Sagem Fast 5364 dropping internet connections

[rhbarnes1]

Hi,

I believe this issue has been raised in previous posts but not sure how to remedy. I keep finding several of the devices connected to the 2.4GHz band are losing internet connection (Ring doorbell, Podpoint etc.). This is happening about almost every 24hours, reset the router and they come back online only to drop off again a few hours later. Have tried factory resets, no joy. When the devices go offline, they still appear to be connected to the router, they just lose internet connection.

I have read in previous threads that it is a good idea to have TalkTalk disable the WiFi optimizations, is this something that can be requested on this forum?

Thanks

[KeithFrench]

That is certainly not the correct way to extend a WiFi 5 router anyway. You could try channel 1, but unless you have WiFi Optimisation disabled, it may move you back to channel 11 again. Let me have a word with TalkTalk to see if they can offer anything better.

[rhbarnes1]

Hi Keith,

The extender model is TP WA850RE which I believe is 2.4GHz only. I have powered off for now to see if it makes any difference. Is there benefit to moving to channels 1 or 6 due to channel 11 interference (these other devices are not mine so can't do anything about them)?

Firewall is still set to medium.

Thanks

[KeithFrench]

The firewall needs to be on medium & will not be the issue (unless you have changed it). The extender is part of the issue, at least, and is obviously old as it only seems to work in the 2.4GHz band, but I have no idea of its make/model. There are also other networks on channel 11 that are interfering with yours namely SKY01FF7 and BT-R6F6Q8 and an EE-WiFi network whose BSSID is "7A-A2-37-8D-21-C8".

[rhbarnes1]

This is a laptop. This does not suffer from internet connection issues, the problem is with fixed devices (Ring, Chime and EV charger) on the 2.4GHz band losing internet after ~24hours.

Router has a pretty good line of sight (especially to the Ring device which is one of the problem devices). Could it be a firewall issue?

[KeithFrench]

Hi @rhbarnes1 

What sort of PC is this a tower case or a laptop etc? If a tower case is the WiFi card a PCIe one where the antennae are down the back of the case? In that situation, the metal of the tower case can block WiFi signals. It can be beneficial to get some extension cables to move the antennae away from the rear of the case, this might help.

Try to keep both router & PC away from:-

1. Cordless phone (DECT) base stations
2. TVs
3. Loudspeakers & any sub-woofers (including those used with a PC)
4. Computer monitors
5. Electrical appliances – they often transmit their own signals that can interfere with Wi-Fi signals.
6. Bluetooth devices – they operate on the same Wi-Fi frequency as your broadband, which can cause signal problems.
7. Mirrors – they actually reflect Wi-Fi signals, stopping them from passing through walls and reflecting them back into the room.
8. Anything containing large amounts of water – things like fish tanks and boilers can absorb Wi-Fi signals like a sponge.
9. Large metal objects – radiators, for instance, will have the same effect on your Wi-Fi as mirrors. 
10. 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.

Where USB or PCIe-connected WiFi adapters are concerned, power management is best disabled if running in Windows to keep a reliable Wi-Fi connection working at full speed. Once you have made the changes outlined below, it is probably best to restart the PC.

Windows Power Management issues. 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 and the same option can be found in the Power Management tab in most Root Hubs and USB Controllers. Untick it in there as well.

[KeithFrench]

Some initial findings then.

Your network adapter is connected to the 2.4Ghz band, not the 5GHz one, so your speeds will never be much good. You have an extender of some sort that is using the same channel within the 2.4GHz band as your router (channel 11). This is interfering with your router & I would suggest that you turn it off, unless you can force that to use a different channel ( 1 or 6). Despite what you say that the 5Ghz is fine, it has a very low signal strength wherever the PC & router are located.

Perhaps you can tell me roughly where in your property the router & PC are located (ideally in a PM to preserve your privacy)?

[KeithFrench]

OK don't worry about that, I have worked out your network name.

[KeithFrench]

Which WiFi network is yours?

[rhbarnes1]

Keith,

WiFi Scanner zip file attached. Just to recap, 2.4GHz seems to work for ~24hours and then all devices on it lose internet connection and requires router reboot to fix. 5GHz seems fine.

Thanks & regards

[KeithFrench]

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.

[rhbarnes1]

Hi Keith,

Thanks for the reply and please send the guide. The devices connected on 5GHz seems fine, the issue is with all devices on the 2.4GHz; they all lose internet connection at same time and a power off-on of these devices does not fix the issue, only a router restart seems to work. The devices still appear to be connected to the router as they appear listed when I log into the router so it seems to be a router internet connection on the 2.4GHz. The router LED remains illuminated white. I have tried moving the 2.4GHz to channel 1 (from 11) but this has no effect. Unfortunately, the devices on the 2.4GHz do not support 5GHz so I can't move them across. 

Any advice much appreciated.

[KeithFrench]

It used to be, but cannot be done currently. It is important to find the actual cause of your problem & fix that, rather than just guessing.

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.

However, other factors should be investigated first. When this happens, what are the lights showing on the front of the router? Do you have any wired connections & if so, how do they perform?

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.