UnitiQute & Wireless signal strength
Posted by: pj5 on 19 March 2012
My Qute shows the wireless signal strength as 'marginal' even though it's only about 8 feet away from the router with nothing in the way. My laptop shows a solid 5 bars (excellent) at more than twice the distance.
Anyone else noticed this?
That's great that you've got better results now. What brand is the wifi router?
I have found that the Apple wifi routers (Airport Extreme especially) are more robust than the typical all-in-one cable modem / router supplied by the internet providers.
It's a Technicolor TG582n (supplied by PlusNet) We've not had issues before with signal strength on other devices, but there's a first time for everything I suppose. I was also under the impression that the router was specific to your Broadband so you could not change it for anything else (?)
Glad you got it sorted. It really does usually help having the AP as high and in the clear as you can. After all it is just radio.
Simon
That's great that you've got better results now. What brand is the wifi router?
I have found that the Apple wifi routers (Airport Extreme especially) are more robust than the typical all-in-one cable modem / router supplied by the internet providers.
It's a Technicolor TG582n (supplied by PlusNet) We've not had issues before with signal strength on other devices, but there's a first time for everything I suppose. I was also under the impression that the router was specific to your Broadband so you could not change it for anything else (?)
If it's working -- don't fix it. But if you run into wi fi signal problems again in your home . . .
The actual cable modem device (which you're calling the router; indeed that is part of its function) is probably best supplied by your broadband supplier. But you can disable the wi fi on it, and connect say an Apple Airport Extreme. You can use the cable modem / router to do everything BUT provide wi fi, and the Airport to do nothing but provide wi fi. It's an effective fix if your broadband company's router has crappy wi fi.
UHafler3o, you can usually use what ever router you wish on your broadband DSL service (at least in the UK), however you might find support is limited if you move away from the bundled router from your ISP, and you do need to know the lov level DSL link configuration. Not too onerous but it needs to right, but Google often helps out.
I use my own router on my BT broadband DSL service, a Cisco 870.
The bit you can't change is the NTE ie the master wall socket on the DSL
PlusNet uses BT's 21CN MSAN infrastructure for most of the country, therefore as fas as the router is concerned its physically linked to the same network as BT broadband, it is the backhaul and IP routes that are different for the different DSL services.
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However Sky for example, where the exchange has been through LLU (local loop unbundling), the DSL service will typically connect to a MSAN or DSLAM (the big DSL multiple line modem in the exchange) separate from BT. Therefore a given broadband router performance might be different between a PlusNet or Sky service as different carrier DSL technologies/vendors may be used.
Simon
^^ Thanks Simon & Bart, it's good to know that whatever I think I know sometimes needs a rethink. I can just about follow half of that post but the important thing is I can 'upgrade' my modem/router if necessary, thanks!
^^ Thanks Simon & Bart, it's good to know that whatever I think I know sometimes needs a rethink. I can just about follow half of that post but the important thing is I can 'upgrade' my modem/router if necessary, thanks!
YW! Personally, if it's just weak wi fi, I'd keep the broadband provider's router/modem and just get a better wi fi router (such as the Airport Extreme). But if it's all working ok now I'd not do a thing unless like me your "hobby" is (poorly) solving home network setup problems!