What a RUBBISH start - router constantly drops wireless

[#1]

Well I got a text this morning saying that my account had been enabled etc so I got the new plus net supplied Thomson  TG585 v7 router out of the box and went through all the setup etc.
I can get onto the internet fine when using ethernet.  The trouble comes when I try to use the wi-fi.  I have set the wi-fi up or so it appears and then when I try to connect it normally says there are problems of one sort or another.
Ok I thought maybe its my laptop having a fit.  So I got another one out, same issue and finally I got a third laptop out and still the same issue.  after much messing about I have managed to get the laptops connected to the wifi.  The problem is that the signal just vanishes yet sometimes the wifi light on the router stays on and other times it goes off (there is no pattern).  I have tried all of the different types of security including no security at all and still it goes on.
Now this seemed very odd so being as this is what I do for a living I thought I would check it out using a few little things from work.  I am watching the signal on my router go from -25dBm  on second to as bad as -90dBm.
I have just tried to call Plusnet and got through to some foreign sounding lady - didn't sound like a Sheffield accent LOL - and she was telling me that I need to change the channel as there may be interference.  I tried explaining that I had already done this and had also cycled through all of the channels and had even picked the one with the least chance of any signal cross over on (I am using a spectrum analyser to monitor the wifi channels).  Initially she was having none of it, then eventually she said she would have to sepak to someone senior.  She came back after about 6 or 7 minutes and said they would call me back once they have looked into the problem.

She didnt give me a ticket number or anything and I cant see one on my account either.  I hope this isnt the way things are normally done at PN.
Is anyone else having this issue with wireless dropping???
[Moderator's note by Adie (Adiewoo) removed avoidance of swear filter as per Forum Rules]

[#2]

My Thomson router is rock solid when it comes to the wireless - well it is on my Medion. My wife's Toshiba will from time to time just sulk when it comes to connecting via wireless - but we know thats a problem with the laptop as it does it with other routers.

[#3]

I know the wireless on the laptops is stable as I have never had drop outs liek this before.  In fact I have gone as far as powering my old Sky router up (not plugged into the phone libe obviously) and have connected to it fine and it has been stable.  Connect back (or at least try) to the PN router and its up and down like a whores draws    It has to be the router at fault for me to constantky get these results across several different machines.

[#4]

Given that you've tried the channels already, I can't think of any other tests to try (unless there's a USB adapter you could try perhaps - though I appreciate this isn't ideal).
With that in mind, we could either replace the router in case it's that specific one that has a fault, or we could refund you the cost and you could buy a different router - please let us know which would be easiest?

[#5]

Hi Matt, thanks for the reply.  What do you think we could achieve with a USB adapter?  I dont have one but may be able to borrow one from work if it helps with testing?  I still think it has to be a router issue as to have 3 different laptops with different wireless cards exhibit the same disconnects at exactly the same time cant be coincidnece, can it? 

[#6]

If they all drop at the same time its really pointing at a fault in the router isn't it.

[#7]

Do you have any other equipment that uses the same frequency band - such as DEC phones etc etc ? - how close are you to neighbours who may have such things ?.

[#8]

@mal0z - if he does, it's interrupting the whole spectrum - his post above details trying every available channel 😕
@Brabus (and SteveA) - it does indeed point at the router. I'll get you a replacement ordered stat.

[#9]

You would get on better using your old Sky router in my opinion, that is what I did as I Found the Thompson one poor for my needs, both in terms of sync speed and also wireless signal.

[#10]

Aye, Sky routers should be Netgear DG834GT's?  You can flash the firmware (most people on this forum swear by DG-Team I think it's called) and use the Netgear to connect to PlusNet.

[#11]

@Matt - I'm not disagreeing with   you  
- but 30+ years working professionally in radio engineering has taught me that straight logic like that doesn't always apply - some very strange things happen when several transmitters are co-located . I hope we get feedback once the problem is solved  
Some equipment has dynamic channel allocation - so one minute the interference is there - the next it isn't - at least in the same degree.

[#12]

@Matt - thanks Matt, I am sure this will fix it.
@dgwebb - I am unlucky, my Sky router is a SAGEM one so cant use it I am afriad, shame really as the wifi signal on that is rock solid.
@mal0z - I am using some kit that analyses all the radio sources, even microwaves etc as I know they can cause similar issues to DECT phones.  Interestingly I have sat my old Sky router in the room and watched what happened to that as the same time as the PN router nboth on the same frequency and also on differing frequencies.  The SKY router is constantly giving better than -30dBm but the PN router is droping to -90dBm  :o.
Anyway on a HUGE PLUS I am getting 6.5mb speed compared to 0.3mb with SKY.  I can cope with using ethernet cables for a couple of days until a new router comes for this level of speed improvement 

[#13]

Well if you can use a spectrum analyser that helps a lot  - potentially

[#14]

its not a spectrum analyser - its a magic box of witch craft 

[#15]

@ Matt - hi Matt, the router turned up today.  I have plugged it in and so far I have a nice stable wifi.  Good job really as the temporary ethernet cables running round a 3 storey house are dangerous 
As a note, I have left the old router plugged into the same outlet in the house as the new one.  The original router is still spiking badly, the new router is sat there rock solid.  Looks like we have solved it.