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Broadband and WFH

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  • 14-06-2021 8:40am
    #1
    mrstoughturtle
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭


    Any broadband gurus that can help?

    I've been on to our provider (Sky) at least 15-20 times over the last few months and they are saying the issue sits within our home. We live in a 4bed semi D, both working from home. We have the router downstairs, booster upstairs, have installed TP Link network to try increase speeds. If i connect directly to router with all devices off, I get 900mbps +. Though that's not an option. Upstairs on our laptops, we only get around 50mbps for both download and upload. Both of us generally work upstairs and we are finding constant lag on video calls. Not sure what else we can do.

    We've been with Virgin also and had similar issues.


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    #2
    limnam
    Registered Users Posts: 9,152 ✭✭✭limnam


    mrstoughturtle wrote: »
    Any broadband gurus that can help?

    I've been on to our provider (Sky) at least 15-20 times over the last few months and they are saying the issue sits within our home. We live in a 4bed semi D, both working from home. We have the router downstairs, booster upstairs, have installed TP Link network to try increase speeds. If i connect directly to router with all devices off, I get 900mbps +. Though that's not an option. Upstairs on our laptops, we only get around 50mbps for both download and upload. Both of us generally work upstairs and we are finding constant lag on video calls. Not sure what else we can do.

    We've been with Virgin also and had similar issues.


    The issue is most definitely within your home.



    Run cat 6 to wherever you need good connectivity and install decent AP's such as Ubiquity.


    That should solve it for you.


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    #3
    babelfish1990
    Registered Users Posts: 592 ✭✭✭babelfish1990


    mrstoughturtle wrote: »
    Any broadband gurus that can help?

    I've been on to our provider (Sky) at least 15-20 times over the last few months and they are saying the issue sits within our home. We live in a 4bed semi D, both working from home. We have the router downstairs, booster upstairs, have installed TP Link network to try increase speeds. If i connect directly to router with all devices off, I get 900mbps +. Though that's not an option. Upstairs on our laptops, we only get around 50mbps for both download and upload. Both of us generally work upstairs and we are finding constant lag on video calls. Not sure what else we can do.

    We've been with Virgin also and had similar issues.
    50mbps is far more speed than you will ever need for video calls. 4K TV is the highest demand likely in a household, and it is only around 25mbps. It it possible that you are using mobile devices for your video calls, and that you have left the WiFi switched on in your ISP router? Mobile devices tend to cling on to the weaker signal, to avoid breaking connection, even when a stronger WiFi signal is available. You need to ensure that your mesh system covers the whole home seamlessly as a single zone. This will ensure that mobile devices handover as they go from one access point to another.

    You mention a "Booster" and a "TP-Link" network - but you haven't actually stated if it is a full mesh network? Home plug "Boosters" are very temperamental and don't work in every home. You need a wired Ethernet network, or a WiFi Mesh (TP Link Deco etc), to reliably extend coverage within the home. It is also possible that your laptops are laggy, or that you are using work VPNs that are throttling bandwidth due to too many users WFH. Not ISPs fault.


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    #4
    andublin
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭andublin


    "Run cat 6 to wherever you need good connectivity and install decent AP's such as Ubiquity."
    I broadly agree.
    In my case, I ran Ethernet cabling from the router up into the centre of the attic;
    Used a good WiFi 6 router as a repeater up there, made sure that I set up a different WiFi network name for each band 2.4 and 5 GHz; also made sure the names and channels did not clash with the ones downstairs.

    Use the Android app "WiFi Analyzer" for an excellent picture of the channels in use and their strength.


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    #5
    babelfish1990
    Registered Users Posts: 592 ✭✭✭babelfish1990


    andublin wrote: »
    "Run cat 6 to wherever you need good connectivity and install decent AP's such as Ubiquity."
    I broadly agree.
    In my case, I ran Ethernet cabling from the router up into the centre of the attic;
    Used a good WiFi 6 router as a repeater up there, made sure that I set up a different WiFi network name for each band 2.4 and 5 GHz; also made sure the names and channels did not clash with the ones downstairs.

    Use the Android app "WiFi Analyzer" for an excellent picture of the channels in use and their strength.

    Bad advice - you should never set up a second router on a home network. It will give rise to Double Nat and security issues.

    Ethernet cabling is a good idea, but you should only connect devices that are configured as Wireless Access Points (not routers). Ubiquiti Unifi devices, or any Mesh Wireless system such as TP Link Deco will do fine. Mesh devices also have the advantage they will work without cabling, if necessary. A mesh will also allow you to operate one WiFi network name throughout the house - much smoother solution than having separate zones. The Mesh forces seamless handover to strongest WiFi as you move from one area to another.


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    #6
    BArra
    Registered Users Posts: 4,032 ✭✭✭BArra


    babelfish1990 wrote: »
    Bad advice - you should never set up a second router on a home network. It will give rise to Double Nat and security issues.

    Ethernet cabling is a good idea, but you should only connect devices that are configured as Wireless Access Points (not routers). Ubiquiti Unifi devices, or any Mesh Wireless system such as TP Link Deco will do fine. Mesh devices also have the advantage they will work without cabling, if necessary. A mesh will also allow you to operate one WiFi network name throughout the house - much smoother solution than having separate zones. The Mesh forces seamless handover to strongest WiFi as you move from one area to another.

    maybe he is using second router as an access point and thus no double nat?


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    #7
    babelfish1990
    Registered Users Posts: 592 ✭✭✭babelfish1990


    BArra wrote: »
    maybe he is using second router as an access point and thus no double nat?

    Perhaps - but he should have made this clear, as the average user needs guidance to set this up correctly.

    Still bad advice, as he also recommends operating separate WiFi SSID on second router. This will result in mobile devices clinging onto weaker WiFi signal vs Mesh WiFi roaming which will force seamless handovers to strongest Access Point. Unless their ISP offers a router supporting native mesh (eg Eir F3000), most users will need to invest in separate mesh devices and turn off WiFi in their ISP router.


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