How to overcome Slingshot cockup to get home Wifi working

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › How to overcome Slingshot cockup to get home Wifi working

NadjatheVampire

16 posts

Geek

#288918 1-Aug-2021 12:21

Hello friendly geeks I'm hoping with your advice we can get back on line. Long story short, we had fibre installed by Chorus, ONT and new router (NF18ACV) in downstairs garage, we live upstairs. Nice wallpaper etc prevents cabling.

I was advised that existing phone wiring (10 year old house, Cat5(?) wiring) might be ok to carry fibre upstairs (where we have 3 phone jacks and the old DSL router). Being of a cautious disposition I made Slingshot promise (on record, in writing, in triplicate) that they wouldn't cut the VDSL until we were happy we could use the fibre upstairs (an electrician was due to visit, advise, maybe fiddle a bit)

Guess what? On Thurs eve the VDSL disappeared. Fri am a rather grumpy phone call to Slingshot got us nowhere and whilst they absolutely concede that they said they would maintain the VDSL they have only just now said that Chorus might refuse to turn it back on again as we now have fibre (in the garage, I am not a dog so wish to live upstairs) and are blaming Chorus entirely.

So we have an HG630b router for the old DSL and I'm wondering if it is worth trying to turn that into some sort of AP - might this work on the existing phone wiring or will I need e.g. a powerline extender? Or is this a rubbish idea and I should just go straight for the extender option? I am aware that there are plug in things and mesh things and the wireless extenders on their own aren't worth the money but beyond that a bit stumped. We aren't gamers but both work from home sometimes and stream a bit of TV of an evening, so don't need the best, just the fairly good.

Thanks in advance

Rickles

3107 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 445

Trusted

#2753181 1-Aug-2021 12:58

@NadjatheVampire ... I feel for you, but my experience was different. Firstly, the Chorus rep who made the first contact filled in a form and also specifically asked if my copper landline was being used for an alarm or medical emergency purposes. A few days later when the installation techs turned up, they too asked if the landline was still wanted, wrote on their worksheet that I confirmed OK to remove ... which they did by physically chopping down the house-to-post cable <s>.

In fact, the original form states ... "I know that after installation I will need to contact a service provider .... until then my existing services will remain working".

Sounds like you have a case for compensation from all parties involved, and that Slingshot cannot pass the buck (even if that is what happened).

As for putting the ONT/modem in the garage, did the techs not discuss with you the best place for this? .... your old internal wiring (if just telephone 2 or 3 wire system), will not work for internet data connections (but will for VOiP telephone). Best bet is to have the ONT relocated to the house proper (push for this to be free due to their previous failures), and go from there with a good wifi router.

Spyware

3818 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1366

Lifetime subscriber

#2753188 1-Aug-2021 13:21

A temporary solution is to run a cat5e patch lead across the floor and up the stairs.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2753190 1-Aug-2021 13:25

Does your NF18ACV WiFi not reach from your garage to upstairs?

Simplest option:

ONT in garage> Cat5 (or Cat 6) cable from garage to upstairs>NF18ACV upstairs.

Get your electrician to pull some network cable from your garage to upstairs - perhaps via existing phone cable route.

As a temporary measure get a network cable from a hardware store and connect your ONT to the NF18ACV upstairs.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

SpartanVXL

1498 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 666

#2753191 1-Aug-2021 13:31

Some places, if 10 years old, used to run cat5 behind the rj11 sockets. You’d have to take the panels off to check but that would be the only case to get it working without having to re-run cabling.

robjg63

4160 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1425

Subscriber

#2753246 1-Aug-2021 15:55

So the new Netcom router cant be accessed by any devices from the upper floors?

How many devices (if any) did you have using an ethernet cable connection to the old HG630b?

Using the HG630b as an AP (a wifi extender?) never seems to work easily - plenty of older discussion on GZ about it.

If you need to have ethernet cable connections for some devices and/or the wifi is no good above the garage, then you need to bite the bullet and get an ethernet cable run upstairs.

If there is a spot upstairs that has quite good wifi connection but it drops off as you move away, you could set up a wifi extender in that spot - something like this (~$80):

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NRETPL0205/TP-Link-RE205-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-Dual-Band-AC750

Or for a more complex (mesh like) system something like this ($300):

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NETTPL9403/TP-Link-Deco-M4-Whole-Home-Mesh-Wi-Fi-System---3-P

I think you would have to replace the Netcom device with one of these devices downstairs and make it the primary router - then you could link the other 2 devices in other parts of the house - Have a look at the diagrams for different scenarios.

EDIT: Not sure how good wifi would be for gaming....

