Nighttime wifi problem

[Englishman2010]

I've just changed broadband provider to Talk Talk. They told me that my line could cope with 15.9 Mbps, that sounded good to me as I was only getting about 5 Mbps with the Post Office.
After changing provider I quickly found that I was losing connection upto 10 times an hour in the evening, although it was less frequent in the daytime. This was resolved if I plugged in the ethernet cable, so I put it down to a poor wireless network adapter in my 2 month old Toshiba laptop or a poor free wireless router (as supplied by Talk Talk).
To resolve the problem I bought a Belkin N150 standard USB wifi adapter and a Netgear N150 standard wifi router.
Daytime wifi connection is pretty good, i regularly run a speed check and get anywhere between 11 and 14 Mbps over wifi and fractionally more via the ethernet.
For some reason it all seems to go horribly wrong at night, pages can take 10 to 15 minutes to load, my pc's processor and fans are busy whirring away trying to cope, and the only way I can get a decent connection is to plug in the ethernet. This fault is intermittent, and the wifi will work when it feels like it.
I try to keep my PC free from junk and run CCleaner 2 or 3 times a day to clear out all the temporary files and clutter, so I don't think this is the problem.
Trying to talk to Talk Talk is a joke, the call centre reps in Bombay don't actually listen to me they just talk over me, and after an hour or so trying to explain what the problem is I usually give up. they have tested the line and say there is no problem with it.
Any ideas?

[Englishman2010]

Just to add, that my OS is windows 7 Home Premium edition, and I run IE8, Firefox and Chrome browsers - the problem occurs regardless of which browser I am using.
In the background I'm running AVG Anti virus business edition set at maximum security which does slow things down a bit, but doesn't explain why the problem is intermittent.

[RickyR]

I don't know the complexities of wifi, but I think It may be that your wifi router is somehow suffering from interference from another router on the same channel? There might be a way to forcey our router to change its channel in the settings,

[joebloggs]

have you checked for spy-ware/ viruses ?

maybe because in the evenings the network is overloaded because of people using torrents and a contention ratio of 50:1

i was on bulldog for years until one day my inet went , and seeing talk talk own tiscali who owned bulldog and like you i wasn't getting anywhere, i looked which offered the best deal and service. i went for virgin media after a few problems (trying to over charge me ) i have never looked back 20mb, tv and phone

[joebloggs]

try factory defaults on the router.
update your firmware on the router, drivers on the pc.
download or use an online spyware program eg malwarebytes anti-malware.
if its doing the same using Ethernet then its probably not a wifi problem,

[Dedworth]

Not the answer you want Englishman but you could bin TalkTalk and sign up with o2 Broadband - and if you need it excellent 24 hour support is provided by UK Nationals an 0800 call away in Glasgow or Leeds. Be better if it was down saarf

[Englishman2010]

It's fine on ethernet, the problem is only with wifi.
I will try to update the drivers/firmware on the pc/router ..etc.
My AVG is set up on maximum security for virus' and spyware ...etc, I'm happy it's nothing malicious.

The only other thing I can put it down to is interference from neighbors wifi routers, which would explain why it is OK in the day as they are all at work and not using their wifi.???

[Englishman2010]

Not the answer you want Englishman but you could bin TalkTalk and sign up with o2 Broadband - and if you need it excellent 24 hour support is provided by UK Nationals an 0800 call away in Glasgow or Leeds. Be better if it was down saarf

I might look at them when my contract expires, but I have another 16 months or so left with Talk Talk. I have had my business mobile phone and mobile broadband contract with o2 for about 10 years and have always been very happy with them

[KeithD]

Change channels on the router and make sure it's encrypted.... also check it at different distances from the router and see what happens during the day & night.

[Englishman2010]

I've done that and tried all of that already Keith. The problem really is intermittent but seems far worse at night. I'm currently wireless, about 30 feet and 3 walls away from the router, and all is well. I just tried a speedtest and got 4.73 Mbps, which isn't superfast but adequate for general browsing. I normally get 11 - 14 Mbps via wireless and ethernet during the day.

[Dedworth]

I might look at them when my contract expires, but I have another 16 months or so left with Talk Talk. I have had my business mobile phone and mobile broadband contract with o2 for about 10 years and have always been very happy with them

I'm on a bit of a lucky rare deal with o2 that gives me free home wireless broadband as long as I keep my mobile contract with them. Not over impressed with their mobile wireless dongle though.

[Englishman2010]

I'm on a bit of a lucky rare deal with o2 that gives me free home wireless broadband as long as I keep my mobile contract with them. Not over impressed with their mobile wireless dongle though.

