Apple / BT problem

[Hustler]

We have an Apple iMac PC and an Apple MacBook laptop.
Internet, email and landline phone are provided by BT.
Do not have a smartphone.
A couple of months ago the internet kept dropping out, several times a day, on both Apple machines.
The blue BT hub light stayed on which signifies the connection is up and running normally.
When I get the problem a simple off and on with the hub restores the connection.
BT don’t like me getting reconnected this way but that’s tough I’m afraid as I don’t know another way to restore the connection.

Since the problem stated we've had 3 BT engineer visits, a new BT hub and a BT mini hub that is meant to enhance the signal.

The problem is still present but BT now say the problem must be with Apple and I need to get in touch with them.

We were away in a hotel for a few days last week (it was the wife's birthday) and using the laptop had no connection problems at all.

I think the problem is with BT as it causes problems on both machines and when we were away everything worked fine.

Would appreciated opinions before I send the boys round to have a word with BT.

Thank you.

 

[stever1]

We have an Apple iMac PC and an Apple MacBook laptop.
Internet, email and landline phone are provided by BT.
Do not have a smartphone.
A couple of months ago the internet kept dropping out, several times a day, on both Apple machines.
The blue BT hub light stayed on which signifies the connection is up and running normally.
When I get the problem a simple off and on with the hub restores the connection.
BT don’t like me getting reconnected this way but that’s tough I’m afraid as I don’t know another way to restore the connection.

Since the problem stated we've had 3 BT engineer visits, a new BT hub and a BT mini hub that is meant to enhance the signal.

The problem is still present but BT now say the problem must be with Apple and I need to get in touch with them.

We were away in a hotel for a few days last week (it was the wife's birthday) and using the laptop had no connection problems at all.

I think the problem is with BT as it causes problems on both machines and when we were away everything worked fine.

Would appreciated opinions before I send the boys round to have a word with BT.

Thank you.

When this happens, go into settings. Then WiFi, on the screen it may show you are connected but no internet connection. Take a screenshot and show it to BT. I’ve had this problem and it turned out to be a server problems

 

[sparkplug]

Have you had any issues with the PC?

Where are all these devices being used? What I mean is, if the PC is fine and it's right next to the hub, but you use the Apple devices in a lead lined shed at the far end of the garden....

Exaggerated example, but things like fridges/freezers etc can interfere with WiFi signals. So can tinted glass and thick walls.

Also, how many other WiFi networks can you see? If there are lots of them then it might just be congestion on a particular channel. I've never used a BT Hub but somewhere in the settings you should have the option to select channels (it's probably set to 'auto'). You can either have a stab in the dark at selecting one manually and seeing if it makes things better or worse or download something like inSSIDer which will show you how busy the channels are so you can pick the least congested one.

 

[Hustler]

Have you had any issues with the PC?

Where are all these devices being used? What I mean is, if the PC is fine and it's right next to the hub, but you use the Apple devices in a lead lined shed at the far end of the garden....

Exaggerated example, but things like fridges/freezers etc can interfere with WiFi signals. So can tinted glass and thick walls.

Also, how many other WiFi networks can you see? If there are lots of them then it might just be congestion on a particular channel. I've never used a BT Hub but somewhere in the settings you should have the option to select channels (it's probably set to 'auto'). You can either have a stab in the dark at selecting one manually and seeing if it makes things better or worse or download something like inSSIDer which will show you how busy the channels are so you can pick the least congested one.

The PC "drops out" the same as the laptop.
PC is upstairs in a spare bedroom, now called an office, on the same desk as the hub itselt.
Laptop is downstairs.
I can see other networks but not that many and they all look to belong to local neighbours.
When I first had the problem the BT person I was reporting the problem to, moved the channel I was using. They've
tried this a few times.
And thanks stever1 - I'll look into that next time it disconnects.

 

[littleade]

The PC "drops out" the same as the laptop.
PC is upstairs in a spare bedroom, now called an office, on the same desk as the hub itselt.
Laptop is downstairs.
I can see other networks but not that many and they all look to belong to local neighbours.
When I first had the problem the BT person I was reporting the problem to, moved the channel I was using. They've
tried this a few times.
And thanks stever1 - I'll look into that next time it disconnects.

Could you connect your pc direct to the hub and try that. I have a BT hub and there's ports on the back of it to connect things direct, rather than via wifi.

