VM Router : Problems with WiFi connection - possible conflict with NAS drive

[andycoleman]

Hi,

I am on the 30MB broadband service and have a SuperHub. I have some issues with the superhub and judging by the comments on here I may be better ditching it and buying something better.

Last night I was trying to setup a replacement iPhone via the WiFi connection but even when I am sitting right next to the superhub the connection was flaky. If it did manage to get a connection the download speed was un-usable. I tried rebooting the superhub but that had no impact. I also tried a Dell laptop and my MacBook Air but neither of those could get a stable connection either.

As a last resort I shutdown the Synology NAS drive I have connected to the router. After that the WiFi connection became much more stable. Could there be some sort of interference coming from the NAS drive? It is located on the same shelf under my desk as the router.

Now the WiFi connection is usualy not that bad and I am sure I have used the WiFi while the Synology was running so this could be an intermitent issue (or a newly developed issue).

I also have another couple of issues.

1. I have a Windows XP machine which is connected to the superhub but from startup to the point where the network is usuable (i.e. the network icon in the taskbar goes blue) is a lot longer than it used to be with my old ADSL setup. As the Windows machine has not changed I can only imagine this is an issue with the superhub or with the cable connection.

2. I have XBMC on an old Dell Laptop. When the WiFi is working correctly it does not see the Diskstation as a media source. But if I plug the laptop into the superhub it does see it. This may not be an issue with the superhub but is annoying.

So if I was to get a replacement for the superhub what is the best option? Do I get a wireless router plug it into the superhub and disable the superhub wifi or do I look to replace the superhub completely?

Thanks
Andy

[Andrewcrawford23]

Originally Posted by andycoleman

Hi,

I am on the 30MB broadband service and have a SuperHub. I have some issues with the superhub and judging by the comments on here I may be better ditching it and buying something better.

Last night I was trying to setup a replacement iPhone via the WiFi connection but even when I am sitting right next to the superhub the connection was flaky. If it did manage to get a connection the download speed was un-usable. I tried rebooting the superhub but that had no impact. I also tried a Dell laptop and my MacBook Air but neither of those could get a stable connection either.

As a last resort I shutdown the Synology NAS drive I have connected to the router. After that the WiFi connection became much more stable. Could there be some sort of interference coming from the NAS drive? It is located on the same shelf under my desk as the router.

Now the WiFi connection is usualy not that bad and I am sure I have used the WiFi while the Synology was running so this could be an intermitent issue (or a newly developed issue).

I also have another couple of issues.

1. I have a Windows XP machine which is connected to the superhub but from startup to the point where the network is usuable (i.e. the network icon in the taskbar goes blue) is a lot longer than it used to be with my old ADSL setup. As the Windows machine has not changed I can only imagine this is an issue with the superhub or with the cable connection.

2. I have XBMC on an old Dell Laptop. When the WiFi is working correctly it does not see the Diskstation as a media source. But if I plug the laptop into the superhub it does see it. This may not be an issue with the superhub but is annoying.

So if I was to get a replacement for the superhub what is the best option? Do I get a wireless router plug it into the superhub and disable the superhub wifi or do I look to replace the superhub completely?

Thanks
Andy

you cant replace the shub in that form you need to contact suppor and they diagnosis a fault and send replacement, but if oyu are having wifi issue the hub wifi si crap just use your own rotuer if ou have oen or buya cheap one and switch the shub into modme mode

as for some of your other issue i aint sure how the nas drive unless ita wirelss one would be causing any problem with the wifi signal otehr than a pending eltrical issue ie one that itnermittent and will become a big issue later possible knocking oyur nas drive out, without seeing the setup pyhsical in person i couldnt really give a definte answer on that one, eltrical fault can cause itnerfernce in wifi but it hard to diagnosis

im not sure what you meaning about the blue part in xp you mean teh comptuer icon?

as for xbmc ive never used it so cant comment

[General Maximus]

i know this isnt going to send overly helpful but I am doing you a favour by getting to the point. The shub is poop for wireless and it is a very bad router (trying not to swear) or any type of elaborate routing with multiple devices of different types like pcs, laptops, phone, printers, nas etc etc, it just cant handle it.

