Replacing SR203 Router for better WiFi but retaining Sky Talk connectivity

[daleybeech]

Any Superusers out there,

I would really appreciate any guidance you may be able to offer on my current set up and improvement to it.

We moved to a home in March where the previous owners had BT Broadband provision with a Ubiquiti Amplifi mesh system along with Sky Q and a couple of Sky Q mini boxes.

We have Sky Broadband Superfast (circa 65 Mbps), with Sky Talk Anytime and Sky Q (2TB UHD main box (hardwired to the Router) and 5 Sky Q mini boxes) and have no likelihood of fibre being available unitl at least the end of 2026.

We also have numerous other devices connecting into the WiFi provision as follows:

• Landline telephone connected to the "white port" in the back of the SR203
• 1 Amplifi Router connected through a LAN port on the SR203 providing WiFi to a garden room
• Dru Gas fire (connected via a "bridge" into one of the LAN ports on the back of the SR203)
• 2 Miele ovens, 1 Miele Microwave, 1 Miele Coffee machine & 1 Miele Dishwasher
• 2 Google Nest smoke detectors & Nest Thermostat
• Xbox Series X
• Xbox Series S
• PS 4 (hardly ever used)
• 4 iPhones
• 3 iPads
• 2 windows laptops
• 1 Apple macbook

Our main frustration is that the WiFi provision isn't great (intermittent drop outs) throughout the home, having had cause to call out a Sky engineer a while back who suggested disconnecting the Amplifi system (apart from the one noted above to the garden room. We also seem to get intermittent screen freezes when watching TV through the mini boxes (I do appreciate we can only watch 2 at any given time).

Can I deactivate WiFi to my SR203 router, connect the Amplifi system back up to improve WiFi thus aenabling me to keep Sky Talk connectivity. 

Am I right in thnking I don't need the Sky Q mini boxes as WiFi hotspots if the Amplifi system is connected? They are merely providing TV to each location?

Any advice you may have in terms of a better set up would be mist gratefully received

Thanks in advance

[Anonymous]

Unless connected over Ethernet the only hotspots you can disable is the 2.4, as 5ghz is required for the Q boxes to communicate with each other on the Q mesh. There is no way to disable the mesh back haul and wifi hotspot capability independently. Running another WiFi network alongside Sky Q could cause interference and cause more problems if not optimised correctly.

[daleybeech]

Thanks @Anonymous 

Is there any way of replacing the Sky SR203 router with a third party one that has telephone connectivity (Sky Talk VOIP) and can deal with the Sky Q mini boxes

It seems the Sky SR203 doesn't have the greatest WiFi capability and does randomly drop out

Cheers 

[TimmyBGood]

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@daleybeech wrote:

Is there any way of replacing the Sky SR203 router with a third party one that has telephone connectivity (Sky Talk VOIP) and can deal with the Sky Q mini boxes

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No-one has identified any non-Sky hardware which can accommodate Sky Talk Internet Calls (the configuration for which is undocumented and appears to be baked into the Sky Broadband Hub and Max Hub)

Only Q Hubs and Sky Broadband Hubs have the proprietary 'Q Mesh' technology licensed by Sky from AirTies back in 2016: this isn't in the Max Hub either, presumably because Comcast/Sky sees Max as being likely to outlive Q television.

[daleybeech]

Cheers @TimmyBGood 

So basically the SR203 is a "Not Great" router and they have you tied in all ways.

Okay, is it then possible to retain the SR203 for the Sky Talk system, but deactivate the WiFi and connect my Amplifi systemt to provide WiFi throughout the house and get the Sky Q minis talking to that system instead if the SR203?

Fingers crossed

[Anonymous]

It's possible to use a third party router or mesh system in AP mode, although the hurdles are a double NAT and WiFi interference with Q. The Sky hub wifi could be disabled though as you mention.

You would need a WiFi solution which can output 5ghz above channel 52, so looking at something with DFS capability. Sky Q mesh is limited to 36 or 44, and you don't really want to use 44 with multiple mini boxes of possible due to halfing the channel width to 40 MHz.

Your Sky Q would then need to be setup as an independent mesh, with only one node connected to your router. 

[Anonymous]

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@daleybeech wrote:

Cheers @TimmyBGood 

So basically the SR203 is a "Not Great" router and they have you tied in all ways.

Okay, is it then possible to retain the SR203 for the Sky Talk system, but deactivate the WiFi and connect my Amplifi systemt to provide WiFi throughout the house and get the Sky Q minis talking to that system instead if the SR203?

