Router question from a computer technophobe
Discussion
I'm with sky at present for broadband and have one of their routers. The Internet in the house keeps dropping off, unplugging the router and switching it back on sorts it for a couple of days but then it goes off and I need to turn off/ back on again.
As such I guess the issue is with the router itself rather than the line into the house.
So, is a new router just plug and play albeit with a new password? I know it's probably a stupid question - the current one is a sky router but I guess that doesn't matter?
If not then any recommendations or are they largely all the same? Ideally with a decent signal strength to the whole of the house.
As such I guess the issue is with the router itself rather than the line into the house.
So, is a new router just plug and play albeit with a new password? I know it's probably a stupid question - the current one is a sky router but I guess that doesn't matter?
If not then any recommendations or are they largely all the same? Ideally with a decent signal strength to the whole of the house.
So much help out there with such a big ISP. This is only the first result:
https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Broadband/Setting-up-...
You can use your own router with pretty much all ISPs
https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Broadband/Setting-up-...
You can use your own router with pretty much all ISPs
Zippee said:
I'm with sky at present for broadband and have one of their routers. The Internet in the house keeps dropping off, unplugging the router and switching it back on sorts it for a couple of days but then it goes off and I need to turn off/ back on again.
As such I guess the issue is with the router itself rather than the line into the house.
So, is a new router just plug and play albeit with a new password? I know it's probably a stupid question - the current one is a sky router but I guess that doesn't matter?
If not then any recommendations or are they largely all the same? Ideally with a decent signal strength to the whole of the house.
Call Sky and explain the problem, let them sort it out rather than buy your own kit.As such I guess the issue is with the router itself rather than the line into the house.
So, is a new router just plug and play albeit with a new password? I know it's probably a stupid question - the current one is a sky router but I guess that doesn't matter?
If not then any recommendations or are they largely all the same? Ideally with a decent signal strength to the whole of the house.
If you've got an old router spare, you could plug it into an ethernet port on the Sky router and see if that works.
The problem as described could be the OP's phone/PC/whatever having address issues with the wifi side of the sky 'box'.
If you have loads of things on the same Wifi network, it's not unknown for them to squabble over addresses.
Windoze and Android updates that fiddle with IPv6 may be part of the problem.
If the router is a few years old, asking nicely for a new one is a good option though.
The problem as described could be the OP's phone/PC/whatever having address issues with the wifi side of the sky 'box'.
If you have loads of things on the same Wifi network, it's not unknown for them to squabble over addresses.
Windoze and Android updates that fiddle with IPv6 may be part of the problem.
If the router is a few years old, asking nicely for a new one is a good option though.
Crafty_ said:
Call Sky and explain the problem, let them sort it out rather than buy your own kit.
What's sky support like? if its anything like most of the other ISPs..."can you tell me which BT socket you have"
"can you restart the router"
"it's all working fine, your speed is very good sir"
(Insert Indian accent).
I've found that routers tend ot get flakey in terms of connection after 4-5 years and then its time for a new one. Anecdotal of course.
Griffith4ever said:
What's sky support like? if its anything like most of the other ISPs...
"can you tell me which BT socket you have"
"can you restart the router"
"it's all working fine, your speed is very good sir"
(Insert Indian accent).
I've found that routers tend ot get flakey in terms of connection after 4-5 years and then its time for a new one. Anecdotal of course.
I've only ever called them once for a relative, they were able to do line tests, noted a problem, opened a ticket with openreach, issue got resolved. If I recall correctly the person I spoke to was Scottish rather than Indian."can you tell me which BT socket you have"
"can you restart the router"
"it's all working fine, your speed is very good sir"
(Insert Indian accent).
I've found that routers tend ot get flakey in terms of connection after 4-5 years and then its time for a new one. Anecdotal of course.
At a guess, assuming there is no fault with the line they'll probably send OP a new router. I suppose its possible there is a line fault - i.e. connection drops, OP reboots router before it gets a chance to reconnect, after reboot the router reconnects and off it goes until the next time ?
Do sky do decent routers? I always buy my own. Most of the time ISP routers are produced down to a cost. A mid ranger that is £150 - £200 (how many months subscription is that?) will usually beat a freebie ISP router hands down.
