Upgraded to wifi Max but now upstairs has very low signal

[Lizzard]

I yesterday upgraded to Wifi max, which didn't immediately work on the TVs, but a response tip on here re set up seemed to solve the issue.

Most is working fine but upstairs bedroom office now has very weak signal.  Download speed 1.01mbs Upload speed 1.36mbs.  Should I allow 14 days before contacting Sky?   Does it improve over time?  Or do I have to phone for a POD?  If so,  looking on here, the only wayto get a POD is to phone, which is so difficult to get through - does anyone have any tips or a successful way to contact to get a POD?

Before I used a white booster (extra cost) in the downstairs which gave me a great signal upstairs, but this legacy equipment is no longer supported so I've had to go with this upgrade - which so far is less good coverage, but I'm hoping fixable.

Any tips welcome

[Mr+Flibbles+86]

Hi there, I’ve escalated your post to our Community Messaging team who will invite you to a private chat shortly and help you with this. 

Just look out for the colourful bubble to start the conversation.

Here's more information on how Community Messaging works - https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Did-you-know/Escalating-a-post-to-a-Sky-expert/ba-p/3711147

[Lizzard]

Thanks for the help this morning.  The MySky still detects a broadband problem….

My PC upstairs connected after half an hour from the re-set though with a very weak signal - still.

Would be happy to connect again on chat bubble to go to the next stage when convenient?

[Lizzard]

OK - so I've tried all day to resolve this issue looking for tips on the Community - Rebooting and restarting the PC upstairs (HP Elite 2019) which cannot connect to Wi-Fi since the Sky Max router took over and I completed all software updates (windows 11) on it and rebooting the Wi-Fi Max router.  

After trying a dozen or so times, the upstairs PC did eventually connect twice, with a very weak signal that dropped out after 20 mins or so.  After rebooting the PC, it cannot even pick up the router signal for nearly an hour of trying.  Also my mobile phone signal drops out sometimes in the same location and clicks onto 4G - so there is some kind of signal weakness there it seems which the old booster addressed.

MySky service checker still indicates there is a problem with my Hub connecting to broadband.   I uninstalled MySky app and reinstalled it which got rid of the orange wheel of death  saying it was still installing -but didn't resolve the problem.......Can anyone help further?  Do I have to wait 14 days for things to improve?  

My old router was installed with no problems at all in any room but Wi-Fi Max is just not able to work as well as the old system and booster.   Im hoping maybe there is a resolution someone could advise who has had similar after years of no problems with the old router?   Tips / resolutions would be so welcome - I can see some people had the same issue, but there is no answer visible to how they solved it?

[Sandra121]

They are just bad routers is the only conclusion we can collectively come to.  I'm quietly getting rather mad about them charging us for a downgrade.

[Chrisee]

@Lizzard If you bought the Sky WiFi Max bundle as part of your package if you call Sky they should send out a matched pod extender.

[Lizzard]

Thanks @Sandra121 its looking that way at the moment you're right, such a shame after the sales agent seemed to say it'll be so much better - it's disappointing.....but if it continues being so weak justifying the extra cost is a stretch.....

[Lizzard]

Thanks @Chrisee for your suggestion -this was something they sold me when renewing the contract as they said my booster was no longer being supported.  I will contact them as you say as with my previous booster things were good so will hope it can be improved. 

[Sandra121]

An AI engine I was talking with today is adamant there is a 'best coverage' and 'best speed' setting in the sky max hub. Even when I told it there's not, it tried to direct me to it. No such setting shows up where it says, but I did find a Sky max hub settings page in Google images that looks nothing like ours. Even though it wasn't the relevant page, it hints at a time when we could have changed a lot more settings. I wonder, when they decided people can't be trusted to configure their own devices, if they set it to whatever equates to 'Best speed' and locked it. You know, for the pretty-looking big speed test numbers. The rapid drop-off with distance fits the (conspiracy?) theory.

[Lizzard]

Hmm, that's quite interesting information @Sandra121,  its got me thinking too ...

the signal is still very weak upstairs after 4 days so I doubt it will improve - I think maybe I'll need to brave the phone lines and clear a day to see if I can get some suitable improvement action from Sky.   The annoying thing is, that all was ticking over nicely until I was told I needed to change the router.  Now downgrade in signal masquerading as an upgrade is hard to swallow at a higher cost.  Appreciate your info and seems there are a number of us in the same boat.

[Lizzard · Accepted solution]

I just thought I'd update my post as it has now been resolved and may be of help to others.

In the end I had to phone Sky to get a resolution. They sent an Engineer.

Apparently I should not have been suggested for Wi-Fi max as this should not be suggested to customers like me who have a brick house with thick walls and used a legacy booster.  The engineer tried several fixes but in the end he put in a booster (not the pods) which, if positioned in an exact position away from walls and close to the hub does definitely improve the signal upstairs and in the kitchen.

I'm grateful for the engineer fix as without that, there is no way Wi-Fi max would have worked for me in many of my rooms.

Ironically, Sky had sent me out a new router a month before that wasn't Wi-Fi max, which worked perfectly - but I was not allowed to keep it as it is being phased out.

So - Wi-Fi max may not work for you if you are not in a modern open plan type of house.  The old Victorian houses with thick brick walls are not ideal for it and it may take a bit of to and fro before it works properly.  The good news is that it should be fixable - but probably not without an Engineer. 

Thanks to all in the Community who made helpful suggestions for me.

[JimM1]

@Lizzard Are you using the Sky Max SR213 router with the old SE210 version off booster?

[Jackie98]

New router 

[Lizzard]

That's correct @JimM1 - the Sky Wi-Fi max router is SR213

The white upright booster the Engineer introduced is SE210A. (He took away the flat white legacy booster we had before)

The Engineer did use a pod initially but after various checks took that away and left the booster.

[JimM1]

@Lizzard Thanks for replying, REALLY good to know that that combination has worked.! Have the old SE210 original with an Ethernet port from last year now back and using the Asus/SR203 old trusty router, but all Asus router wise and equipment so no need to drag the old booster out.