Laptop keeps dropping Talktalk connection or can't see Talktalk network.

[freelander303]

My Windows 11 laptop either has a very weak Talktalk wifi connection that keeps dropping out or it can't see the Talktalk connection at all.

It will connect perfectly with the connection icon fully lit if I use my mobile phone as a wifi hotspot through EE..

I've reinstalled the correct Realtek PCi drivers, forgotten and restarted the Talktalk connectionrun TalkTalk supersafe anti virus and Malwarebytes soft, xtra Eero, I now have 3. This hasn't helped.

Has anyone got any suggestions please?

[freelander303]

I've ordered a wifi usb adapter that claims to work on Wifi6 and 5ghz to see if that works.

It's really puzzling that only my laptop is affected.

I've tried old laptops and even they work ok.

Thanks for your help.

[KeithFrench]

If it is not the WiFi card in the laptop, I can't see what is going to so drastically reduce your signal strength, unless there is some sort of RF interference (not WiFi) from something in your property or nearby it.

[freelander303]

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't and there is no pattern to which one it connects to though most times it's channel 3.

[KeithFrench]

Channel 155 is the 5GHz band, does the laptop connect to it? If not, the patch is probably worth pursuing with TalkTalk on here. Channel 3 is the 2.4GHz band.

[freelander303]

Keith,

I've switched off and unplugged every electrical device in the room Grandstream box, TV, Talktalk set-top box, Amazon Dot/Alexa, settee recliners, TV aerial booster, surround sound box, landline portable phone, wifes laptop. 

It made no difference to the connection. Sometimes when I restart my laptop it goes to channel 155 on the WiFi Scanner and the connection quality is 100% , other times it's channel 3 and quality is low, currently hovering around 7%.

Did you say that the Eero patch wouldn't help?

I can order a wifi adapter and see if that helps.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @freelander303 

It can be a nightmare for USB ones, I would look to its chipset. Be careful; there are still quite a lot of older specification adapters available. I use a PCIe one that uses the Intel AX210 chipset, which is OK. 

[freelander303]

Hi Keith

The Eero is in the open but in a corner as thats the only place the cables for the Eero & phone will allow.

Ill try switching dwvices off and report back.

I'll need to buy a usb adapter but they're not expensive.  Are there any brands you wiukd suggest to buy or avoid?

[KeithFrench]

You could disable the Dot or eero built-in in the eero app. The simple way to prove a point though, is just to turn the Dot off for a while to see if it is having any effect. 

I am not worried how you have 3 eeros at all. However, you have proved by swapping them about that this is not an eero problem, leaving only the WiFi adapter in the laptop, or the airwaves between them. I know you have said in the past that the laptop works OK tethered to your mobile, so that is less likely, but not impossible. I would try to see if you could borrow a fairly modern USB adapter from someone. You have said in the past that the eero is in the position the old router was in & only telephone equipment nearby. Is the eero in a cupboard or something, it needs to be out in the open. Is the telephone a DECT cordless system and is it the base station that is nearby the router? If so, try turning the base station off for a while. Whilst I can't see it causing a problem, but try turning your Grandstream DVA off as well.

[freelander303]

Just a thought....

I have an Alexa Echo dot that the Eero mesh has recognised but it is auto disabled as the Eero app says I already have great coverage.

Could that affect anything? 

I don't know that I've done anything to add it to the mesh.

[freelander303]

I've tried 3 Eero 6's as the Gateway but only ever having 2 in use at any one time, resetting them before changing them round.

The problem occurred on all of them.

If you're wondering why I have 3 Eero's Talktalk insisted I didn't have enough coverage in spite of me telling them I don't live in a mansion.

[KeithFrench]

Once again you are forced on to the 2.4GHz band and the signal strength is very low. Have we tried a replacement eero before, I can't remember. You also need the patch for the 5GHz band, as your router was using channel 155 when you took the trace for me. I should be able to ask TT to arrange all of this when I know if you have had a replacement eero before.

[KeithFrench]

I'll look at them now.

[freelander303]

Here are the zipped folders, hopefully they work.

I recall you had to run 7 Zip in amdnistrator mode last time to open them.

Thanks

[KeithFrench]

The patch that you refer to @freelander303 only stops the eeros from using channel 155. The difference between what the laptop tells you is the channel and that on WiFi Scanner is all down to a change of how the channel numbers are displayed from 802.11ac (WiFi 5).

If you still have problems please PM me a new set of diagnostics in case something has changed.

[freelander303]

Sorry for the delay in reporting back.

I did a reset of the Gateway Eero and this seemed to have resolved the issue but if I shut down my laptop it frequently either won't connect or with a weak signal. 

It has currently connected on channel 36 with 100% signal strength. The CMD prompt show Channel 36. Wi-fi scanner shows 42(36).

I'll check after my next shutdown and if the problem recurrs I'll get back to you with the channel information. How would we get a patch applied to restrict the channel range?

[KeithFrench]

Hi @freelander303 

When tethered to your phone, which WiFi band & channel is it using? If you are not sure, please repeat this from the command prompt:-

netsh wlan show interface

Then PM me the output.

I have been researching the WiFi adapter in your laptop and the problem looks like it does not work unless the channel range is between 36 & 48. In the screenshot you sent me, it shows you as using the 5GHz band on channel 149, but with a very low signal strength.

I therefore think it would be best to get a patch applied to your eero, that restricts it to this channel range. However, I will wait for the netsh output before going down that route.

[freelander303]

A second thought.

If I connect to the internet using my phone as a hotspot I can connect to  Ee with a strong signal so would that rule out a hardware issue.

Yes I have uninstalled and reinstalled all network drivers.

[freelander303]

I dont but i was thinking about getting one of the small usb wifi dongles.

Can you suggest one?

[KeithFrench]

It certainly looks that way. Have you tried uninstalling it & reinstalling it? Do you have access to a USB WiFi adapter to test with?

[freelander303]

Hi Keith,

The only electrical equipment is the Talktalk telephone equipment and this has never caused any issues. The Eero is in the corner of the living room with a clear line of sight to my laptop, about 5 m away.

If I move the laptop nearer the Eero the signal doesn't get better.

Therr is no metal or glass in the area.

An old Windows 10 laptop gets full signal from the Eero even though it's upstairs.

My Wifes laptop gets strong signal at the otherr end of the settee but further from Eero.

Could it be a hardware problem with my laptop?

Mark