Improve Wi-Fi Signal for TV - Help Needed!

L[Deactivated] on 15/08/2016 - 09:33
Last edited 15/08/2016 - 09:34

Hey guys,
I have a tech question for you IT people.

I have a Telstra Broadband Model (netgear - about 2 years old) in a bedroom around 10m from my Samsung 60 inch Series 6 TV in my loungeroom.

I have constant Wifi drop out on the TV when watching Stan or Netflix, and found when i moved the modem back to a closer bedroom and put it on the bed, the wifi signal was no problem with the TV, no drop outs!

However..i have since moved my computer/studio into the room further away and the modem sits in that bedroom, quite far away from the TV.

My question is, what can i buy to connect the TV to so that it's connecting to a stronger signal. Thinking a router that picks up the Wifi signal in the loungeroom, and connect my TV to that router instead of directly to the modem far away? Will i see improvement?

Any insight appreciated!

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • mooney on 15/08/2016 - 09:49
    +2

    Do you have a budget in mind?

    I am not an IT person but I had very similar issues with poor wifi range from my telco provided router. My solution was to buy a powerful wifi repeater but set it up as the access point directly to the router and turn the routers wifi off completely.

    I have a fairly big house to full so I bought an expensive solution but it works brilliantly… here's what i bought (for sure there will be much cheaper solutions out there): http://au.pcmag.com/netgear-nighthawk-ac1900-wi-fi-range-ext…

    • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2016 - 10:31

      Hi Mooney,
      No particular budget in mind. Anything to get the wifi stronger in the loungeroom really.

      So i take it your solution has resulted in no further problems?

      Cheers

      • mooney on 15/08/2016 - 11:45

        None at all, connection is rock solid. The range on the repeater is seriously good. As it uses the newer wifi standards the speed of my network is loads faster as well. I have gone from a max speed of 40Mbps to 100Mbps. My wife still complains 'the internet isn't fast enough' though.

  • captobvious on 15/08/2016 - 10:17

    Pringles can?

  • lordsnipe on 15/08/2016 - 10:32
    +2

    If the TV can take a network cable, then buy Ethernet over Power adapters.

    • ESEMCE on 15/08/2016 - 10:50

      If the TV is suffering that means that whole end of the house must also have poor signal.
      So I'd be looking at improving WiFi at the same time..

      Is your computer hardwired to the modem?
      If not, why not put the modem, back into the "middle' of the house?

      If so;
      Step 1. Ensure that the modem/router is elevated, not located on the floor and especially not behind the filing cabinet (big metal things block signal)
      Step 2. Download a WiFi Analyser app for your smartphone and do a quick scan to see what channel your neighbors are broadcasting on and what channels are "empty" or at least have low signal.
      Step 3. Change your Modem/Router WiFi channel to the bets "empty" or quiet channel.
      Step 4. If signal is still bad, buy a WiFi repeater.. or even better buy a Powerline Ethernet kit with inbuilt WiFi Access Point.
      a) for a WiFi Repeater - install it in a room half to 3/4 the way to the other end of your house… If need be, Put it on an extension cord to elevate it too.
      b) for a Powerline Ethernet solution, install it next to the TV so you can hardwire the TV. and set up the WiFi Access Point with the same SSID and Password as your current Modem/router (devices should hop seamlessly between the 2 Access Points depending which has better signal.

  • spackbace on 15/08/2016 - 10:57

    Is the TV on 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz?

    I had an issue with our WDTV in the bedroom, not streaming very well from across the house. WDTV is 2.4GHz wireless. Ended up buying a cheap-ish TP-Link modem/router (really you only need the router part), chucked DD-WRT on it, had it wirelessly connect directly to the main modem (across the house - 5GHz), WDTV connected via ethernet to the TP-Link - haven't had a single streaming issue since.
    Once of those 'set and forget' type of things thankfully.
    Plus then you have the other ethernet ports for any consoles etc attached to the tv :)

  • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2016 - 11:35

    ethernet cable is not an option. Modem is on other end of house.

    If i get one of these wireless range extenders, plug it into the powerpoint next to the TV, and connect it to my modems signal, then connect my TV to it, will that suffice?

    http://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/netgear-wn3…

    • spackbace on 15/08/2016 - 11:50
      +1

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/261412#comment-3924944

      New modem/router is cheaper, it just requires a few more steps, not simply plug and play.

