Home Network Issue -any ideas?
Discussion
We have a problem with our home wireless network and are trying to ascertain where the problem lies.
The network consists of a TalkTalk wireless router which is plugged in to the telephone line master socket. Because the wireless signal doesn't travel to all parts of the house, we have a TP-Link power line adaptor plugged in to a socket next to the router, and a LAN cable connecting the two.
We then have three TP-Link power line extenders at various points throughout the house to improve the wireless signal.
Plugged in to one of these power line extenders, we have a Vodafone Sure Signal device, because without that, our mobile signal is very poor. The Sure Signal works by creating a localised mini-network for our mobiles, and using the broad band connection provided by the TalkTalk router and power line adaptors to send the signal to the Vodafone network.
For the past three or four months, we have had an intermittent problem with our wireless. We assumed this was an issue with the broadband, so would call TalkTalk, who would run some tests on the line, find nothing wrong, and make some fine adjustments on the settings of our router.
Over the months, this intermittent problem has become worse, so that we currently only have wireless internet about 25% of the time.
None of the power line adaptors seem to give us a steady, continuous connection to the internet, although they all show good wireless signal. We've reset all of these, re-paired them, and visually they all seem to be functioning okay.
We can stand in front of the TalkTalk router, and the problem remains the same, only getting internet about 25% of the time. There are no electrical items in the vicinity of the router, there is a 42" TV but that is switched off (not in standby mode, but off).
The one thing that does work is using our mobile phones as personal hot spots, interestingly only using the 3G network through the SureSignal device, not if they're connected to the wireless signal from the power line adaptors. The phones gives us reliable, and fast broadband connections.
This surely means the broadband connection is good, and the Ethernet network created by the power line adaptors is good. It seems strange that none of the power line adaptors give us a wireless connection, while at the same time the router also doesn't give us a connection. Why would all four not work at the same time?
We've tried switching off all the power line adaptors and just using the TalkTalk router, which didn't help.
We would very much appreciate if anyone could share any thoughts or suggestions as to what might be happening.
The network consists of a TalkTalk wireless router which is plugged in to the telephone line master socket. Because the wireless signal doesn't travel to all parts of the house, we have a TP-Link power line adaptor plugged in to a socket next to the router, and a LAN cable connecting the two.
We then have three TP-Link power line extenders at various points throughout the house to improve the wireless signal.
Plugged in to one of these power line extenders, we have a Vodafone Sure Signal device, because without that, our mobile signal is very poor. The Sure Signal works by creating a localised mini-network for our mobiles, and using the broad band connection provided by the TalkTalk router and power line adaptors to send the signal to the Vodafone network.
For the past three or four months, we have had an intermittent problem with our wireless. We assumed this was an issue with the broadband, so would call TalkTalk, who would run some tests on the line, find nothing wrong, and make some fine adjustments on the settings of our router.
Over the months, this intermittent problem has become worse, so that we currently only have wireless internet about 25% of the time.
None of the power line adaptors seem to give us a steady, continuous connection to the internet, although they all show good wireless signal. We've reset all of these, re-paired them, and visually they all seem to be functioning okay.
We can stand in front of the TalkTalk router, and the problem remains the same, only getting internet about 25% of the time. There are no electrical items in the vicinity of the router, there is a 42" TV but that is switched off (not in standby mode, but off).
The one thing that does work is using our mobile phones as personal hot spots, interestingly only using the 3G network through the SureSignal device, not if they're connected to the wireless signal from the power line adaptors. The phones gives us reliable, and fast broadband connections.
This surely means the broadband connection is good, and the Ethernet network created by the power line adaptors is good. It seems strange that none of the power line adaptors give us a wireless connection, while at the same time the router also doesn't give us a connection. Why would all four not work at the same time?
We've tried switching off all the power line adaptors and just using the TalkTalk router, which didn't help.
We would very much appreciate if anyone could share any thoughts or suggestions as to what might be happening.
When you just use the Talk Talk router, is it completely physically disconnected from the power line adapter and anything else? If so, and if you have switched it off and back on, and you're not getting internet over the router's wifi network then you've probably got a dodgy Talk Talk router.
I think these power line things can create havoc with IP addresses hence asking if they're physically connected and the Talk Talk router switched off and on (to reset IP addresses).
Good luck - and in the meantime why not buy a spare router and try it in place of the Talk Talk one? Rules it out for not much £.
I think these power line things can create havoc with IP addresses hence asking if they're physically connected and the Talk Talk router switched off and on (to reset IP addresses).
