Sky Q miniboxes creating a loop on my network

[Rob_V]

I have Sky Q without sky broadband.  I initially connected all my sky boxes to the network using ethernet wired connection. This however created loops on the network even with spanning tree protocol enabled. I turned off the Wi-Fi on all the boxes as the loop was being caused by the Wi-Fi connection between the boxes. However now a couple of the miniboxes do not connect to the network using the ethernet unless the Wi-Fi is enabled in the engineers menu. There seems to be something inherently wrong with how these miniboxes connect to the network

[oldfella]

---

@Rob_V wrote:

I have Sky Q without sky broadband.  I initially connected all my sky boxes to the network using ethernet wired connection. This however created loops on the network even with spanning tree protocol enabled. I turned off the Wi-Fi on all the boxes as the loop was being caused by the Wi-Fi connection between the boxes. However now a couple of the miniboxes do not connect to the network using the ethernet unless the Wi-Fi is enabled in the engineers menu. There seems to be something inherently wrong with how these miniboxes connect to the network

---

Hi @Rob_V 

Full Ethernet should not be an issue with all Q WiFi off (provided all Q boxes are connected to the same Network by the same method).

When all boxes are connected by Ethernet you can then switch off all Q box WiFi.

Start with main Q box and first carry out a Network reset with the Ethernet connected.
Network Reset found in Q box Home - Settings - Setup - Network.
Highlight Status and then select Reset on the right hand side. Select connect wired to non Sky Router (or Sky router if on Sky Broadband). Do not carry out any WPS and just wait for the box to connect. It may take a couple of minutes. If it does not connect there is an issue with the Ethernet connection.
As soon as it connects go immediately into the Q box hidden menu and turn off WiFi.

To enter hidden menu press Home and navigate down to Settings but do not select Settings.
With Settings highlighted press 0 0 1 Select.
Go to Network to turn off both bands of WiFi. Confirm before exit.

Repeat the network reset on any minis in the Mini Home menu with the Ethernet connected. Again do not do any WPS and just wait for it to connect.
Once it is connected go into the mini hidden menu (same procedure as above) and turn off both bands of WiFi. Confirm before exit.

Edit.

If you are using managed Ethernet switches these can cause issues with Q

[Rob_V]

I do have managed switches but none of the ports used should be affected by this

[TimmyBGood]

---

@Rob_V wrote:

There seems to be something inherently wrong with how these miniboxes connect to the network

---

There's certainly something proprietary at work, yes: that's how Q was designed and built.

https://rethinkresearch.biz/articles/airties-can-finally-talk-openly-sky-q-hybrid-mesh/ 

(although note that references to Powerline networking no longer apply)

[TrickyDawn]

Dude you are a saviour, just spent last 24 hours trying to sort my Ubiquiti network and VLAN's via a firewall out including rebuilding it all twice before I noticed a loop between two random switches on my wired lan that I couldn't cure.  *****y SKY network had managed to create a loop between them!

I do networks for a living 😄 

[ShabbyShabbs]

@TrickyDawn how do you tell if there's a loop?

I am having issues with my network speeds and suspect this may be an issue but don't know how to tell.

My main Sky Q box and three mini boxes are all connected to my Ubiquiti switch via ethernet, and all Sky boxes have wifi disabled through the secret menu. Speed tests from my Fing device (also connected to the Ubiquiti switch via ethernet) are 30% faster if I disconnect all the Sky boxes from the network.

Tried it with an unmanaged switch in place of the Ubiquiti and got the same results, so it's not a managed/unmanaged issue, it just seems to be a Sky Q issue as they don't play nice on a decent network.

[TrickyDawn]

Ports on the switches will show as blocking in unifi network then suddenly come back up again before going back down.

[64monks]

Try putting the Sky Q + all minis on their own switch and connecting that switch to your router. On a different port on your router, run another switch with everything else connected. This was the only way it worked for me. Anything sharing the switch with the Sky kit suffered perfromance issues, things hanging off the other switch were fine. 

[Steven987654321]

What is the fix for this?

[Rob_V]

Full Ethernet should not be an issue with all Q WiFi off (provided all Q boxes are connected to the same Network by the same method).

When all boxes are connected by Ethernet you can then switch off all Q box WiFi.

Start with main Q box and first carry out a Network reset with the Ethernet connected.
Network Reset found in Q box Home - Settings - Setup - Network.
Highlight Status and then select Reset on the right hand side. Select connect wired to non Sky Router (or Sky router if on Sky Broadband). Do not carry out any WPS and just wait for the box to connect. It may take a couple of minutes. If it does not connect there is an issue with the Ethernet connection.
As soon as it connects go immediately into the Q box hidden menu and turn off WiFi.

To enter hidden menu press Home and navigate down to Settings but do not select Settings.
With Settings highlighted press 0 0 1 Select.
Go to Network to turn off both bands of WiFi. Confirm before exit.

Repeat the network reset on any minis in the Mini Home menu with the Ethernet connected. Again do not do any WPS and just wait for it to connect.
Once it is connected go into the mini hidden menu (same procedure as above) and turn off both bands of WiFi. Confirm before exit.