New Router - Problem not solved!

[UITA23!]

Just got a new router and spent around 4-5 hours re-connecting all of my devices (cameras, smart plugs, echo’s, bulbs…you get the idea, the woes of living  a modern, somewhat lazy lifestyle). This was not fun.

Things are just as bad, if not worse than before. Thinking I’d fixed the slow inconsistent speeds, I am now noticing that Alexa is talking to me like a stranger, my smart plugs are not turning on or off and most of them are coming up as unresponsive!

I’ve decided to test throughout the day and keep a log of the speeds.

Next day and ALL devices are now offline, what a waste of a day yesterday was! Speeds are better in the day and painful in the evening, for the first time it was hard to get through a full streamed TV show.

My conclusion is that as much as the service to the line is always coming up as OK, it always will because the fault is not with Openreach. The service has now become unstable and intermittent...it wasn't 2 weeks ago!

When working, the Talk Talk extender now moved to my studio helps, but this now moves the problem to my living room (where the extender was)! I've been with Talk Talk for so long and always had the odd problem every 6 months or so, this time it's stressing me out! 

Should I have to pay extra for further wi fi extenders to now give me the service I used to receive? 

[KeithFrench]

The problem with the 2.4GHz band particularly is that it suffers greatly from WiFi interference. It only takes some new router near you to totally flood the band and you will suffer greatly. However, without the evidence, I can only guess.

[UITA23!]

Don't get me wrong Keith, I'm fully appreciative of your help, especially considering that 2.4 went from 60+Mbps this morning to now not connecting (currently on 5Ghz).
It's a shame that when you get in touch with TT by older, traditional methods, the conversations are always scripted and lead you to believe that you're at fault!
I'll get on the screen grabs later.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @UITA23! 

My plan was to find out the root cause, not just add extra hardware that you, I think will have to pay for. With my help, it might not have been necessary. The choice is yours, it was only because @Debbie-TalkTalk asked me to help you. 

Please also bear in mind that having too many 266s or any other mesh nodes can make the problem worse. 

[UITA23!]

Keith, thanks for reaching out and please bare with me as I have loads on. I will admit I'm of the mind that why the hell do I need to do this when everything was OK not so long ago!? Router, smart plugs, cameras, Echo dots are all at the same height, same distance etc as they've always been. However, the new router may need the tweaks you talk of and please do send out the guide you mention.
Initially I can confirm the extenders are a mix of two types, a new F@st 266 UK V2 and an older V1 and as for "throwing" at the problem, it's working! I had nothing in my studio I now have a strong signal, same goes for the living room but not in other rooms the other side of the router.
I remember once, years ago I spoke with a technician (yes with my voice) and he patiently tweaked "the speed knob" until it was stable, one minute it was intermittent, the other stable...was he BS'ing me? Could he really do work his end that had an impact on my service or was he humouring me, like I might with bands in my recording studio by increasing the fake, volume knob! 🙂

[KeithFrench]

Hi @UITA23! 

The recommendations in my previous post will be needed, because just "throwing" boosters at the problem, without finding out the root cause will be unlikely ever to resolve this. 

Please can you also describe as best as possible the position of the router & boosters, in terms of height, in or out of cupboards, what electronic equipment is nearby, along with big metal objects, mirrors, glass & water tanks etc. In line of sight (you cannot guarantee WiFi signal propagation) what sort of walls/ceilings and again big metal objects, mirrors, glass & water tanks etc, might the signal have to pass through?

The FAST266 boosters that you have, are they version 2 {one light} or version 1 {three lights}, or a mixture of the two types? Where multiple 266s (mesh nodes) are in use, their topology must also be considered. Please can you log into your router & get me these screenshots (all of these may need to be scrolled to get the full page, so may take multiple screenshots):-

Dashboard > See Wi-Fi Settings > Manage Advanced Settings > Wi-Fi 2.4Ghz gear icon > Wi-Fi Mesh > Overview

Dashboard > See Wi-Fi Settings > Manage Advanced Settings > Wi-Fi 2.4Ghz gear icon > Wi-Fi Mesh > Extenders

Once you have them, please can you PM them to me (to preserve your privacy)? When you insert them into a PM, please ensure that in the Insert Photos tool, you set the Size parameter to Large.