Good luck - and in the meantime why not buy a spare router and try it in place of the Talk Talk one? Rules it out for not much £.
I have a very similar problem. My set up is a Netgear router connected by ethernet to a desktop computer and to a 'parent' TP link adapter like yours. Also like you I have three other 'slave' TP Link extenders. One is to provide wireless to the sitting room, the smart TV, and an IP camera below in the garage. The second is connected by ethernet to an NVR with four outdoor CCTV cameras, and the fourth is in the garage to provide wireless to another nearby IP camera. The garage camera seems happier not sharing an extender with another camera. Mostly the system works well provided that the IP cameras are not powered and running. As soon as either one alone is switched on the system starts to shut down. The camera drops off and so does the smart TV. The NVR remains on at all times as does the wireless in the sitting room despite sharing a router with the non-functional TV. I am coming to the conclusion, with help from TP Link tech people, that the router cannot handle the traffic and starts to selectively drop devices off the network. My internet connection is slow (6Mbps) but as the cameras all work independent of the 'net unless remote access is required, I doubt that the speed is a factor.
As stated with these things it is a process of elimination really, strip back to wired connection from router and start testing from there
I will add I am in a 20-25yr old house and used to use a TP link to extend the conecntion to another room wired i might add, and the connection was terrible around 8mbit and i am on 100mbit virgin so ended up going a hardwired connection with a long cable and switch. May be the wiring plays a part as well not just electrical devices so strip back and check as a starting point
I will add I am in a 20-25yr old house and used to use a TP link to extend the conecntion to another room wired i might add, and the connection was terrible around 8mbit and i am on 100mbit virgin so ended up going a hardwired connection with a long cable and switch. May be the wiring plays a part as well not just electrical devices so strip back and check as a starting point
From your description it sounds like the weakest link is the router - which one is it and have you looked at reviews?
Running lots of waps is far from satisfactory in my experience especially if you move through the house with a connected device.
I had similar problems, albeit with a standard plusnet router, and they went away went I bought a decent alternative - for instance, wifi in my office which is a few metres away from the router is now a pretty constant 50 mbps whereas with the plusnet router it was around 8Mbs and always falling over.
Running lots of waps is far from satisfactory in my experience especially if you move through the house with a connected device.
I had similar problems, albeit with a standard plusnet router, and they went away went I bought a decent alternative - for instance, wifi in my office which is a few metres away from the router is now a pretty constant 50 mbps whereas with the plusnet router it was around 8Mbs and always falling over.
After 16 years in a 3 bed semi and the joys of the ever increasing speeds offered by virginmedia fibre (usually free upgrades), I'm now using the dogs
t (in comparison) that is openreach FTC and a skyhub router in a 5 bed simply because we can't get virgin...TP links and managed switches haven't helped, if we use speedtest.net to test the connection (which they insist we do as they pay for it) surprisingly it reveals no problems with our internet connection (using PS4 connection test straight afterwards shows a marked decrease in performance). They point to our multiple devices (which are registered with the hub but not on) as using up bandwidth...it's obviously something we are doing...2 years now and 3 routers (a new-ish one helps for a bit) later it's still the same pile of steaming waste...
My next step is to switch the skyhub to modem node and get a decent router internally, anybody got a recommendation? We've spent a shedload already trying to sort this out so I'm not fussed about price as long as I don't need to remortgage...I'd just like to be able to stream a video while somebody else in the house is surfing the internet and a stable connection for online racing...
First world problems I know, but incredibly frustrating as we are paying for a service that simply isn't performing as advertised.
t (in comparison) that is openreach FTC and a skyhub router in a 5 bed simply because we can't get virgin...TP links and managed switches haven't helped, if we use speedtest.net to test the connection (which they insist we do as they pay for it) surprisingly it reveals no problems with our internet connection (using PS4 connection test straight afterwards shows a marked decrease in performance). They point to our multiple devices (which are registered with the hub but not on) as using up bandwidth...it's obviously something we are doing...2 years now and 3 routers (a new-ish one helps for a bit) later it's still the same pile of steaming waste...My next step is to switch the skyhub to modem node and get a decent router internally, anybody got a recommendation? We've spent a shedload already trying to sort this out so I'm not fussed about price as long as I don't need to remortgage...I'd just like to be able to stream a video while somebody else in the house is surfing the internet and a stable connection for online racing...
First world problems I know, but incredibly frustrating as we are paying for a service that simply isn't performing as advertised.
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