Chinned off that POS Sky Q router, why didn't I do it sooner.

[TonyTurbo78]

Since we had SkyQ installed over a year ago, we've had nothing but issues on our Wireless devices connected all around the house. Even being in the same room as router our ipads and phones whilst showing 3 and 4 strength of signal, refused to load internet pages, play YouTube videos or watch Netflix. Like I said, the connection seemed ok but for whatever reason the internet just stops working on the devices. I've either got to reboot the router or reboot the device.

I had been on to Sky half a dozen times over the last year asking them to diagnose, replace the router etc, every time they just tell me they couldn't see any issue from their end. They also amazingly admit the Wi-Fi on the router is terrible and are due to update with software fixes which were due to be rolled out Jan '19. And also are backward engineering the excellent Bt Homehub 6 for release at some point, so i've been waiting patiently......until today.

Sky have also just upgraded their lines around here so I got a free upgrade from 40/10 to 80/20. I was told I'd be getting up to 76mb on my line but was only getting 45mb after the upgrade, a small improvement from 36mb previously. Today i completely lost the plot with it, threw a childish paddy and stormed down to Currys to buy a bloody router as the wireless issues got me so wound up. Went with a TP-Link AC1200 (Vr400) as it seemed to work good with VDSL for the price. Set it all up via connection to laptop with about 15 minutes of messing around in the router setup page trying to get it setup to the SkyQ tv box. I've now got perfect wireless connectivity on 2 ipads, ps4, xbox, 2 phones, 2 PC's upstairs and an Alexa. No weird non connection issues so far all day, no buffering, freezing or hassles. And my speed now coming down through the new router is 67mb.

The SkyQ router is now in the bin outside the house, awaiting the bin men on Wednesday morning. Its no wonder Sky frown upon you using your own router, it shows them up for how bad their own hardware is.

 

[bremen1874]

The Sky Q Hub that potentially belongs to Sky and is subject to a £30 non-return charge at the end of the contract?

 

[Avalon]

The Sky Q Hub that potentially belongs to Sky and is subject to a £30 non-return charge at the end of the contract?

Don't upset him by pointing out the obvious flaws in his hate/pointless landfill/logic, the man's been to PCW and paid retail for something, surely he's suffered enough for today?

OP, if Sky wanted to, they could licence much of what makes the HH6 not awful for it's own use, HH's over the years have been produced by at least three OEM partners, they do the same with Roku for NowTV now and have historically done so with STB's.

 

[TonyTurbo78]

The Sky Q Hub that potentially belongs to Sky and is subject to a £30 non-return charge at the end of the contract?

Thought about this as I posted last night, took it out of the bin this morning before work and slung it in the cupboard just in case.

In all the years I've had Sky in previous homes though, all the old equipment has never been requested by Sky to be returned. Old Routers and Sky boxes have always piled up in lofts after upgrades, replacememts so id probably be fine chucking it out but just on the safe have stored it.

Don't upset him by pointing out the obvious flaws in his hate/pointless landfill/logic, the man's been to PCW and paid retail for something, surely he's suffered enough

Haha I know right. I felt filthy doing so, I had reached breaking point and was willing to do anything for a fast fix They had one for £59 though, even a tenner cheaper than I found online through the obvious sources.

 

[Avalon]

Thought about this as I posted last night, took it out of the bin this morning before work and slung it in the cupboard just in case.

In all the years I've had Sky in previous homes though, all the old equipment has never been requested by Sky to be returned. Old Routers and Sky boxes have always piled up in lofts after upgrades, replacememts so id probably be fine chucking it out but just on the safe have stored it.

That all changed as of SkyQ - everything now is owned by and remains the property of Sky, if it breaks, Sky replace it free of charge.

 

[Beerbaron]

I moved house and got a Sky Q router which was terrible with the wifi as well. I started using the old one instead which was so much better although its probably 5 years old now.

 

[stoofa]

Disable Wi-Fi. Plug in 1x Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LR - locate somewhere centrally in the house if at all possible, but literally on top of the Sky Router would do.
Enjoy great Wi-Fi coverage around your home, and most likely into your garden as well.
Extra advantage - take said Ubiquiti unit with you from ISP to ISP, rinse and repeat.

 

[Syla5]

@TonyTurbo78 over a year ago I brought the exact same router you did to replace my Sky Q hub but never got round to it, fear of the unknown, clueless to what to do, and at the time my on connection issues were not a problem. The WiFi problems have gotten progressively worse, much to how you described your own issues. Now you are close to 1 month in to the switch over how are things going?

Any tips/advice you can offer on how I can get setup?

 

[TonyTurbo78]

@TonyTurbo78 over a year ago I brought the exact same router you did to replace my Sky Q hub but never got round to it, fear of the unknown, clueless to what to do, and at the time my on connection issues were not a problem. The WiFi problems have gotten progressively worse, much to how you described your own issues. Now you are close to 1 month in to the switch over how are things going?

Any tips/advice you can offer on how I can get setup?

It's honestly been absolutely magnificent. No drop outs, the Wi-Fi range covers the whole house easily (I do have a tplink booster up stairs also but isn't required to be honest) the setup was an absolute doddle, no issues with any of my SkyQ TV. Also, the speed is about 9mb faster than I was getting on the Sky Router. I'm on a 80/20 line, getting 68mb down, previously was about 58mb or 59mb on Sky router when it worked. I've not had to reboot or restart Tplink Router once.

I've connected 7 devices to the Router, no issues or buffering anywhere, no traffic issues at all.

A note. I'm running a Ethernet cable from router to SkyQ box so not sure how good WiFi works on the SkyQ box for the tv and apps, multi room boxes etc.

