Connect Box UPC Router Issues: Slow WiFi Speeds & Stability in 50m2 Apartment (500 MB Plan)

Question

Hi, I have UPC 500 MB internet with Connect Box router. It is located in the living room. On the other side of the apartment in the room I have a PC c...

KOCUREK1970 · Answer

For wifi, no operator is responsible. At home, no one jams the wifi, because there is no one. In a block of wifi networks there can be a lot, from other people. To have a real wifi speed of 250 Mb / s, you need a wifi 802.11ac 2x2 MU-MIMO transmitter with a bandwidth of 867 Mbps. For it to work fully, your end devices must also support 802.11ac 2x2 MU-MIMO with a bandwidth of 867 Mbps. And all this with the assumptions of laboratory location conditions, broadcasting and receiving conditions, no other wifi networks nearby, no terrain obstacles, distance, etc. For starters, this: https://www.elektroda.pl/rtvforum/topic3158772.html

grejfrut12 · Answer

This is what I was able to do with one of the given apps. I did the test in the place where there is the biggest problem with wifi. In the same place speedtest.pl showed 15.7 mbps and 18ms ping

KOCUREK1970 · Answer

@grejfrut12
At 2.4GHz, everyone sits on standard channels, i.e. 1, 6 and 11 - and these are always the most heavily loaded, because they are set by default (and rightly so, only wifi networks can then be only 3 pieces and not their multitude).
Try to change to a different channel than those indicated earlier.

There is no madness at 5GHz either.

grejfrut12 · Answer

@KOCUREK1970 Thanks for the answer - I changed 2.4 GHz to channel 3, and 5 GHz to channel 48 - I'll test it and if anything else I'll get back to you

EDIT - I can already see that it's not good, and it's even worse, e.g. on a phone located 5 meters from the router (although there is a wall and a door) - there are full lines of wifi range, suddenly it drops to 0 and switches to mobile data, for a few seconds back to wifi

Anonymous · Answer

@grejfrut12 Which are your networks? It's Armageddon on 2.4, try setting the channel selection to Auto.

grejfrut12 · Answer

my networks are those whose name starts with 2.4GHz_ or 5GHz_ As it was on auto, it also interrupted, although probably to a lesser extent than with the channels set manually

Anonymous · Answer

Hmm, interesting. On 2.4GHz you are in the picture on channel 11 alone. And yet, the analyzer shows very large changes in signal strength. Something serious is happening in nature.

Apart from the above fact, your signal levels are definitely too low - the analyzer shows changes between -70...-90dBm. Already -70dBm is not enough, -90dBm means either a break in transmission or a very high speed limit at best. It should be above -65dBm

On 5GHz, it looks like you're alone. A bit weird, but the facts are not disputed. However, as in the case of 2.4GHz, the signal level is too low, especially if the connection was in the 'ac' standard. It should be at least above -60dBm.

Do the measurements of both bands again, but first near the router, and then in this unlucky place. And you can think what to do next.

grejfrut12 · Answer

I am attaching screenshots of the test. I did the test next to the router (first 4 screenshots) and in the room where the internet works the worst

Anonymous · Answer

The router transmits very well in these conditions, I would say, especially on 5GHz. However, the levels in the room are much too low. Plus, neighbor networks appearing and disappearing interfering with your transmissions. By the way, you're disturbing them too.

In general, you need to strengthen the strength of wifi signals reaching the room, i.e. add an AP or, as a last resort, a repeater.

Nevertheless, while on 2.4GHz you can expect nothing fast in these conditions, on 5GHz you should get some reasonable speeds, not 10Mbps.

1. What are you connecting to the router in this room - device names?

2. Show how the wireless connections of these devices are established when connecting to the router. This is usually shown in the "Wireless Properties" or "Status" of the connection. You should see the speed at which you are connecting, e.g. "144Mbps".

3. Disable "smarty wifi" on the router, if it is enabled. This is a feature that allows wifi clients to automatically switch between bands depending on the quality of the signals. Sometimes it just rubs.

