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Poor WiFi coverage
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Old 09-03-2017, 19:38   #1
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Poor WiFi coverage

My Virgin "package" includes VIVID200; I think I have a Superhub2, which is at the very front left corner of the house. WiFi coverage in the house is poor, in the rear extension there is no signal at all from the router.

I have 2 x Solwise powerline adapters to connect wired devices (including TIVO, NAS, Samsung TV) in the rear extension & recently added an Aztech HL113 plug to provide WiFi in the extension (for phones, iPads, laptops, SONOS, wireless printer). The Aztech is very unreliable - cuts out occasionally, refuses connections, appears to lose connections to Apple iPad devices and laptops - and has to be switched off + on at least once per day.

The Solwise plugs are > 7 years old now & I would like to replace those 2 and probably the Aztech as well with faster, more reliable units.

I have just tried a Netgear WiFi extender (EX2700) midway between the router and the rear extension. It just about worked for slow WiFi browsing but was not an improvement on the Aztech and is on its way back to Amazon.

Can anyone with some experience/knowledge of powerline recommend which devices might suit this setup and / or suggest alternative approaches ???????

Thanks in advance.
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Old 09-03-2017, 21:49   #2
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

Devolo is a good make, they do Powerline adapters as well as WiFi extenders
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Old 10-03-2017, 10:51   #3
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

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Originally Posted by Jacquesb View Post
suggest alternative approaches ?
I mean, I realise it's less than helpful but let's lay the cards down here - ever considered getting some ethernet sockets wired in?
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Old 10-03-2017, 15:35   #4
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Thumbs down Re: Poor WiFi coverage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kushan View Post
I mean, I realise it's less than helpful but let's lay the cards down here - ever considered getting some ethernet sockets wired in?
Yes, we considered it, but way too disruptive, thanks.
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Old 10-03-2017, 17:54   #5
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacquesb View Post
My Virgin "package" includes VIVID200; I think I have a Superhub2, which is at the very front left corner of the house. WiFi coverage in the house is poor, in the rear extension there is no signal at all from the router.

I have 2 x Solwise powerline adapters to connect wired devices (including TIVO, NAS, Samsung TV) in the rear extension & recently added an Aztech HL113 plug to provide WiFi in the extension (for phones, iPads, laptops, SONOS, wireless printer). The Aztech is very unreliable - cuts out occasionally, refuses connections, appears to lose connections to Apple iPad devices and laptops - and has to be switched off + on at least once per day.

The Solwise plugs are > 7 years old now & I would like to replace those 2 and probably the Aztech as well with faster, more reliable units.

I have just tried a Netgear WiFi extender (EX2700) midway between the router and the rear extension. It just about worked for slow WiFi browsing but was not an improvement on the Aztech and is on its way back to Amazon.

Can anyone with some experience/knowledge of powerline recommend which devices might suit this setup and / or suggest alternative approaches ???????

Thanks in advance.
Hi. I have exactly the same problem as you, with my Shub 2 in a far corner of the house. Over the years I've tried various methods of extending the wi-fi, all with limited success. What I want, is to make use of both the 2.4 and 5.0 networks but without having the bother of having to manually switch between them. I finally found the answer! I splashed out and bought an ASUS RT-AC87U AC2400 router and put the Shub into modem mode. I then gave both networks the same SSID and password and it works very well indeed.
The only downside is that the wi-fi coverage, although much better, still didn't extend to the furthest corner of the house. So, I spent even more of my hard earned dosh on an ASUS RP-AC52 Dual-Band Wireless-AC750 Wall-Plug Range Extender/Access Point. Together these devices have solved my wi-fi woes. They work really well, however many devices are in use at any one time.
In summary, the bad news is that I'm the best part of £200 worse off but the good news is I no longer have any wi-fi troubles at all.
Hope that helps.
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Old 10-03-2017, 18:52   #6
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

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Originally Posted by Jacquesb View Post
Yes, we considered it, but way too disruptive, thanks.
Doesn't have to be, depending on exactly where your modem is.

