Wifi optimisation

[andyrhi]

Hi, can you turn off the wifi optimisation on our router please? It keeps kicking our phones and tv off the wifi.

[andyrhi]

Hi Keith

I've turned off the setting on the PC. Wifi card is built in, not on a USB or anything like that.

However, that wouldn't account for the phones showing 'connected with no internet' or words to that effect; and the tv box getting disconnected?

I'll try moving the router a bit tomorrow.

Any other ideas?

[KeithFrench]

Hi @andyrhi 

The only real interference that I can see is on the 2.4GHz band whilst it is using channel 6 from this network:-

SSID: BT-XXXXX         (BSSID: XXXXXXXXXXX)

This might be a neighbour who has a BT Home Hub? Its signal strength (-46dBm) is too close to your SSID on channel 6, which is at -33dBm. However, you didn't have anything connected to this band when you took this trace for me, the other three devices are connected to the 5GHz band.

Normally the 266 will follow the channel used by the router & will probably have changed to channel 1 by now.

There is a problem though, with the signal strength from the router in your first set of traces. The 2.4GHz band keeps dropping, it is impossible to see the 5GHz band in the signal strength graph, as it seems to be masked by other networks. I think this dropping out of the 2.4 & possibly the 5GHz band is your problem. This might cause WiFi Optimisation to go into overdrive to try & sort this issue. 

If you are using a USB Wi-Fi adapter, use a USB socket on the front of the PC, as there is more open space around it than at the rear. If a USB extension cable is used, try to ensure that it is fairly short, so that the power from the computer is not attenuated. Long extension cables can cause the adapter to not have enough power from the computer to work correctly.

The next thing to rule out is if this is related to Windows Power Management on your WiFi adapter (USB or PCIe). However, I would expect all other networks to drop at the same time, some do and some don't. This should be ruled out anyway.

To check this in Windows 10 or 11, open Device Manager and expand Network adapters. Then right-click your WiFi card & select Properties. Next, click on the Power Management tab and untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. If the adapter is connected via USB, then expand the USB section in Device Manager. The same option can be found in the Power Management tab in most Root Hubs and USB Controllers. Untick it in there as well. 

Once you have made the changes outlined below, it is probably best to restart the PC.

Then another option is to try moving the router, with Full Fibre this is not that difficult. All you need is a longer Cat 6 Ethernet cable between the router & the ONT. It can always be hidden in white plastic self-adhesive trunking.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Thanks for your help Keith.

Michelle

[andyrhi]

Thank you for your help Keith

[KeithFrench]

Hi @andyrhi 

I'll try & have a look at this later tomorrow now, as I have no more time today.

[andyrhi]

Hi Keith

Here's the report from the back room.

Thanks

[KeithFrench]

Hi @andyrhi 

Looking at these, channel 1 in the 2.4GHz should actually be OK as, even though there are a lot of networks in this band, they do seem to mainly conform to the 1, 6 or 11 channel rules. You have enough headroom over the other networks on this channel. The 5GHz band also looks basically OK on 36. The way the 5Ghz band operates is different from the 2.4GHz band in respect of WiFi interference. It takes the whole channel group (in this case 36 to 48 or to be more correct channel 42 in the new 802.11ac channel naming convention) and uses the least congested channel. With the number of channels increasing on demand with 80MHz channel bandwidth, it will use more channels in this band, if it can. When the demand drops off it reverts to just the one channel.

Now all of that relates to where this PC is that is running Wi-Fi scanner and at this point in time (it might get worse at night), other places your property may well differ. If this is a laptop, can you get another set of traces from the very back room that you have mentioned?  

[KeithFrench]

Let me take a look.....

[andyrhi]

Hi Keith

New report here.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @andyrhi 

Thanks for that, your 266 is now working OK. Can you now repeat the WiFi scanner snapshot etc so I can see how things compare now that the 266s are working and the TP-Link is turned off? 

Thanks.

[andyrhi]

Hi Keith,

Sent the screenshots.

The router is in the hall, thats where the phone socket is. Its about 3m from some glass at the front of the house. its about 1m from a brick wall. We don't have any coverage issues in the house apart from the very back room. Thats what the tp-link was for. Ive now turned that off and positioned the 266 in its place. Thats in a corridor upstairs, the only brick wall near it is the party wall to next door, all plasterboard walls instead. No glass or mirrors. There aren't any electrical items near either except for a smart meter hub and Hive connection.

thanks

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

all done.  router showing V202.

Karl

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

202 firmware upgrade in progress now.

Karl

[KeithFrench]

Hi @andyrhi 

It was the router firmware that I was interested in. You obviously have not seen my sticky about the V2 F266 (that is not your fault):-

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Fibre/Very-Important-V2-Sagemcom-FAST266-Wi-Fi-Booster/m-p/30582... 

The router needs to be at V202 as a minimum, not V174. There is a chance that V174 may have also damaged your F266. I think we need to get this upgraded ASAP, before continuing. I will ask TalkTalk to do this for you. Once done, please log into your router & go to:-

Dashboard > See Wi-Fi Settings > Manage Advanced Settings > Wi-Fi 5Ghz gear icon > Wi-Fi Mesh (based on a desktop browser, not a mobile).

Then go to the Overview sub-tab, scroll to the bottom & get a screenshot of that page, next go to the Extenders sub-tab & repeat the process (again scroll to the bottom to include all information). Then PM me the screenshots (to preserve your privacy). Only then will I be able to tell if your F266 booster is working correctly.

My interest here is not just WiFi interference, but improving your WiFi reception & the 266s right now, will not be a lot of help. Once this is resolved, I would like you to turn off your TP-Link extenders as they are not helping the situation either, as they are not the correct way to extend the mesh network (5364/5464 and 266) that you have.

Whilst waiting for all this, please can you tell me roughly where in your property the router & 266 are, what is near them in terms of electrical equipment, brick walls, mirrors, glass & large expanses of metal or water.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

OK, @KeithFrench can make his recommendations to us now he has this info.

Karl.

[andyrhi]

Hi Karl, yes the router is 174. 

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

When you log into the router interface it will tell you the firmware at the bottom.  It should be either 202 or 174 - it will have SGK and a few zeros before these numbers.

Karl.

[andyrhi]

FAST266 is version 2. How do I check the firmware?

The other one is tp-link RE700X.

Thanks

[KeithFrench]

Hi @andyrhi 

I have started a look at this & would just like to confirm a couple of things about the equipment that you have:-

• In addition to the FAST5364 or 5464 routers, it looks like you also have the FAST266 WiFi booster?
• Is this FAST266 a version 1 or 2 model and what firmware is on your router?
• You have some other sort of extender whose SSID (network name ends in EXT). Please can you tell me the make/model of this extender?

[andyrhi]

Hi Keith, appreciate your help, please don't rush on my account.

Only the one talktalk booster ever seems to use the 2.4GHz, everything else connects to the 5GHz, phones, laptops, other booster etc.

They are working right now on channel 1 and 36.

As soon as it kicks me out again I'll see what it's changed to.

Thanks