I seem to be singing the same song recently. You don't need anything expensive, you just need something decent. Other forum members will jump into this thread recommending Asus routers and TP Link etc etc but I have always been a Linksys man. I think they are the bees knees offering great performance and reliability and offer some great networking features. If you go for something like the E3000 it has got a USB port which you can connect external hdds to run as NAS and media servers in addition to the lan ports. Linksys all the way

[Andrewcrawford23]

depends if they are wanting gigabit or not if ther enot wanting gigabit there plenty of good router out there, personal i go for home stuff netgear or linksys but for more business stuff i go for cisco

[AndyCalling]

Originally Posted by General Maximus

i know this isnt going to send overly helpful but I am doing you a favour by getting to the point. The shub is poop for wireless and it is a very bad router (trying not to swear) or any type of elaborate routing with multiple devices of different types like pcs, laptops, phone, printers, nas etc etc, it just cant handle it.

I am not under any illusions, the Shub is minimalist. It is not quite that bad though. I have a PC connected, 2 netbooks (one Windows 7, one Linux), an Android phone, a NAS operating over both lan and the internet using both standard remote access and a VPN, a printer/scanner and an internet radio. I also have a wireless access point connected so it'll run dual frequency wireless. I run the Shub in router mode. Since the latest firmware update, the Shub has been 100% stable.

Still, I like the idea of one of those TP Link WR2843ND jobbies when it's released.

OP, try using Inssider on your netbook to check for free channels. Manually set the wireless channel of the router to something that isn't getting (too much) interference from others. If that gives you interference from your NAS, try the next clearest channel. Perhaps that'll dodge it?

[Andrewcrawford23]

Originally Posted by AndyCalling

I am not under any illusions, the Shub is minimalist. It is not quite that bad though. I have a PC connected, 2 netbooks (one Windows 7, one Linux), an Android phone, a NAS operating over both lan and the internet using both standard remote access and a VPN, a printer/scanner and an internet radio. I also have a wireless access point connected so it'll run dual frequency wireless. I run the Shub in router mode. Since the latest firmware update, the Shub has been 100% stable.

Still, I like the idea of one of those TP Link WR2843ND jobbies when it's released.

OP, try using Inssider on your netbook to check for free channels. Manually set the wireless channel of the router to something that isn't getting (too much) interference from others. If that gives you interference from your NAS, try the next clearest channel. Perhaps that'll dodge it?

unless the nas is wireless it doesnt really explain how it being connected affects the signal as i said at first the only thing i coudl think of is some sort of faulty psu but that is really a big guess, but checking for free channels is good idea

[AndyCalling]

Originally Posted by Andrewcrawford23

unless the nas is wireless it doesnt really explain how it being connected affects the signal as i said at first the only thing i coudl think of is some sort of faulty psu but that is really a big guess, but checking for free channels is good idea

Yea I know, it's a rum 'un and no mistake. The only other thing I can think of would be some kind of mains grounding issue. The Shub is a computer, a linux box, essentially. I assume it will routinely dump a little current to ground like a PC does (odd things, computers). A grounding issue can really cause problems and can be easily overlooked since most things never use ground unless there is a fault. Computers can be different.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by AndyCalling

Still, I like the idea of one of those TP Link WR2843ND jobbies when it's released.

The WR2843ND will not be released. According to a company rep, it's been abandoned.

To be fair for the average (high) end user, a WNDR4500 would be a better option, as it comes with a faster CPU, two USB ports, better features, as well as more powerful wireless. Being a Broadcom jobbie, it's harder to mod open source firmware onto it, both because of driver and licensing issues. The WR2x43ND being based on Atheros is much easier thanks to Atheros being far more helpful and publicising just about all their driver and hardware interfaces publicly and openly.

[AndyCalling]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

The WR2843ND will not be released. According to a company rep, it's been abandoned.

To be fair for the average (high) end user, a WNDR4500 would be a better option, as it comes with a faster CPU, two USB ports, better features, as well as more powerful wireless. Being a Broadcom jobbie, it's harder to mod open source firmware onto it, both because of driver and licensing issues. The WR2x43ND being based on Atheros is much easier thanks to Atheros being far more helpful and publicising just about all their driver and hardware interfaces publicly and openly.

Hmm. How about the TL-WR2543ND? That's available right now and looks quite swish to me...

[qasdfdsaq]

Switchable dual-band, not simultaneous, which makes it in principle no better than the Superhub. I wouldn't use it as my main/only device. Range isn't particularly impressive on 5G either (whereas on the 4500 it really really is impressive)