Superhub : laptop not working with superhub

[Heather10]

So after our internet stopped working again on Sunday (also happened on Friday so wonder if was the weather) Virgin said would send us a superhub (Internet did have a reputation of dropping out for 10/15 seconds then picking up again which we lived with. Now superhub in struggle to get laptop to connect - smartphone is fine (most of the time); hubby has updated the drivers on laptop (which he says it is ancient - 4 yrs old), struggle to get printer to print now to wireless printer, husbands ipad prints fine. Don't really want to have to buy another laptop just cos doesn't work welk now - apart from dropping out and the failure at the weekend laptop and printer (canon one only about 2 yrs old) worked well. Is it possible to go back to modem and router or not. Husband doesn't want to so need some advice/help

[Kushan]

Hi Heather,

We might need some more information to help diagnose the issue.

Firstly, it IS possible to switch the superhub into "modem mode" and plug in your old router, so if all else fails that's an option - though if you have a really old router, it might be a step back.

Can you give more information on the laptop issues - does the laptop connect at all? Can you get online periodically or does it not work no matter what? Can you tell us what laptop it is?

Is the laptop the only device unable to print or are other devices not working as well? I'm not clear if you're having issues with the printer as well or if it's just the laptop.

[Heather10]

Hi, it is a dell laptop. It does connect periodically but it is really slow. My husbands ipad and my Samsung galaxy s3 phone work fine. My husbands ipad can print so printer working and managed to print a couple of bits off but kept getting error printing message. Also when you switch the laptop on takes about 2 mins from fully being on before it finds the superhub. Didn't used to have this problem

[Kushan]

It's possibly the settings on the superhub not quite liking the Laptop. If you log into the superhub, under the wireless settings you should see what "speed" it's set to - 300Mbps, 144Mbps, etc.

Try adjusting that to see if it makes a difference.

Heather, do you have the latest wifi drivers on the Dell?

This has been a known issue with laptops and the SH (especially Atheros drivers).

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12...os-theory.html

[General Maximus]

I'll let Kush muck about with the various wireless settings you can play with to try and improve things and I am only going to say one thing (which isn't going to come as a surprise)......

Given that you seem to rely on the wireless functionality of the router (aka the shub) for a large portion of your connectivity, I would strongly suggest putting the shub in modem mode and buying a proper router. Isp's provide free consumer equipment and there is obviously going to be some sort of cost/benefit ratio assigned to it because they are giving it to you for free. Shub's are average routers only and if you have got a shub1 is actually "awful" for wireless. The best thing you can do to rid yourself of problems such as this and provide long term performance and stability is invest in a quality branded router where the wireless will be a lot better in a addition to a host of other benefits. We can make some recommendations if you are interested but you will be looking at around £50. I know hubby might want an all-in-one solution but if it cant do what you want it to then there is no point using it! You are causing yourself unnecessary grief.

[Heather10]

I think we would pay £50 cos we are both heavy internet users so would be worth the investment. Not sure would be happy in messing around with the settings on the shub as dont know what I am doing with that. My husband did update the drivers on the laptop. Can you recommend some good routers. We still have the one we took out, a d-link (615) but that was from about 2007 so guess maybe need a new one now?

[General Maximus]

Yeah, things have moved on big time since your dlink came out, especially as far as wireless technology goes. Now, as with any type of product, there are good ones and band ones, high performing models and low performing models, good quality and bad quality. When you think about cars you think of brands like Audi and BMW as being excellent all around makes of car with regards to performance, stability and reliability. When it comes to routers the same applies and the two best brands you can go for are Linksys and Asus. There are lots of users on this forum who will join this thread very shortly and tell you how awesome Asus (and they are very good) are but I am going to say the same thing about Linksys.

Over the last 13 years I have had 5 different models of Linksys routers and I have never had a single problem with any of them. I set them up, configure my settings and then they just sit there doing what they are supposed and all the gaming and downloading I do goes without a hitch, day after day, week after week and year after year. It sounds simple and like something you would expect to happen if you bought any router but the truth of the matter is that it doesn't. You can buy routers that just don't do the most basic of things and you scrath your head wondering what the manufacturer was thinking when they designed it. As an example, VM (and other isps) give you free routers and give them appealing names like the "superhub" and market them as "unrivalled wireless performance" but nothing could be further from the truth. Shub1 is famous for its poor wireless performance and range and overall stability.

Linksys is a brand you can trust for quality build, stability and performance. There are a few settings you will want to configure on your new router which I can talk you through and once you have done it you can sit back, relax and carry on with what you were doing before. You can use your ipad, use your laptop, print, play on your phones and everything else you can think of because proper routers do what they are suppose to without the hassle of crashing, random reboots or deciding some wireless devices are going to connect and some aren't. Buying a Linksys router gives you peace of mind and is an investment for the many hundreds of hours you are going to spend enjoying all the technology in your house for years to come. Routers are the literal backbone of the network in your house and allow all your devices to talk to each other and connect to the internet so it worth getting something reliable and solid.

A good all rounder for you would be this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Linksys-EA27...linksys+ea2700

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by General Maximus

Yeah, things have moved on big time since your dlink came out, especially as far as wireless technology goes.

To be fair, while the D-Link DIR-615 is a rather limited device compared to top-end kit these days, in it's actual own niche things haven't moved on much at all. The D-Link is capable of 300Mbps 2x2:2 MIMO at 2.4Ghz, and 100mW transmit power. Only a few of the newest 2.4Ghz devices can do 450Mbps 3x3:3 MIMO at 2.4Ghz; most are still limited to 300Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band, even if they can do 450Mbps or 1300Mbps (AC) at 5Ghz. Similarly, legal regulations have not changed one bit, meaning 100mW is still the maximum legal transmit power in Europe on 2.4Ghz.

These limitations are unlikely to change anytime soon on the 2.4Ghz band so anyone with 2.4Ghz only devices won't see much benefit even with the newest and best routers. 5Ghz is where it's at (although some vendors have implemented proprietary performance-enhancing hacks, porting some of the improvements over unofficially from 802.11ac, I've never really trusted vendor-proprietary enhancements. Not even Cisco's CCX is widespread enough to be genuinely useful)

[Kushan]

That's a really good point about the DIR-615. It'd still be an excellent router for anyone on FTTC. It's a shame it lacks gigabit ports really or it'd still be relevant today on Virgin's connections.

[pip08456]

I still have one tucked away for emergency use.