Broadband spread

[Keeleys2Q]

We were recently upgraded to 136mbs from 100mbs but a number of areas of house that we got good signal we now don’t. 
We get the 136mbs but in a much narrower vertical funnel. 
How can we revert to better spread of signal. The extra speed is virtually irrelevant but the lack of broadband now in some rooms is a real problem 
thanks for any advice 

[jbrennand]

Try this it has helped some customers after the "upgrade"
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Do a Hub “pinhole reset” - first make sure the 2 passwords on the Hub sticker are still there and legible first ! Disconnect any ethernet cables from the Hub (leave the coax connected), and then with the Hub still "switched on" throughout, press pin in firmly with paper clip/SIM tray tool or similar "thin thing" and hold it firmly for at least 60 (a timed sixty) seconds, release the pin, leave for 5’ to stabilise - dont manually switch it off at any time. Passwords and SSID’s will reset to those on the sticker.

See if that sorts it.

[Keeleys2Q]

Thanks very much -  away currently but will try on return. 

Jonathan 

[Keeleys2Q]

Hi John

I tried the reset and unfortunately still the same issue - it is as if to get the extra speed the upgrade reduced width coverage. It isn’t the extra speed I need. I now have rooms where I got a steady good signal before and now it connects then drops out in those rooms. In the other rooms where I got the best speeds the speed has  increased but it’s the coverage that remains the issue. Anyway of undoing the upgrade or any other ideas ? 
thanks 

Jonathan 

[Megan_L]

Hi Keeleys2Q,

Thanks for using the forums to get this issue with your broadband connection looked into, I am sorry if this has been causing some frustration after the free speed boost. I would be more than happy to look into this for you.

I would like to ask a few questions and get you to do some things so we can try to work out what the root cause is. 
Have you done a WIFI scan with the Connect App? It will attempt to find any black spots in your home, if it does it may give you further advice on how to fix it - It may also advise you on whether you'll be eligible for WIFI pods. However, eligibility mainly focuses on whether you get lower than 20mbps in any rooms within your home, so please do a speed test in the rooms you feel the connection is lowest and let me know what it states.

As your speed has been boosted, your WIFI channels may need to be reconfigured. Take a look at this quick video that explains what this means and how to do it - Changing WIFI Channels.

Please let me know if any of this helps.

Thanks,

Megan_L

[Keeleys2Q]

Hello, Megan.

Hello Megan.

I looked at the video and yes we have had to turn the hub on and off on obviously as part of the upgrade and also as part of a reset retest we did so we have done this a few times with no real noticeable benefit or affect.
From testing the speeds it showed good speeds where we previously had good speeds. However, the two rooms where we would have less speed, but still would get a viable connection were Kitchen and the office. But our problem since the upgrade is that we will get a good speed in the kitchen or office and then it will suddenly drop out and we are suddenly using our 4G. So what is actually happening since the upgrade is connection drop out in the rooms that used to have weaker but viable coverage - the signal is unstable. Sometimes when testing in the office and kitchen or another bedroom that used to be fine I simply couldn’t connect to the hub at all then I get a good connection and then it drops out. 
Hope that helps 

[Keeleys2Q]

Hello, again, Megan

Hello again Megan.

What I also should have mentioned is that in the kitchen once I achieved 7 MB per second, then the second time 17 MB per second, and the third time decided it couldn’t connect or find the hub. 
The office has reverted to behaving as it did previous to the upgrade at about 47mbs, which actually is just fine for my purposes, but I will be interested to see whether it does the same on Monday in case it is local internet Traffic that is affecting the stability or whether for no apparent reason it has reverted to previous performance levels. What has been happening in the office for the last few days is that I achieve a signal then it just drops out and this happens again and again. Bedroom 3 is still dropping out continuously and was previously stable. So you get a speed then two minutes later it’s gone. 

[jbrennand]

FYI - see this
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Do you know if its a wifi only issue (ethernet connections are ok?), if it is - then on a Hub3/4/5, you could first try separating the SSID's of the 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi bands by renaming them in the settings At the same time switch off "channel optimisation/Smart wifi” and “ apply and save the settings. All wifi devices will now 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 - so its worth trying - but its still no substitute for getting better kit 🙂

To address the wifi issues, VM now supply “wifi Pods” (no longer doing cheap and cheerless and poor value “boosters”). However, their Pods are only free to customers on the 1GB, Volt (or old Ultimate Oomph) packages - is that you? If so they are worth trying - they should work for you. VM Wifi is now “guaranteed” to 20 Mbps/room it’s now called… Wifi Max see.-

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

You can call  0800 064 3850 to order the first one - or follow instructions on that website - 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 call dont get fobbed off by the offshore CS agents' saying you aren’t eligible it will be £5 or £8 month - you are… and it wont be - just look on the webpage.

If not free to you… you will be charged £8/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, although the VM Pods should be a simpler option.

If you do want to invest in better equipment, you would need to get either a… (1) Mesh System, (2) Wireless router, (3) Wireless access point (4) A combination of (2,3).

£30-100 (that’s ~4->12 months of Max Pod rental) should sort it for most customers with an average property and usage.

[Keeleys2Q]

Not sure how you expect to connect Ethernet cable in any room except where the hub is ? 
Also as mentioned many times speed is not a problem in rooms where we previously had good speed. It is a lack of stability in the rooms that were previously slower but perfectly adequate. 
I was waiting to hear from Megan if I was to get a free Wi-Fi pod hence messages above re speed measurements. 
There is no basis for me paying for extra / new equipment when prior to the upgrade I had a completely satisfactory service in all rooms where it was needed. Nothing has changed in our house except the upgrade.
Splitting the signal for different devices permanently sounds counter intuitive if using phones iPads or laptops in different rooms at different times as we always used to. Typically devices are mobile so are you suggesting default lower speed connections for all mobile devices ? If so it does make the speed upgrade completely pointless,  surely? 
I assumed my iphone for example automatically switches to the best signal it can find in each room ? 

[jbrennand]

My iPhones/iPad all auto switch between my two separated bands when I roam.  Just make their SSID's 1 & 2 on their preferred network lists.

But see if they will give you a Pod

You test on ethernet by having one of these in your bits drawer - albeit I suspect you wont want to spend on it 😎.

I actually borrowed mine from our works IT guy.