Fingers crossed

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The SR203 actually isn't a terrible router. It's the Q mesh which can cause issues. I personally prefer Stream, but wouldn't recommend it unless you have FTTP.

If you have your main Sky Q box hardwired to the router and they are close to each other I recommend checking that the WiFi capability is turned off on the Q STB.

Use your remote to highlight settings on the Q menu, key in 001 and hit OK. Select network, then toggle off both 2.4 and 5ghz if not off already.

Turn the box off at the wall and back on again.

If you do find yourself using a third party router, your Q 5ghz needs to be turned on to facilitate connection to your minis.

[daleybeech]

Thanks @Anonymous 

My Router is directly above the 2TB Sky Q box and is hardwired (I think). We also aren't likely to get FTTP until at least December 2025!

Do you think it would be worth  turning WiFi capability off on the main box, connect the first Amplifi router to the SR203, connect each mini box via ethernet to an  Amplifi router (as there is one in each room where there is a Mini box) ensuring WiFi is also off on each mini box and keep our landline phone connected to the router

The previous owners of our home had Sky Q with 2 or 3 mini boxes but had their Broadband through BT (I've never had good experiences with BT so won't touch /em with a barge pole). They told me their BT router was just a "gateway" and the WiFi was all through the Amplifi system hence me doing a deal with them to leave it.

Trust that all makes sense and thank you for your guidance

[Anonymous]

I would first check that WiFi is disabled on your main Q if hardwired. If it is close to your router and isn't connected over Ethernet then it needs to be and the WiFi needs to be turned off on the Q. I would try this first as proximity interference could be the root of your problems.

If you recently had an engineer from Sky this should have been done anyway, but it's worth a check.

If this doesn't resolve it for you and you want to try with your Amplifi setup, you would need start by network resetting each Q node with the Ethernet unplugged from your main Q. Then plug the Ethernet back in to your STB and select connect to network over Ethernet if it doesn't auto join.

Re-enable Q 5ghz if disabled.

Disable 2.4 ghz on all mini boxes. Then you would connect the first mini by using wps to connect to the gateway box. Do this for every mini, but you can wps to other minis if closer once the first is done. You want to create two independent mesh systems, and disabling 2.4 is vital to avoid any node hopping onto your third party router / mesh setup and causing instability.

Bare in mind there is still a chance of instability due to WiFi interference while using two different WiFi systems.

Ultimately if your broadband and tv isn't working adequately you could go back to Sky and ask for another engineer visit, but they will only provide support with Sky equipment.

[jamesn123]

@daleybeech 

I would also say that having 6 Q nodes (Main + 5minis) is pushing it as well. The Sky Q mesh system isnt perfect and it always seems to start falling over after 5 or so nodes.

[TimmyBGood]

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@jamesn123 wrote:

@daleybeech 

I would also say that having 6 Q nodes (Main + 5minis) is pushing it as well.

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Having 5 Q Minis at an address shouldn't be possible anyway...

[daleybeech]

My understanding is you can have multiple Sky Q mini boxes but can only ever watch SKY TV through a maximum of two at any given time.

We usually only use one in the kitchen and one periodically upstairs, the others are generally there as WiFi nodes connected into the Sky Q main box / SR203 router.

There may also be times where more than two are used for streaming (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Youtube) for our kids but again I may look to direct them to either Smart TV or Xbox app for streaming.

Just frustrated, in the main, at random Internet dropouts and slow downs when connected through WiFi on ipads, iPhones or laptops 

Lots for me to investigate and / or try over the Christmas break

Thanks all

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately 65 Mbps is not that great for busy households in this day and age, and this could quite easily slow to a crawl regardless of what WiFi equipment you use.

As you mention issues with iPhones and iPads you could try disabling 'limit ip address tracking' in your Apple devices wifi settings. This is part of Apples iCloud Private relay which doesn't always work that great with Sky wifi and can sometimes cause buffering and spooling. Turning this off has been known to fix a lot of slow WiFi issues on Apple mobile devices. If it doesn't make any difference you can always turn it back on, but I would say it is worth a try.

[daleybeech]

Thanks @Anonymous 

I'll try that as well

Cheers

Lot's for me to go at over the next few weeks, when I get some spare time

[jamesn123]

@daleybeech 

Yes but those boxes are still going to always be a part of the mesh, no matter if they are in use or not. The Sky Q mesh system is almost 10yrs old now and it just cant cope with that volume of devices combined with you having 6 nodes.