Virgin Media Wireless connection drops

[londonbusboy]

Hi,

For 3-4 weeks now laptops in my house lose the wireless connection.

I've called Virgin Media several times maybe more about this issue and nearly everytime they go into my router to change settings such as the channel number but that hasnt helped at all. They sent me one new router this didnt solve it, and sent me another new one just incase that was faulty however the day before the other new one come the internet worked fine and actually worked for over a week but now im back to constant connection losses.

I've updated the wireless adapters on both laptops this hasnt done anything, downloaded inSSIDER to see if neighbour's wifi routers are on the same channel but they are not.

Just really getting frustrated with Virgin and their help centre always seems to go to India!

Does anyone technical know what could be wrong? as im guessing some sort of line fault

[greeny253]

If it's the wireless connection that's dropping not the DSL (or do you have cable?) connection then it's not the line.

My first question would be do you have a cordless phone in your house? If so is it near the router? Try moving it and see if that helps.

If it's not this then have you got an AV sender anywhere in the house? I found that when we tried one of these on a Sky+ box at my mums, the network worked fine until we put it in then the computers kept dropping the connection.

[john]

We have Virgin in our house and, touch wood, we've only had the odd problem with them. Usually it ends up being some local network problem rather than our own modem.

[londonbusboy]

Jun 21, 2011 19:28:16 GMT greeny253 said:

If it's the wireless connection that's dropping not the DSL (or do you have cable?) connection then it's not the line.

My first question would be do you have a cordless phone in your house? If so is it near the router? Try moving it and see if that helps.

If it's not this then have you got an AV sender anywhere in the house? I found that when we tried one of these on a Sky+ box at my mums, the network worked fine until we put it in then the computers kept dropping the connection.

Thanks for your reply,

Firstly i have a fibre optic connection so a wire comes from the street into the house then into a modem and then a wire from the modem to the router.

There is nothing new in the room with the wireless router. We dont have a cordless phone only a wired one. The wireless router does sit underneath the Virgin Media TV Box however we've had both sitting near each other ever since we began our contract with Virgin and has worked fine for over 2 years so the new router should be fine as its the same make/model.

What i dont understand is why would it work for 2 years or so then not work properly for 2 weeks then work for over a week and break again?

Your replies are much appreciated as this is becoming a major headache

[smiler52]

i was going to ask if any one is with is virgin and are they any good i want to move over to them but where i live is not a cable area but they are now putting the cables in so should not be to long i want the phone tv and broadband

[john]

Jun 21, 2011 21:23:56 GMT smiler52 said:

i was going to ask if any one is with is virgin and are they any good i want to move over to them but where i live is not a cable area but they are now putting the cables in so should not be to long i want the phone tv and broadband

We were with Virgin when they first took over ntl and, to be honest, they were terrible then. Customer service was a joke in all honesty. Now though, they're alot better. We've found them to be alot more helpful than Sky though I don't know what the others think about either of them.

[londonbusboy]

I've found Virgin Media very good up until now just with the lack of help im getting from them with these issues, in the past i have often recommended/praised VM to friends etc.

I think VM is much better than BT in terms of speed and has been reliable for over 2 years up until now

[Paul]

Jun 21, 2011 23:07:55 GMT john said:

We've found them to be alot more helpful than Sky though I don't know what the others think about either of them.

My family and I have more than 20 years experience with Sky. We really cannot fault them. Any problems have been rectified very quickly and the service has generally been excellent

[londonbusboy]

Jun 22, 2011 21:07:37 GMT Paul said:

Jun 21, 2011 23:07:55 GMT john said:

We've found them to be alot more helpful than Sky though I don't know what the others think about either of them.

My family and I have more than 20 years experience with Sky. We really cannot fault them. Any problems have been rectified very quickly and the service has generally been excellent

I've heard various comments saying Sky are supposed to be good

[greeny253]

So where do we stand with the original query? Have you spoken to Virgin Media yet?

[londonbusboy]

Jun 24, 2011 19:11:05 GMT greeny253 said:

So where do we stand with the original query? Have you spoken to Virgin Media yet?

Thanks for responding, i give up calling them as i never get anywhere so am posting like mad on the Virgin Media support forum. Lots of replies on there but everything they tell me to do has failed. I have updated the wireless drivers again and had no joy

Now a technician has requested details off me but hasnt read the message i sent 2 days ago!!

What im noticing at the moment is it works sometimes but if you do anything that takes alot of loading such as BBC iPlayer, Facebook photos sometimes the loading of statuses, flickr it will disconnect then reconnect however sometimes it wont connect at all.

At one stage if any laptops were upstairs they had a low signal (never used to be like that) so youd have to go downstairs and sit in front of the router to get some connection, it still disconnected from time to time but at the moment its working fine upstairs but very fragile.

When i was on the phone to them a couple weeks ago the bloke kept changing my routers channels and asking me to go upstairs to check the signal strength but various channel changes did nothing but i've now changed it back so the router finds the best channel.

Also what i dont understand is why it stopped working for a couple weeks and then worked absolutely fine for one week then its broke again?!?!

[EDIT] i done a ping test but see no problems a couple screenshots attached

[Deleted]

Wireless door bells also affect the signal and only once pressed.