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

NadjatheVampire

16 posts

Geek

#2753251 1-Aug-2021 16:07

@Rickles 'Sounds like you have a case for compensation from all parties involved, and that Slingshot cannot pass the buck (even if that is what happened).' good to know, thanks.

- The reason for putting the ONT where it is is because it's gone the same route as the copper line to the house so no mess, digging etc.

@Gordy7

Does your NF18ACV WiFi not reach from your garage to upstairs?

Simplest option:

ONT in garage> Cat5 (or Cat 6) cable from garage to upstairs>NF18ACV upstairs.

Get your electrician to pull some network cable from your garage to upstairs - perhaps via existing phone cable route.

- this is kind of what I was thinking we might do, which is why I wanted the VDSL left on until such time as we could get the spark round to sort it out THEN switch over - which is why I'm annoyed!

@Robjg63 thanks for the links I will look those gadgets up.

Edited to add, a friend has popped round with a set of TP link powerline adapters and a netgear wireless extender thingy so I will have a play and see if we can get online upstairs...

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

Jase2985

13730 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6202

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2753329 1-Aug-2021 18:31

chorus may not have been able to connect fiber without removing the VDSL. may have had to use the cable as a pullthrough for the fiber.

snnet

1413 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 556

#2753364 1-Aug-2021 21:01

Jase2985:

chorus may not have been able to connect fiber without removing the VDSL. may have had to use the cable as a pullthrough for the fiber.

I thought it sounded like the fibre was up and running before the VDSL service was cut

NadjatheVampire

16 posts

Geek

#2753445 2-Aug-2021 06:52

snnet:
Jase2985:

chorus may not have been able to connect fiber without removing the VDSL. may have had to use the cable as a pullthrough for the fiber.

I thought it sounded like the fibre was up and running before the VDSL service was cut

Both were working. Chorus turned the fibre on to check it was working then turned it off and VDSL back on because that’s what I’d asked for. Me and the chorus engineer in the garage and a bloke at the end of the phone. Then 3 days later with no warning turned the VDSL off again. As I’ve said to slingshot, I’m perfectly aware you can only have one service running, I told you which one I wanted, you agreed then suddenly decided that didn’t matter.
Between me, the sparkie, google, all your helpful advice and gadget friend we’ll get it sorted, I’m just annoyed that two companies who are perfectly aware of a customer’s wishes decide to ignore them.

Rickles

3107 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 445

Trusted

#2753509 2-Aug-2021 09:39

Perhaps give https://www.tdr.org.nz/ a call?

NadjatheVampire

16 posts

Geek

#2755720 5-Aug-2021 15:12

Right, so, I got the netgear wireless thingummy working but the signal wasn’t strong enough to Skype the in-laws last night (tragic, I know) and from what I’ve read on here I wasn’t surprised.

Further fiddling with the TP link powerline adapters seems to have got our old Spark HG630b router working at the upstairs end. TV, Bose, ipad all working via Wifi, with the other end connected to the slingshot/fibre router downstairs.

I read a couple of posts here and elsewhere about setting old router as a wireless AP but there were too many places to change IPs, I wasn’t sure what I was doing, and it’s still working on all the old Spark settings (SSID& pw) although it seems to be using the IP of the new router when I look at its settings on my phone (although still showing the old IP address in the router settings, via the browser).

I am probably committing all sorts of networking travesties, the DHCP is not turned off and someone else on here had issues with changing to the wrong IP and locking themself out of their router so I would no doubt do something similar!

Should I persevere with changing old router settings or just go out and buy some new kit? Thinking a Powerline set with built in wifi, or is a mesh system better? (NB we are all wireless with our devices, nothing was wired to the old router) Am concerned about security mainly but also confusing our devices with different wifi networks and potentially upsetting the Bose speakers, as we struggle without music. The fibre is also faster, in the garage anyway. I think it’s the WAN settings on the HG630 I would be tweaking?

You have all been very encouraging so far and am kind of enjoying the challenge.

NB slingshot have offered $compensation which will help reward techy friend and electrician (we need new sockets for all these extra devices before we even start on any networking gear) I wonder if they read these threads (waves to Matthew) ?

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#2755727 5-Aug-2021 15:27

Hi, so the Slingshot Netgear should have its management interface on 192.168.1.1 which will also be the gateway of you network now. The old spark one by default (for Spark) will have an interface on 192.168.1.254, so all you need to do is login to the HG659 and turn its DHCP server off.

Also ensure that you are connecting the HG659 to the rest of the network via one of its LAN ports, nothing should connect to its WAN port. You can if you wish change the SSID and passwords of the HG659 wireless to whatever you want, I recommend that you dont have seperate SSIDs for 2.4 and 5GHz make them both the same and naturally the same password, that way devices will choose whichever band suits them.

Cyril