This topic

WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 10:45:43 GMT

Recently our BT wifi has started to just disappear so we get no connections at all. I have Smart Hub2 and three WIFI disks. The Smart Hub always stays Blue, but the disks sometimes goes RED and sometimes they stay blue but with no wifi connection. I have been online to BT many times, I have had WIFI disks replaced, they have factory reset the main hub, and done many config changes remotely but they cannot fix this issue. Does anybody know what can be done or any setting that needs to be made. We rely on the wifi signal as many do as our heating is controlled using wifi.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

Manatarms84 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 12:22:41 GMT

If everything has been recently factory reset and replaced when needed, I would jump on the app and see if they need to be re-positioned.
If you have done this or everything looks good on the app then I would call BT and have them send out someone who will check it all out for you and re-set everything up.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:20:37 GMT

Yes just had an engineer out and guess all worked ok until he left, wifi dropping again.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:42:30 GMT

The engineer said I could use any VDSL router to replace the BT hub2 and the wifi disks, is that true. I have a supposedly GFAST connection, I have BT socket that has a plug for the phone and one for the Broadband. Th ebroadband plugs into the grey socket on the BT Hub2.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

imjolly — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:04:27 GMT

provided that you don't have digital voice and are not going to have DV in future then you can use any compatible router you want. you need to use the SH2 if you use digital voice

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:06:12 GMT

Any recommendations

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

licquorice — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:13:22 GMT

If you have G.Fast you CANNOT use a standard VDSL modem/ router

G.Fast modem/routers are very few and far between.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:14:41 GMT

If you have a G.Fast connection, then a normal VDSL modem will not work, and the alternatives a very expensive.

I suspect it more likely to be the BT repeater discs that are causing the issue, is it possible to connect your CH hub via an Ethernet cable?

If not, then a Powerline wireless hotspot device located near to it, may be a better option.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/powerline/

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:41:58 GMT

So I do have a power line pair going to one room upstairs but its not a WIFI one. So if I got WIFI version I could use that to give wifi upstairs and remove the BT disks. Or would I remove all the disks and have Power Wifi adapters downstairs as well.

Which WIFI Power Line would in that case be best.

Sorry not techy person

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

licquorice — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:51:16 GMT

You can mix and match.

Give the WiFi power line adapters a different network name so you know where you are connecting and give it a different channel so it doesn't interfere with the discs

Have a look at the TP Link range and choose the best suited to your needs.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/powerline/

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:57:50 GMT

ok thanks i think the disks are on channel 6 and 30 something so i just use a differant one to those.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

licquorice — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:01:24 GMT

Yep

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:11:46 GMT

sorry another question so if i get the kit that has two wifi extenders and the one that plugs into the router, I can plug the two wifi extenders one upstairs and one in the living room. Is that correct I only need one physically connected to the main hub.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/powerline/tl-wpa4220-tkit/

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

licquorice — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:19:36 GMT

Correct. In fact that is the kit I have with 3 slaves.

Bear in mind they are going to be fairly slow and are only single (2.4Ghz) band but if you only have FTTC broadband that will suffice.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 09:51:56 GMT

Can you have more as it were slave WIFI extenders, so say Main one plugged into the router, One or two downstairs and one or two upstairs. All these would broadcast say a new named network called say " My own WIFI". So effectively you have two wifi networks the one broadcast by BT and the "My own WIFI".

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

licquorice — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 10:25:52 GMT

Yes, you can do that. However, it is much more preferable to give each slave its own network name so that you know which one your device is connected to and can force a change if it is hanging on to a weak signal.

There is a myth that giving wifi sources the same name allows seamless roaming between them, it doesn't. The device will drop and reconnect in exactly the same way as if the sources were different names. The downside being you can't choose which source to connect to. Seamless roaming is only achieved with mesh systems.

I currently have 4 sources of wifi, the BT hub and 3 TP Link powerlines. My phone just connects to whichever it thinks best at the time and simply changes to another source if I move rooms.

The alternative is a third party mesh system.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/deco/

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

rolotwix12 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 11:37:06 GMT

Sorry to keep adding.

The mesh product looks good, to create your own wifi. by plugging one into the main router and th others around the house all working at either 2.5 or 5Hz

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

licquorice — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 11:40:13 GMT

Yes

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 12:23:13 GMT

@rolotwix12

I use the TP Link Deco mesh, and its fine. The app can be misleading sometimes, when it says a node is offline, when its not, but it soon sorts itself out. Its easy just to check the colour of the light. You need to change it to access mode from modem mode, once the app connects via the Cloud.

It does have an advantage that you can configure the guest network as 2.4GHz only, for those devices that get confused with dual bands. The guest network is isolated, unless you allow local access.

Re: WIFI Drops all the time

tonysmini018 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 14:28:48 GMT

If you have a pc or laptop, check it’s not doing a OneDrive or iCloud back up upload. That can swamp your upload causing the download to crash and other equipment to drop connection (in this case your discs).