[lc1]

The following is taken from a Sky forum but might help (strangely I was having a similar problem a couple of weeks back, but turning off the UPnP worked for me )

think this is because the software for the wireless card is overriding the windows software

open the software - this could take ages just be patient and don't click too much

think it is on the advanced tab
there is a box saying override default TCP/IP
UNCHECK this box

then right click on wireless connection in network connections
on the wireless tab check the box that says let windows manage my connection

make sure this is checked in admin account and in user account

reboot and check it again
by the way i have the UPnP checked and it works fine

have you checked all the options in Firewall settings - advanced tab except remote desktop as well

i have written something maybe this will help

have just connected my pc wps-psk

as administrator
went to the router
took note of the adsl and lan port mac codes

went to wireless settings and changed the settings to wpa-psk and TKIP

entered a phrase into the box - anything you want ie: walkthedog! (including the eclamation mark)

obviously you need to remember this phrase because it is the one you will use

apply use OK button

ok now this is scary because you are no longer connected with the router

but
first went to network settings and right click on the wireless setting
select PROPERTIES
on the general tab
scroll down to INTERNET PROTOCOL
highlight and click on PROPERTIES
leave the ISP to automatic but select the USE THIS DNS radio key and add the number for your router
it will be the 192.168.*.* address you use to configure the router

then go to the advanced button and go to WINS TAB - add the same 192.168.etc.etc address as WINS address if not there already
APPLY - (you could also add in the address to the DNS tab but don't think it is necessary cos you did it earlier it should appear when you reboot later i think anyway whatever)
then the TCP/IP tab ENABLE ALL should be checked

APPLY

now you are back to the wireless general tab
select the WIRELESS NETWORK tab

check 'use Windows to configure my wireless network settings'
and the below window becomes active

(NB after a reboot come back and check that this box is checked and also in user profile)

Delete the wireless network profile (remember the name)
add / create a new profile - same name but select WPA-PSK and TKIP then key in the phrase you have thought of - remember this is CASE SENSITIVE!!
click on OK

ok the ASSOCIATIONS TAB should not be active or selected

ADVANCED TAB
Check boxes
'connect when in range'
I have also checked 'automatically connect to non preferred networks'

FIREWALL SETTINGS button

Select the WIRELESS NETWORK SETTING and click on Firewall
think there is an EXCEPTIONS tab
uncheck all (except I have UPnP checked)
FIREWALL SERVICES TAB
check all but 'remote desktop'
or at least
FTP SERVER
the 3 INTERNET MAIL ACCESS INTERNET ACCESS options
POST OFFICE PROOCOL
SECURE WEB SERVER
TELNET WERVER
WEBSERVER
(Make sure remote is not checked)

Then go to the ICMP tab
CHECK ALL OPTIONS

Also think there may be an internet connection sharing option here if you want to share with other pc - not relevant for me cos haven't got another pic on my network one so can't confirm it

OK now time to fight with your wireless card software - this seems to take ages so just be patient don't click too much

call it up and look for manage profile
right click probably and select EDIT
tabs
General
Name and type of access probably - find the little house (means home network)

Go to Wireless setting tab
Network security setting change to WPA-PSK and add your key (remember the cute phrase in caps or not)
Advanced settings should be somewhere - chose low(best network performance and here you could add in the access point MAC codes you took note of earlier _ i put both in not being enitrely sure which is the MAC code of router but knew if wasn't one it would be the other
ADDITIONAL SETTINGs tab or option network security - this is where internet connection sharing option is - i preusme you want to tick this for sharing with other pc

UNCHECK the 'override default TCP/IP setings' probably on the advanced tab and at these settings you could add the DNS address to TCP/IP

check to see the WINS is also present

THIS IS NOT A TASK TO BE DONE QUICKLY BECAUSE IT TAKES AGES FOR THE PC TO SETTLE - SEEMS TO FREEZE ALL THE TIME AND YOU THINK IT IS NOT WORKING

YOU HAVE TO BE REAL PATIENT AND ALLOW IT TO WORK IT'S WAY THROUGH IN SLOOOOW TIME - NO CLICKING AND DOUBLE CLICKING - IF IT SAYS THAT IT IS NOT RESPONDING JUST CLICK CANCEL AND GIVE IT TIME


THEN

I know it's crazy but bare with me
Go back to network connections and wireless connection properties
you may have to recheck the let windows manage my wireless settings

Delete the profile and recreate it
I know it's crazy but i found working with the old profile didn't work at all
Check the firewall settings again - but they should not have changed
Save and reboot
Be patient if the program says not reponding when you try to shut down Cancel and wait for the program to catch up

on startup
go back to admin account and check that the 'Allow windows to manage my wireless settings box is still checked
then come out and go to normal user account
again check the 'Allow windows to manage my wireless settings box is checked.
reboot

IT MAY TAKE A FEW MINUTES FOR YOUR PC TO CONNECT FIRST TIME BUT ONCE IT IS CONNECTED YOU SHOULD HAVE NOT MORE PROBLEMS

PHEW

SHOULD CARVE THIS IN STONE!!!!

[ServerKing]

You could try changing the wireless router - I've got a Belkin one that works well - just make sure it's not one for ADSL as they sell two different types. They model I 've got is the F6D-4230 v1. Your connections shouldn't be dropping like that. Is the TV service affected when that happens?

Another way to clear any bugs in your system is

1. unplug your Virgin router (separate from your wireless, where the Coax (white) cable goes in the back)
2. unplug the wireless router.
3. power down your PC. Wait 30 seconds.

Then power on the Virgin router first, wait 1 minute before then powering on your wireless router. After 30 seconds, power on the PC. Everything should be clear. Hope this helps

[londonbusboy]

Thanks both for your responses i shall try both and get back to you. currently i have turned off the UPnP (network discovery) and it appears to be running better but give it time