Internet Connection

[Slytod]

There wasn’t, but the combination of your post and the fact that I’ve just had a few minutes of no WiFi (while the extender was still unplugged, I should add) has kicked me into action.

I watched the video, redid the WPS thing. I had to assume when all stopped flashing all was well. Then I read on to see I was supposed to change channel first !

I tried the link given for a WiFi montor (do you know it comes up with different suggestions if used on the PC and the Android tablet ?) and have just installed NetSpot on the tablet. I will have to see how that goes.

Not easy to interpret the NetSpot screen. Keeps changing (unsurprisingly). I was hoping it’d simply list channels and how busy there were. One of my test networks is listed twice, once at the top of the screen with a big red tick by it. I assume this is once from the router and once from the extender. I can only think that means the top one is already the best choice. Channel 1 which seems to have the lowest 33dBm whatever that is.

Other channels shown are 11, 36, 4, 6, I have no idea what to make of it really. Are the humps in the graph signal strength or present use ? Who knows. I’ll have to find some kind of manual.

So I think I’ll assume that’s it’s already set ok and the channel should be left alone, and reposition the extender in the kitchen as it usually is (in order to feed the signal out to the patio).

[PeterOz]

The idea with a scanner is to see how many other houses/flats etc are using the same channel.
In some countries the isp uses the same channel. So when you use a scanner it will show you for example 15 ssids all using
channel 6. This makes channel 6 crowded, so you change for example to 8 or 1 a channel that no one else is using.

[Slytod]

Well, if I interpret the lower graph correctly, channels 8, 9, and 13 seem to have nothing on them. Maybe I’ll try to use one of them tomorrow.

[PeterOz]

It can’t hurt. When you change it also resync tplink.
Do you know by chance if you are DSL or Cable or Fiber?

[Slytod]

DSL here.

(Unsure about my place, I had to change router to match a higher bandwidth a while back, but it’s still connected to the normal phone line. Unsure if that means it’s fibre, or just fibre to the company cabinet up the street.)

[Bruce]

@Slytod,

this thread has become confusing. (admittedly - that could easily just be me!)
I feel this thread is going in circles and no real progress is being made.

not only do we try to help each OP with their issue, but the end result of that help can then be used by other members to search over later for similar issues they may face.

can you please pick one location, either yours or the girlfriends, and bullet list the problems with that one location.
also, please re-read all posts, as there may be questions yet to be answered and advice yet to be actioned.

once that location is resolved, you can start another thread for the other location.

[Slytod]

This is already about one location.

[PeterOz]

I Bruce thanks for the input.
Slytod The only thing left now is to change the channel on the modem/router. Re link the TP-Link device as per the video.
As per the two links in post #69.
If you still have a problem after doing that you will have to think about getting someone in to do a proper analysis of the wifi.
You may need to have different extenders then what you are currently using.
Unfortunately I can’t recommend equipment as there are a lot of variables that have to be taken into account.

[Slytod]

I have now set the channel to 8 and WPSed the extender to match. The bottom graph now shows that all around that channel 8 area is used, the block under the curve being shown as from 6.5ish to way above 13 (!) so it’s difficult to know how to interpret it. It also shows that the line plots for the new use are labelled CH 1 and CH1 (3), so confusingly it seems to have different ways to label channels. (It has to be channels along the x axis despite that axis being unlabelled, as that’s how I identified gaps, which now are used.) It’s all very weird. (At some point I may try to find a different WiFi monitor to see if it is any clearer.)

I’ll take the extender back to the kitchen and see how it goes today. Although as mentioned earlier, it all a lot fewer drop-outs these days anyway.

[Slytod]

Having to WPS it again. when plugged in downstairs the top 2 LEDs never stopped being red.
Now back upstairs trying there is a gap where I’d would have thought an LED would be, but nothing is lit.

[PeterOz]

The bottom graph now shows that all around that channel 8 area is used, the block under the curve being shown as from 6.5ish to way above 13 (!) so it’s difficult to know how to interpret it

Your not supposed to interpret the graphs. That is for people who know what to look for. The whole idea of the scanner was for you to find a channel that had no users or very little users.
Run this at cmd prompt [COLOR=rgb(243, 121, 52)]netsh wlan show networks mode=bssid
[COLOR=rgb(255, 255, 255)]It will give a list of all the ssid in range. You pick a channel that is not in the list or a channel that only appears a couple of times
Look at the pic from mine you can see channel 56 is used by others so I stay away from 54.
I think you need to get someone with network experience in to look at your problem.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[Slytod]

Hmmm… problems … “The Wireless AutoConfig Service (wlansvc) is not running.”
Maybe I’ll try running wlansvc, if I can find it.

Trouble is that, that graph was the only bit that looked reasonable to interpret, The listing down the side was just confusing. I figure that app could do with a little work presenting the data it’s found a bit better.

Edit
Ah, I figure her PC hasn’t WiFi so that’s why it failed. I’ve some dongle thing providing WiFi on mine, downstairs, and it worked on that. But it seems little joy, and a surprise too.

Despite my change of channel yesterday (see above) I see no evidence of it.
5 networks exist. The one we’re working with, which claims to be on channel 1 (?!?!?!?!?!?!) Another that looks like her original router, but nothing will be using it, and it won’t be cabled anyway, working on channel 11. Plus another 3 from, presumably neighbours, all using channel 6.

So changing the channel seems to have resulted in not changing the channel, and no one else is using channel 1 anyway. Worth stating that the one we’re working on had two bssid references, which I guess is either related to the 2 frequencies, or maybe more likely the main router and extender ?

For what it is worth, it had a bad period yesterday so I simply pulled the extender out. Just seems to me that it is involved somehow and I can’t stand much more of it.

[Bruce]

am I right in saying that since the initial post of Nov 29, the issue still persists and drop outs are slightly less common?

[Slytod]

That’s about right. At my place presently, not my girlfriend’s, but yes. Used to be regularly, but randomly, all day, with different error messages, and taking it’s own sweet time to get back to normal. But now it’s a couple of times a day, maybe, but still frustrating trying to get it to get connected to the Internet again.

[PeterOz]

We are still not sure if your problem is -device to device
or device to internet (filters etc).
I think you need to get someone with network experience in to look at your problem.

We can recommend things to buy which may not help in your situation and you will be throwing good money away.
That is why you need a site inspection from a network person who has the right tools.

Sorry I could improve you situation

PeterOz