Sky Q failing to connect with internet via 4G router

[Toby192]

Until recently I have been using a Sky Q + Minibox linked by two Boosters installed by Sky engineer in July 2020. Internet was delivered to the main box via wifi from BTHub 6. This set up performed consistently with only the very occaisonal drop out, which was easily sorted by the standard reset /reboot procedure. As I live in a rural location with fibre cables connecting to a street cabinet some 1.5 miles away, I typically received only 10Mbps broadband speed. This meant that UHD broadcasts and streaming were impossible. Based on the positive experience of a neighbour I decided to switch to an EE 4G router. We get a good signal with clear line of site to the mast which is less than a mile away. I now typically get 60+ Mbps.However, ever since I switched to 4G I have run into major problems with the Sky Q box not being able to hold on to an internet connection.  It all started out OK but after a couple of weeks the Status info on the Network showed that I was connected to the router but the internet connection was continually cycling from "on" to "off" and back again every few seconds. I have lost all the Sky functionality on my second tv as the minibox can no longer talk to the main box. I have tried connecting the router to the main box via wifi and as an alternative via ethernet (following the Sky set up instructions) but the result is the same - no internet. All my other devices ( phone,tablet, smart tv, Apple TV) are connecting OK and deivering the faster speeds. I had a Sky engineer visit and as soon as I mentioned the use of a 4G router he began smiling and proceeded to tell me there was an inherent problem with Sky Q boxes and 4G because of increased latency of a 4G connection. He said that Sky Q recommends a ping speed of circa 25ms wheras as 4G is typically much higher. He said there was no "work around" to the probem and he was seeing this issue with a number of his rural customers who had decided to go down the 4G route. Having said that he did measure my ping rate at circa 32ms and the system was working when he left. It only lasted for about three weeks before it fell over again.I have not noticed an obvious increase in the ping rate.

As this is now driving me mad I would really like to hear from any Community members who have had a similar experience or indeed received similar advice from a Sky engineer. If there is a work around that would be fanatstic to hear about.Equally if there is an inherent problem and I am just banging my head against a brick wall with this set up, I may just bin Sky and stick with Apple TV

[ftballman · Accepted solution]

There's a lot to unpick in this. Firstly the mini and main box connect to each other via a dedicated mesh (is this any good, reliable, the best way? These are separate questions).

4g can create some issues and at least in the past it wasn't officially supported. It can create issues with downloads especially.

However, sky q can connect to 4g and I've used it in the past. For any of the traditional channels from the dish, the internet should have no impact.

Have you done the network reset on the q box each time you have changed the way you connect? This caused me no end of issues in the past.

[ftballman]

Just to add, I think the ping rate is a red herring/ not relevant to just getting the basics on your boxes working. This may be something to investigate for downloading or streaming from the box but I would see that as a secondary thing yet.

[PandJ2020]

---

@ftballman wrote:

Just to add, I think the ping rate is a red herring/ not relevant to just getting the basics on your boxes working. This may be something to investigate for downloading or streaming from the box but I would see that as a secondary thing yet.

---

Here's the engineer's guidance: (from https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Q/Starlink-and-Sky-Q/m-p/4255820#:~:text=Their%20latency%20is%20aro.... @Godfrey )

check the Ping Rate - Ideally it needs to be under 25ms, and consistent, by this we mean to run several tests to ensure the ping rate is stable.

If it's higher than 25ms, then you need to inform the customer of the potential issues, such as:

• Call to upgrade message when attempting to access Catch Up and On Demand.
• Missing tiles within the on demand content.
• Programmes stuck in the download queue.
• Failed on demand downloads..

[ftballman]

As I said none of the issues you mentioned with regard to ping rates stop anyone from using the box for its basic TV watching/ recording or connecting to mini.

[Toby192]

Thank you both for your input. A few of follow ups from me.

1. I accept that that the basic, "satelite sourced" functions will still be available without an internet connection but of course that also means that a lot of the key functionality that permits downloading, accessing catch up and apps etc is unavailable and this is an integral part of what I am paying for in the overall Sky Q experience. I have read the advice issued to engineers about latency problems and connecting to Starlink.Has anyone seen equivalent advice from Sky about connecting to 4G hubs? I find it hard to believe that there are not lots of other Sky customers in rural locations that have also gone down the 4G route but I am still searching for definitive evidence on the Sky Community that there is a real issue or not.

