Poor wi-fi in one room

[jimhooper]

We have one room where the wi-fi is poor. I am considering buying a couple of Mini Whole Home Wi-fi disks but am not clear how they are setup. It seems that one of the disks is connected to my BT Hub (upstairs) and the other in the room of poor signal (downstairs). As they are set up as a new network does that mean that I can't use the wi-fi signal from the Hub upstairs? If I can also use the Hub wi-fi signal, can I move devices from downstairs to upstairs, or vice versa, and they will automatically connect to either the Hub or Whole Home disk depending on the strongest signal? Sorry if this seems a mundane question but I really can't find exactly how the Whole Home Wi-Fi disks  work!

[gosforth]

@jimhooper trouble of whole Home WiFi Discs connected wirelessly is? 

They use wireless network to connect to BT SH2 hub, on that "mystery" channel you might not see at WiFi list but will see as "hidden" when you look via for example "WiFi Analyser" Android app...

They form "mesh" network and typically will have same WiFi SSID (WiFi name) as your main router and any devices will just simply connect to nearest or better one, which will be available.

As with any "mesh" network, it's much better, if you are able connect any "discs" over the LAN UTP cable directly into main router, whilst like that they don't need reply on WiFi point to point signal between "disc" and router" and essentially will do better job.. 

But I guessing, you will not be lucky to have cables all over the house / flat and that might be complicated more...

[jimhooper]

Gosforth, I'm sorry but I don't understand your answer. I'm not young so need all the help I can get. What I've read in the Whole Home wi-fi disks reviews seems to contradict what I think you've written. People have complained that one of the disks needs to be connected via ethernet to the router, i.e. almost wasting a disk. Also that the "mesh" network has a different SSID than the router. Are both these statements true? You seem to imply that the "mesh" network will have the same SSID as the router. I didn't understand your comment about LAN UTP cables.

[imjolly]

probably better with something simple if only 1 room

https://shop.bt.com/products/bt-mini-wi-fi-home-hotspot-600-kit-084288-BVFF.html

[gosforth]

@jimhooper as long as I am aware, you NEED to plug Wi-fi Disc over the LAN cable only to setup it to work with you BT SmartHub 2, and when this is done, you are free to unplug it, and position it anywhere needed. This takes few minutes, and it’s one time only for each disk you intend to use.

All “mesh” networks usually work either over that “hidden” WiFi channel to communicate with each other, and hub. Most of the mesh networks will have limited speeds due this, but will still do good job especially when you normally have trouble with weak coverage from main WiFi router (very dependant on your own situation and house build, size, etc etc etc).

If you wanna be sure, as performance will be the best possible, there is usually option to connect each disc over the Ethernet cable, but this might be not viable option, when such cables are not practical option. And I guessing here, that’s not really way You wanna go.

I need to re-check info about SSID, but I do believe, it’s possible have it set to share same SSID, not need to stick only with Different SSID on Hub and on disc(s). But even if you have different WiFi SSID on hub and disc, your devices should be able establish, which is better and re-connect between them. But, this might be problem sometimes (and it’s better have same SSID).

There is different other options, some sort of WiFi extender, which will simply “repeat” signal from Your Hub is one of them, or, devices which will transmit network over the main electricity wires, but I am not going to recommend anything here, while don’t have idea what making that room to have poor WiFi coverage, and your concrete situation.

[gosforth]

@jimhooper  https://youtu.be/U8VNd8tf9fs is BT product video about setup of WiFi Discs with BT SH2

[licquorice]

As @@imjolly  says, if you only have a problem in one room, simply use a pair of powerline adapters which use your mains wiring to extend an Ethernet and WiFi signal.I find the TP Link adapters very effective. 

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

[gosforth]

I shall point, as I am talking about BLACK WiFi Discs (I do believe, these are newer version and restricted to use only with BT SmartHub 2), but there are probably still available to source WHITE WiFi Disc, where I don’t have any experience with them.

That white ones I do believe, working in way, You @jimhooper described originally, as one is permanently connected to your main WiFi hub and essentially forms another separate network for them (and You loosing one just to be “bridge” between Your hub and other disc(s) like that).

White ones, on other side, should not be chained just to BT SH2, and in theory should be able to use them with many other routers, or, in general almost any, which provide You with LAN port. 

White ones was offered before, but now, in general You will gets Black one, as part of for example HALO3+.

[jimhooper]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I realised watching the video that gosforth was talking about Complete Wi-Fi. For me this is probably the wisest choice, but, unfortunately, the most expensive. My concern with using powerline wi-fi extenders is that I already use Simpler Network powerline adaptors (supplied originally by BT)to hardwire my BT Vision box to the router and don't want to mess up that connection; I found a third party pair of adaptors caused a problem with BBC iPlayer. It's so difficult to know what to do!

[licquorice]

I would be surprised if the TP Link adaptors didn't work with your BT Vision box. You can get a triple set, one master and 2 slaves https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/powerline/tl-wpa4220-tkit/

You could always return them if they didn't work if you got them from Amazon.

I don't have a BT Vision box but I watch BBCiPlayer on a smart TV via these with no problem.