topic Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice in My Router

Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:20:41 GMT

Hello

Newbie here having just got full fibre which works well coming to the house. Issue (as expected) is speed drops significantly in 2 rooms which are extensions from original. There are thick stone walls between the hub (2) and these rooms.

Looking at the plan attached, what would you recommend to get better speed in kitchen and garden room apart from Ethernet cabling?

Not needed for gaming but Ring cameras are located external to these rooms. All 3 rooms are on separate circuits for the sockets! TIA.

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

Baldrick1 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:48:00 GMT

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to My Router

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

bmc — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:48:37 GMT

@GlastonesGoons

Is there any chance of running ethernet cable - either internally or externally?

Brian

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

Baldrick1 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:06:00 GMT

@GlastonesGoons wrote:

All 3 rooms are on separate circuits for the sockets! TIA.

Are the circuits protected by separate RCBs or RCBOs? This post is long in the tooth now but is still relevant: https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/Powerline-Unit-Performance/m-p/1607450#M85015

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:06:10 GMT

Hi Brian

Yes there is am option for Ethernet but i would like to investigate other alternatives too.

Many thanks

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:09:08 GMT

I looked at that post yesterday and didn't fully understand it

They're all on the same consumer unit but all operate separately to each other. E.g. if I turn the garden room sockets off the kitchen and living room will stay on etc.

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

Baldrick1 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:18:08 GMT

@GlastonesGoons

What is it that you don't understand? Alternatively, if you can post a photo of your consumer unit, indicating which breakers control each circuit, then we can advise how well powerline devices should work.

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:33:03 GMT

Photo of consumer unit attached

1 = Garden room sockets

2 = Kitchen sockets

3 = Rest of house sockets

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

Baldrick1 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:37:01 GMT

@GlastonesGoons

Trying to think what the cause of the confusion might be? The design of Consumer Units has changed over the years. Variations range from:

Original 'Fuse Box' . These have not RCDs and are likely to give adequate performance with Powerline devices on seperate circuits.

Early Consumer Units with only one RCD. Like Fuse Boxes, these should not be problematic.

Split Circuit Consumer Units. Here two or more RCDs are fitted and can cause problems. This is the source of the attached topic.

High Security Consumer Units. A bit of a niche product due to cost. These will definitely have a detrimental effect on Powerline performance.

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:40:34 GMT

There are 2 RCDs on mine

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

Baldrick1 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:43:43 GMT

@GlastonesGoons

Our posts have crossed. You have a split circuit ConsumerUnit which will definintely have a detrimental effect on the performane of Powerline devices.

I would advise biting the bullet and installing Ethernet cabling. It's a pain but only has to be done once and once installed you are guaranteed a fast reliable link.

I would go a step further depending on budget and invest in a mesh access point set, using the Ethernet as a wired backhaul. Do ask if you want more advice on this option.

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:45:54 GMT

Thanks for your advice

I'll have a think.

Probably ethernet outside to garden room and kitchen might be best option. Then what do I put at the other end of the cables though?!

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

mystreet1 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:48:27 GMT

If going the cable route. Look at these kits on ebay
https://ebay.us/m/CdYddV

Everything that you need.

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

bmc — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:13:18 GMT

@GlastonesGoons

I would always recommend ethernet cable if it's possible as it gives a good starting point at the desired location. As @Baldrick1 stated it only has to be done once and is future proof. Just make sure you use good quality cable.

Brian

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

MisterW — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:34:33 GMT

@GlastonesGoons

Photo of consumer unit attached

1 = Garden room sockets

2 = Kitchen sockets

3 = Rest of house sockets

Just in passing, from the picture Circuit 3 is not protected by an RCD ! Are you sure that's the rest of house sockets ?

It has CH marked above, which would suggest its the circuit for Central heating supply. Connnecting that via a non-RCD circuit would perhaps be sensible BUT supplying all the other sockets via that is really not a good idea.

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:54:23 GMT

The sockets is the switch to the left of CH. we have a safety cert for so I hope it’s ok!

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

MisterW — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:20:59 GMT

Ah! my misinterpertation of the picture.

The sockets is the switch to the left of CH

That's the reset switch for the RCD. The sockets are likely on one of the MCBs to the left of that RCD

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

GlastonesGoons — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:31:11 GMT

Ah ok. Pass then 😁
Anyway, it’s not suitable for powerline so plan B or C it is then!!
Cheers

Re: Home-specific WiFi coverage advice

Baldrick1 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:27:56 GMT

@GlastonesGoons wrote:
The sockets is the switch to the left of CH. we have a safety cert for so I hope it’s ok!

There's something screwy here. If the switch you are referring to is the RCD switch then it reads like both the Kitchen and rest oh the House are connected to the same sub circuit. If this is the case then you could use Poweline to get through the stone wall. Whilst fitting Ethernet is by far the best solution, this might be worth a try. To check this out do the test again but this time ONLY switch off the MCB breakers. Leave the RCD ones ON.

Regardless of the outcome, once you can get the signal through the stone wall, to get a seamless reception to all parts of the property I would recommend upgrading the router to a mesh system. This is not a cheap solution, no doubt others will recommend other aproaches. This requires you to replace the Plusnet Hub 2 with one of the units and enter your Plusnet Username and Password. This might sound daunting but isn't!

As an example, one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Deco-802-11ax-Standard-Compatible/dp/B0CPMBLJW2/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1HG79U2RHDWXR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vTlCWR9jxwRo_2WJiKKYfBQzda7oi8DzfSrNXBeeCdu27v8BQWFN2MSl1kSR04KZHWru6ncco4o54hZ1DjSsGQh6_m21Letwur3Yz_97cI-6MGF1zxD219qbxQ8Jg-xq4yn8KsKChYQONJRCKXgPkbBgkJC5wUYU98BLyqDlxchbmhdISieMatmWzfpLHepMHzeIgbuJ9l7R5Co6DuJbolyXWtsyroQip_JhgREtSjU.xKaKZJ-iwV_AT4XGJ3K0PsHWCwe7WLNw6rFRjeOmzGw&dib_tag=se&keywords=mesh%2Brouter&qid=1766067002&sprefix=mesh%2Brouter%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-5&th=1

You would then need to connect the master, that's the unit in place of the Hub 2, to one of the other mesh units, either by Ethernet or Powerline. I would suggest buying a couple of Powerline units from the likes of Amazon, who have an excellent returns service, and giving it a try. If it's not up to scratch then send them back and install Ethernet.

As both the Garden Room and Kitchen are outside of the 'dead zone', with careful placement these should interconnect wirelessly.