TBH, I rarely use my wireless dongle, if I'm on the road I use 3G or wifi on my phone to keep up to date with e-mail and the web. Sounds like a good deal on the free home wifi, especially if you're happy with it.
Prior to the Post Office I was with BT for my home wifi broadband. It was a bit expensive, but it worked 24/7 365 days, I never had any problems at all. You get what you pay for

[KeithD]

It'll just be interference.... especially through 3 walls.... you'd be best with a boosted router..... everyone has TV's and stuiff on at night which corrupts the signal.....even a kettle and the fridge can effect it.

[Englishman2010]

It'll just be interference.... especially through 3 walls.... you'd be best with a boosted router..... everyone has TV's and stuiff on at night which corrupts the signal.....even a kettle and the fridge can effect it.

I think that's what I've bought? The guy in the shop said standard routers are 54, the best are 300 but 150 is more than adequate for home use. So I opted for 150, when i look at the list of available networks the 54 router would only pick up 2 or 3, but the 150 router picks up 6 - 8 networks plus the odd passing military satellite and alien spacecraft

[Arthur Little]

... what's all this about wifies and their nocturnal problems with "dongles"?

[Terpe]

... what's all this about wifies and their nocturnal problems with "dongles"?

[Arthur Little]

It'll just be interference.... especially through 3 walls.... you'd be best with a boosted router.....

I might look at them

have you checked for spy-ware?

i was on *bulldogs for years until one day i wasn't getting anywhere, i looked which offered the best deal and service. i went for virgins

I'm on a bit of a lucky rare deal. Not over impressed with *their dongles though.

TBH, I rarely use my dongle

... ...

[Arthur Little]

... just couldn't pass-up the humorous opportunities which this thread - and the various responses to it - presented!

[Englishman2010]

... just couldn't pass-up the humorous opportunities which this thread - and the various responses to it - presented!

No problem Arthur

[joebloggs]

I've done that and tried all of that already Keith. The problem really is intermittent but seems far worse at night. I'm currently wireless, about 30 feet and 3 walls away from the router, and all is well. I just tried a speedtest and got 4.73 Mbps, which isn't superfast but adequate for general browsing. I normally get 11 - 14 Mbps via wireless and ethernet during the day.

well do you have the problem at night time when your in the same room as the router??

[KeithD]

Maybe your router isn't routing through the best route and to change that route move the router or route yourself into another room so you get a better route to the router

[Englishman2010]

after trying various things, it seems as though the problem is far worse when trying to load Facebook using IE, but it's ok when I use Firefox. However, I dont get the same problems if I view other sites in IE. I'm completely confused now.

[somebody]

I've done that and tried all of that already Keith. The problem really is intermittent but seems far worse at night. I'm currently wireless, about 30 feet and 3 walls away from the router, and all is well. I just tried a speedtest and got 4.73 Mbps, which isn't superfast but adequate for general browsing. I normally get 11 - 14 Mbps via wireless and ethernet during the day.

Grrr I just wrote u a long reply but it just deleted itself

So i will try the question method

Have you checked Netstumbler or another program similair to see if any clashes of channel in the evening ie when people switch on their routers after work and school http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/
In a nutsheel if two routers are on the sam channel or simailr it will affect the signal. There are from memory 11 channels and its best to avoid at least the strongest channels by 3 channels more if possible.

Check if you see acvitiy on your router if none of the devices both to see your router is secure (ie non default password and change it) plus no one has a ip address in the dhcp section of your browser with a mac address and name you dont recgonise ie not your laptop or phone..


Do also check for any malware as Joe says possibly you have your computer has been turned into a Bot (Arthur will love that one ) or have a Trojan etc.

Be aware that some Broadband supplier either due to demand in your local area (ie everyone is at home and using heavily their broadband) or due to a prorame using peer to peer ie limewire (filesharing) or Skype for example if your using heavily or video streaming heavily their policy may say they restrict you at peak hours ie in the evening. of course it varies from supplier to supplier plus what contract you have but many montior ports that are used and will restrict it will be buried in the t and c's somewhere..

Oh yeah forgot to add.

Any young babies or kids near by ( a cheap baby montior possibly interfereing) microwaves or other devices which make a lot of electrical and RFI noisy. Shredders, devices with motors. Ie something which someone uses nearby which is only active at night?

[somebody]

after trying various things, it seems as though the problem is far worse when trying to load Facebook using IE, but it's ok when I use Firefox. However, I dont get the same problems if I view other sites in IE. I'm completely confused now.

Well if speed test are saying slower points to some sort of problem with conecvity it would appear.

But if IE is having issues (what version and is it updated fully?) worth looking if flash is up to date etc and what add ons etc you have. What version of Firefox do you have?

Have you checked flash module for IE up to date is your java up to date?

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/155/tn_15507.html

Java?

http://javatester.org/version.html

Now Arthur will think im doing something saucy and offering Englishman some posh coffe

[Terpe]

... Have you checked flash module.....

Isn't there a law against that?

[stevewool]

dont you just switch on and wait