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Smart TV poor speed/signal

robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Smart TV poor speed/signal

I have fibre broadband that shows a regular 37.5Mb/s with an ethernet cable connection between my router and desktop PC.  My television sits in a room directly below my router. Trying to play iPlayer always ends with the screen going blank (as though the TV has been powered off) after five to ten minutes.  I have tried numerous broadband speed test checkers on the TV that do not require Flash.  I could get only two to work at all due to the way Sony internet works and only one of those two (Bandwidthplace) gave me any sort of result.  At best that was 2Mb/s.  I was astonished at the result.  I purchased a pair of TP-Link power adapters and was surprised to find the broadband speed test results were no better.  I took the television into the same room as the router.  The speed registered wirelessly was still between two and three Mb/s.  Finally, I connected the TV to the router with an ethernet cable.  Lo! and behold, the speed was the same!  The television had been taken to a repair company who reported on-demand TV could be played without cutting out when connected to their router.  I had always felt there was something amiss with the TV.  Now, I wonder, is it possible my broadband is at fault?  I should appreciate someone's thoughts on the matter.
15 REPLIES 15
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 119
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Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

Have you ensured the TV's wireless is disabled when connected by ethernet?
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

npr
I thank you for your suggestion.  I had changed the connection:  I went through Settings>Network>Network Set-up>Set up network connection>Custom>Wired Set-up.  The connection was established.  The speed test immediately following returned 2.87 Mb/s, however.  This is in the same two to three Mb/s range as all previous tests.
Acassim
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,075
Registered: ‎11-06-2007

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

Hi robertjohn,
Sorry to hear you're having trouble with the speeds over a wired connection, that really shouldn't be the case so this seems like a bit of an odd one.
Would it be possible for you to run a speed test with a laptop or PC connected to the ethernet cable you have connected to the TV? May be a good way to test the cable and see if you can attain anything higher.

Thanks,
Adam C
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

Adam C
I thank you for your reply and interest.
I regularly run broadband speed tests on my desktop.  I brought the TV upstairs again this afternoon and connected it to my router with the ethernet cable usually attached to my laptop, once more.  BandwidthPlace speed test reported the same two to three Mb/s download speed.  I checked the speed on my laptop with the ethernet cable reconnected.  BT Wholesale speed test reported the same 37.5 Mb/s, approximately, that it almost always does.  I returned the TV to its normal place with the Powerline adapters connected.  iPlayer quit after eight minutes and Demand 5 after five. 
Acassim
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,075
Registered: ‎11-06-2007

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

Hi again robertjohn,
Thanks for the update on this, it sounds like the issue may be local to the either the TV, the powerline adapters or the cable being used (if this wasn't the one you tested the laptop on) so there may be a few more things to check:
Have you had a Google search on the make and model of the TV where speed issues are concerned?
Have you tried a speed test from the downstairs room with the laptop connected to the home plugs?
Have you tested the home plugs in the same room as the router with the TV and Laptop?
Hopefully the answers to these questions should narrow down where the issues sits and we can start to work towards getting this resolved. Apologies for amount of testing however there is a fair level of complexity with different devices involved so it will be tough to avoid.

Thanks,
Adam C
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

Adam C
Nothing showed up in a Google search.
The speed test with the laptop connected to the TV home plug via ethernet cable returned 37.57 Mb/s.
I haven't tried your third test because I have connected the TV to the router via the ethernet cable used by the laptop and obtained between two and three Mb/s, and the laptop connected to the home plug and ethernet cable used by the TV returns the 37.57 Mb/s above.  So the TV has been tested where the laptop is usually connected and the laptop has been tested where the TV is connected and the results are miles apart.
npr
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Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 119
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