Alternatively, not sure how configurable your Sky router is, but a lot of routers offer an auto reset option in the settings. Just make it reboot every night at 3 am or something, if it’s stable for a couple of days after a reboot.
My now el cheapo £70 AX router is stable for months on end, but I still set it to reboot once a week in the middle of the night, just to make sure I’m not interrupted during the middle of a work task. Its going to be replaced by a BE router, which have just been released. Just waiting for the prices to start coming down, they are eye watering right now. Very much doubt my ISP would offer a free BE upgrade. They were seriously behind the curve with AX, just not cost effective for them to offer the latest and greatest early on.
Alternatively, not sure how configurable your Sky router is, but a lot of routers offer an auto reset option in the settings. Just make it reboot every night at 3 am or something, if it’s stable for a couple of days after a reboot.
My now el cheapo £70 AX router is stable for months on end, but I still set it to reboot once a week in the middle of the night, just to make sure I’m not interrupted during the middle of a work task. Its going to be replaced by a BE router, which have just been released. Just waiting for the prices to start coming down, they are eye watering right now. Very much doubt my ISP would offer a free BE upgrade. They were seriously behind the curve with AX, just not cost effective for them to offer the latest and greatest early on.
Edited by wyson on Wednesday 31st January 04:29
typically, the CPE you get from an ISP is a bit cack. Later models may be better but wifi performance is typically not great.
you have two options:
1. Phone up and complain of the dropouts and threaten to leave if you have to. They will likely send a new router
2. Get a modern router and connect the WAN port to one of the LAN ports on the CPE. Better performance and the ISP is not in your network in any way
Double-NAT will usually not impact you, especially if you don't know what it is
you have two options:
1. Phone up and complain of the dropouts and threaten to leave if you have to. They will likely send a new router
2. Get a modern router and connect the WAN port to one of the LAN ports on the CPE. Better performance and the ISP is not in your network in any way
Double-NAT will usually not impact you, especially if you don't know what it is
Zippee said:
I'm with sky at present for broadband and have one of their routers. The Internet in the house keeps dropping off, unplugging the router and switching it back on sorts it for a couple of days but then it goes off and I need to turn off/ back on again.
As such I guess the issue is with the router itself rather than the line into the house.
So, is a new router just plug and play albeit with a new password? I know it's probably a stupid question - the current one is a sky router but I guess that doesn't matter?
If not then any recommendations or are they largely all the same? Ideally with a decent signal strength to the whole of the house.
no, Sky don't let any other routers conenct to there network. the best way to do it is to by a new router and plug it into the sky router and access wi-fi from that, go into the settings and disable the wi-fi on the sky router. As such I guess the issue is with the router itself rather than the line into the house.
So, is a new router just plug and play albeit with a new password? I know it's probably a stupid question - the current one is a sky router but I guess that doesn't matter?
If not then any recommendations or are they largely all the same? Ideally with a decent signal strength to the whole of the house.
Be warned that if you have sky q it will disable the mesh network for this so it will need setting up for the new router. The rubbnish Sky hardware is why I moved away from sky.
Griffith4ever said:
Crafty_ said:
Call Sky and explain the problem, let them sort it out rather than buy your own kit.
What's sky support like? if its anything like most of the other ISPs..."can you tell me which BT socket you have"
"can you restart the router"
"it's all working fine, your speed is very good sir"
(Insert Indian accent).
I've found that routers tend ot get flakey in terms of connection after 4-5 years and then its time for a new one. Anecdotal of course.
Crafty_ said:
I've only ever called them once for a relative, they were able to do line tests, noted a problem, opened a ticket with openreach, issue got resolved. If I recall correctly the person I spoke to was Scottish rather than Indian.
At a guess, assuming there is no fault with the line they'll probably send OP a new router. I suppose its possible there is a line fault - i.e. connection drops, OP reboots router before it gets a chance to reconnect, after reboot the router reconnects and off it goes until the next time ?
Well I guess you can glean from my story that Vodafone is best avoided :-)At a guess, assuming there is no fault with the line they'll probably send OP a new router. I suppose its possible there is a line fault - i.e. connection drops, OP reboots router before it gets a chance to reconnect, after reboot the router reconnects and off it goes until the next time ?
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