Techy/ broadband question

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board' started by Chef Tyke, Mar 8, 2021.

  1. Che

    Chef Tyke Well-Known Member

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    I use BT whole home wi-fi with 4 discs. The signal is decent but not perfect in every room, which means for example streaming can lag a little sometimes

    what’s my best solution - just buy another disc or is the alternative like buying a second router / better router etc?
    Thanks in advance
     
  2. Merde Tete

    Merde Tete Well-Known Member

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    Pretty sure a second router is your best bet, though I'm not an expert!
     
  3. Rdo

    Rdo1104 Active Member

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    Hi. Are you able to run cables to the rooms which have the issue I.e. Cat5/6 cable?

    I have BT but have added a patch panel and 2 Unifi Wireless Access Points. You can amend the BT router settings so that there is no WiFi signal and then just use the after market ones. You do need to be able to run cables though.

    It’s not as complicated as it might sound and is generally plug and play.

    Other option is plug in extenders
     
  4. Andy Mac

    Andy Mac Well-Known Member

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    I have the BT Home Hub, Broadband, TV etc .......... service is pretty good but wifi upstairs was a bit hit 'n miss with this incarnatio of router, but instead of going for the BT discs / complete WIFI offer I just got a Netgear Wifi extender to plug in upstairs. About £30 if I recall, and service is great now.
     
  5. NathanBFC94

    NathanBFC94 Well-Known Member

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    Could try some powerline adapters. They plug into sockets in home and use the wiring in the house to transmit your wifi signal. You can then plug into them via ethernet cables which should give you stronger signal. I am thinking of getting some for myself to use on my PS5. My mate has some and says they have solved his lagging issues a lot when gaming.
     
  6. MexboroughTyke

    MexboroughTyke Well-Known Member

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    I had similar problems last year, almost no signal in a couple of rooms in the house. Somebody on here (apologies, can't remember who) recommended a mesh wi-fi system. I bought the Tenda Nova for about £60 - the signal is pretty much perfect in every room now.

    I'm with Sky broadband which I understand may be a different set-up to BT. Worth checking that it's compatible with BT, but I'd definitely recommend it.
     
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  7. Ses

    Sestren Well-Known Member

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    I've got a Netgear Nighthawk extender and it's brilliant, but they're not particularly cheap! I'm sure you'd be able to get something similar for less though.
     
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  8. Dys

    Dyson Well-Known Member

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    Gimme a shout I'll get someone to have a look.
     
  9. Old

    Old Gimmer Well-Known Member

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    I’ve been using them for years without problems.
     
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  10. Brush

    Brush Well-Known Member

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    Are you sure streaming is lagging because of the wifi connection or is it the broadband itself? Can you run the phone line to the centre point of the house thereby evening out the wifi throughout what is obviously a house of massive proportions....;);)

    Edit. We have Talktalk and the router is behind the TV in the lounge, more or less in the middle of the ground floor. Our wifi signal is good everywhere in the house and is ok half-way up the garden (30-odd feet from the router).
     
  11. Mr C

    Mr C Well-Known Member

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    I’m still on dial up.. :)
     
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  12. kestyke

    kestyke Well-Known Member

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    Got TP Link power line adapters for the attic rooms because the WiFi in the living room can't reach well up there. The power line plugs into the router. I used a 5 port Ethernet switch (it's like a multi socket extension cable) into the router as I had run out of ports in the router to plug into.
     
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  13. lk3

    lk311 Well-Known Member

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    I’m on Virgin, and have had issues with WiFi for sometime, we have tried a couple of different brand extenders and it works well for a while and then goes rubbish again.
    Had numerous chats with Virgin and they just fob you off with must be something in the house etc.
    Been seeing the BT ads that guarantee no drop in the house, looking at some of the replies on here suggests it’s not that great after all, anyone advise?
     
  14. Che

    Chef Tyke Well-Known Member

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    It’s really good in fairness I can’t fault it, but I have got to the maximum number of discs they give out for free so was wondering whether it’s better just to add more discs or whether or a new router is the best idea. Thanks for everyone’s replies, much appreciated.
     
  15. Plankton Pete

    Plankton Pete Well-Known Member

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    I have this solution at home. When I started home working I was in the dining room and doing 4/5 Zoom calls a day. At various times my wi-fi signal was so poor I had to drop out. Now have powerline in 4 rooms and it's stable as. Also modular so I can add a new one as and when. Great for sky box and office type stations etc. where mobility (lack there of) isn't an issue.
     
  16. NathanBFC94

    NathanBFC94 Well-Known Member

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    I want some for my house. I could do with one for my PS5 so I can run a wired connection.

    Then would like some to stretch the signal into out building at end of garden which I hope to turn into a cinema.

    Do you remember which ones you bought and roughly how much they were each
     
  17. Old Goat

    Old Goat Well-Known Member

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    We've been with BT for a long time now. The router is upstairs at the front of the house, which used to be a problem for the rear downstairs rooms, especially the conservatory. I ended up buying a Netgear extender and plugging it into the landing, which solved the problem completely.

    In recent years, however, BT have upgraded my broadband and router (as part of me haggling over a new deal), and we don't need the extender at all. It's stuck in a cupboard. The signal is so strong that my son is able to connect on the patio, which is in the far corner of the back garden.
     
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  18. Plankton Pete

    Plankton Pete Well-Known Member

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    Yes I bought two sets of these and paid ~£55 per set. Note these are ethernet only, no wi-fi
    TP-Link TL-PA7010PKIT

    They have to be on the same electrical ring to work, so might be problematic with the connection at the end of the garden...
     
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  19. kez

    kez Well-Known Member

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    I had Sky 75mb and used a Linksys mesh which was great. I've now swapped to BT gigabit fibre but the BT Hub 2 was nowhere near good enough. I bought an Asus WiFi 6 router instead and although £300 is expensive it's the best £300 I've spent. All the stuff I have on WiFi 5/AC has pretty much doubled in WiFi speed and the coverage is great. I only have the PS5 which is on WiFi 6/AX at the minute. I am at some point going to get another as Asus do iMesh, the 2nd one will be to use on the PC upstairs as I don't have WiFi in it and want to cable it to the router/extender to get a better connection, it's also in a room that isn't great for WiFi. I don't want to drag an Ethernet cable from downstairs to upstairs
     
  20. Dragon Tyke

    Dragon Tyke Well-Known Member

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    talk to bt and they will send you a wi-Fi extender kit..... well they did for me and I get great speeds in every room in the house..
     

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