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Community Support

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6.7K Messages

Monday, August 10th, 2015 7:57 PM

Having Trouble With Your Internet or Wi-Fi? (Wi-Fi 101)

If you have blinking red lights on your router, please visit our Blinking Red Broadband article for more troubleshooting steps.

 

If you stream or download, check out our Streaming Support article for tips to improve performance. 

 

It’s important to identify potential issues that may be causing your Wi-Fi to be slow and intermittent. Here are some simple suggestions to consider when you run into issues with your Wi-Fi:

  • Are there other electronic devices near your router?
    • Provide at least 3’ of separation from other electronics and appliances for less interference.
  • How is your router connected to the power source? Is it connected to a power-strip, directly to the wall outlet, a battery back-up unit, a GFCI outlet…?
    • Plug your router directly to a non-GFCI wall outlet to help isolate potential power issues.
  • Where is the router located in home? Is it in the basement, a cabinet, on the floor…?
    • Place the router in an open space so it can stay cool. Be sure to keep the router elevated off the ground.


You may need to Factory Reset your router after making changes to the environment. Find out more information on How to Restart and Factory Reset your Router here.

  

If still having issues after arranging your router environment, you may need to run a Speed Test to determine whether the issue is with your wireless environment or your equipment connection.

  • It’s common to assume that your Wi-Fi and Wired (Ethernet) speeds would be equal, but because wired connections are less prone to interference, the wired speeds will always be the more stable and reliable internet connection.

This test measures the speed between your computer and the internet and can help determine if you should take steps to improve performance.

 

Test your internet speed with only one wired device connected to your router to establish the baseline internet speed. Is the speed test result in line with your subscribed service?

  • If yes, then test the speed with only 1 device connected to the router wirelessly (Wi-Fi). If there is a big difference, then wireless connection is the issue. Proceed to section 3.
  • If no, and your hard wired is either as slow as the wireless connection, or isn’t in line with your subscribed service, then you can proceed to login to the myAT&T app to further diagnose the issue using the Fix it now! Support tools.

Go here for more information about How to check your Internet Speed or Visit att.com/speedtest to run your speed test today. For more information about internet latency, check out this article on Understanding Ping and Traceroute

 

After going through resets/speed test, if Wi-Fi has been identified as the issue, you may want to consider changing your Wi-Fi channel. Get more information on How to change your Wi-Fi channel on an NVG and on a 2Wire/Pace gateway. 

  • Wi-Fi can be broadcasted on different channels and issues may occur when everyone is on or near the same channel. By changing the Wi-Fi channel you will help reduce the interference from other networks in range (e.g. neighbor’s Wi-Fi).
  • You may need to do some trial and error to find a good Wi-Fi channel, since it depends on how congested a channel is and how much electromagnetic noise there is for the local area.

 

Thanks

ATTJohnCS, AT&T Community Specialist

*I am an AT&T employee, and the postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent AT&T's position, strategies or opinions.

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3 Attachments

Contributor

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1 Message

6 years ago

We have Netflix and other programs.  The tv won't connect or drops out when we can connect.  Our router is located in a different room than the tv. I have rebooted the router several times with no effect. Do we need a booster? 

ACE - Expert

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34.7K Messages

6 years ago


@Gendarme wrote:

We have Netflix and other programs.  The tv won't connect or drops out when we can connect.  Our router is located in a different room than the tv. I have rebooted the router several times with no effect. Do we need a booster? 


Wi-Fi signal strength is dependent on many things.  What kind of client device are you using with your TV (or are you using a Netflix client built-in to a smart TV)?  How far away is the Wi-Fi router from the client device?  Does your phone show a strong Wi-Fi signal there?  Is there something between (a Microwave, Refrigerator, Air Conditioner)?

Contributor

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3 Messages

5 years ago

I live in a 100 year old house with plaster walls.   The first three months the internet service worked perfectly.  Since then, not so much.  Television skips, jumps, and disconnects intermittently.  I reset and wireless almost always connects quickly.  The internet icon revolves and then give a big   X!  I usually try resetting the Roku device first, then after several attempts I go and reset the router.  Sometimes this is a fix, sometimes it is not.  There are times I simply can not connect.   I've had two different ATT service techs. come out.  The first moved my router into the same room as the television.  ATT checks showed everything working perfectly.  They weren't.  After three more weeks of frustration another tech comes out.  ATT checks were perfect.  Tech replaces router and moves it to center of our home.  Still intermittent outages. 

 

Before all the above I had tried a Netgear extender with little, if any, improvements.  This was mainly for my laptop/desktop located on the other side of my home.  As with the TV, wireless seems OK but advises no internet.  Sometimes I have extremely slow service.  Other times it smokes and works perfectly.

 

The second techs last advice was to buy a Linksys AC3200 router as he felt the plaster walls may be affecting our connection.  I've not gone that route yet and the tech no longer answers my requests/questions. 

 

I am seeking advice.  I switched to ATT because Comcast was such a pain, but I at least had better service from them.  What to do?  

ACE - Expert

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34.7K Messages

5 years ago

@GMRobbins , the first task is to figure out whether your problem resolves around the Internet service to the gateway, or the Wi-Fi functionality between the gateway and your client device.  If there's a underlying problem with your Internet connection, all the Wi-Fi extenders are a waste of time.  It is likely the Wi-Fi, but first make sure.  If at all possible, have some laptop/computer connected to the Gateway via Ethernet cable.  When you're having an issue where your Wi-Fi devices are showing no Internet connection, check the wired PC.  If it's not working, Wi-Fi isn't the problem then.  If it is working, then yes, at that time Wi-Fi is the problem.

If you've determined it is a Wi-Fi problem, then the best recommendation is to get an additional access point or a Mesh system that can be wired to the Gateway via Ethernet.  Usually the Gateways have crappy Wi-Fi, and if you're using an extender to overcome that, it's still having to deal with the Gateway's crappy Wi-Fi to communicate.

 

New Member

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2 Messages

1 year ago

I am also having trouble with my HP laptop disconnecting from the Wifi. It is a new laptop and I have performed all the recommended trouble shooting stuff.

ACE - Professor

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5.3K Messages

1 year ago

@danhill14619 

Perhaps it’s time to consider a competent personal router to replace the gateway’s WiFi section.  

Community Support

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230.7K Messages

1 year ago

Hey there danhill14619, we'd be happy to help you improve your laptop's Wi-Fi connection!

 

Just give us a bit more information, so we can get started:

  • You said the laptop is new. Was it struggling to stay connected to the Wi-Fi from the get go, or is this a more recent problem?
  • Have you contacted HP's support team to make sure there's nothing wrong with the computer (bad Wi-Fi card, etc.)?
  • Is your laptop the only device that won't stay connected? If so, we recommend that you check out our article to learn why only one of your devices isn't connecting to Wi-Fi and how to troubleshoot.

We'll be awaiting your response!

 

Aminah, AT&T Community Specialist

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