Need help figuring out why my wireless network is intermittently freezing/dropping.

jthornton

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Sep 12, 2013
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First let me say that I'm not very good with networking, it's never been an area of expertise for me. Here is my setup:

- 250Mbps Internet Connection > Rogers Modem
- Rogers Modem > Linksys EA9200-4C
- Port 1 > D-Link Powerline DHP-701AV
- Port 2, 3, 4 > Connected to devices, computer, voip apa and printer

On the network I have:
- Desktop computer (running as a HT server using samba shares into Kodi clients) - Hardwired
- Printer - hardwired
- voip apa - hard wired
- TV (Sony Android) - Powerline AV2000
- Desktop computer - Powerline AV2000
- 4 Phones + 1 tablet (wireless)
- Laptop (wireless)
- 2 other laptops (not usually on but rarely)

I just recently upgrade my powerline adapters because I thought those were giving me the problems. Prior to these Powerline adapters, I had D-Link with (i think) AV500 or AV200 tech in them or something like that.

Here is the issue:
This seems to be happening when my kids are home. When I'm watching TV (streaming from my HTPC) my show will all of a sudden freeze. Sometimes I can fix it by going back and 10 seconds a few times. Sometimes it freezes right up and I have to exit and the odd time I end up having to reboot the TV to be able to do anything again. At the same time, all of my wireless connections go down. My laptop browser will not even load a page like Google or anything. Sometimes I wait 30 seconds and it goes up and running again. Other times, I have to shutdown my laptop and I can still continue to watch TV with it freezing every 5-10 minutes. the odd time it doesn't fix itself and I just end up giving up on it.

Now, that said, the other day I was the only one home and my laptop connection went down when I was trying to work and I had no other devices working. I went around the house and turned off the Desktop (the one that is connected via Powerline adapter. I took my phone and my daughter's tablet off the wifi. There were no other phones in the home. Nothing else was using any significant bandwidth.

As an added explanation, when my son downloads a game update via steam or Uplay, the everyone else gets kicked off the network, meaning everything, but his download still runs. I find that very weird.

I've tried to run different configurations when it is happening. Asking what they are doing, etc. Let's say, I'm watching SD tv from my HTPC, my daughter is watching SD tv on her tablet from my HTPC and my son might be watching youtube. I've then tried getting my son to lower the bandwidth setting on youtube to 144kps (the lowest setting) and it still happens. I've made sure that my daughter is watching SD shows and it still happens. My son does NOT chat when he is playing games, so I don't think it is that.

As mentioned, I thought that maybe I was hitting a bandwidth limit with my powerline adapters, so I upgraded them to the AV2000 models, but it has not fixed the problem. It might be a *little* bit better now, but if it is then it is VERY marginal.

Even though I have a lot of devices listed, there really isn't that many being used at any one time. And, since I'm watching SD TV and so is she, and he is youtube (lowest bandwidth) I really don't think I'm overloading the capability of the network. In addition, it happens when only 2 of us are connected (but less frequently) and then periodically it will happen with just me on my laptop.

I'm beginning to think that maybe my router is the problem. Can someone please help me diagnose this? I would really like to get a reliable network going so that this doesn't keep happening.

BTW... When the problem occurs, I've run a speed test on my wireless and it is getting maybe 2-4 mbps, but if I go downstairs and wire-in to test I get full speed.

Is this possible because I'm on the fringe of the range for the wifi? Because my signal on my laptop is pretty low on the top floor (which is where we all are). But, when it happens, I've also tried going downstairs and typically have problems them too (although once it worked better by walking downstairs). My signal is pretty low on the top floor, and there are times when my signal drops and connects repeatedly. During this time, I've walked down (10 feet from router in same room) and it will not connect. Yet, 15 minutes later it works perfectly.

I've tried rebooting the router and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

My network is setup in the bottom corner of my basement. We are on the 2nd floor (meaning 2 floors up from the basement). What's making me think that it isn't JUST the wifi range is because it freezes internet on the powerline adapters at the same time.

Is my router faulty? Do I need to change it? Is it my setup? I'm lost and would appreciate any help anyone can provide please.

ADDED:
Speedtest:
Upstairs (Powerline): 24Mbps / 21 Mbps
Upstairs (Wifi): 7 Mbps / 21 Mbps
Main Floor (wifi): 9 Mbps / 21 Mbps
Basement - Next room (wifi): 18 Mbps / 21 Mbps
Basement - Same room (wifi): 24 Mbps / 21 Mbps
Basement (hardwire directly to router -- through a switch): 95 Mbps / 21 Mbps

Wifi Analyzer:
I downloaded the NetGear Wifi Analytics software and it shows the signal in between poor and good. Around -60db or something like that. I fluctuates not better than say -55db and up to about -80db.
 

dshort01

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Feb 14, 2006
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I am assuming you are using the D-Link Powerline DHP-701AV to get the wireless signal through out the house. My suggestion would be to inconvenience yourself for a simple matter of testing. Do not use the D-Link Powerline DHP-701AV and connect directly to your access point / router. Even if you have to buy a 50 foot cable. Too, I am assuming your router supports wireless. Use the extra long cable to place your router where you will get a strong signal and connect your device. Test. This should quickly determine whether your router is an issue, your D-Link Powerline DHP-701AV is an issue or something else.
 

jthornton

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Sep 12, 2013
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You mentioned D-Link Powerline DHP-701AV for getting wireless through the house... I assume you mean "because" I need internet at a different part of the house and the wireless isn't reaching??? Since this particular Powerline Adapter does not extend or provide wireless signal. No. I have the Powerline so that I could hardwire my TV in and it is faster than wifi so I could stream shows. When I tried using wifi it is too slow.

That said... The Powerline will sometimes work when the wifi does not work at all. Other times, the powerline ethernet will freeze and the wifi goes down.

Unfortunately, due to the layout of the house, placing the router in a different place isn't going to be very practical. To make it a centralized place I would have to trip over wires or knock holes in walls, both of which are not an option.

If I can't figure this out, my next plan was to call the cable company and have them move where the cable comes in to a different room (on the top floor by my TV) and have the router there. But I would really rather not do that. I would rather identify what the problem is exactly and then fix it.

Also... I'm updating the original post to include various speed tests.