The best option, if you can, is to run an ethernet cable (CAT 5e) up into your attic by the shortest route and place a router, with strong WiFi credentials, at the end of it. (It only requires a a hole in two ceilings.) The WiFi signal can then cascade down through the house, through thin ceilings rather than supporting walls, fridges etc.

I have a tiny FON router piggy-backed onto my system in the attic. (This gives me free access to BTFon and FON hotspots world-wide.) It gives a strong signal everywhere, including out in the street and in the back garden.
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Old 10-03-2017, 20:02   #7
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kushan View Post
I mean, I realise it's less than helpful but let's lay the cards down here - ever considered getting some ethernet sockets wired in?
I put in cat 5e to all the rooms in my place with flush mounted sockets, home run to under the stairs where the router is and the patch panel. Helped that I had re-wired the entire property for electric, phones and TV so easy access points. The way to go if you can do it.

My routers Wi-Fi does reach all round but I still use wired for all static equipment.
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Old 11-03-2017, 00:33   #8
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

thanks for the comments & suggestions - I rather like the "Attic Router" idea for better coverage. Do you think Virgin could be persuaded to come & move the SH2 up to the attic ?
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Old 11-03-2017, 06:35   #9
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacquesb View Post
thanks for the comments & suggestions - I rather like the "Attic Router" idea for better coverage. Do you think Virgin could be persuaded to come & move the SH2 up to the attic ?


I very much doubt it.
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Old 11-03-2017, 09:27   #10
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacquesb View Post
thanks for the comments & suggestions - I rather like the "Attic Router" idea for better coverage. Do you think Virgin could be persuaded to come & move the SH2 up to the attic ?
Ha Ha! You could try to persuade them to do build you an attic bedroom at the same time.
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Old 11-03-2017, 14:53   #11
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Thumbs up Re: Poor WiFi coverage

After a bit of research, I decided to stick with Powerline adapters and ordered a set of 3 from TP-Link.

I purchased the TL-WPA4220 set which arrived same day & installed easily giving good WiFi reception in extension/conservatory which was previously a very dead spot. I actually bought the 3 pack as I have some wired devices in a bookcase, but the WiFi from one of these adapters is actually fine - even behind the books in the bookcase, so one adapter is actually redundant.

Very pleased, BUT !!

My router (Virgin Superhub2) has WPS disabled so I was unable to clone to the main SSID and password which is a bit of a bore as this was one of the main selling points for me. TP-Link support sent me a link for the download of a MAC app called Wireless PLC Device Scan which fails to find any devices at all on the network, although the tpPLC app on the same MAC sees the devices okay but doesn't let me change anything.

I've emailed back to them + await a response. Anyway, thanks for the comments - I'll update if there is any change.

On speeds, I ran a couple of speedtests:
(1) in the same room as the router, using 5G, the results were 9, 101.86, 12.58 for ping, download & upload.
(2) in the extension, with the TP-Link powerline adapter, the results were 11, 35.95, 12,51.
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Old 20-03-2017, 18:35   #12
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Re: Poor WiFi coverage

[QUOTE=Jacquesb;35889605]

Very pleased, BUT !!

My router (Virgin Superhub2) has WPS disabled so I was unable to clone to the main SSID and password which is a bit of a bore as this was one of the main selling points for me. TP-Link support sent me a link for the download of a MAC app called Wireless PLC Device Scan which fails to find any devices at all on the network, although the tpPLC app on the same MAC sees the devices okay but doesn't let me change anything.

I've emailed back to them + await a response. Anyway, thanks for the comments - I'll update if there is any change.
/QUOTE]

Update - the MAC utilities did not work wirelessly, I borrowed a Windows Netbook and altered the SSID by logging in to the TP-Link plug on Ethernet. I'm now very happy with the setup - the sae network name throughout the house, no switching necessary, no problems so far.
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