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Thomson router struggles with wireless

mikeflan
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎02-12-2011

Thomson router struggles with wireless

I have to say that after a week or two on Plusnet I'm happy, I did have doubts about the Thomson router and this seems to be borne out by it's 'weak' wireless performance, if I sit with laptop more than 8 feet away from it....it's hopeless wireless signal is overpowered by my neighbours routers, I can pick up all my neighbours BT homeub 2's and 3's and another neighbour way up the road on Sky....the Thomson is seeming to be useless.......any comments would be worth hearing...  I've just been out to buy a Belkin N150 though I doubt it will be easy setting that up by what a few others seem to have said.
If I sit in my lounge just 20 feet away from the Thomson. it can't even be found in the available wireless networks....!!!!  only two wooden doors between the router and laptop and really in line of sight too...!!!
14 REPLIES 14
custos
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 315
Thanks: 50
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎28-06-2007

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

I must admit that the RF signal from the Thompson is much weaker than my old Netgear was.
jim:quote
ckcomputing
Rising Star
Posts: 198
Thanks: 21
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎28-11-2009

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

mikeflan
If you have several neighbours around you using the same channel on their routers as you, it would be useful to change the channel number on your router to a different one.
A helpful piece of software is "inssider" which will identify the wireless channels around you, thus enabling you to choose a different channel on your router away from your neighbours.
http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/
Regards,
Brian
Professionals are predictable - it's the amateurs that are dangerous!
mikeflan
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎02-12-2011

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

Yeah...super bit of software that...however...it told me that no one else around me is on the same channel as my Thomson router...also that it seems the weakest of all around....but I'd worked that out anyway I think by the strength of all the other signals compared to the Thomson....
Thanks so much for that software it's very interesting indeed.
Regards
RPMozley
Pro
Posts: 1,339
Thanks: 83
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

It may not be just other people's routers causing interference, other devices can cause a few issues. Sometimes it's a good idea to try out all available channels, to see which one gives you the best signal.
That's RPM to you!!
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
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Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

If you get a weak signal from 8 feet then I'd suggest the router may be faulty, I used a Thomson TG585v8 for quite some time and got a pretty good signal throughout the house.  Try placing the router as high as possible but away from metal objects before condemning it as faulty though.
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
TheIslander
Grafter
Posts: 95
Registered: ‎13-11-2011

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

Try this bit of freeware it will tell who else is out there and which channels they are using. http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/
I have left an image to show how it works below.

mikeflan
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎02-12-2011

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

Yes I already installed that software and despite changing to other channels it still comes up with the same answer.....the Thomson router has a far weaker siganl than all the others around, rssi is far lower than others, the Thomson is 64-68 whilst all the others remain higher at 86 plus, the router is placed almost at ceiling height, other than putting into the loft space it can't go higher..... 
I thank everyone for their valuable input....my old BT router used to knock out a really good signal and it was said that they were not rated as good.....even my old Voyager 2500 was better than the Thomson is pushing at the moment.
Regards to all contributors
whelpton
Grafter
Posts: 104
Registered: ‎06-06-2011

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

@MikeFlan.
The default setup of the Tg585 isn't always the best in certain situations. I would recommend following these steps to resolve the problem.
ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
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Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

The signal levels are in negative dBm, -66 dBm is a much stronger signal than -86 dBm.
Stumpy21
Rising Star
Posts: 156
Thanks: 6
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-06-2011

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

Quote from: mikeflan
.the Thomson router has a far weaker siganl than all the others around, rssi is far lower than others, the Thomson is 64-68 whilst all the others remain higher at 86 plus

With inSSIDer the lower the number the better  Wink
As a guide, I get about -35 to -40 on 2 laptops 10 feet from the router - through a wall.
Signal drops to -50 to -60 through wall and ceiling  - about 20 feet.
Top of garden, 60 feet and 2 walls, about -80 to -90.

But both laptops are still connected to the internet at these figures  Smiley
Have you tried moving the antenna and router, horizontal/vertical etc. ?
Derek
minopsarakis
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎07-01-2012

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

Same problem here, I did follow the sugestions and instaled inssider, I have the router 8 feet high in my living room I'm getting a 40 when my laptop is 6 ft under the router and a 30 when facing the router, since the living room is L shaped when I turn the corner and not facing the router I'm getting a 60 and when I'm taking the laptop to the next room the it drops to 80 and no internet, it feels like a wired conection.
My opinion on twicking the settings is fine tuning and it is not solving the problem.
I had a chat with the support and at the end they told me that this is not a real N router.
Had similar problems when I was a O2 costumer and had the same router and they manage to solve the problem by changing the router, although this is a different house, it is an old cottage conversion and the wall thickness is amazing in some parts of the house.
I would like though to give it a try to a better router and I would like to ask if anyone has bought a N router that works with plusnet or plusnet is offering support on setting up the router.
Many thanks

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

I use iMac, so the suggested software is of no use to me.
My wireless signal is very strong, as per my Airport Signal in the top menu bar.
Neighbours, adjacent and across the road are suitably attenuated.
My iMac is almost vertically above my Thomson router, distance of 20 feet.
Lounge to Study.
The router is next to my wireless home phone base station, no problems for me.
(I have had to stop using a 2.4ghz CCTV camera as it interferes with iMac Airport signal)
Router Aerial orientation makes no difference for me.
I use
http://tools.meraki.com/stumbler#q
for Wifi Signal strengths of other local networks.
I can access these networks, even with low signal strength, of course they are password protected, so it goes no further...
(I've blocked my details)
I have bought Ethernet cable long enough to go from iMac to router if there is ever a Wifi problem, as backup.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

The problems mentioned could of course not be down solely to the router, but also to the WiFi within the computer, or via USB dongle, needing a strong signal, in one direction or the other, or both .
Use
http://tools.meraki.com/stumbler#q
which measures Wifi signal strength at the computer, not at the router AFAIK.

Try turning off your mobile phone !
It does transmit even when not in use.
RPMozley
Pro
Posts: 1,339
Thanks: 83
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Thomson router struggles with wireless

For Mac OS X users I would suggest using iStumbler rather than a website Java applet. It will give you all the info you need like signal strength, wireless channel, protocol and security used, plus more.
That's RPM to you!!