Wifi frequently drops pings

[#1]

Hi all,

I have the most infuriating problem with the wifi on my connection, using my laptop. I don't even know how to diagnose the issue; who knows it could be my laptop? I went as far as buying a USB adapter in case there was something wrong with the internal chip but to no avail.

Things will be fine and dandy and then boom there is no real connection. Like, it will mostly still be connected in the tasktray but the pings either drop out and nothing comes through. I attached a screenshot pinging the router so you can feel my pain.

I've not noticed any issue using my Alexa or smart TV (which I rarely use)

Sometimes, if i disconnect from plusnet router and connect to my netgear extender then the connection comes back immediately and pings drop to sub 10ms for google.com however not always. Occasionaly disconnecting and reconnecting works. This has been happening for around a month from 3-10 times  a day and I am tearing my hair out. This is affecting me financially...

Sometimes  it doesn't happen for a couple of hours and sometimes it happens multiple times per hour. It also happens if when am connected to the extender.

Any ideas would  be much appreciated!

[#2]

Are you using a Plusnet Hub One by any chance?

If so, if you log into any hub page what the current firmware version?

If it's 4.7.5.1.83.263 , there's a chance your laptop is fine and you wasted your money on the adapter

What date is listed next to the firmware version (again bottom of any hub page)?

Does that date match the time your issues started?

At this present time, there are a few others reporting the same or similar issues running 263

So, if it is a hub one, matching the above, then there's not much you can physically do, apart from wait for staff input or opt for a different router or try via ethernet until a fix is rolled out.

[#3]

Ds thanks for your reply. 

The firmware is newer allegedly; 4.7.5.1.83.8.237.2.2 

I just learnt something interesting that although I had asked my housemate about 3 weeks ago if they had any issues with the broadband and being told no, when I just went to fiddle with the router she was there and I said what was happening and she told me she had the same problem! So I guess it's a router issue.

If my firmware isn't the trouble version as you stated (though I dont see how xxx.263xxx can be newer than xxx.8xxx) then perhaps I should open a ticket and request a new router? As you stated I spunked  £12 on the USB and I don't want to have to fork out for a new router if necessary when this was fine when it worked?

Cheers

[#4]

Ah, I see

There's not too many reports of wifi issues with your (rather) old firmware that I know of, but some have quite recently been saying their hubs have started to randomly reboot. I recall reading of only 2, but guess there could be more.

I could be wrong, but it does seem to tie in with the latest roll out of the new firmware, so although you don't have it, it could still actually be causing a problem. Plusnet might even send the update to you (it should have been updated within the first two weeks of this month, so clearly yours missed the boat!!)

Believe me, the newer one is shorter but more, erm, problematic..

Regarding a 'new' router. You probably won't get it changed under warranty as that would more than likely ended many moons ago, but renewing your contract would probably get you a free one, with postage costs only.

An option, that some have done, myself recently included, is to buy a BT smart hub 6, off ebay (for example), for £10-20. For normal FTTC you need just that, a FTTC one. If you opt for one there's a few how to's on here.

So far, the wifi on the H6 is certainly better, quite surprising if I'm being honest - it aint often you here me saying BT do anything right!!

edit. yours is older, it's how they number them

[#5]

Crazy that a new iteration can have a lower number!

I will do that then. I see a few business ones as well. I'm sure I'll manage to snipe one for a tenner shortly. Cheers

[#6]

The numbering system is something like this 4.7.5.1.83.8.237. rev2. rev2 

So yours is actually 4.7.5.1.83.8.237

Yes that'll work fine too,  I know 'Baldrick1' uses the biz one. He wrote a how to I believe. That one (I'm sure) allows you to use your own DNS settings.

The only reason I'm using a residential version is because I may or may not have acquired one for el zilcho

But don't buy a FTTP one as they only work on a FTTP connection. I've heard of one guy buying the wrong one.

I doubt you'll regret it

[#7]

@fail - You say you have a housemate, is there just one? You have to ask yourself what the housemate or any others are doing at the time you experience these issues. Have you considered changing the WiFi key to ensure that no one is leaching your broadband.

Due to the unpredictable nature of this issue I’d be inclined to check my environment first before I go pointing the finger at the router.

[#8]

@Anonymous  - No it happens when she isn't here as well (she is the only one apart from me)

Nobody is leeching my broadband, and even if they were then it wouldn't account for all packet drops!

Cheers

[#9]

Fair enough @fail, but as the symptoms you have aren't easy to replicate or happen at an obvious frequency then someone using your broadband could be a possibility and IMO could explain the ping loss. Ping doesn't have a priority so if the line is saturated then you may well see the symptoms your experiencing.

Hope you get it sorted.

[#10]

No I can't make it happen on demand which as with any intermittant fault on anything be it a car, boiler or computer make them the hardest ones to.

It drops all internet, ping is just to visualise it. I should be able to ping my router at least! And I can see who is connected to the router of course...

I will try the suggestion and invest another £12. It's more than worth it to me!!!

[#11]

Hi @fail, 

I've just been running some diagnostic checks on your connection and we're not seeing any issues. 

It would definitely be best to try connecting over ethernet as your next step in order to see if the same issue happens. 

[#12]

@DS Well it's not the router. I bought a BT one and it seemed to be working better but just tonight I've got home from being away for a week working and it's happened again.

As soon as I disconnect and reconnect to the wifi it works again. Pure madness; I don't know what it is.So infuriating I don't know what to try next!

[#13]

The BT router should have solved the wifi issues.

I'm guessing it was a BT Smart Hub (aka Hub 6), if so did you unsync the wifi on this too?

Here's the H6 link to the page you need - http://192.168.1.254/00000110500/gui/#/advancedWifi/configuration

(the unsync (separate bands) is just above the 5GHz blue banner)

Don't forget to save the change - upper right of page.

If it still drops the wifi, could you try the dongle again?

[#14]

I hadn't.

I have now will let you know cheers

[#15]

No problem

If you're some distance away from the H6, try using just the 2.4GHz SSID.