Poor Wifi signal and quality with Sky router (SR203 model)

[se151]

I've just switched over to Sky Full Fibre broadband and been supplied a SR203 router for it. The fibre broadband service initially wasn't great but has certainly stablised at about 500Mmps. Devices connected directly to the new router connect fine and using various speed test tools, they get connected speed of around 400-500Mbps average. But WiFi is a disaster...

The Wifi is standard, I've made no changes apart from the Wifi SSID. When connected, the average speed is anything from 50Mbps (and no, I've not made a typo, I mean 50) up to a maximum of just under 300Mbps. I've tried adjusting the channels but no meaningful improvement is made. The connection is unstable and frequently times out on multiple device types (we have WinTel laptops, Android phones, and Apple iPhones and iPads). Right now I'm sitting 3 feet from the router now and this is what I get.

If I attach another wireless AP via cable and setup a totally standard wifi network, this is what I get:

The new AP is a TP-Link Archer AX12. Nothing special but gives relatively good coverage throughout our smallish 3 bed house. The Sky router and new AP is centrally located. The irony is, our older Sky router connected to the copper based broadband gave significantly better signal quality and coverage than this new one. So three questions:

1. Is anyone else experiencing similar issues?

2. Why do I see such a broad connection speed range with the SR203

3. Is there any suggestions on how to make the SR203 more reliable, and produce a consistant connection

But more importantly, can someone give me a phone number of a support team that won't keep going through the same script of "switch it off, move the router, leave it an hour".

[se151]

And just to add, just run another speedtest on the Sky router Wifi.

This is connect on the 5Ghz channel with speed of 488/780 (recieve/transmit).

[JimM1]

@se151 When you setup the AP to connect to the SR203 you did so with a network connection, and if you are using the wireless of both the TP and the SR pay particular attention to the channels that both devices are using. Is the Tp in AP or router mode off operation. 

With the SR do not expect to push any more than the 500Mb/s on wi-fi, Tp may be that little bit faster but not by much!

[se151]

I've tried auto and manual channels on both. The TP is in AP mode just to keep it simple.

Monitoring the connection from a laptop, when on the SR wifi, it rarely connects via 5Ghz. It seems the preference is 2.4Ghz. But even switching off the 2.4Ghz (which in reality I can't do as the house devices will not work on 5), the speed won't get above 300. Using a very rough average, the TP is about 75% faster, but crucially it doesn't drop out when switching from 5 to 2.4 or vice versa. 

It just seems really average and unrealiable wifi via the SR203. Spoken to Sky and they are sending a new one but I'm fairly pesimistic about it making this any better. 

[JimM1]

@se151 That is tosh my SR203 hit's 500Mb/s on wifi connection with no problem what so ever, and i even have Asus routers that were hanging on it in router mode. Couple off screen shot's attached from back in April when they clear for you to view.

[se151]

I can hit 500Mbps with the TP wifi that is cabled to the Sky. No issue there. I can top 500 connected via cable straight into the Sky router, again no issue. But Wifi, no chance... Even with 2.4Ghz shut down on the Sky router, max connection speed is under 300. I've used multiple diagnostic tools to establish where the fault is but there is no logical reason why it's slow, but also cannot understand why it drops out or freezes.

As I type this, my laptop is connected via 5Ghz, transmit/recieve is 866/650. But speedof.me reports a download of 112, peak at 213. Google speed test is 79.3. If I switch over to trusty 'ol TP link, 473 download... However this Sky router manages the wifi connection, that seems to be root cause and I cannot see a fix.

So unless I post a video and a whole load of screenshots, I can't prove any further that this isn't tosh. Right now, I'd take back my old copper line and router from Sky as this isn't reliable enough.

I'll see what a new router does tomorrow but as I said earlier, I doubt it will change anything.

[Ram3]

I'm having the same issue did you get this resolved

[se151]

A new router is due here tomorrow. I'll keep you posted if it makes a difference.

[Ram3]

Hope it works for you I got one and made no difference 

[se151]

That's what I'm afraid of.

[Ram3]

Just spent the last two hours on the phone only for them to give no explanation to the problemjust that they will send out a booster for signal kept telling them signal is fine it's the speed, and to wait two weeks. Will my 14 day cooling off period apply if I wait, she wouldn't answer. Got fed up so moving to another company. Hope you have better luck as they are not acknowledging the issue even when I highlighted there are multiple forum threads

[KENMACG]

I've had the same issue with my full fibre.............10Mbps download in the kitchen & 7Mbps upload, obviously wifi.

Soon to exit Sky contract

[sammyfooty]

Hi bud, nice topic.. I'm in same boat.. just had fibre installed current package should be the sky 500 however on installation up and download space were fine currently now finding I'm barely getting 60 down and 40 up done several speed test via the sky app to the fibre input showing 500 what's the solution ?

[Ram3]

Ended up having to cancel my broadband with them as they would accept any responsibility about it, kept saying it was me. Whalen I requested an engineer as I had been paying for the extra service for engineer callouts. Told they don't provide it in my area switched to EE and low and behold getting 420 out of 500 on the same set up. Sky lost a customer of 20 years and they couldn't of cared less my TV package is up soon and moving that as well due to the service I received from sky support