BT infinity speeds are slowing down to a crawl

[sjtp]

Also, another thing I seem to recall is that the BT engineer set up the broadband connection to the main computer upstairs as a wireless connection when he upgraded to BT Infinity even though I see an ethernet cable connecting the hub and the compouter whereas previously I had the connection set up as wired. Obviously the laptop connected wirelessly. But the main computer was a wired connection.  It may still be, but I will need to check for sure.  If you have the wire upstairs, use it to connect the main computer.  That will certainly improve connection to the main computer.  It is possible that will even help with your laptop problem: sometimes routers have issues if there are different kinds of wireless clients connected at the same time and cannot make the best of all the connections.

Try that out, and follow what I said about inSSIDer in the earlier post before you worry too much about the expense of the HomePlug option.

Do I just buy the hpomeplug and plug it in my living room. Is that it? This will boost the signal of my existing wireless connections i.e. the laptop?  You buy a pair of HomePlugs (starter kits usually come in pairs).  You plug one in near the router, with an ehternet connection between it and the router.   You plug the other in near the remote device, with an ethernet connection between it and the remote device.  So the signal flows:

modem->router->HomePlugA->mains wiring->HomePlugB->remote device.

(router == HomeHub == box that came with Infinity)

If you need several devices at the remote place, you have a couple of choices.

- add a switch at the remote place

- buy a more expensive HomePlug at that end that includes a switch (several ethernet sockets).

If you need wireless at the remote place it is similar, you can add a wireless switch, or buy a HomePlug that includes wireless.

I think that in theory it should be possible to arrange

modem->HomePlugA->mains wiring->HomePlugB->router->remote device,

That would probably give you lower Infinity performance, but the loss might not be enough to matter to you.  (I'd be interested to hear other comments on that option).

[aremeza]

Thanks for taking the time to explain in detail. I will do these steps one at a time. I have run the inSSIDer and I find that on my channel thhere is also BTFON, BTOpenzone and another network with Virgin (likely one of my neighbours).

Do I need to change the channel? If so, how?

[sjtp]

BTFON and BTOpenzone are part of your homehub signal, no need to worry about those. If the Virgin signal shows nearly as strong as your main one, then maybe you should change channel; check that where the laptop will be used, not near the hub. inSSIDer will have shown if others channels are freeer.  isSSIDer will also show if small changes to the position of the HomeHub help with the signal.

To change channel, go on a web browser to 'http://192.168.1.254', click Settings, then Wireless (you will be asked for a password along the way. That is shown on the pullout tab of your HomeHub). Change the channel in the 'Channel Selection' part.

[aremeza]

OK thanks. The Virgin network has a signal strength similar to mine. Can I change the channel to any number that isn't showing up for any of the other networks or does it have to be one of the channels showing up for one of those networks? The RSSI ranges from -60 to -91 for the various networks.

[sjtp]

The valid channel numbers are 1 to 13. These are the numbers that show at the bottom of the inSSIDer graph. They all spread out a little as you can see in the graph. It is common to use one of 1, 6 or 11, as then they hardly overlap; try choosing one of those that is as far away from the strong Virgin one as possible. Signal strength above -60 should be pretty good, -70 ok. If yours is in that range, and 10 better than anything else on that channel, you should be ok. (Others with more wireless knowledge may suggest different numbers, but that should give you a reasonable idea of what to look for.)

[aremeza]

It has helped a bit I think because my speeds have gone up by around 2-7 mb on the laptop from the same location. So thanks.

However, I think what I really need to boost the speeds a lot more as some of you suggested is to use a long ethernet cable and bring the modem and the hub right next to the master telephone socket (middle floor), instead of current arrangement of using a 10 metre RJ11-RJ11 cable to connect modem to master socket and have the hub on the top floor. So I will connect the hub to the main computer with the ethernet cable with the hub in the middle floor and connecting the modem to the hub using a short ethernet cable. This way I will have the hub positioned more centrally in the house.

This way I will likely see small decrease in speed upstairs but relatively much bigger gain downstairs (where I am most often).

It will also allow me to avoid the expense of home plugs.