 

[Hustler]

Could you connect your pc direct to the hub and try that. I have a BT hub and there's ports on the back of it to connect things direct, rather than via wifi.

No the PC is all wireless so not an option.

Thanks for your help people.

 

[sparkplug]

The PC "drops out" the same as the laptop.

OK, well that proves it's nothing to do with Apple.

Bat it back to BT.

I expect they need to have a look in the cabinet / test the cabling into your property.

It's unlikely to be the router as that's been swapped and it hasn't helped. We know it's not the PC or Apple devices because they work fine on different networks....

It's unlikely that it's the exchange or other BT users in the area would have the same issue.

My best guess given the information to hand is something between the cab and your router.

Good luck and keep us posted, but don't let them fob you off with 'it must be your computers' - it clearly isn't.

 

[Schtum]

No the PC is all wireless so not an option.

You can get round that with a USB to Ethernet adapter.

 

[wessie]

I had a similar problem with Plusnet on FTTC. They swapped me to another port on the cabinet and things got better, although there were still dropouts at the start and end of peak times when they rebalanced the network contention ratio.

The other weird problem I have heard of is interference in your mains caused by a rogue appliance switching on and off e.g. a fridge compressor. I have an extension lead with a suppressor in it. I would try plugging the router into that.
Cheap to buy https://www.amazon.co.uk/surge-protected-extension-lead/s?k=surge+protected+extension+lead

 

[sparkplug]

Surge protector is a good shout wessie

Inexpensive and much quicker than BT are likely to be

 

[Hustler]

OK, well that proves it's nothing to do with Apple.

Bat it back to BT.

I expect they need to have a look in the cabinet / test the cabling into your property.

It's unlikely to be the router as that's been swapped and it hasn't helped. We know it's not the PC or Apple devices because they work fine on different networks....

It's unlikely that it's the exchange or other BT users in the area would have the same issue.

My best guess given the information to hand is something between the cab and your router.

Good luck and keep us posted, but don't let them fob you off with 'it must be your computers' - it clearly isn't.

Thanks sparkplug.

I shall bat it back to BT, but not for a few days as I'm out and about until the end of the week.

I'll report back, thanks very much.

 

[Hustler]

I had a similar problem with Plusnet on FTTC. They swapped me to another port on the cabinet and things got better, although there were still dropouts at the start and end of peak times when they rebalanced the network contention ratio.

The other weird problem I have heard of is interference in your mains caused by a rogue appliance switching on and off e.g. a fridge compressor. I have an extension lead with a suppressor in it. I would try plugging the router into that.
Cheap to buy https://www.amazon.co.uk/surge-protected-extension-lead/s?k=surge+protected+extension+lead

I'll give this a try as well.

Thanks wessie.

Will start with BT first though.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks very much everyone, most appreciated.

 

[karlp]

I had similar issues to you

Initially logged a fault every time it went down

Eventually I logged a complaint to BT and kept a log of progress.

It was a bit slow until I said - this is an official complaint that if not sorted I am prepared to go to the Ombudsman and go for compensation.

In the end they found two ‘loose’ connections on the poles outside my house.

No problems since

 

[SBD]

You shouldn’t have to get stroppy to get simple stuff done properly.

EVERYTHING is like the parrot sketch nowadays

 

[karlp]

You shouldn’t have to get stroppy to get simple stuff done properly.

EVERYTHING is like the parrot sketch nowadays

You are absolutely right - nothing ever gets done

 

[Hustler]

An update on the original problem -
Spoke with BT again a few days ago.
Each call lasts an hour as they seem to have to check a lot of things while I'm on the phone.
An engineer was booked for yesterday 13:00 - 18:00.
Engineer did not turn up.
Looking at the link to my problem on the BT website it now seems I no longer have a problem.
Everything has worked as it should for the last couple of days so maybe it was fixed remotely, but a call or an email to let me know this would have been appreciated.
I should ring them but I'll give it a few days to see what happens.

 

[Hustler]

Another update from me.
Hopefully the final update.
Similar to wessie above.
My cable / lead was swapped in the box / cabinet down the road.
The engineer did not expect anything to change and I would still have the problem.
But we are one week or so on from the swap now and the problem has gone away.
Fingers crossed and all that.
Thank you one and all.