Improving my wifi connection

[#1]

Hi all

My router is in my bedroom and I am wondering if moving it into my sitting room (further away from the BT connection) will do it any harm. I don't get good Wifi in the rest of the flat and have plugged my Sky box and laptop into the router via cables (which works well). Will sending my entire connection through a longer cable, further away from the socket thing? Thank you

[#2]

Moderators Note
This topic has been moved from Fibre Broadband to My Router.

[#3]

Hiya @ellythemoo, thanks for getting in touch.

I am sorry for the issues you have with the WiFi. Using an extended DSL cable can have an impact on your connection, and it's essentially adding to the length of the line.

Another suggestion could be a WiFi booster to help improve the range of the signal through your flat.

[#4]

Thank you - I did wonder if that might be the case. Do Plusnet sell these please? Do they make a marked difference?

[#5]

@ellythemoo No, PN don't sell them, but hopefully other Community members will be able to make suggestions. Unfortunately I won't be one of them as I've never used or needed any.

[#6]

Thank you.

[#7]

Rather than using a WiFi extender (which uses the WiFi as a bridge and thus makes it less effective) look at a pair of dLan devices which carry the network over the electrical wires. You connect one unit to the router in a nearby socket. The other you can put in a socket near the sky device and connect it using an Ethernet cable.

[#8]

Thank you! I was also thinking about getting a better router - mine is just the standard one Plusnet supply. Does anyone have any recommendations, or is the dLAN device thing the best idea?

[#9]

Moving the router away from the master socket using a phone extension or DSL cable is likely to degrade the uplink signal.

A different router might deliver a better WiFi signal - it all depends on the layout of your property, the material of its construction and other nearby WiFi signals.

The ideal solution is everything connected by Ethernet cables straight to the router, however that is rarely practical. If you We’re able to get one Ethernet cable from the router to the location of the TV you could connect an Ethernet hub to the cable and connect the other devices it to it.

DLan devices offer a practical compromise.

[#10]

@ellythemoo 

Depending on the mains wiring layout a Powerline solution might be problematic.

An Ethernet cable is no thicker then a telephone extension cable and is by far the best solution. See here for options https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/Distributing-Data-around-Larger-Proper...

[#11]

You could try asking Plusnet for the HubTwo which has a better wifi range. Personally I would install a network cable that way you get the very best speed.

[#12]

It is worth mentioning you can buy no holes required flat network cable that can be run underneath carpet

Dan

[#13]

@Townman I have put an ethernet cable running direct from my router to my Skybox and that had a good result. I have put the cables through some trunking. A bit of a faff but I'm happy with this! Are you saying that if I had another ethernet cable I would be able to put another router in my sitting room? As I could do this.

[#14]

@Baldrick1 Thanks for your reply. What is a Powerline solution please?

@Bojang1 Thank you, I will ask them. How would I install a network cable? Is that an ethernet cable?

@Dan_the_Van thanks; I haven't got carpet, but I've invested in trunking which at least tidies them all away.

[#15]

Power line is dLan technology such as HTTP://devolo.co.uk

There are various technologies you could put at the end of an Ethernet cable to present more ports - a simple hub - a switch - or indeed reuse another router if you have one and you know how to / it lends itself to being reconfigured to be a simple router rather than all of the functions contained in a “router”. Notably it needs to work without xDSL being present, needs to be capable of switching off DHCP and pass through DHCP functionality.

If you have another router and post the details here, I’m sure someone on here can help you reconfigure it.