Mesh / range extender

[Josephiah]

Hi,

We're having problems with WiFi range in our house, using the TalkTalk WiFi Hub 2 (hardware details in the router portal say "FAST5464 2.00").  I'm looking at options for switching to a mesh network, but note a few discussions on here about a FAST266 range extender, apparently available direct from TT.  Is this a sensible/compatible option here?  If so, how would I go about getting hold of one?

Kind regards,

Jo

[KeithFrench]

Let me speak to TalkTalk to see about a 266 WiFi Booster.

[Josephiah]

Hi Keith,

Thanks for this - all makes sense and fits with my (less comprehensive!) understanding.  The router is in a room in one corner of the house near to the fibre connection.  It is directed into the centre of the house, but there isn't really any scope for moving it to a more central location.  The problem room is at the opposite corner of the house and up one floor.  Not an exact figure as we're working with diagonals and a hall with a stairwell, but something like 3/4 uninsulated stud walls or doors and a landing floor between the router and that room.

I think this all points towards a booster as per our original few posts in this discussion.  I think one would probably do the job.

Thanks,

Jo

[KeithFrench]

Hi @Josephiah 

Thanks for the screenshots. Yes, I would agree with disabling the AP on your printer and if possible the inverter's AP as well. Restricting the number of networks in the 2.4GHz band is always beneficial. The hidden SSID in the 5GHz band is the backhaul trying to locate any 2665 WiFi Boosters that you might have (OK none, but the router doesn't necessarily know that). It will time out for a while & disappear, but will come back again.

However, I do not think that is the end of your problems as the main issue here is pure signal strength. Both bands from your router are far too low.

Please can you describe your router's approximate location (reply in a PM if you prefer), what electronic equipment, glass & water tanks are nearby. To get a WiFi signal to the room you were in when you took the screenshots, what type of walls, glass & water tanks would the signal have to go through to get there? Is there any insulation in the internal walls of the property?

[KeithFrench]

No problem, I will wait to see your PM & advise on how best to resolve your issue.

[Josephiah]

To add to the general confusion levels, I received this jaunty message this morning: 

"TalkTalk Update: Good news! We've applied a solution. Please confirm if it's working by clicking here: talktalk.co.uk/fulfibrehowdidwedo. Your feedback helps us improve! If the issue persists, we'll connect you with an agent. Thank you. Your TalkTalk Team."

Zero idea what this is referring to. [Edit: bahaha, the link in the message leads to a dead page.]

@KeithFrench thanks for the guide - from a quick look at one of the tools suggested, I think we might well have an interfering network or two - will follow up via PM.

[KeithFrench]

Sorry @Josephiah for the delay. 

Do not worry about interpreting the results, I will do that for you. I will send a PM to you that contains a link for a guide of mine on Wi-Fi interference. It is quite long (about 30 pages), but you will probably only need to look at three or four pages in total. Initially look at the section called "Are you suffering from interference – prove it first". This is the first link in the table of contents. This section includes full details of free Wi-Fi analysers that I recommend for Windows, Windows phone, Android and Apple operating systems. However, I have no way of testing the Apple product. Select the analyser of your choice & my guide explains how to use it.

If you are using Wi-Fi Scanner, then please attach the zip file to this thread. As soon as I have downloaded it, I will remove the attachment from your post, to preserve your privacy.

With all other analysers, please follow my instructions below.

Collect the screenshots that I require and include them in your reply.

Please post the screenshots to me in a PM (to protect your privacy), which I have requested in my guide. No photos please as they can be difficult to read, because the text can get out of focus when zoomed in. Please ensure that the analyser window is maximised (if Windows) before taking the screenshots & upload them via the "Insert Photos" button (in a mobile browser it's the picture icon) on the post editor's toolbar with the Size parameter set to Large.

I will send the PM shortly.

[ferguson]

You were chatting with TalkTalk staff directly, but it seems to have been an unhelpful experience. By "staff" in this context I guess that @Gliwmaeden2 meant the support team here.  

[Josephiah]

Thanks @Gliwmaeden2. (Though, out of curiosity... who was I chatting with, if not staff?)

Hadn't heard further from @KeithFrench, but it is the holidays after all!

[Gliwmaeden2]

I'll re-escalate this for you, @Josephiah, as it might be better to get staff support, now that they are back!

You didn't follow up Keithfrench's offer?

[Josephiah]

So, that was... um... illuminating. After the friendly and helpful advice given here I thought: I know, I'll try the “contact us” live chat.

However, the resulting conversation spanned several hours, including: 

• Several hours of technical checks, which as far as I could see, bore no relation to the issue I'd asked about, including one which involved finding a separate device with an ethernet port to plug directly into the fibre box (why?) before unplugging everything for 20mins (why?);
• 15(!) different call centre reps and counting;
• Being palmed off about 10 times to at least 4 different departments, none of whom seemed to read anything that had gone before, and all of whom claimed it was another team's remit;
• The absolute highlight: one of them accidentally (I assume, charitably) doing a full factory reset on my router with no permission or warning whatsoever, changing the WiFi network name and password, disconnecting every device in the house (mid-film, I might add) and losing various custom settings for certain finicky ones (printer!), before hurriedly scarpering from the conversation;
• Once I'd finally managed to get enough of the network back up and running, went on the chat again only to be passed on to yet another department which promptly closed for the night.

I'm sorry to vent on here, but this was an utter, unmitigated clownshow. Not just unhelpful, inept, and a complete waste of time, but actively destructive. Amazing. And through all that I still don't have an answer to my basic question: “will you give (or even sell, though my patience for that option may be gone) me a range extender?”

I guess I'll try the phone tomorrow...

[Josephiah]

Thanks @Gliwmaeden2

@KeithFrench yes, would be interested to see that. I'm fairly comfortable that the setup is reasonable (router is sensibly positioned/directed, and most of the house seems to be well covered - the issues are mainly noticeable in one room at the opposite side of the house and up a floor), but happy to take any further advice.

Cheers, 

Jo

[KeithFrench]

That is simple @Josephiah as it is a service that I offer.

Slow speed, intermittent dropouts, breaks in the signal or no signal on some or all devices or no internet access might be caused by Wi-Fi interference from other local networks, which can also lead to a permanent reduction in speed. No ISP can be responsible for your local environment, this is mainly a byproduct of the popularity of Wi-Fi.

Generally speaking, the 2.4GHz band suffers a lot more from interference than the much faster 5GHz band, but the 2.4GHz one can sometimes have a better range, but this all depends on your local area.

In other words, I try to help you optimise your Wi-Fi connection. The next stage involves sending out a guide to you to help you get me some important diagnostic results so that I can analyse them for you and recommend changes to your router configuration to solve them.

I only send this out to people who request it.

[Gliwmaeden2]

Whatever you need to reach customer services for, @Josephiah, it's always 03451 720088 or Chat and then ask to speak to the Loyalty team. You'll always need to pass some security questions. 

[Josephiah]

Thanks Keith, that's helpful.

Is there a way to get to the loyalty dept specifically?

Happy to investigate our current setup further in the meantime - what would you suggest?

Kind regards,

Jo

[KeithFrench]

Hi @Josephiah 

Yes, the 266 is a very good product & combines with your 5464 to form a mesh network. The only main limitation is that whilst the 266 works up to WiFi 6, the 5464 only accepts connections up to WiFi 5. If you just want one of these, rather than investigating the current state of your WiFi network, then you can contact the loyalty dept to buy one or more of them.