setting up wifi pods

[jbraner]

Hi,

I've just switched to a Volt package (many thanks to the forum admin who helped me with this) so I can get some wifi pods to help with my wifi coverage in my flat (some new wireless hifi stuff needs better connections). I realise that my router is not in a great position and my flat has thick brick walls - so conditions are not ideal. I think the pods will help though. (I bought a TP-Link extender and it does help but I want to take VM up on their wifi guarantee. I don't care about the £100 deal, I just want good wifi coverage in the flat) I know I'll need more than one pod - but I'll play the game and try them one at a time.

My router comes in to the flat in one corner and I need to extend the wifi coverage in to the far ends of the flat. In both of those corners, the neighbour's (otherside of the walls and downstairs) signals are a lot stronger than mine 😉  I don't have a lot of options for places to put the pod(s) but I'll start with one halfway to the two rooms that need coverage. if that works - great, but if not, I think I should move the pod to one of the rooms that needs better coverage and then get another pod for the other room. If that doesn't work (if the pods are too far from the router) then I'll need one pod in the original location, and one in each of the rooms that need coverage. If I could just get the 3 at once, I'd do this - but that's not possible.

Does this approach make sense?

Also, I have a question about 5G wifi. I'm currently running 2.4G and 5G on separate SSIDs, and the 5G is pretty hopeless. If my phone connects to it - I usually have to switch it over to the 2.4G network. I recently let the VM connect app combine these two - into one SSID, and that didn't work out very well. Anything connecting via 5G was dropping out - so I just put the two bands back to separate SSIDs (I'd probably be better off just disabling the 5G wifi).

Hopefully the 5G band will work better if I can boost the signal (with pods) so should I let the app combine the two bands again when I iinstall the first pod? Or should I avoid this (I'll either keep the SSIDs separate or just disable the 5G) until there is good wifi coverage in the flat - and then try setting both bands to the same SSID?

Thanks for any ideas. I don't know who else to ask - I wouldn't bother wasting my time with the phone support.

 Rgds,

John B

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

See this re pods...

VM Wifi is now “guaranteed” to 30 Mbps/room it’s now called… Wifi Max
See if anything in here helps….

https://www.virginmedia.com/wifi-max

You call 0800 064 3850 to order the first one after scanning for blackspots using the connect App.- 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 you do call dont get fobbed off by the offshore CS agents' saying you aren’t eligible - if you are - it is clearly stated on the webpage.

Then,

See if anything in message 5 in this thread helps to connect Pods…

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/WiFi-boosters-needed/m-p/5122436#M497217

[carl_pearce]

Just ensure you place the pod in an area of good coverage, keeping in mind it extends the signal it receives.

So, you want the pod extending a good signal, not a bad one. 

[jbraner]

[quote]However, once you receive the pod(s) you should be aware of the following requirements for the pods to work with any of the VM hubs.

The Hub must be in 'Router Mode' and not have been changed to 'Modem Mode'
Channel Optimisation must be left on
The SSIDs must be the same and broadcast enabled
The SSID must be password protected
The Passphrases of the SSIDs must match
As long as all of the above points are all met then the Pods will automatically connect to your Hub's WiFi and begin broadcasting. The wireless details from the Pods will be the same as the Hub's details, so no additional steps are required to connect up the devices in the home.[/quote]

So, this comes back to the setting the same SSID for both bands. Maybe I'll just disable 5G to get things working - then enable it later.

[quote]Just ensure you place the pod in an area of good coverage, keeping in mind it extends the signal it receives.

So, you want the pod extending a good signal, not a bad one. [/quote]

Yeah, I get this. The problem is how to know if the pod is getting a good signal (did I put it too far from the router). Maybe the app will help.

[jbraner]

Sorry about the lousy formatting. I just realised there are quote things to click on - and I can't edit the post.

[jbraner]

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@carl_pearce wrote:

Just ensure you place the pod in an area of good coverage, keeping in mind it extends the signal it receives.

So, you want the pod extending a good signal, not a bad one. 

---

Yeah, I get this. The problem is how to know if the pod is getting a good signal (did I put it too far from the router). Maybe the app will help.

[jbraner]

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Then,

See if anything in message 5 in this thread helps to connect Pods…

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/WiFi-boosters-needed/m-p/5122436#M497217

---

It says

---

However, once you receive the pod(s) you should be aware of the following requirements for the pods to work with any of the VM hubs.

The Hub must be in 'Router Mode' and not have been changed to 'Modem Mode'
Channel Optimisation must be left on
The SSIDs must be the same and broadcast enabled
The SSID must be password protected
The Passphrases of the SSIDs must match
As long as all of the above points are all met then the Pods will automatically connect to your Hub's WiFi and begin broadcasting. The wireless details from the Pods will be the same as the Hub's details, so no additional steps are required to connect up the devices in the home.

---

So, this comes back to the setting the same SSID for both bands. Maybe I'll just disable 5G to get things working - then enable it later.

[carl_pearce]

The easiest way is to use another wireless device to check the signal.

[Tudor]

"I think I should move the pod to one of the rooms that needs better coverage"

One thing to note, it’s useless putting a pod in the same location as the target device, it should be mid way between hub or other pod and the target device. There is nothing magic about this, if you think about it when the pod is in the same location as the device it will receive exactly the same strength signal as the device. Pods do NOT boost the signal, they just retransmit it to give greater range. The signal can never be greater than the originating source.

[jbraner]

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@carl_pearce wrote:

The easiest way is to use another wireless device to check the signal.

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That's what I do with my iPhone. It shows the signal strength in -dBm. I don't know why VM Connect is more worried about download/upload speeds than signal strength (but I guess there is a correlation).

My laptop runs inSSIDer which is even better - but it's easier to use the phone.