Wifi dropping out

[NoBeer]

Hi,

I’ve been trying to fix an issue where wifi connected devices can’t access the internet.  It happens sometimes for a very short time and then fixes itself and I can live with that.  But every so often, (sometimes days, sometimes weeks) it happens and the only thing you can do is reboot the (Sagecom) router. 

Devices connected by ethernet (eg youview box) are not usually affected.  And oddly, a pc connected by ethernet to a wifi extender (TPLink RE540) is usually not affected.

I’m also trying to improve wifi coverage and have two wifi extenders: the RE450 and a TPLink N300.  Sometimes you also have to reboot the wifi extenders.

I used the WiFI Analyzer app and could see that my 2.4GHz wifi was on channel 11 and it was very crowded with several BT wifi, Plusnet and Sky all using the same channel.  Something similar on 5GHz.  At the back of the house, 4 of these networks had stronger signal than my own.

I changed my wifi channels to 1 and 48 and speed and coverage seemed to improve.  When I manually change the channel on the router, the two range extenders automatically follow to the same channel, which is good.  But the wifi reverts to channel 11 after a day or so…sometimes sooner. 

I suspect TalkTalk’s wifi optimisation is now causing more problems than it solves, and I’d like to turn it off to see if this brings any improvement. 

Is this forum the right place to request that, or do I need to go elsewhere?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Vince

I've switched the WIFI optimisation off again.

Can I just check, have you recently reset the router? (factory reset)

[NoBeer]

Hi,

WIFI optimisation seems to have been turned back on again.  If so, please can you turn it off again.  

Thanks, Vince

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Vince

Has the connection been working ok since the WIFI optimisation was switched off?

Thanks

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Vince

The WIFI optimisation should now remain switched off unless the router is factory reset (pin hole reset)

Apologies only staff can check the WIFI optimisation. If you do experience any further issues then please post back here and we can check this for you.

Thanks 

Debbie

[NoBeer]

I don't think so, but I recently had a lot of problems with my landline and a factory reset might have been a part of the troubleshooting process.  There was definitely a lot of turn it off, turn it on, disconnect everything, etc.etc going on.

Is there any way I can check if optimisation has been turned back on for myself in future?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Vince

Apologies for this.

I've switched the WIFI optimisation off again. Have you recently factory reset the router?

[NoBeer]

Hi,

I've been noticing a few problems with wifi recently and I'm wondering if WIFI optimisation has been turned back on again.  If so, please can you turn it off again.  

Thanks, Vince

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi NoBeer

Apologies for this.

I've switched the WIFI optimisation off again. Please let us know if you do experience any further issues.

Thanks

Debbie

[NoBeer]

After quite a few months of stability, wifi optimisation appears to have been turned on again in the last month or so and my problems have reappeared.

Please could you turn wifi optimisation off again.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi NoBeer

Thanks for keeping us updated 🙂

[NoBeer]

Update

Well... its been a month or so now since turning off the wifi optimisation.

I haven't had to reboot the router and almost no dropouts  so I'm happy.

I am still using the two wifi repeaters and I've also reenlisted an old AV500 powerline adapter to provide the etherlink connection to a pc with no wifi, rather than using the ethernet connection on the wifi repeater (which meant that the repeater wasn't really in the best location) So all is well - thanks for your help.

I am conscious of Keith's comment on wifi repeaters not necessarily being a good solution so if I do decide I need to extend coverage to the farthest reaches of the house, I will have to consider the options. There seems to be no ideal solution and a decent mesh system seems to be an expensive overkill for the marginal improvement it might give.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi NoBeer

Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks

Debbie

[KeithFrench]

No problems, glad to help.

[NoBeer]

Thanks,

Chris

[NoBeer]

Thanks for the quick response Keith.

Lets see if turning off the wifi optimisation gives an improvement with the dropouts.  I'll give it a few days.

Even if the dropouts are fixed, I'd still like to get back in touch in a few days to see if you have any suggestions to improve my coverage to the back of the house.  Would that be OK with you?

[KeithFrench]

These are all WiFi repeaters I think & will possibly not give the results you want, as they broadcast out the repeated WiFi signal in all directions & if on the same channel as the router, there is every chance that they will cancel the router's WiFi signal out. This will cut off the repeater connection to the router. The more of these you have, the more congestion you will cause within particularly the 2.4GHz band.

The Ethernet connected device may be connected back from its repeater, over the 5GHz band & this may be why it survives the connection OK.

The first thing to do, as you have already realised is to get WiFi optimisation disabled on your Sagemcom (I'll ask TalkTalk to do this for you).

Then if you still have problems after that, please take screenshots from your WiFi analyser of the views below in problem areas of your house:-

1. 1. Signal Strength (Get one screenshot with your 2.4GHz SSID name clicked on & another with your 5GHz SSID name clicked. In both cases let the graph run for 5 mins before taking the screenshot).
2. 2.4GHz APs Channels (With your 2.4GHz network clicked for this screenshot).
3. 5GHz APs Channels (With your 5GHz network clicked for this screenshot).
4. AP view.

The actual naming of these views varies from analyser to analyser.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi NoBeer,

I've disabled wifi optimisation as requested. If the problem continues could you try manually changing the wifi channel

Chris