Inconsistent wireless from Technicolour fibre router

[#1]

Hi,
I'm looking for advice/tips/thoughts as to why the wireless coverage provided by the Technicolour fibre router is all over the place.
The router and cable modem was installed 10 days or so ago (24 June), upgrading to Unlimited Fibre from Unlimited ADSL.
Due to distance from the local exchange ADSL download speed averaged around 2.5Mb so the forecast 29Mb for fibre looks good.
Just before leaving the BT engineer showed my a reading on his kit showing 30 Mb.
All good so far.
I have two ways of extending internet coverage around the house:
- Solwise HomePlugs (550) plus mini switch
- Wireless extender
Connections via the HomePlugs works well and consistently allowing seamless online game play on an Xbox 360 (my son, not me) and BBC iPllayer streaming in HD on a Sony TV with no ceases or stops. Checking yesterday the speed measured on a laptop via an online broadband speed test was around 12-13 Mb - not as high as I would like but I understand it can take at least 10 days for things to settle down.
What is very frustrating is that wireless connectivity is inconsistent at best. I have logged onto the router and changed the name of the wireless network from the default to one of my choosing. I also initially changed the security to WEP as that is what I had previously been happy with. On restarting I noticed there was no wireless 'n' connectivity but on changing to WPA security it came back - assume this is because 'n' does not support WEP as not secure enough
. The problem is the wireless signal varies from connecting to my laptop at '130Mbs' to 1Mbs to 'no wireless network found' This is the same for various phones, tablets and other wireless kit we have. I have logged onto the router many times, trying removing the static IP addresses I had set up, removing all the profiles excelt the one |I was using to access the router, using the router reset option etc etc. Nothing I do seems to make any difference (In the meantime the vired connection works faultlessly). Last night I had wireless coverage across the house and devices logged on – this morning there is no wireless for anyone – and no change to any settings from the previous evening.(Yes I left the router and modem on).
I have abandoned trying to set up the wireless extender until I get a consistent wireless signal from the router.
So is there a possibility the wireless part of the router is faulty?
Should I try a factory reset?
My experience of IT suggests an IP addressing issue but I cannot find any clashes
Any other ideas?
Many thanks for any suggestions.
mmn

[#2]

Hi there,
First, are there any other wireless networks in the area? If so, check which channel they're on (I use an android app called wifi analyzer, but there's plenty around for both android and iPhone) and then move your own wireless to a different channel that's as empty as possible and see if that makes a difference. If not, try resetting the router.
If neither of those help please advise and we'll look into it further.

[#3]

Mmn, there are numerous threads on here re the poor wireless performance of the Technicolour router.
I gave up after 2 & bought an Asus RT-N56U.

[#4]

OK - thanks to Matt and tijara33
I have wifi analyser on an android tablet so have used that. This showed three other local networks on Channel1 (where my wireless is), three on Channel 11 and one one Channel 10. I have changed the channel to manual channel 6. This seems to have improved things in that for a period most of the devices I tried to connect with via wi-fi worked reasonably well - connectivity, but pretty slow connections. Rechecking with wifi analyser shows no other networks on channel 6. As I write this my phone cannot find my network even though it has been doing so for the last 2 hours. Other devices still are connecting OK. (I'm writing this via the wired Home plug connection to my laptop as it also is showing wifi connectivity but very slow speeds).
The 'wireless' information on the router is usually showing 5.5 Mbps but occasionally 18-19 Mbps. Wired connection is showing speeds between 19 Mbps and 24 Mbps. (My phone has now found the network and is connected - so the inconsistency continues -and as I write... it has lost the connection - frustrating to say the least).
I'll leave things as they are overnight and report back tomorrow morning before trying a factory reset.
Talking of channels set me thinking about interference -could a Vodafone minicell be an issue? Currently it is positioned alongside the Technicolour router. It performed well with the ADSL router in the same place where the router and fibre modem is now.
tijara33 - I know it's annoying to regular forum users when things may have been answered previously - so far I have only trawled throught he first few pages of this forum -it's quite hard to find the relevant posts. Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks.

[#5]

Picking a channel with no other networks is a bit like following a sat nav down some mud track through a field on the basis it's the best route because there's no traffic, then finding you're going slowly due to being in a muddy field.

[#6]

ejs -appreciate the sentiment but doesn't help me unless you care to expand.

[#7]

I think the analogy might be the analyser probably only shows WiFi signals whereas other apparatus might be emitting RF noise in that band. You'd need a spectrum analyser to pick that up. So channel 6 might not be as good as it first appears - in fact I'm surprised the router didn't choose that itself if it was clear.

[#8]

Most wifi pretty picture drawing programs just show the number of wifi networks on each channel. They don't even show how much each network is used. They don't show non wifi signals. It's actually better to just try different channels, but that advice doesn't look or sound as impressive. The main useful thing the wifi pretty graph drawing does is show how the channels overlap, it's better to be on the same channel rather than half overlap another.
Edit: The troubleshooting also seems to go like this: You have some issue with the wifi. You look, and see that there are other networks on the same channel as you. Then it is automatically concluded that the other networks on the same channel must be the cause of the problem. If you live in a built-up area there will likely be other networks sharing the same channel as you, causing no problems for most people.

[#9]

OK - thanks -ejs and spraxyt. I understand that there may be other things on the same frequency maybe causing problems not shown by wi-fi analyser. That sort of thought was behind my question about whether the Vodafone mini-cell could be an issue.
This evenings experience: wi-fi analyser showing intermittent total drop of both router and extender wireless. Unplugged extender. Then had a constant connection to home wireless network with laptop until tried to get an iPad to connect as well. Immediate cutoff off of wi-fi to laptop and both devices then cycling trying but failing to connect. It's as though trying to connect another device causes a conflict somewhere.
so that neither device can connect properly.
Children and wife are very unhappy - and threatening to take control by abandoning PlusNet for Sky 'as Sky (ADSL wireless) always worked at the other house' and 'we had problems but an engineer from SKy fixed them with a visit when we called them'. I need some good ideas/advice/support please.
mmn

[#10]

A wireless extender implies it's something that tries to re-transmit a wifi signal it receives. A better solution would be to give it a wired connection into the LAN and have it function as a second wireless access point. The second wireless access point should operate on a different channel, but can be given the same network name to allow devices to automatically select the better signal (roaming).

[#11]

ejs -again thanks - good thought.
I can work on that idea by adding a HomePlug in the living room - effectively a wired connnection - and set it as a second wreless access point. I'll have a go at this - maybe tomorrow now.
My earlier iPad issue has been resolved by forcing a manual connection and setting the security manually (I'm not that familiar with iPads so took some searching of the internet to find out what to do - basically forget the existing network then use 'other network' to set up the network) with new security settings.
All works fine now apart from the need for an extended wireless network (wireless signal to wife's iPad drops in the room she uses it in and remains erratic).
I'll try ejs's suggestion tomorrow (thanks again) - and let you know how i get on.

[#12]

Following ejs's recommendation to set up an AP rather then a wi-fi extender I introduced a 'wired' Solwise homeplug to the living room and then set up the EdiMax router as an AP with the same ssid but on channel 11 (rather than 6). All set up and working now with reported wireless speeds of around 17-24 Mbs.
So it finally looks as though everybody, including me, is happy.
Once again thanks to all who posted but particularly ejs