Superhub : & Wi-Fi Strength on Smartphones

[techguyone]

Originally Posted by Tim Deegan

I'm probably just being stupid. But I can't get inssider to work

I found it pretty hard to use, if you have a smartphone, try the wi-fi finder app it's a real doddle to use.

And yes, unless the item you're using it on has a wifi adaptor on it, it won't work

[qasdfdsaq]

Changing channels will have no effect on signal strength. Also, signal "percentage" is meaningless. Two android phones receiving the exact same signal can display three times as many "bars" or "percent" as each other. Get a real measurement of absolute signal and then make a decision.

[techguyone]

Will changing channels help, when the router next door (other side of the wall) is on the same channel as yours? (like mine was) now at least I know I'm using a channel no one else is anywhere close by.

[aldo]

can anyone advise on a suitable app for iphone/ipad or mac for checking wifi channels nearby? The applications mentioned in this thread are windows or android only as far as I can tell. would like to select the best band for my superhub

[Jacquesb]

Help site - http://help.virginmedia.com/system/s...ice.controller - suggests setting the Superhub to modem mode allows use of one's own wireless router.

Can anyone advise if this can be an ADSL router (I have a spare Belkin N router which I used on Sky from before I moved house) or must it be another cable router or is there another option ?

I guess it's not Virgin's fault, but (this) one does wonder why when a wireless router gives better wireless performance when it is placed in an open, unobstructed position the Super Hub has an extremely irritating, and possibly dangerous, blue (data ?) light which seems to flash almost all the time - even when I am in the house myself watching TV !!!

[techguyone]

It'd be interesting to see if anyone who had a smartphone and a spare router, if there was a benefit in signal strength when using the standalone router over the SH or if the problem is in fact on the phone's wi-fi receiver. I wonder just how good the miniaturised to the nth degree wi-fi antennas are on a phone.

[Skie]

Originally Posted by Jacquesb

Help site - http://help.virginmedia.com/system/s...ice.controller - suggests setting the Superhub to modem mode allows use of one's own wireless router.

Can anyone advise if this can be an ADSL router (I have a spare Belkin N router which I used on Sky from before I moved house) or must it be another cable router or is there another option ?

It depends on the ADSL router. I've used spare O2 routers in the past by hooking them up to an ADSL modem and using that as a bridge. But it was a lot of faffing around with gateway settings and configs.

[Jacquesb]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Changing channels will have no effect on signal strength. Also, signal "percentage" is meaningless. Two android phones receiving the exact same signal can display three times as many "bars" or "percent" as each other. Get a real measurement of absolute signal and then make a decision.

What is the best method to take a real measurement of absolute signal ?

[caph]

Originally Posted by techguyone

Anyone else with a smartphone & superhub?

Yes and yes the wifi on the SuperHub is pathetic. I get full signal for a day or two then I get serious WiFi problems - slow speed, intermittent connections, etc. Reboot then required but to be honest I've given up on the excremental device.

I've got a Wireless G router plugged in to it for streaming TV to my PSP and it works flawlessly so I just set everything to use that. I really don't understand how VM can keep providing such a flawed router and not expect it to damage their reputation, they really are shooting themselves in the foot.

[techguyone]

Originally Posted by Jacquesb

What is the best method to take a real measurement of absolute signal ?

If you have the wi-fi analyser app on Android, one of its screens measures by dBm from -100 to -40 which should be a bit more accurate than 5 bars or so in your status bar.