2. I understand that the main Sky Q box talks to the Mini via it own 5GHz mesh but I thought I had read that the Sky Mini does need to be connected in some way back to the router as it needs to be ascribed its unique IP address. Are you saying this will happen regardless of whether the main box is saying that it is not connected to the internet?

Toby192

[Godfrey]

---

@Toby192 wrote:................. I have read the advice issued to engineers about latency problems and connecting to Starlink. Has anyone seen equivalent advice from Sky about connecting to 4G hubs? I find it hard to believe that there are not lots of other Sky customers in rural locations that have also gone down the 4G route but I am still searching for definitive evidence on the Sky Community that there is a real issue or not.

---

The full article made it clear that this advice was not specific to StarLink, but that irrespective of the method used to derive a Broadband service, the full Sky Q functionality requires an unloaded Latency comfortably below around 25 mS.

"Starlink, Satellite and 3,4,5G broadband with Sky Q and Glass"

Godfrey.

[Chodley]

---

@Toby192 wrote:

Thank you both for your input. A few of follow ups from me.

1. I accept that that the basic, "satelite sourced" functions will still be available without an internet connection but of course that also means that a lot of the key functionality that permits downloading, accessing catch up and apps etc is unavailable and this is an integral part of what I am paying for in the overall Sky Q experience. I have read the advice issued to engineers about latency problems and connecting to Starlink.Has anyone seen equivalent advice from Sky about connecting to 4G hubs? I find it hard to believe that there are not lots of other Sky customers in rural locations that have also gone down the 4G route but I am still searching for definitive evidence on the Sky Community that there is a real issue or not.

2. I understand that the main Sky Q box talks to the Mini via it own 5GHz mesh but I thought I had read that the Sky Mini does need to be connected in some way back to the router as it needs to be ascribed its unique IP address. Are you saying this will happen regardless of whether the main box is saying that it is not connected to the internet?

Toby192

---

You don't need an internet connection to get an IP address. It's a local service on the router.

I assume you're still using the Q boosters and have reconfigured those to connect with the 4G router (although I think this isn't always needed if one of the sky boxes has a good connection to it)

personally as I've said many times on here, I gave up on wifi.

[AliBoy1]

We've been running a 4G router for the last 3 years without issue. We changed to a newer router from EE the other day and having connection problems with sky q. The mini box keeps dropping connection 

[Chodley]

Different router, different wifi characteristics. Can you get the same model you had before?

[AliBoy1]

Yes I’m waiting for a SIM card adapter so we can plug in the old one again. Spent hours trying to get the new one to work and wife just messaged to say she can't work from home because it's dropping connection still 

[WayneJ]

Hi.. I read your post and it was as if you were living through my scenario.  Almost identical set of circumstances.  Had BT Broadband through fixed line giving 10mbps at best.  Swapped to 4g EE Smart Hub, fine at first but now the Q box won't hold the internet connection even though they are in line of sight.  I have 3 mini-boxes and none will sit on the network.  The network connection tick in the settings is constantly on and off, more off than on.  At my wits end with it.

[familyraynes]

wow - I've litterally just plugged in a new 4g router due to the issues described above.  We live on a farm too.  And I'm not paying £39 to Sky for 10mb wifi. So I'm trying a 3 router. the Q box now won't download anything.  I can run all the apps, netflix, disney plus etc and phones and playstations all work fine.  I think this is the final nail in the coffin for my sky subscripion.  I've been a customer for over 15 years! 

[Toby192]

I'm afraid I have given up running my Sky Q box off my EE 4g router and have reverted to EE broadband via landline which is giving me circa 15 Mbps. Full functionality has been restored and the main box is now communicating vis boosters to mini box without dropping out. I was experiencing similar issues feeding my high end music streamer from the 4g router and all those have gone away since I have reverted to standard broadband. I do believe the issues with higher latency and a less stable service generally from 4g was the problem. I suppose I will just have to wait another estimated 4 plus years for Project Gigabit to deliver fibre to my home. My god , we are so brilliant at delivering infrastructure in this country!

[AliBoy1]

The sky engineer told me at the time they had loads of issues trying to connect newer EE routers. We're very close to getting fibre broadband so I'll be able to connect my washing machine to the internet again. It was the most messages I've received before and it was from my washing machine lol