This might help also, but it is an absolute doddle to setup. https://kevq.uk/how-to-use-a-tp-link-router-with-sky-fibre-optic/

 

[Syla5]

It's honestly been absolutely magnificent. No drop outs, the Wi-Fi range covers the whole house easily (I do have a tplink booster up stairs also but isn't required to be honest) the setup was an absolute doddle, no issues with any of my SkyQ TV. Also, the speed is about 9mb faster than I was getting on the Sky Router. I'm on a 80/20 line, getting 68mb down, previously was about 58mb or 59mb on Sky router when it worked. I've not had to reboot or restart Tplink Router once.

I've connected 7 devices to the Router, no issues or buffering anywhere, no traffic issues at all.

A note. I'm running a Ethernet cable from router to SkyQ box so not sure how good WiFi works on the SkyQ box for the tv and apps, multi room boxes etc.

This might help also, but it is an absolute doddle to setup. https://kevq.uk/how-to-use-a-tp-link-router-with-sky-fibre-optic/

Thanks that's great information, I shall be tackling my setup tonight.

I have a TP link electrical wiring setup to effectively hard wire my main SkyQ box in so it shouldn't be working on the WiFi after the switch over either which should help.

 

[Wulfster]

Disable Wi-Fi. Plug in 1x Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LR - locate somewhere centrally in the house if at all possible, but literally on top of the Sky Router would do.
Enjoy great Wi-Fi coverage around your home, and most likely into your garden as well.
Extra advantage - take said Ubiquiti unit with you from ISP to ISP, rinse and repeat.

+1 Done this myself in our home with two of the Ubiquiti AP’s (house is very large). Zero problems with WiFi coverage.

Best

Wulf

 

[TonyTurbo78]

Thanks that's great information, I shall be tackling my setup tonight.

I have a TP link electrical wiring setup to effectively hard wire my main SkyQ box in so it shouldn't be working on the WiFi after the switch over either which should help.

How did you get on?

 

[Syla5]

How did you get on?

It was stupidly easy. Now just got to play the waiting game to see if it has made a difference. Speed test support a step up from 20ish to 30ish which is a nice step. Also no apparent connection issues. My wifes phone did drop off the 5ghz WIFI in the bedroom but put her on the 2.4 one, hopefully the router smart switches her to the 5ghz one whenever its available.

Need to really test this evening as sitting in the kitchen used to produce regular drop outs so will give that a prolonged test.

Sky Q box, Mini Q box, and smart TV all hardwired in through TP link powerline adaptors that I already had, and ive completely switched off the Sky Q wifi modes.

 

[TonyTurbo78]

It was stupidly easy. Now just got to play the waiting game to see if it has made a difference. Speed test support a step up from 20ish to 30ish which is a nice step. Also no apparent connection issues. My wifes phone did drop off the 5ghz WIFI in the bedroom but put her on the 2.4 one, hopefully the router smart switches her to the 5ghz one whenever its available.

Need to really test this evening as sitting in the kitchen used to produce regular drop outs so will give that a prolonged test.

Sky Q box, Mini Q box, and smart TV all hardwired in through TP link powerline adaptors that I already had, and ive completely switched off the Sky Q wifi modes.

Good stuff.

 

[TrojanWhore]

@TonyTurbo78 - I've just picked up a VR400 for my GF and her kids, but they are saying that it's no better (possibly worse) than the plusnet hub it is replacing.

Could you let me know whether you changed the name of the 5GHz network to match the 2.4GHz, or just left the '_5G' appended to the end of the 5GHz network? - I changed them to match and not sure if this is what's causing the problems.
With my Asus 87U I set both the same so that devices struggling with the 5G signal would just drop back on to the 2.4 without having to manually switch network, but I'm not sure the TP-link is handling the transition as neatly.

Thanks!

 

[bremen1874]

If you've replaced a Hub One (rebadged BT Home Hub 5A) with that VR400 it would be a slight downgrade (at least on paper).

 

[TonyTurbo78]

I didn't make them match, named them both separate. You could always disable the 2.4ghz channel in the router settings also.

 

[Avalon]

Disabling 5Ghz probably isn’t a great idea, pretty much everything supports 2.4Ghz and it has the best penetration/range. In terms of failover, it’s usually the device that is the issue - iOS devices for example tend to hang onto whatever you set them to for grim death.

 

[mark66]

Hi,

I was going to start a new post, but seeing that this is all about moving away from Sky's hub..

I've been on the phone to Sky today to discuss moving to Sky Q, however I would like to move away from Sky's Fibre Max broadband and phone, as I can get a similar package for ~£15 less a month (Plusnet for instance). The guy at Sky was obviously trying to dissuade me from this, saying that I would not get all the features of Sky Q without Sky's hub / router. Is this the case? Are there any negatives which I should be aware of?

Thanks

 

[Jamauk]

Hi,

I was going to start a new post, but seeing that this is all about moving away from Sky's hub..

I've been on the phone to Sky today to discuss moving to Sky Q, however I would like to move away from Sky's Fibre Max broadband and phone, as I can get a similar package for ~£15 less a month (Plusnet for instance). The guy at Sky was obviously trying to dissuade me from this, saying that I would not get all the features of Sky Q without Sky's hub / router. Is this the case? Are there any negatives which I should be aware of?

Thanks

I've got EE for broadband and SkyQ, it all seems to work well, I can't say there's any features that don't work because of not having internet from Sky. Sounds like a phone jockey wanting to get you to sign a new contract, last time I cancelled Sky and went to FreeSat was before SkyQ & UHD were a thing, the guy on the phone seemed desperate to dissuade me from FreeSat because I would miss out on all the exciting Sky HD features, such as the ability to record TV and how much more FreeSat would be - not sure how something free would cost more, the cabling was already in place, I just needed to buy a couple of boxes with the ability to record, in 12 months it was cheaper.