KOCUREK1970 · Answer

@grejfrut12 Also, turn off the WiFree operator's hotline - no benefits from it, and it only clutters the ether.

grejfrut12 · Answer

1. Xiaomi Mi9, Huawei P9 lite 2017, Samsung Galaxy S20, DELL Latitude 5410 laptop 2. In XIaomi Mi9, it shows me 13 Mbps on 5GHz and 26 Mbps on 2.4 GHZ in the properties, in Galaxy 31 on 5Ghz and 39 on 2.4GHz (I checked in the room with the worst range). I'll be able to check tomorrow on my laptop, but generally it has the slightest problem with the internet 3. Smart WiFi off - manually set channel 9 for 2.4GHZ and 48 for 5GHz

Anonymous · Answer

Well, yes, the connections are more than tragic, hence the low speed and instability. The reason will be very low and fluctuating signal levels and interfering neighborhood networks, or maybe something else.

There is nothing more to do here, you just need to raise the signal levels in this room. You might be able to get a little improvement by trying a different spatial setting of the router. But that's usually cosmetic. In fact, you need to place the AP in this room, or near it. You have a choice:

1. AP connected via twisted pair to the router - the best option.

2. Wifi repeater - maybe it would work, maybe not.

3. MESH - as above

4. PLC wifi - here the electric network in the apartment is a significant limitation, usually cutting speeds to a maximum of several dozen Mbps.

KOCUREK1970 · Answer

@grejfrut12
This copy of the modem router may also be damaged - report it to the dealer and they will replace it (it's free and may solve the problem).

As for MESH and PLC - UPC has a new toy in this direction, they call it Smart Wifi (you have to pay extra PLN 15 for what you pay, unfortunately I don't know if 15 zika per piece, set and how many pieces are in the set):

This and the Connect Box will be the whole set.

grejfrut12 · Answer

I have a twisted pair cable to the other end of the apartment (to the room with the worst coverage, which is adjacent to the room with the worst coverage). It is plugged into a desktop PC. What device would I have to buy to use this twisted pair to improve the range and at the same time use the Internet on a PC via cable? I see that access points are quite expensive. Maybe a second router, and CB set to bridge?

I don't care about any high speed WiFi. Glad it doesn't stop like that all the time.

I will call UPC again, ask if the router can be replaced because nothing helps

mbo · Answer

AP with two RJ45 ports or AP and switch.

KOCUREK1970 · Answer

Switch and some AP - with a switch you will divide the net wired into a computer and an AP. The CB in the bridge does not transmit wifi - so you will move the problem with wifi to another place (there will be no wifi coverage, where the coverage is now). Only there you are not alone and this is the essence of the problem - cheap equipment has no configuration settings, especially for wifi (select the channel, password and that's it), more expensive equipment gives some additional possibilities (width of the wifi channel, better security, active wifi beam , scalability, fast roaming as needed, etc.). Start with that. New equipment can also be defective, let alone someone else's equipment.

grejfrut12 · Answer

Unfortunately, UPC is not willing to replace the device claiming that it is not responsible for wifi. I'm thinking AP now.
In the central place of the apartment - above the entrance door - I have a plastic box with two sockets marked RJ 45 and two sockets marked LAN. The router was installed in the living room next to two ethernet sockets. I assume they connect to one of the sockets in the box. There is also an electrical socket in the box,
I'm thinking about buying a Xiaomi Mi WiFi Range Extender AC1200 and connecting it via ethernet to some socket in the box and from the router to pull the same twisted pair to some socket in the living room. I would have an AP in the middle of the apartment and maybe that would improve the range.

I am asking for info if it can be done at all + whether this Xiaomi AP will be suitable

KOCUREK1970 · Answer

Then, instead of an amplifier, just buy an Access Point.

grejfrut12 · Answer

Apparently this xiaomi device has Access point mode.

KOCUREK1970 · Answer

@grejfrut12
You have to plug it into the socket, and these are at what height?
What will increase the range, since at this height you have everything in the apartment as furniture, apartment equipment.

Anonymous · Answer

Router operating in AP mode. For example, TP-Link's Archer C6, from the cheaper options. Then you have both wifi and a switch in one box. A matter of budget and the amount of MIMO the router supports. The more MIMO, the better. Only that wifi clients should then support the same amount of MIMO. It would be good to first make sure which cable goes where, because it varies. It's best to check where which leads and make a freehand diagram (can be a pencil, then a photo or scan) of the apartment with the marked router and the worst room. Don't worry, there are extension cords...

grejfrut12 · Answer

The electrical socket is just in this box with LAN and rj45 sockets. It would be enough to plug this xiaomi device into the power supply and a short ethernet cable to one of the sockets. I'd just have to test which ones.

As for the router with the AP, I could put it next to the computer where I have a twisted pair cable (it will not fit in this box), but it is not the central point of the apartment