Mini box connectivity in annex

[07743]

I'm pulling my hair out on this one. It might be a bit of a saga so bare with me...

I have an office which is separate to my house but only a few steps away. It's just out of range of my (non-sky) wifi so I've run a cable to a switch in the office which successfully runs my pc and smart TV, I also have an AP with a matching SSID.

When I try to connect my mini box on WiFi it connects to the SKYxxxxxx type connection which I think is the signal the main box is putting out. When it does this, the main box disconnects from the internet so none of the boxes work. Inside the house all the boxes connect to the normal WiFi and work fine.

I've tried connecting over LAN and can get the internet connection but there's no connection to the main box. 

I've swapped mini boxes around and everything is fine in the house. The issue is in the office, or the distance.

im unsure what connectivity is used for the connection to the main box. Should it still connect over LAN even though the main box is on WiFi?

Any help appreciated. Thanks!

[oldfella]

Hi @07743 

If you are on 3rd Party Broadband (ie non Sky) then the mini boxes if using WiFi will only connect to Sky Q mesh.   So that's main Q box or Sky Q booster (or another mini).  They will not connect to 3rd party access points.

If you run an Ethernet cable for connection it would need to be from the main Q box (unless all boxes are connected to your 3rd party router by Ethernet).

[07743]

@oldfella 

Thanks for the reply. That seems odd as my main box and 3 other minis are all connecting fine and showing as connected to my 3rd party broadband WiFi connection, not the SKYxxxxxx 

[oldfella]

---

@07743 wrote:

@oldfella 

Thanks for the reply. That seems odd as my main box and 3 other minis are all connecting fine and showing as connected to my 3rd party broadband WiFi connection, not the SKYxxxxxx 

---

Hi @07743 

Did you connect the minis using WPS and if so what did you press the WPS button on?

Also where are you seeming the minis connected to your WiFi?

[07743]

I think I connected 2 of them on wps to the main box (which I connected manually). Then one of them manually with the password, I'm seeing the wifi connection named in the network setting on the boxes and then advanced. 

should they all be on that skyxxxxx mesh connection?

[oldfella]

Hi @07743 

Would be surprised if a mini will work on 3rd Party WiFi.
Using WiFi and non Sky broadband the mini boxes are best connected by WPS to the main Q box following a Network reset.  Connect the nearest mini to the main Q box first

Network Reset found in mini Home - Settings - Setup - Network.
Highlight Status and then select Reset on the right hand side. Follow instructions to connect by WPS to main Q box (assuming you not have a Q WiFi booster located between the boxes)
You will be asked to press the WPS button on the nearest Q device. (Not on the mini box as the Network reset will start the mini Q box WPS automatically).

you have 2 minutes after the Network reset to press the nearest Q  device WPS button.
When you connect subsequent minis you use the same procedure (Network reset) and if an already connected mini is nearer than the main box you can use WPS on that.

One option for your annex is to obtain a Sky Q WiFi booster from Sky and connect this to the Ethernet in your Annex.  You may need a simple unmanaged Ethernet switch if you want to connect multiple devices.   I believe this should work for the mini.   Carry out a Network reset and use the booster for WPS.

[07743]

That did help somewhat @oldfella, thanks.

i managed to get it connected but only after leaving all the doors open and pulling the q-box from behind the tv on the connected device. It didn't last long though so I'm assuming it's signal.

Will any Ethernet to WiFi booster with wps do the trick or does it have to be a sky one?

[07743]

Also would that be any different to the AP I've already got? Except for the fact that I'll be able to connect on wps instead of putting the key in 

[TimmyBGood]

@07743 

You'd want the Mini in the office on ethernet with its WiFi switched off, and preferably the main Q box with an ethernet connection as well (its WiFi can stay on)

[oldfella]

---

@07743 wrote:

That did help somewhat @oldfella, thanks.

i managed to get it connected but only after leaving all the doors open and pulling the q-box from behind the tv on the connected device. It didn't last long though so I'm assuming it's signal.

Will any Ethernet to WiFi booster with wps do the trick or does it have to be a sky one?

---

Hi @07743 

Not only does it have to a Sky one it also has to be a Sky Q WiFi booster.

These can be connected to Ethernet but normally are positioned midway between boxes on WPS WiFi.

So they get the WiFi from the main Q box or another mini.

3rd party Access points will not work with Q.

Not unless all Q boxes are connected to the Access point mesh by Ethernet with all Q box WiFi off

[07743]

@TimmyBGood if I could get the main box on Ethernet would all the minis need to be Ethernet? I might have a powerline adaptor hanging around somewhere which would let me put the main box on Ethernet but not the other boxes in the house (except the one in the office which will be ideal)