Both miniboxes have choppy audio and video.

[KarenKazzy]

Used to have this problem on just one minibox and only when playing back recordings. Had that minibox changed and my Sky broadband router ugraded to the latest. That seemed to improve (but not entirely solve) the issue with the minibox in the front room.

Yesterday BOTH minboxes s(front room and bedroom) tarted freezing, and/or choppy audio and/or artefacts on video, when watching live TV. That's never happened before. All boxes (including the main 2TB UHD box) have latest software updates.

Done all the usual/sensible things. Rebooted router, rebooted all boxes, reconnected main box to WiFi, reconnected both miniboxes to main box via WiFi.

This is driving me to distraction - because everything seems fine with the main box, it has to be something to do with the WiFi network the main box is pumping out? Anyone got any advice please? (and by the way, there's no possibility of cabling boxes together via Ethernet). Any help/advice gratefully welcomed.

[TechmanagerMal]

• As ethernet connection is by far the best option @KarenKazzy I would consider Powerline adapters and short ethernet cables.

[brianholt]

@KarenKazzy the usual troubleshooting can be found here https://www.sky.com/help/diagnostics/sky-q-permanent-connectivity/basic-checks

I would do a network reset on the mini boxes even if it says it has a connection. You could ask sky to send you a booster to strengthen your signal. The best way from a reliability perspective is ethernet cabling to your mini boxes.

[KarenKazzy]

Okay I have Powerlines, which I know and understand.

Powerlines come with a primary unit (normally cabled up to the broadband modem) and then secondary units to connect other devices via ethernet as you said.

I've tried this set-up (primary Powerline unit cabled up to my broadband modem) then secondary units connecting to the main Sky Q box and both miniboxes. That didn't solve probelms at all.

What I have just thought of and would like to check... should I effectively consider my main Sky Q box to be my primary modem/router, i.e. should I wire that up to the primary Powerline unit and then connect the two miniboxes as before?

I ask because wireless connectivity between my main Sky Q box and my Sky broadband modem is invariably fine, so those two wouldn't seem to need a hard-wired connection. My issue is alm,ost certtainly with the miniboxes communicating with the main Sky Q box over the separate mesh network that looks to establish.

[bob1234]

@KarenKazzyI think the problem may be that you are using Sky broadband, unless you need the Q boxes as hot spots you need to turn the WiFi off in all the Q boxes otherwise they will probably try to connect by WiFi and not be that reliable.

[Rhonny · Accepted solution]

@KarenKazzy

Main Sky Q box to router by ethernet. Then Settings / Setup / Network / Reset, and select Wired Connection. 

Main powerline to router by ethernet. 

Mini box 1 to powerline by ethernet. Then Settings / Setup / Network / Reset, and at step 2 of 4 on screen, DON'T press any WPS buttons when prompted as this will override the ethernet and will connect wirelessly again. Instead just let it connect on its own which takes around 30 seconds. This ensures that the box is connected properly by ethernet. 

Mini box 2 - as above.

Then turn the wifi off on all boxes. Go down to Settings but don't press Select. Instead type 0 0 1 Select to open the hidden menu. From there you can turn off the 2.4ghz and 5ghz wifi. Press Confirm, then exit. 

[KarenKazzy]

@bob1234 I don't need any of the Sky Q boxes (main or mini) to be wifi hotspots.

@TechmanagerMal  which way should I wire up things with Powerline?

Should I have the primary Powerline unit connected to my Sky broadband router, then three secondary Powerline units (which I have) connecting the main Sky Q box and the two miniboxes?

Or should I have the  primary Powerline unit connected to my main Sky Q box and then just two secondary Powerline units connecting the two miniboxes?

[KarenKazzy]

@Rhonny just seen your reply - thanks. That sounds like a "normal" Powerline set-up which I have tried before, but never forced ethernet connection as per the method you suggest, nor ever turned WiFi off on any of the Sky boxes. I'll give that a go and see what happens.

Here's a further question though - don't the miniboxes need a really fast connection to the main Sky Q box to work well, especially re HD? I mean 5GHz WiFi is fast, but my Powerlines only support 100Mbps max... is that going to be enough? Or should I invest in some Gigabit Powerlines? 

[KarenKazzy]

Oops wrong. My Powerlines support 600-999Mbps, not 100 Mbps. Still, is that going to be fast enough for HD on the miniboxes?

[Rhonny]

@KarenKazzy

Plenty fast enough. The data transfer rate of the main box to each mini box does not need to be anywhere near as high as you think. 

[KarenKazzy]

@Rhonny, thanks for the reassurance.

The only thing I can't do as per your original suggestion is directly ethernet the main Sky Q box to my Sky modem. I'll have to Powerline that connection too.

Would that cause problems with your recommendation?

[Rhonny]

@KarenKazzy

No, that will be fine. (I was assuming your Sky Q box and router were near each other.) But still follow my note as if it was directly connected. 

[KarenKazzy]

@Rhonny thought I'd provide an update, since I got round to following your advice this weekend.

The great news is... all problems solved! Both miniboxes now performing exactly as they should and without any hiccups, freezes,  choppy sound or video artefacts on either live, stremaing or recorded TV.

The absolutely essential key to this was your information on how to force the miniboxes into using a wired connection (as provided by my TP Link Powerline extenders). That was crucial - ignoring step 2 and not pushing any WPS button on any device after a network reset. I will say that it took longer than 30 seconds for the miniboxes to use the wired connection (maybe a minute), but they duly did - and that has solved all problems.

I hope others with the same problem read this thread, because Sky Q works absolutely fine wth TP Link Powerline extenders, PROVIDED THAT you know how to force miniboxes to use ethernet.

For info and as a precaution, I have turned off all WiFi on all Sky Q boxes. The TP Link Powerlines I have are "W" models (the model name starts with WPA), so this means that each can pump out WiFi from where they are, so I'm using those to extend my wireless network round my house, ratther than relying on the miniboxes acting as WiFi hotspots on the apparently flaky Sky Q mesh wireless network (which as stated, I've turned off via your clever 0-0-1 advice)..

Thank you so much!

[Rhonny]

@KarenKazzy

Delighted it's all working for you! 😁