Router wifi phones & tablets won't always connect

[#1]

Copied from another one of my posts:

"Your router should have a WPS button on it somewhere. If you go into your mobile phones wifi settings, there should be an advanced option (possibly hidden in `wifi preferences`.) You *should* see `WPS Push Button'. Select this and your phone will search for a WPS signal. Press the WPS button on your router and it *should* connect to your phone"

See if that allows you to connect and stay connected.

[#2]

It just hang trying to connect to WPS (after a "success" message).

[#3]

I'd suggest that your router might be at fault.

Do you have access to another router that you could use to try and see if the problem is replicated?

How old is your current router?

[#4]

About a year or so old. I have tried the tablet at my Mum's house where she has Plusnet but a Netgear modem, and it connected fine!

[#5]

I think you need to work out if your router is the problem.

Are you out of contract with PN? If you are, I'd suggest you ask them for a new router or consider moving. They might be happy to give you one FOC (they tend to charge a postage fee). You can also ask for a better deal as well.

Even if you are not out of contract and the router is faulty, they should replace it anyway.

Or - get hold of another router that works with PN fibre and see if it's anything else.

I suspect it's the router as I can't see why it's doing (or not doing) what it's doing.

You say your PC works ok. Is that hard-wired or wifi?

Any other phones or tablets that connect okay?

When you say you re-set the router - what exactly did you do?

Have you tweaked/changed any other settings?

[#6]

The PC is hardwired. I am still with Plusnet on a monthly direct debit. I meant by resetting the router that I turned it off overnight. My smartphone works great over wireless. However it is the third one after the last two stopped connecting for no apparent reason!

[#7 · Accepted solution]

Turning it on and off is not re-setting it. That's really just restarting.

If you're happy to give it a go, you can factory reset it. That will reset it to how it came out of the box. You'll need to enter your PN username and password to connect again.

This way you will know if it's the router at fault if you still can't connect.

These are the instructions:

Use a paper clip, pen, or something pointed to press in the reset pinhole button on the back of the router. Keep the button pressed for 20 seconds. When the light on the front of your Hub turns green, release the reset button. When the light on the front of the Hub turns blue, it's now restored to factory settings.

The above info comes from the PN troubleshooting guide:

https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/router-user-guides/

[#8]

It seems to have worked! The tablet is now connected on 2.4. Thanks! I will continue testing it over several days to make sure it stays able to connect.

[#9]

@chrishester - pleased to hear that.

Please update on your progress. If it goes wonky again we'll get a bigger hammer!

[#10]

Is there any possibility that in configuring your router, you switched off b and g wifi standards, leaving only n (for better performance) ... only to find out that the device you are trying to connect does not do the n standard?

Been caught out like that with a new router I recently acquired!

[#11]

No, I haven't altered anything!

[#12]

Is it still working okay?

[#13]

So far!

[#14]

I'm glad to hear it's still working.

Please let us know if you need any further assistance.