Wireless and IP questions

[GWN7]

So 2 year when I cut the cord my IP (who was also my TV provider) came out and changed the wiring to my router (which was also my TV box) and everything worked well for about a year. Then they came out and replaced my TV box/router for a stand alone router.

That's when the problems started with the wireless.

My one laptop is about 8' straight up from the router. The router wouldn't connect to this laptop so my IP came out and added a "extender" box to the router. That solved the problems for awhile.

Then the laptop on the mail floor would loose it's wireless connection (it's about 8' vertical from the router). The second floor laptop would loose connection at the same time. Android box connected directly to the router worked flawless through out all of this.

The laptop shows the connection is available but won't connect or it ill drop down to 3 bars connectivity and be useless to surf. There is no rhyme or reason to this loss of signal. No new equipment that could interfere with the wireless has been added.

This will happen any time of the day or night.

My IP has replaced their router and extender with no improvement in service. The last tec here who replaced the router (a second time) said a better router (which is not available from my IP unless I change my "package") might help. I have a 10 package, a 15 and a 25 is available. But the better router only goes to the people who buy the 25 package.

It died again tonight. No wireless on both laptops but the android box kept working. So after being without wireless for 45 minutes I called my IP tec number and got a guy who first told me my IP router box has never been changed. Then told me that dropping signals/loss of wireless connections is completely normal and I should live with it.

I'm at the point where I'm looking at other IP suppliers and see if their faster connection speed with better equipment for less money is worth it.

What should I be looking at?

[svandamme]

just get a regular internet Wifi router, hook that up to theirs, and use the Wifi of your own

[Rtrorkt]

Have an Arris wireless router extended by an Amplfi mesh system. Dumped the combo provided by Cox. Last test showed download speed of near 400. The mesh system puts consistent signal throughout the property.

[flipper35]

If their router works fine, and it sounds like it does since the wired device does, turn that router's wifi off and get your own wireless access points for it. Lots of good ones out there.

[rattlsnak]

Linksys..

[stomachmonkey]

The advice to just hang your own router is correct.

The alternate option, since you are only buying Internet from your provider, you may be able to buy your own modem and not have to rent theirs.

If I had to guess, based on your symptoms, your previous router was 2.4ghz only and the new one is dual band, 2.4 and 5. Or if it was dual band your devices were attaching to the 2.4 band.

One frequency is not really better than the other, they both have their pros and cons.

2.4 provides a strong signal over longer distances and handles vertical obstructions better than 5 but it's slower and the channel spread is smaller making it more susceptible to interference.

If the new router is dual band and if both radios are broadcasting SSID see a) which band your devices are connecting to and b) try the other.

The 5ghz frequency also has one other oddity that shows up sometimes, when devices attach to the higher channels in the spread they behave inconsistently. If they are attaching to the 5 band see if using the lower tier of channels helps.

One of the other issues with 5 is there are restricted channels. Weather radar operates on the 5 band and if there is radar in the area (do you live near an airport) the router is designed to drop the channel if it detects radar because it is not allowed to cause interference.

So, option 1, turning off IP's routers wifi and hanging your own will most likely fix the issue but not guaranteed to.

If you feel like dicking around with it, from a PC connected to the router via Ethernet use your web browser to log into the router back end, it's usually 192.168.0.0, 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.0 or 192.168.1.1

User and pass should be on a sticker on the back of the router or try the common defaults, admin / admin or admin / (no password). You can always google the router make and model for the default if no sticker is present.

Check your 5 band settings, force it to use channels below 150.

[masraum]

The wifi on their router is crap, get your own wifi box as others have stated. You should hopefully, be able to disable the wifi on their router and then use the wifi on your router/access point.

[flipper35]

Even if he is unable to disable his built into the router wifi he can just add access points on different channels (assuming dual band) and use a different SSID.