topic Re: Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo in Sky Q

Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo

MKB_ASM — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 15:31:13 GMT

I’m wondering if it’s possible to use a mix of wired and wireless mini-boxes on the Sky Q system.

We currently have 1 main box and 4 mini-boxes, all running wirelessly. It worked fine for about 9 years, but since January it’s been very unreliable. We often see blue screens, channel changes taking up to 15 seconds, and frequent reboots.

An engineer visited recently and suggested that a software update in March might have caused the issues. He installed a booster and repositioned the boxes, but the system is still unstable. He recommended either wiring the boxes or switching to Sky Stream. Stream doesn’t feel like the right option for us, so I’m now considering going wired, even though running the cables neatly won’t be easy.

That said, I’m not keen on paying nearly £100 a month for blue screens and reboots. I’m confident I can run cables neatly to 3 of the 4 mini-boxes. The last one would require external runs and drilling through walls.

My question is, can I keep the main box on wireless (it’s close to the router and has a solid connection), hardwire 3 of the mini-boxes to my switch, and leave the 4th on wireless since it also has a strong Wi-Fi connection?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo

oldfella — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:07:40 GMT

@MKB_ASM wrote:

I’m wondering if it’s possible to use a mix of wired and wireless mini-boxes on the Sky Q system.

We currently have 1 main box and 4 mini-boxes, all running wirelessly. It worked fine for about 9 years, but since January it’s been very unreliable. We often see blue screens, channel changes taking up to 15 seconds, and frequent reboots.

An engineer visited recently and suggested that a software update in March might have caused the issues. He installed a booster and repositioned the boxes, but the system is still unstable. He recommended either wiring the boxes or switching to Sky Stream. Stream doesn’t feel like the right option for us, so I’m now considering going wired, even though running the cables neatly won’t be easy.

That said, I’m not keen on paying nearly £100 a month for blue screens and reboots. I’m confident I can run cables neatly to 3 of the 4 mini-boxes. The last one would require external runs and drilling through walls.

My question is, can I keep the main box on wireless (it’s close to the router and has a solid connection), hardwire 3 of the mini-boxes to my switch, and leave the 4th on wireless since it also has a strong Wi-Fi connection?

Thanks in advance.

Hi @MKB_ASM

Depends whether or not you are on Sky Broadband.

If you are Sky Broadband then whether you have the Sky Max router.

If you are on 3rd party broadband or have the Max router then a mix of WiFi and Ethernet is not reliable.

Full Ethernet on all boxes is always the best option.

Re: Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo

MKB_ASM — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:29:02 GMT

Thank you for your prompt reply, I am not with Sky, ith BT with FTTP on a Ubuiquiti system.

I will look can fulll hard wire, once more thank you for taking the time to reply.

Re: Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo

oldfella — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 17:08:01 GMT

@MKB_ASM wrote:

Thank you for your prompt reply, I am not with Sky, ith BT with FTTP on a Ubuiquiti system.

I will look can fulll hard wire, once more thank you for taking the time to reply.

Hi @MKB_ASM

When all boxes are connected by Ethernet you can then switch off all Q box WiFi.

Start with main Q box and first carry out a Network reset with the Ethernet connected.
Network Reset found in Q box Home - Settings - Setup - Network.
Highlight Status and then select Reset on the right hand side. Select connect wired to non Sky Router (or Sky router if on Sky Broadband). Do not carry out any WPS and just wait for the box to connect. It may take a couple of minutes. If it does not connect there is an issue with the Ethernet connection.
As soon as it connects go immediately into the Q box hidden menu and turn off WiFi.

To enter hidden menu press Home and navigate down to Settings but do not select Settings.
With Settings highlighted press 0 0 1 Select.
Go to Network to turn off both bands of WiFi. Confirm before exit.

Repeat the network reset on any minis in the Mini Home menu with the Ethernet connected. Again do not do any WPS and just wait for it to connect.
Once it is connected go immediately into the mini hidden menu (same procedure as above) and turn off both bands of WiFi. Confirm before exit.

Re: Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo

Chodley — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 06:42:09 GMT

You can mix ethernet and powerline adapters.

Re: Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo

oj01 — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 06:54:24 GMT

@MKB_ASM wrote:
Thank you for your prompt reply, I am not with Sky, ith BT with FTTP on a Ubuiquiti system.

I will look can fulll hard wire, once more thank you for taking the time to reply.

Certainly worth trying Powerline Adapters on the 4th Mini before going to the trouble of hard wiring.

Re: Sky Q - Wired/Wireless combo

Ironlike17 — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 09:23:59 GMT

I had this. Switched my internet provider to community fiber and so lost the ability to use my centrally placed sky router to boost the signal / mesh. Also built a garden room which was too far for the signal to reliably work - bifold doors open and a tail wind it'd get there but most of the time was as you have with blue screen, signal loss and the such. No real advice other than I just Ethernet wired it all. 4 bed house and 3 minis. Took a bit of doing and drilling through floors / walls but it's all now back together and wires all hidden. I've switched the WiFi off as per the above and it's all perfect. Mini boxes switch channels in a blink and 100% no signal drop.

As a potential solution, and someone might chip in here, but I think you can run an Ethernet to your most central sky mini boxes and have that transmit WiFi / mesh network from there. You might not then need to run Ethernet to the whole house.