changing provider killed WIFI

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lordsnake

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Sep 25, 2009
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TBH I don't know how this is even possible, but just before Xmas I switched from PlusNet to ZEN.
Prior to the switch, I could get almost FULL SPEED via WIFI, i.e. same as wired connection.
Immediately after switching to Zen my WIFI has turned to crap and I am only getting 2-8Mb now, even if I am in the same room as the router.
I really do mean literally this changed exactly after I switched. I did a speed test prior to switching so that I could compare, and was getting 32Mb, logged into the router and changed the login details to new ZEN account, then once it was connected I did another speed test and it had dropped to 15Mb, and since then has dropped down to about 7Mb on average at close proximity. Devices further away which were getting 20Mb previously, are now only getting 1-3Mb.

If I use a wired connection, I get the full 38MB, so it is not a problem with the connection itself, only the WIFI.
There is nothing else that happened at the exact same time to cause interference, no new electrical items or anything were plugged in or turned on.
However just to rule out any coincidental interference, I have tried moving the router to the other side of the room, turning off any other nearby devices, TV's etc, it made no difference.
I have of course rebooted the router etc several times.

So I am flummoxed, how has switching providers killed my WIFI ?

 
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Carobthomp

Carobthomp

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You are experiencing wireless interference. It isn't the new provider, it's the router. There are solutions for this. Start by changing your wireless channel on the router between 1, 6, and 11, see if that helps. Regularly power cycle your router. If this isn't doing it for you, you can try moving the router to a more central location. Worst case scenario, just get a new router.
 
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lordsnake

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If it is interference, then how did this interference only start the exact second I changed providers ? surely I would have been experiencing this interference before ? seems like a huge unbelievable coincidence otherwise.

I have already tried manually setting the channels, it did not help, AUTO still works best.
As I said, I have rebooted/power cycled several times, this does not help at all.
As I also said, I already tried moving the router and the issue is the same even when in same room as router (sitting right next to it).
 
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Carobthomp

Carobthomp

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I'm assuming you likely changed routers with the provider change, but even if you didn't, it's still a WiFi issue. It can happen out of the blue, it has to do with the networks around you, devices in your home that can cause it, and location. Basically, if we can prove that hardwired it works fine, we know WiFi is the issue.

If it's your own router, you could try flashing the firmware. Aside from that, might be best to look into getting maybe a Wireless AC router, because, as you said, you have tried a lot.
 
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lordsnake

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I found the cause. It was my WIFI range extender.
For some reason changing the provider had somehow caused the extender to go haywire and cause network issues, no idea how or why this would happen, as it should not care what or who the router is connected to, only that there is a connection.
But rebooting the extender seems to have fixed the problem.
 
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Carobthomp

Carobthomp

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Awesome! Watch out for it in the future, as far as I know, that's the same idea as power cycling your router for router issues, so if you keep having to reboot the extender, might be worth while to look into other WiFi options. A cool option you can use w/ an extender as well, is a powerline device, that way you can have some devices hardwired that couldn't be otherwise, it's not a perfect hardwire, but it can be better than WiFi.

Glad you found a solution!
 
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lordsnake

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we were not actually using the extender (because it sucked) that was the bizarre thing, everything was connected directly to the router. So the extender was causing problems for the router WIFI connections, not its own.
I have already purchased a powerline adaptor (with built in WIFI) being as the extender did not work as expected and the WIFI from the powerline adaptor works much better.


 
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