cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

mhibberd
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

Hello,
Wondering if anyone can help be debug where this problem might lie.
I have the usual PN fibre setup with the Technicolor router being used for my WiFi. I am mostly using my Samsung S6 to browse over WiFi. Most of the time, I cannot access sites very well at all. For example, the BBC site will mostly sit with the progress bar in chrome at about 50% and refuse to budge any further. Other times its stuck well below that. And sometimes it loads most of the page so I can view it, but the progress bar in chrome never reaches 100%. Then at other times (rare) it loads within a couple of seconds as I would expect.
I have a PC using a wired connection and never ever have any issues at all there. So I was thinking the Technicolor router had had it. But I have tried an (admittedly older) Netgear router and used its WiFi and experienced the same issues.
I can take my phone to someone elses house and browse at will with no issues on their WiFi. I can also deactivate WiFi on the phone, use 4G instead and also have no issues at all.
Any suggestions on how to try and track my problem down?
Thanks!
13 REPLIES 13
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

It's possible you might be using a congested channel.  Downloading a program like InSSIDer would tell you which channels are the best.  If your router is currently set to automatic, you could then try to set it manually to the channel with the best strength / congestion ratio
MattyC
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 3,201
Fixes: 46
Registered: ‎10-04-2014

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

That'd be the first point of call for me as well. Let me know if this improves things.
ex-Plusnet staffer. Any posts after 28/07/2017 aren't on behalf of Plusnet
mhibberd
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

Ok so InSSIDer appears to be $19.99, that's not gonna fly.
So I installed WiFi Analyzer for android instead. I attach the results as screenshots.
- front.png is taken from the front of the house
- back.png is taken from the back of the house
I should add that my experience is the same regardless of whether I'm at the front or back of the house.
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

There is a free version of InSSIDer, but no matter, you have something comparable.
It doesn't look that congested, tbh.  But sometimes setting a channel can help.  My old iPhone wouldn't work properly unless I fixed it to Channel 1.  I would try setting Channel 1 and seeing what result you get.  If that's no good, try Channel 6 and, finally, Channel 11.  It's explained here.
mhibberd
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

Thanks for the help so far.
Unfortunately choosing a channel manually hasn't had any effect.
Like the title of the thread states, my issues is intermittent. For example, I switched to channel 11 on the router and was able to browse normally for say 10/15mins and then all of a sudden the problems back. Quite frustrating.
JohnP1066
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎18-09-2015

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi


I have had very similar experiences. Eventually changed to channel 2 and intitaly found a tremendous improvement, but it didn't last. PN have assured me that both line and speed are good whilst at the same time admitting several drop outs were showing up at their end, but appeared to say at the same time, some degree of drop out was 'normal' or acceptable or there wasn't much they could really do about it. The conclusion to my complaints was that something within my environment, over which they have no control, was the primary fault with connection loss. They also acknowledged that the router provided was very basic and possibly an upgrade may improve things.
I went along with this for a while until I realized my wired YouView was dropping out as well, although apparently this couldn't be 'seen' by PN. Spending times doing speed tests convinced me that my wireless connection was only as good as the quality of my line and that quality was extremely variable and when that went down so, of course, did my WI FI, but  it seems to be very hard to get PN to acknowledge this or be willing to send an engineer what I get is a 'Fault' being raised up with second line and "We'll get back to you"
None of these problems should exist, nor should a customer be expected to spend so much time investigating and attempting to resolve them other than checking the most basic arrangements are in place. I don't believe PN people are stupid, they know a lot more than I do about their equipment. They just don't tell the truth. Maybe we can't 'Take the Truth' because that probably means going to yet other provider.
mhibberd
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

well, anything in the house that is using a wired connection seems to be working perfectly for me. I work from home, so I'm on the internet for various reasons literally all day. It is just my WiFi experience. Admittedly it doesn't prevent me from doing my work, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.
Given my good experience using wired connections in the house, I assume I have an issue with 1 or more pieces of kit within my house.
- Could it be the technicolor router? doubtful since I have tried another router and had the same issues.
- Could it be the Galaxy S6? doubtful since I have tried it on other WiFi connections and it seems fine. My wifes phone and my old Galaxy S5 also all experience the same
I'm just not sure what I'm left with.
shure
Grafter
Posts: 509
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-01-2013

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

It must be either your router or interference.  If your wired connection is working, then it's not your line.  If your phone works elsewhere, it's not your phone.  It's possible both router's are faulty but it sounds to me as though you are just getting a lot of interference from somewhere.  Are you able to position the router elsewhere in the house?
mhibberd
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

I have tried the router in a different parts of the house. I have also done the same with a different router, with the Technicolour router wireless off.
Neither has produced better results.
I would add that this hasn't been a problem right from the start. But with it being intermittent, it's hard to pinpoint exactly when it did start.
I am at a loss.
mhibberd
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

Today I have tried turning virtually every electrical device off in the house (Sky box, HiFi, wireless phones etc etc). The only things left on are pretty much the fridge and freezer. And still my problem persists. I don't see how it can be interference.
I've switched my PC from a wired to a wireless connection this morning and so far it is behaving fine. My problem seems limited to mine and my wifes phone only.
Another weird thing is that apps like Facebook never seem affected. It literally seems to be just browsing websites. And it doesn't matter which browser I use; Chrome, Firefox etc are all the same. Turning off javascript improved things, but then half the websites I view don't work correctly.
But it can't the phone(s) because I can use them on someone else WiFi or using the mobile network without any issues at all.
If you were going to buy a new router to replace the Technicolor, what would you buy?
Dodger21
Grafter
Posts: 71
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎02-05-2013

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

Have you tried clearing the Wi-Fi connection on the phone (usually called “forget”) and setting it up again re-inputting the router password?
NedLudd
Grafter
Posts: 1,898
Thanks: 8
Registered: ‎20-10-2012

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

With the Technicolor router you're missing one other crucial bit of kit - the Modem!
That little box that sits between your router and the OR wall socket could well be part of the problem!
Geoff,
York.
mhibberd
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Intermittent connectivity issues over WiFi

Quote from: Dodger21
Have you tried clearing the Wi-Fi connection on the phone (usually called “forget”) and setting it up again re-inputting the router password?

Yep, no dice

Quote from: NedLudd
With the Technicolor router you're missing one other crucial bit of kit - the Modem!
That little box that sits between your router and the OR wall socket could well be part of the problem!

Yes I know. However, I was assuming the router itself (and indeed anything else including the line) is fine since everything else I use in the house that's using a wired connection seems fine.