Sudden drop in wireless signal and speed (used to be fine)

[MoRT489]

I have been using the Netgear DGN2200 Wireless N300 Router for the last 4 years without any real problem in a mid-sized flat, solid concrete walls and obviously lots of other wireless networks in the vicinity.

Recently I've noticed a massive drop in wireless signal range and speed at full range when in the kitchen (furthest point from the router), where previously it was fine (4 bars instead of 5 but speedtest used to report good, near full speed now it's 1 bar if lucky and 1/10 speed or even less to the point of being unusable even to run a Google search when previously I could stream!).

In the same room as the router I get full signal and full speed - broadband 4.5Mbps, although I have noticed it being sketchy from time to time. The wired connection is always fine.

I have tried:

• Router reboot many times
• Changing from max 300Mbps to 145Mbps
• Channels auto, 1, 6 and 11 (why does netgear suggest to use only these channels?)
• Moving the antennae
• Changing orientation of the router from horizontal to vertical

The only new thing I can think of that could be causing new interference is that the building just installed GPON, could this interfere with the signal? What else could it be? Is the wireless part of my router dying?

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[Cenedd]

As far as I'm aware, everything about GPON should be either optical or non-powered so it shouldn't present any RF interference.

Netgear will be suggesting 1,6 and 11 as they are pretty much the only set of channels that don't interfere with each other. Have a look at Wiki for a graphical representation but essentially, one Wifi network takes up more than one channel so they start to overlap.

It could be a number of things:
1. Loose antennae - if they're external check they're screwed in properly and haven't worked loose.
2. Interference from something.
3. Blocking/shielding by something.
4. Dying transmitter/receiver

Interference is probably easiest tested for by either replacing the equipment (borrow some) or trying your equipment somewhere else.

Blocking/shielding is unlikely give that it was working. Unless you've lined your walls with metal recently, this isn't likely.

Transmitter or receiver dying. If either is failing, your signal will suffer. The problem could also be on your laptop/tablet/phone instead of the router. Try a different device to rule out the problem being on your current device. Try running something like inSSIDer on a Windows laptop or Farproc's Wifi Analyser on an Android device to see what channels are in use in the area. It will also give you an idea of relative power so if your own signal is far lower than neighbours' wifi then it could be your router's transmitter that's at fault. If not, it could be the receiver but testing elsewhere or replacing it are your only easy options there.

Hope that helps.