topic Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping in Broadband

WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 16:09:32 GMT

We have fibre broadband with a black router. The WiFi connection to devices shows as connected but must be dropping as phone apps won't load half the time on multiple devices and apps through the sky stream box keep dropping out and saying there's no internet connection. We assumed that 50mb fibre may not be enough so upgraded to gigafast fibre last week but are having the same issue. Can anyone help please? Rebooting the router has no impact.

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

Chrisee — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 16:52:43 GMT

@GSte if the issue is poor wifi speeds in your home increasing speed to the hub wil not removecthst bottleneck. In msny homes especially if they are traditionally built a single Sky hub is insufficent to give usable wifi in every room expecially if you want to stream video. Whiilst you can psy monthly for Sky's WiFi Max packagecwhich can provide up to 3 WiFi extenders these are niot that well suited to older properties. If that applies.to your home consider buying your own whole home wifi set up avoid the temptation of buying the fastest possible as in praxtice 100Mb/s is sufficent to stream video etc. WiFi7 set ups cost fromaround £230 for 3 unit kits

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:26:11 GMT

Thanks @Chrisee . The problem is not wifi speed per se, when connected it's fine. It's as though the connection shows as there but doesn't actually work half the time. We have a wifi extender so coverage is not the issue, it seems to be some fault with the router or how it's operating but I don't know much about channels, etc. to know how to try to solve it....

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:31:28 GMT

Some android phone apps just don't load unless you 'force stop' them then restart every time you want to use them, notifications don't come through to your phone unless you unlock the lock screen and then they all arrive at once (happening across three separate devices), and our Sky Stream box loses connection repeatedly whilst watching something. And of course as soon as we disconnect from wifi with the phones everything works as normal, so definitely an issue with the wifi rather than the devices. Anyone know what could be going on or what I could try? 🙏

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

Chrisee — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:35:55 GMT

@GSte what hub and extender do you have? These need to be matched to work properly.

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:51:42 GMT

It's a TP-Link TL-WA 850 RE 300Mbps Universal Wi-Fi Range Extender

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 17:02:14 GMT

And the black Sky hub. The problem exists however when connected to either the hub or the extender...

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

JimM1 — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 20:20:08 GMT

@GSte Have you split the bands on your sky Broadband hub if that is what you have!

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/broadband-diagnostic-which-sky-hub

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:19:53 GMT

Thanks Jim - yes it's the broadband hub! Please could you advise how to split the bands or direct me to any info on this? 🙂

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

JimM1 — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:27:07 GMT

@GSte Linked from the Tips above top off the community page for you. You can also adjust the Tp-Link as that version has the tendency to do the _EXT on the ssid so not the seamless swapover, but it can be done, have that version on the boy's VM hub but did set it up via the Ethernet interface for him covers his ring Doorbell and the babies room!

Split Sky WiFi bands

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

2muchTV — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:49:06 GMT

@GSte if you are unable to get your current set up working properly, you might want to consider a mesh system. Yes you will have to purchase additional equipment, but when set up, they will more likely outperform any WiFi extenders you have in speed.

I started out using a cheap mesh systemen from Tenda MW3 which was reliable but limited... no band splitting as I recall.

Assuming your Sky hub is getting the speed at the ONT, you can turn its WiFi off and use a mesh system in Access Point mode. Or you can purchase a mesh system that can connect directly to the ONT

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 18:31:06 GMT

'You can also adjust the Tp-Link as that version has the tendency to do the _EXT on the ssid so not the seamless swapover, but it can be done' - do you know how I can do this please Jim?

And once I've split the bands, how do I know which one to connect my devices to? Are some only compatible with 2.4 GHz whereas others can use 5 GHz?

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 18:36:11 GMT

Actually don't worry thanks Jim - Google helped me out with the above! Thanks for your help, all seems fixed now I've split the channels!

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:11:36 GMT

I spoke prematurely... problem not solved 😑 Apps work fine from other people's routers or through mobile phone signal - any other thoughts on hub settings that could be the cause or will I need to see if Sky can send a new router to try?

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

JimM1 — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:37:35 GMT

@GSte Have a look at this post, may be the one you also need! Linked below!

Answered: Re: Unable to download apps on Google play using S... | Sky Community

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:27:55 GMT

Contacted Sky tech support over the phone who have sent out a replacement 4.2 router and the problem persists sadly. The chap I spoke to advised that the wifi Max router may be needed to solve this issue, but that this would cost an extra £4/month. A bit reluctant to have to pay extra for hardware to make a (fairly expensive gigafast) service work properly.

Does anyone know how hard it would be to set up and use a third party router instead, e.g. TP-Link Archer AX18?

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

JimM1 — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 15:09:08 GMT

@GSte Third party can be as simple as connect and go, do you require to have a landline phone connected to the sky Hub? That is always the relevant question!

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 15:36:59 GMT

No landline needed, no.... I've read that third party routers need to be compatible with Sky's 'option 61' authentication method but it seems like most modern routers should be okay so perhaps I'll try one of the TP-Links and see how it goes...

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

JimM1 — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 15:43:14 GMT

@GSte NO forget about option 61 dont go there, you are connecting on a full fibre connection! Let's clear this up, do you plug the sky hub into an OR Phone Master socket or direct into a Full Fibre ONT modem connection? Link is about ONT and what they look like!

Optical Network Terminal | Sky Help | Sky.com | Sky Help | Sky.com

Re: WiFi connection keeps dropping

GSte — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:20:57 GMT

Thanks Jim - it's a Nokia ONT, the first one in the list with the curved groove in the pastic face ('Power - LOS - PON -LAN')