topic Poor WiFi coverage even with extender in Broadband

Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

Scramble_cam — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 19:02:30 GMT

I live in a small bungalow. I get good WiFi in two rooms but in the other 3 the signal is weak, it regularly drops out and the speed is slow. I was sent a talktalk extender when I renewed my Talktalk contract and now the signal is good in the room I put that in but the 2 other room are still just as bad. I don't know what else to do to solve this problem. Can anyone advise me on how to fix this?

Thanks

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

Skynet_TX — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 19:45:17 GMT

Hi @Scramble_cam,

Have you tried using a smartphone App like this to see what Wi-Fi channels are being used within range of your smartphone. This would help you see if there are other networks (i.e. your neighbours routers) that are using the same, or similar, channel to yours that could be interfering with your signal.

If the App helps you identify better channels that you could be using you could then change your router to use those better channels :

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Change-your-wireless-channel/ta-p/2204684

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

Debbie-TalkTalk — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 08:26:19 GMT

Hi Scramble_cam

I'm sorry to hear this.

Have you tested different wireless channels to see how the connection compares? Change your wireless channel

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

KeithFrench — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 11:29:56 GMT

Hi @Scramble_cam

If you want any help sorting this problem, I can help a lot with using a free WiFi analyser and I can analyse the results for you & tell you what needs to be done to rectify it.

I have found a similar problem with a friend of mine who lives in a bungalow (this is nothing to do with being a bungalow, it could easily apply to any property type). Although the WiFi signal should have reached one problem room without issue, there was a lot of WiFi interference from other networks in that room only.

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

Scramble_cam — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:08:36 GMT

Thanks for the replies. I will try looking at any interference and changing the channel. Hopefully I will be tech savvy enough to be able to manage this but I'm not sure.

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

Scramble_cam — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:10:16 GMT

Hi Keith

Thanks for your reply. I would appreciate some help with this. How should I go about doing the WiFi analysis etc?

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

KeithFrench — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:13:23 GMT

Hi @Scramble_cam

Unless you know about WiFi interference I am offering to do all of the analysis, totally free of charge for you, it is not just the WiFi channel selection. Plus this must be done considering both the router & the WiFi extender.

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

Scramble_cam — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 09:06:48 GMT

Hi Keith

I would like it if you could do this. How can I arrange this?

I did download wifi analyzer app and tested it in the two rooms I don't get signal and there was occasionally distant interference from neighbours routers but the big thing I noticed was my wifi signal was very low and the estimated distance from the router or extender was 10s of meters even though the distance was less than 10m.

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

KeithFrench — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 09:27:50 GMT

If you can just send me screenshots of each of the views from the analyser & I will take a look. I will need to know the name of of your WiFi networks (SSID).

When you include them, please use the Insert Photo button on the toolbar and set it's Size Parameter to Large.

Feel free to PM them to me if you want.

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

Scramble_cam — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 18:50:07 GMT

Hi Keith

I have sent you a pm.

Thanks

Scramble_cam

Re: Poor WiFi coverage even with extender

KeithFrench — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 22:15:22 GMT

Hi @Scramble_cam

Sorry, I don't know what happened, the reply to your PM I sent yesterday or the day before & seems to have got lost. I have sent another reply. Please let me know if you don't get that one.