      Downside to an 'extender' is it actually halves your theoretical speed when it repeats the signal.

      You still haven't said if your TV is accessing your 2.4GHz channel or 5.0GHz channel on the wifi…

      Also, you might want to re-read the comments. No one here has suggested purely running an ethernet cable…

      • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2016 - 20:42

        Hi Spackbace,
        Thanks for this info. I'm not sure what GHz however i have a Samsung UA60F6400 TV if that helps.

        I have just done a quick google and discovered the powerline ethernet adapters like below

        https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/networking/d-lin…

        So to get this straight, I plug an ethernet from my modem to this adapter in the computer room into the power point, then the other adapter into a powerpoint next to the TV and ethernet into the TV from there. Any experience with these anyone?

        Cheers!

    • ESEMCE on 15/08/2016 - 11:52
      +2

      If the WiFi is too weak for the TV, it'll be too weak for the Extender.

      You need to put the extender in a room in-between the TV and the modem. so the extender can still get good WiFi and then re-transmit it to the TV.
      OR use Powerline Ethernet (turns the power cables in your home into a network cable) to the powerpoint next to the TV.

      • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2016 - 20:43

        Amazing. I didn't even know this was possible (to send my internet signal through the powerpoints)

        what a world!

        • ESEMCE on 16/08/2016 - 15:11

          It's by no means a perfect solution, but definitely the best option to try to resolve your issues.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2016 - 21:11

    I have decided on purchasing this product

    http://www.tp-link.com.au/products/details/TL-PA8010P-KIT.ht…

    thoughts?

    • ESEMCE on 15/08/2016 - 22:00
      +1

      Personally I'd be looking for something like that with a WiFi access point built in.. OR buying that and hooking up a new router so you have good WiFi in your Lounge.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2016 - 14:19

    This is the thing, my loungeroom has great wifi for my laptop and apple products. It's just the TV which has a crap wifi receiver built in. I expected more from Samsung

    • spackbace on 16/08/2016 - 14:21

      Your modem, does it have the ability to have multi channels? I have 1 channel at 2.4GHz, and 1 at 5.0GHz. This helps to work out what the devices can connect to, and see.

      I daresay your TV has only 2.4GHz, thus the lousy wifi

      • ESEMCE on 16/08/2016 - 15:08

        2.4GHz WiFi has far better range than 5GHz…
        Lower frequency = better range (hence all the excitement about Band 28 700MHz 4G)
        The main benefit of 5GHz is that fewer people have it so there is less interference, but this is only really a problem in High-rise apartments where you have heaps of WiFi signals clogging up the 2.4GHz spectrum

  • spackbace on 16/08/2016 - 14:24

    OP, what about a Chromecast 2?

    OK you'll have to change how you stream to the TV, but this will give you 5.0GHz wifi, and should have a better range than your tv alone.

    For $50, it's the cheapest option currently I'd say. I'm assuming you don't have any consoles attached to the TV that could act as media players?

    • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2016 - 21:10

      That's also a great option however having the smart TV with the apps like Netflix and Stan, the misses dosent need any more complicated stuff to turn on (see what I did there). I'll give the POE a go with an Ethernet cable and let you all know how I go!

      Not sure as to the modems options, it's a stock standard netgear provided by the telco so I assume it's not as advanced.

      How would I determine the gHz of my TV anyhow?

      • spackbace on 16/08/2016 - 21:27

        Easiest way is have 2 channels from your modem at each frequency and call them appropriate names, and see which channel the tv sees :)

        • ESEMCE on 17/08/2016 - 07:29

          You should actually name them the same Spackbace..
          You lose the visibility of which is which, but you gain the seamless transition to whichever has the better signal.

          I Agree that the TV is likely only 2.4GHz, but as above, 2.4GHz has better range than 5GHz, so it's unlikely to make any difference even if the TV does have 5GHz.

        • spackbace on 17/08/2016 - 10:39

          @scubacoles:

          K I'll shut up now :P

  • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2016 - 21:11

    Went with the TP Link AV1200 from mwave combined with the Amex $40 back offer so got it for $89. Bargain!!

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