Router Interference

[GraemeMcD]

Hi

Seem to be getting some kind of interference on the Router (Wifi Hub).

Generally Fibre35 gives me a solid 12-17 Ping with 30Mbps down 6Mbps up.

However I keep getting intermittent drops to 500+ Ping with single figure Mbps down and less than one Mbps up.  Particularly noticeable on XBox with online games dropping out or lagging badly.

Tried both Wifi and direct Ethernet connection between Xbox and Router and it seems to persist.

I may have narrowed it down to either or both of TV (older plasma) and/or Sky HD box but it's so intermittent its difficult to be certain. 

It also happened a couple of years ago and a replacement router seemed to fix it until now, could it be this replacement router has developed a similar issue?

Grateful for any ideas!

[KeithFrench]

Yes, the extender is causing the problem. Not knowing the model number of it, is it the type that connects back to the router over the router's WiFi, or is it using Power Line Technology to connect back to a LAN port on the router? If it is the former, then its interference will cause all devices connected to it at the time to intermittently drop out, because it not only transmits a fresh signal out from it, but it acts as a client to the router's WiFi and the router's WiFi signal gets cancelled out by this, causing mayhem for all wireless devices.

Yes, lock the router's 2.4GHz WiFi to channel 11, as that looks the best. There is a network whose SSID starts with H2 on channel 3, which will interfere with both channels 1 & 6, not leaving you much choice.

[GraemeMcD]

Current router (my old one) is a DG8041W-2.5T - the newer one which i had to switch out due to the devices dropping out is a FAST 5346-3.T8 (see message #24).

Interesting point about the extender! it's on the landing upstairs so nowhere near the router, got it to extend the signal into the  bedrooms furthest from the router - ironic that it may be a problem!  The only way to get them further apart would be to put the extender into the rooms I'm trying to extend to - so would seem pointless having it!!  Could the interference with the extender have caused the issue with the FAST5346??

I'll switch it off and monitor.

Shall I force the router onto 1,6 or 11?

[mandisa1-TT]

Thank you for the support @KeithFrench 

[KeithFrench]

Hi @GraemeMcD @mandisa1-TT 

There are a couple of issues here:-

1. Your router (Is it a Huawei HG633/635 or DG8041W), is using channel 8 in the 2.4GHz band. That is an overlapping channel which should not be used. The only ones that can be used within the 2.4GHz band are channels 1, 6 or 11).
2. There is not enough of a gap in signal strength between the router and your TP-Link extender, as they both use the same channel group 36 - 48. This will lead to Wi-Fi dropouts. The router's SSID is only 5dBm higher than that of the TP-Link where your PC is. There needs to be a 20dB gap in signal strength between the two. Is the TP-Link extender in the same room as the router or nearby? They need to be further apart. 

Have you tried this with the TP-Link turned off? If I find anyother problems from further investigation, I will let you know.

[mandisa1-TT]

Thank you so much @KeithFrench, I will have to note this on our end. Please do keep us updated on the findings

[KeithFrench]

Hi @mandisa1-TT

The problems are unlikely to be a TalkTalk responsibility (unless I prove that the router is faulty). I will hopefully start work on the WiFi analysis this afternoon.

[mandisa1-TT]

Hi there @KeithFrench I have escalated this, however still required to complete diagnostics checks.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @siphosethu-TT 

You do not need to do anything. 

@GraemeMcD has just sent me some diagnostic info with regards to the WiFi problem. 

@Mandisa-TT has escalated the other problem (an internet backbone router beyond the TalkTalk network) to you networks department in her post #26.

[siphosethu-TT]

Hi there @GraemeMcD, please confirm if the support provided by @KeithFrench might have helped? If not please respond back so we can run checks on this for you.

[GraemeMcD]

Here you go.....

[Mandisa-TT]

Thank you so much @KeithFrench for your support.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @GraemeMcD 

Do not worry about interpreting the results; I will do that for you. I will send a PM to you that contains a link to a guide of mine on Wi-Fi interference. It is quite lengthy (approximately 30 pages), but you will likely only need to review 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, 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.

Please collect the required screenshots 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 & uploading 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.

[GraemeMcD]

Yes messaging from home, still on the old router.

[GraemeMcD]

Yes happy to receive the wifi diagnostics guidance

[mandisa1-TT]

Hi there @GraemeMcD, we have escalated this for you. However We will still need to complete diagnostic checks to detect if there is any fault on the line or equipment. Please confirm if you are messaging us from home? 

[Mandisa-TT]

Thank you @KeithFrench I will escalate this to Nicolene. 

[KeithFrench]

There are now two issues:-

1. Your network outage to XBox live is breaking down at a internet backbone router whose IP address 104.44.14.75 is owned by Microsoft. @nambuso-TT, this needs to be escalated to Nicolene to be sent over to the networks team to deal with.
2. Wi-Fi interference.

Wi-Fi interference (nothing to do with electrical interference) can cause:-

1. Slow speed,
2. intermittent dropouts,
3. breaks in the signal,
4. no signal at all,
5. or no internet access.

This can affect one or more devices. This can also lead to a permanent reduction in the speed of one or more devices. 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 far more from Wi-Fi interference than the much faster 5GHz band. However, the 2.4GHz band has a longer range than the 5GHz band and can penetrate walls better. This may very well change depending on your local area.

In other words, I offer a free, impartial analysis of your Wi-Fi network and will try to help you optimise your Wi-Fi connection. The next stage involves my sending out a guide to help you get important diagnostic information for me. I will then analyse these results for you and recommend changes to your router configuration, if required.

I only send this out to people who request it.

[GraemeMcD]

Router in the same room as the devices that weren't connecting, high up on top of a wall unit.  Dropping wi-fi altogether by far the bigger problem than the speed drops.

Further update:  The dropping devices problem became progressively worse to the point where even restarting the router didn't allow re-connection to any wi-fi devices , router just displays solid amber light and doesn't show a SSID to enable connection.  So I've gone back to my previous router (the one replaced my current one, which was sent as the solution the last time I had intermittent issues with speed drops, wifi performance and online gaming dropouts). Devices are at least now connecting ok to this one.  Haven't changed any DNS settings on it. Still getting ping spikes and speed drops.

[nambuso-TT]

Thanks for helping out @KeithFrench 

[KeithFrench]

Hi @GraemeMcD 

Please can you get me a fresh set of tracert output? I don't think that I have had any since the DNS issue was sorted. I need to see if this is a network issue or not.

I can help a lot with WiFi issues, but first off, where is the router situated with respect to your wirelessly connected devices?