Orcon Genius WiFi dropouts

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Orcon Genius WiFi dropouts

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#653606 10-Jul-2012 15:57

jamesrt:
ubergeeknz: I would theorise that it's changing the channel due to interference.

...

It'd be interesting for someone affected to use a tool such as InSSIDer To see what channel is in use and confirm if it is changing when this happens...

Actually, I did have a look using the WiFi Analysis tool I had installed on my Galaxy S, and as far as I could tell, my Genius was always using the bottom-end of the spectrum (around channel 1 or 2) - there was one other wireless network in range, and that always seemed to be set around channel 9 or so.

Having said that, I am using DECT phones; but I was under the impression that they used a different part of the spectrum. Can DECT collide with WiFi channels? I hadn't noticed any correlation of dropout and phone use.

There didn't seem to be a relationship between dropout and use of microwave over either!

DECT shouldn't interfere, unless it's 2.4Ghz DECT in which case, yes, it will definitely interfere (from experience!)

Microwaves seem to be fine. They are pretty well shielded and I think the frequency is slightly different.

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cyril7

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#653608 10-Jul-2012 15:58

Hi, DECT is at 1.8GHz, so miles away and very WiFi freindly, the oven on the other hand blasts right across the WiFi band and depending on how much leakage is about can be quite dramatic.

Cyril

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#653610 10-Jul-2012 16:03

ubergeeknz: DECT shouldn't interfere, unless it's 2.4Ghz DECT in which case, yes, it will definitely interfere (from experience!)

Microwaves seem to be fine. They are pretty well shielded and I think the frequency is slightly different.

Fairly old DECT phones - no idea if that makes them more or less likely to be using 2.4Ghz. Guess I'm going to have to RT*M... Worth checking however.

The microwave comment was fairly tongue in cheek... (Dropouts were happening even when oven not being used)

ubergeeknz

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#653612 10-Jul-2012 16:09

cyril7: Hi, DECT is at 1.8GHz, so miles away and very WiFi freindly, the oven on the other hand blasts right across the WiFi band and depending on how much leakage is about can be quite dramatic.

Cyril

Not all DECT is 1.8Ghz. I had a 2.4Ghz DECT phone before and it really screwed with WiFi (got it before I had WiFi). Although they did stop making them for that very reason.

I guess if your microwave leaks enough then it may interfere, or at least be registered by the AP as interference, if it's close enough to the AP.

Also worth noting that the Auto channel algorithm will track the level of interference over a period of time (say, an hour or 2) and then decide whether it should change. It won't change immediately due to a burst of interference.

The issue with auto channel selection has been discussed elsewhere, with other devices using auto channel selection, and the only real fix if it's affecting you, aside from eliminating interference (usually impractical), is to set the channel manually. Truth is in most cases it works well with zero configuration :) so it makes sense as a default.

cyril7

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#653618 10-Jul-2012 16:13

Any DECT styled cordless phone that operates in the 2.4GHz band is WDECT its not an official DECT standard but a bastard standard that used frequency hopping. And yes its no WiFi friendly, but the gear will be clearly labled as WDECT.

Cyril

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#653704 10-Jul-2012 18:58

jamesrt: Fairly old DECT phones - no idea if that makes them more or less likely to be using 2.4Ghz. Guess I'm going to have to RT*M... Worth checking however.

1.88Ghz - 1.9Ghz according to the manual. OK, this won't be a problem; I've seen it happening first thing in the morning before the m/wave is used, so doubt the m/wave is causing interference either.

jamesrt

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#659453 21-Jul-2012 10:29

Sadly, it seems that this is still happening; just not as frequently as before.

In the discussion above, the recommendation was to set the "Bandwidth" to 20Mhz - there is also a "20/40Mhz" option - does this increase the "width" of the channel being used between computers and therefore allow more simultaneous connections, does anyone know?

(I'm wondering if I'm overloading the channel)

However, does a "20/40Mhz" selection imply that if there is an interference issue that it'll be more likely to happen if I'm using a wider frequency range? (More to collide with)

Thoughts?

ubergeeknz

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#659480 21-Jul-2012 11:41

Have you tried setting a channel manually? I thought you mentioned that somewhere but wanted to confirm.

How often is it disconnecting now?

jamesrt

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#659482 21-Jul-2012 11:48

ubergeeknz: Have you tried setting a channel manually? ?I thought you mentioned that somewhere but wanted to confirm.

How often is it disconnecting now?

Yes, fixed on channel 2; according to the wifi scanner on my phone, there is only 1 other wifi nearby and thats sitting about channel 9 (from memory).

Two observed drop outs this am. So far...

ubergeeknz

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#659504 21-Jul-2012 12:19

jamesrt:
ubergeeknz: Have you tried setting a channel manually? ?I thought you mentioned that somewhere but wanted to confirm.

How often is it disconnecting now?

Yes, fixed on channel 2; according to the wifi scanner on my phone, there is only 1 other wifi nearby and thats sitting about channel 9 (from memory).

Two observed drop outs this am. So far...

Hmm, maybe you have a faulty unit after all. You are saying multiple devices are dropping out at the same time still?

jamesrt

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#659523 21-Jul-2012 13:24

ubergeeknz:Hmm, maybe you have a faulty unit after all. You are saying multiple devices are dropping out at the same time still?

Yes, both the Windows laptop, and my daughter's iPod dropped out this morning at the same time; when I grabbed my (Android) phone to have a look at it, it also showed no connection.

Interestingly enough, the WiFi snooper app on the phone still saw a signal even though the phone wasn't WiFi connected - shortly after that the phone reconnected. That may just be a s/w autoconnect timing thing, however.

And the neighbours WiFi is actually on C11 - I've just checked again.

I think I'll have to log a call with Orcon...

Snackos

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#660946 24-Jul-2012 12:22

All our pcs use Wireless and I would say the wireless drops out a couple of times a week on average. Slightly annoying but not enough for me to bother troubleshooting. I suspect it's probably some home device rather than Genius anyway.

jamesrt

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#717249 14-Nov-2012 17:17

Over the weekend, these dropouts got so bad that I've had to switch off WiFi on my Genius Lite and plug in the ADSL Wireless AP I used to use with my old ISP into an ethernet port on the Genius.

I've contacted Orcon about this, and over 48 hours later still have yet to receive the courtesy of a response.

Hopefully, reposting here may generate some useful discussion and/or prompt a response from any Orcon staff lurking in the forums...

ubergeeknz

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#717259 14-Nov-2012 17:35

Had it been replaced yet?

If not I'd suggest calling in, tell them the troubleshooting you've done and ask if a replacement unit can be sent out for you to try.

It's certainly not a common issue that you're having.

jamesrt

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#717265 14-Nov-2012 17:44

ubergeeknz: Had it been replaced yet?

If not I'd suggest calling in, tell them the troubleshooting you've done and ask if a replacement unit can be sent out for you to try.

It's certainly not a common issue that you're having.

This is the "over 48 hours later" part of no response. I've asked them for a replacement unit, and haven't heard anything.

I don't believe that expecting a response within 48 hours is unreasonable attitude.

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