Turn off the hub and disconnect any Ethernet cables

3) Fully initialise your own router or mesh master unit and make sure the WAN port is set to DHCP (for some routers or mesh this may have to be done in router mode before entering modem mode)

4) Connect your router or mesh master unit to the VM hub with an Ethernet cable, Cat5e or Cat6, any higher specification is a waste of money. On a Hub5 use port 4.

5) Turn on the VM hub.

6) You should now be able to access the internet and the hub will now be on 192.168.100.1

Note1: this only needs doing once for each new router or when VM changes your WAN IP address.

Note2: If you have a Hub4 and your own router is NOT 192.168.0.1 then it’s possible that you can still access the VM hub on 192.168.0.1