Thanks.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Thanks @KeithFrench 

[KeithFrench]

Hi @UITA23! 

@Debbie-TalkTalk has asked me to help you. I will need to read through the posts on here a bit later.

However, in the meantime, 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.

The information below is provided by TalkTalk, for confirmation please contact @Debbie-TalkTalk or@Michelle-TalkTalk.

KeithFrench is one of our valued Community Stars and can help with a range of issues related to wireless and networking. At times he may ask you to send him test results via a Private Message to help analyse/diagnose an issue. Although Keith does not work for TalkTalk, he very kindly shares his time and knowledge to help with others.

If you need further help or, if we need to take any details such as personal information about your account like phone numbers, account numbers etc. one of the TalkTalk team will jump in and help out.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi @UITA23! 

If you need another booster you would need to speak to our Loyalty Team.

@KeithFrench would you be able to offer any advice please on the wireless issues?

[UITA23!]

I do Debbie, crazy isn't it. I didn't need one a couple of weeks ago and now two are not enough! I asked both Chris and Michelle if they could shed some light on what might be the issue, no answer as yet, do you have an idea?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi UITA23!

Do you currently have 2 wifi boosters?

[UITA23!]

Hello Chris. Took a while to settle and 2.4 was still non existent! Things are better now however it's only sorted the one side of the house, the extender is relatively close to the original router but only showing a "good" signal. Could I get another for the other side of the house, this should then fix my security cameras that aren't recognising 2.4!

I'm still left wondering how I can go from all good, living the smart home life to this! Any ideas why my service had dropped? Signal into router is good, nothing has changed my end, new router but 3 weeks of stress! 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi UITA23!,

How are you getting on, have you received the booster?

Chris

[UITA23!]

Thanks. Is there any connection with having a power line extender in the mix. I've never had previously had a problem and it's been great to have devices connected to LAN. In order to get a strong signal...I now have to disconnect them!

Was it just the one booster you are sending out? I have two very weak areas now compared to a couple of weeks ago.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

Apologies, for some reason your last reply didn't come back into our work flow queue. I've ordered the wifi booster now and it should arrive in the next 48hrs. Please let us know how your wireless coverage compares once this is connected.

Thanks

Michelle

[UITA23!]

Afternoon Michelle, any updates? Still not got 2.4 in the rooms I need it in! Security cameras are still all down.

[UITA23!]

Morning Michelle. I have just the one and currently it seems wherever I put it, it helps (never needed to move it around) so thank you, please do send out more.
Not having a signal Saturday or Sunday morning but it connecting in the evening and it being OK at the moment, just confuses me!
Where I'm sat currently 5GHz is the best (50Mbps), whilst 2.4 is pathetic (4.9Mbps). This is in a direct line of sight of the router, with the extender behind me (just wifi not LAN).
Sitting in my studio where I do most of my work, 2.4 does not connect at all, this is a problem as most of my smart plugs and cameras are and I believe require this connection is needed (is this correct). 5GHz again is good.
This is the same for other rooms with smart devices.
This never was the case and all was good with just the one extender, coverage was great at a regular 65+, now it's averaging 55!

Something has changed for sure.

EDIT: 2.4 has improved in the room with the extender and now looking at my connection online, it looks healthier. This said I'm lead to believe that at max I can get 74Mbps to my router, any chance I can get close to this from the router into my home?

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

Do you currently have the one wifi booster at the moment? We can send one more if you're still having wireless issues.

Thanks

Michelle

[ferguson]

OK, as previously advised I think you will just have to wait until the support team are back after the weekend. 

[UITA23!]

Reset old router (been turned off for days), plugged in and nothing! Mobile connection is still going well enough for messages though.

[ferguson]

If you want to reset the session you should turn it off for a minimum 30 minutes, a quick off/on is unlikely to achieve much.