Poor wireless with PN Hub 1

[#1]

Fibre unlimited 40/2. For some time after I was connected to fibre the wireless connection to my laptop was fine at all times. Around 37 down/1.8 up. The laptop is in a room adjacent to the Hub 1 about 12 feet away and through one solid wall. It's connected at 5GHz with the 2.4 and 5 assigned different names in the router. Recently (the past month) the laptop connection has varied between 4Mb/s to 36Mb/s. However the last few days I've been lucky to achieve high 20's.

The router is connected to the BT test socket at the moment and has been for the last couple of weeks.

My main p.c. is connected by cable directly to the router and is usually at 36-37 down and 1.8 up.

Swapping the laptop connection to 2.4 GHz and trying different channels makes no difference.

My mobile 'phone and a tablet p.c., 2.4GHz only, indicates a similar poor wireless performance.

I never experienced any wifi speed problems previously on ADSL, P.C. direct connection and laptop wifi.

Any suggestions welcome and appreciated.

[#2]

Hi, I take it this is from a speedtest? Is the main PC showing a correct speed when you are getting poor speed on the wireless?

When you look at the wireless connection either on the device(s), or logging into the Hub (>Advanced Settings >Home Network >Devices) and then click on a Device, does the connection speed show differently from when all seems OK?

[#3]

Thanks for the reply.

I am  testing with both speedtest.net and BT's broadband performance test at the time the wifi speed drop occurs. Yes, the wired p.c. speed is spot on (37/1.8 when the wifi speed has dropped to low 20 or much less.

As I write this, on my laptop, the wifi speed is as it consistently was!

However, when it does drop again I will do as you suggest in your second paragraph.

Something I noticed yesterday afternoon and just out of curiosity, when the speed was poor on 5GHz I connected at 2.4GHz and the speed went up to 37. After a few minutes it dropped again. I then re-connected at 5GHz and it went back up for a few minutes before dropping again. During this time the main p.c. was fine.

It does possibly point to something interfering with the wifi? I can't think what because nothing has changed since I upgraded. As I said, the ADSL wifi was always consistent and hardly ever wavered from the poor speed I was getting anyway (distance from exchange).

[#4]

It does possibly point to something interfering with the wifi?

This is the tricky thing to discover. It obviously could be which is why I suggested looking at the Devices/Hub for the actual connection speed to see if that is changing.

It's quite possible that at the slower speeds you had with ADSL the cause of what you see now may not show up unless you looked at the actual wireless connection speeds.

Another possibility, check that all your device wireless drivers are up-to-date. Sometimes an incompatibility there might cause variations.

[#5]

It's all been fine for a week until late last night, at a time everyone should have been in bed and, watching a film on Amazon Prime. Kept freezing and buffering.

Checked wireless speeds which were 4.49 down and 0.85 up on a laptop right next to the Hub 1. Checked wired speeds on main p.c. and they were 36.7 down and 1.81 up at the same time.

Logged into router and and clicked on t.v. in network and it was connected at 6Mb/s.

[#6]

As indicated by Anotherone, wifi issues like you have described can be difficult to diagnose without access to another identical Hub One or other router for direct comparison.

The fact it seems to affect both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band and differing wireless devices does seem to suggest it is either severe wifi interference or the hub is defective.  If you have other wireless devices like DECT phones nearby, try putting some distance between the two.

In my experience, the 5 GHz wifi on the Hub One (and two other Home Hub 5 Type A) is not brilliant.  It has poor range compared to other lesser dual band routers I own.  This translates to slower than expected wifi speeds when there is significantly more than just a plasterboard stud wall in the way.  The receiver (upstream) seems particularly 'deaf', and so it is plausible if the hub couldn't hear a signal from your wifi device, I suppose it could even lead to wifi disconnections.   The 2.4 GHz wifi fairs better though - no complaints provided there is no congestion problems from neighbours wifi.

Only suggestion is to try and convince Plusnet to replace the Hub One, or consider buying a decent router from a retailer with a 'very good returns policy' for comparison.

[#7]

Are your wifi channels selected by the router under the SMART settings, or have you manually allocated?

Have you checked other users channels in proximity via prog like the free insiderSSID?

[#8]

I use inSSIDer to check for any conflicting channels and usually manually select for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz in the router. It doesn't make any difference though, whether I manually select or let the Hub automatically select.

I purchased on Friday and installed a different router/modem on Saturday morning, same location as the Hub 1, which has increased my wireless download to 37.5 and upload to 1.9. Not had any drops in connections or any significant speed reductions over wifi YET. This router has  so far been left on auto channel select for both frequencies.

[#9]

Hi @newagetraveller can you please advise which make / model router / modem you purchased

[#10]

Hi Welshdragon, yes, it's a TP Link VR900 AC1900 (combined modem/router).

[#11]

Thank you newagetraveller,

I look forward to hearing how it performs over time, as I am currently using a 4+ Yr old D-link & will need to save for the TP-Link as it is currently out of my price range.

[#12]

Well, after just over a week with the new modem/router I have to conclude that the PN Hub One I have is either not that good with wifi or it is faulty. I'm leaning towards the latter.

Except for one occasion last week when the wifi download dropped to around 20mb/s and the upload was a blistering 0.2mb/s my speeds have been a consistent 37.46mb/s down and 1.91mb/s up over wireless (5GHz). Compared to the Hub One's 36/1.8 (5GHz wireless) with lots of involuntary wifi disconnections and speed reductions.

So, back in it's box it will stay unless PN want to send me a return bag? They are more than welcome to have it back.

Thanks to those who responded, much appreciated.

[#13]

Hub 1 has poor wifi. - if I go onto next room signal drops to 10% at best. I have a technicolor one from previous supplier and when used instead of PN Hub I get full signal all thru house and even in street, even replacement hub was no change confirming sub standard hub 1's

[#14]

I'm seriously wondering if they've had a bad batch. The Hub One is based on the BT Home Hub type A, and I've heard few complaints about that. I'm disappointed in the lack of Plusnet input here.

I don't like to ask as I know he's hard pressed, but I wonder if @bobpullen could help on this.

[#15]

What router do you use if not the Plus net provided equipment?