For what it's worth, I've tested my Samsung tv (ethernet connected) at your speed test site
http://www.bandwidthplace.com/
The TV showed my full line speed of 19 mbps downstream.
Sorry to be persistent and not knowing the setting on a sony TV, are you absolutely sure the TV is not also connected via wireless? Can you test with the wireless turned off in the router?
Which router are you using?
Do you know the routers MTU setting? (if TG582n it will be 1492)
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

npr
1. These are the steps on my Sony TV to a wired connection (I have shown them in detail in case it helps) :
Settings
Network
Network Set-up
Set up network connection
    Auto/Custom
    Select "Custom" if you would like to customise your settings or if you only need to switch between wired and wireless modes.
Custom
    Network set-up allows you to access content on your home network and the internet.  Please select a choice below.
    Wired Set-up/Wireless Set-up
Wired Set-up
IP Address Setting
    Auto/Manual
    Select "Auto to set the address automatically.  Otherwise select "Manual".
Auto
Do you want to use a proxy server?
    Yes/No
No
The network will be configured with the following settings.  Press (forward arrow) to continue.
    Connection Method - Wired
    IP Address Setting - Auto
          IP Address - Auto
          Subnet Mask - Auto
          Default Gateway - Auto
          Primary DNS - Auto
          Secondary DNS - Auto
    Proxy Server - Not used
Save and Connect
Connecting to the network.  Please wait...
Network Set-up is complete.  The TV has successfully connected to the network.
    Cable connection - OK
    Local Access - OK
    Internet Access - OK
2. My router is Technicolor TG582n FTTC.  I am unsure if I can/how to turn off wireless in my router.
3. I do not understand what is/the significance of MTU setting.
BandwidthPlace download speeds immediately following newly wired connection this morning = 3.28 Mb/s then 2.31 Mb/s.
IP: 46.208.77.17
Provider: Plusnet Technologies Ltd
Selected Server: EU - London,UK
I thank you for your continuing interest.
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 119
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

It may be there's nothing wrong with your speed, it could be the problem is with the TV's iplayer app and the TV's web browser giving a misleading result.
Is there a newer iplayer app or newer TV firmware you can install?
you can turn off wireless on the TG582n by pressing the wifi button on the top.
Have you tried streaming a HD film to the TV from across your network, that would give some confidence the TV's network speed is ok.
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

Update
John Lewis, from whom I purchased the TV, arranged for a TV Engineer to attend today.  He changed the Primary DNS in Network Set-up from 192.168.1.254, I believe, to 8.8.8.8, Google's server, citing the problem is probably caused by the various servers involved not talking to one another properly.  iPlayer did play longer than on any previous occasion but quit after 21 minutes and 28 minutes in the two attempts I made.  I am told now by the engineer's company a motherboard might be ordered to replace the existing one.
I see from BandwidthPlace that the server is now Amsterdam, NL instead of London, UK.  The latest speed test returned 0.3 Mb/s!
npr
Pro
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 119
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

Quote from: robertjohn
I am told now by the engineer's company a motherboard might be ordered to replace the existing one.

Good luck with that.
Please let us know how this goes.
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

npr
I appreciate your continuing interest.
I omitted to write in my previous post that the TV had been taken away by another repair company and returned with no fault found when using its internet connection.  That is what prompted my original post because it had been suggested by someone else it could be a signal issue.  I asked this second repair company if it could bring a smart TV.  I felt that might shed light on the matter.  The engineer telephoned a moment ago and told me it would not prove anything unless it was the same or similar Sony model.  He is going to 'Q and A' Sony to determine whether it has any knowledge of this issue
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

My TV's motherboard was duly replaced but the problem remained.  The television, itself, was replaced by the latest Sony model, W705, two days ago. This TV plays for no more than five minutes ever. I am looking for other possible causes. I have fibre broadband with Plusnet that gives me a 37.5Mbps maximum download speed through an ethernet cable to my PC (it is 36.70Mbps at this moment). I have a BT Openreach modem connected to my Technicolor TG582n router. The TV is connected to the router via two home plugs. The TV engineer who replaced the motherboard, was amazed at the speed with which On-demand services loaded and the quality of the picture. Connecting wirelessly, changing the DNS server and playing programmes with HD off make no difference. Is it possible for a router to be culpable? Can anyone suggest anything further?
robertjohn
Grafter
Posts: 40
Registered: ‎18-02-2014

Re: Smart TV poor speed/signal

npr
I have no excuse for taking so long to reply and bring this thread to a close.  I thought at first switching off Wi-Fi on my Technicolor TG582 was not an option because my wife uses the connection for her iPad.  I realised later I need only switch off Wi-Fi for the duration of what we want to watch on TV then switch it on again, of course!  I eventually did what you suggested.  iPlayer has performed since without a hitch whenever we have used it.  I am indebted to you for your suggestion, which no other person offered.