Wifi weak in one room

[gazzie]

Hi

We have one room where there is a weak wifi signal. Or rather the wifi is not very reliable and drops out disrupting my wife's pc and phone connections, I'm guessing signal strength - but don't actually have enough knowledge to say that is the issue!

I did a speed test on my pc and also on hers. Mine is in an upstairs room, where our router box/hub (not sure what it is called, it's an upright black box) is. 

My pc is connected to this hub/router with an ethernet,cable - not wifi. Mine had results which were 14ms, 142.7 Mbps and 37 Mbps. Hers (weak wifi) said 21 ms 24.2 Mbps and 20.3 Mbps.

Any ideas what the issue is and how we speed up her broadband so her pc and phone work better on wifi?

I tried looking, and see there are boosters and extenders, and also using different wavebands - but quickly got a bit lost and confused as to what we might need and also how we get them from VM?

Thanks - as you can tell I have no technical knowledge - so please reply assuming I know nothing at all !

[jbrennand]

See this first....
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If ethernet connections are fine, and it is a wifi only issue, then on a Hub3/4/5, 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/Smart wifi” “ apply and save the settings. It often helps sort Hub3 Wifi issues.

We can give more specific instructions/how to if you want to try that first.

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 Hub users get better wifi performance - but its still no substitute for getting better kit 🙂

However to address the wifi issues, VM now supply “wifi Pods” (no longer doing cheap and cheerless “boosters”). However, their Pods are only free to customers on the 1GB, Ultimate Oomph or Volt packages - is that you? If so they are worth trying - they should work for you.
You do have to call in to order them (cant do it online) - or just wait here for a VM person to respond in a day or two and they will sort the first one for you .

If not… you will be charged £5/month (note - BT charge £10/mo for their whole home wifi solution). It’s a simple solution and should work for you. However, you would soon pay off that cost by buying your own wireless solution that will be yours to own and use forever, but it isn’t the simple plug and play option of the Pod(s).

You would need to get either a… (1) Mesh System, (2) Wireless router, (3) Wireless access point (4) Powerline adapters (+/- inbuilt Wifi,) (5) A combination of (2,3,4).

Again just ask if that something you might like to do

[gazzie]

Hi John

Many thanks for detailed reply (not much of which I understand - ha ha !) I see that there are a few options you have recommended for me.

Firstly I didn't know what Volt or Oomph are, but on checking my VM package I'm on this one: Bigger Oomph bundle + Sports

Does this count? If so I'd very much like to try the wifi Pod that you mentioned - as that seems easiest to me as totally non technical - and you seem confident it will work? Otherwise will need to try the technical stuff that sounds quite scary to me.

Should I literally just wait as you explained in your reply -  "wait here for a VM person to respond in a day or two and they will sort the first one for you"?

If this is the best and I qualify for the free wifi Pod I would like to try this first, and hopefully it will be the answer.

To summarize my issue, it is only in one room that the wifi is weak, rest of the house is absolutely fine - and even in that weak spot it is much worse on one specific laptop, which unfortunately is brand new and so we can't just get another. We also found out yesterday that it is also much worse on a VPN network that my wife uses to connect to her colleagues in USA for Zoom, and other work related systems.

Thanks again for your help!

[jbrennand]

I believe the U-O package entitles you to free Pod(s). A VM person will need to confirm. They should respond on here in a day or two. Otherwise you need to call in to order them - worth a try.

BTW - I would never do an important teams or zoom meeting over wifi. I would (and do) connect my laptop directly to the Hub/router on a Cat6a ethernet cable - even if that has just to be trailed over the floor for the duration of the meeting. Roll it up and put it in a drawer when done - until next time - or lay it permanently if you can.

[Andrew-G]

@jbrennand I would never do an important teams or zoom meeting over wifi.

Although this can work flawlessly if the wifi is capable.  I use my own mesh system, and wifi connectivity is excellent, and has worked perfectly through many long hours of important work related meetings, interviews and presentations.

[gazzie]

Re: Thanks for advice about not using wifi for Zoom, only using a cable for Zoom meetings, however not very practical in our house unfortunately. The cable would have to go from upstairs room at the front of the house (where our router/hub box thing is), along the landing, down the stairs, through the hall, through the living room, through the dining room and then into the room at the back of the house where the relevant computer is! Quite a long cable would be needed. Too long to roll up and put in a drawer!😀

[gazzie]

Thanks for info. Sounds interesting - but what is a "mesh system"? I have never heard of that before - is it something that would help this one weak wifi room? Or is it a big system for the whole house? We only have an issue with wifi in this one room so should I look into this as a solution?

[Tudor]

Ethernet cable is very easy to route. I would suggest using external grade cable, out through exterior wall, up to the loft, down the back of the house and then inside. You could DIY or get an electrician to run the cable. It’s easy to hide behind the down pipes.

[gazzie]

Hi

That sounds like a hard DIY project to me (I'm of a certain age!).

I now notice that the power light on the modem/hub is red. I'm sure it didn't used to be and only noticed it this week? I have searched on the forum and this seems to be a problem - overheating maybe, and I need a new hub, can you confirm this and should I phone support desk or will it be picked up from here? The hub is warm at the top (maybe top inch and a half) of the sides and also warm right on top and cool elsewhere. It is not in sunlight or near anything else that is hot.

[jbrennand]

This is a decent introductory Mesh system that will soon pay for itself rather than £5/mo rental to VM  - for info...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-M4-Seamless-Coverage-Replacement/dp/B07NH1J543/