[Misc] Broadband help

[um bongo molongo]

Seeking the collective wisdom of NSC. I currently have Sky broadband plus sky Q. I like sky Q, but the broadband is absolute gubbins. I’ve spent about 6 hours on various calls with them getting me to switch things on and off again, with the net result being it’s worse than before I called up. The WiFi is deathly slow. I’m considering switching to Virgin as on the face of it, the WiFi looks faster. So, NSC, should I switch, and if I do, should I switch to Virgin TV also or keep Sky and run it on Virgin’s broadband?

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Virgin uses its own cable network, every other BB provider uses BT Openreach cabling to connect from your house to the nearest BT exchange.
I have no experience of Sky as an ISP but recently switched from Sky TV with EE BB to Virgin

The component that can make all the difference is the router - the bit that connects your devices to your network [Openreach / Virgin]

Have you run a speed test to see what performance you're currently getting?

 

[GOM]

Use the My Sky app and run a diagnostic from the fix a problem tab at the bottom right. Occasionally, very occasionally my wifi seems to be running very slowly first thing in the morning. I run a test and it tells me all is well and miraculously my wifi is up to full speed again !

 

[happypig]

The component that can make all the difference is the router - the bit that connects your devices to your network [Openreach / Virgin]

Have you run a speed test to see what performance you're currently getting?

This, but use a wired connection to run the speedtest, not wifi.

 

[GOM]

This, but use a wired connection to run the speedtest, not wifi.

or run it for both.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

This, but use a wired connection to run the speedtest, not wifi.

Generally agree with wired for testing but this week I ran a test over wireless on my VM 100Mb circuit and was getting 105Mb download and 9.5Mb upload so dread to think what it would have been wired !

 

[Nitram]

Have you run the test on their site?
https://www.sky.com/pages/sky-com/test-your-broadband
I used this before and they can investigate. When I had an issue it was on the supply side so they got an engineer to sort.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

This may [or may not] help.

If you have a performance issue its important to know which side of the router the issue is
I count the router as the consumer [house] side - the bit you have some control over.

If the speed is slow from the exchange to your router, then you can't fix that.
If it's router to your devices, you will have some options.

Changing ISP per se, won't necessarily make any difference apart from the obvious fact that Virgin use their own cabling and can offer 200Mbs speed which is easily double the best that Openreach can usually offer - but do you REALLY need it that fast?

 

[happypig]

If the speed is slow from the exchange to your router, then you can't fix that.

Internal wiring can have an effect on the speed a router can sync at. The best way to have it wired is to have the line terminate on a filtered faceplate and connect all other sockets to that.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

 

[schmunk]

Generally agree with wired for testing but this week I ran a test over wireless on my VM 100Mb circuit and was getting 105Mb download and 9.5Mb upload so dread to think what it would have been wired !

The, errr, same...

 

[GOM]

Have you run the test on their site?
https://www.sky.com/pages/sky-com/test-your-broadband
I used this before and they can investigate. When I had an issue it was on the supply side so they got an engineer to sort.

This may [or may not] help.

If you have a performance issue its important to know which side of the router the issue is
I count the router as the consumer [house] side - the bit you have some control over.

If the speed is slow from the exchange to your router, then you can't fix that.
If it's router to your devices, you will have some options.

Changing ISP per se, won't necessarily make any difference apart from the obvious fact that Virgin use their own cabling and can offer 200Mbs speed which is easily double the best that Openreach can usually offer - but do you REALLY need it that fast?

If you use they My Sky app (fix a problem) it does all this for you. Tests the connection to the exchange tests the router and tests the wifi signal. If any problems are found they are automatically reported for an engineer to fix.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

The, errr, same...

Errr …. wireless generally has a latency greater than wired.

 

[schmunk]

Errr …. wireless generally has a latency greater than wired.

Latency isn't the same as bandwidth.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I am with BT and as part of a renegotiated contract (half the price) I got a new router which is incredibly stable and pings the wifi signal with much greater strength around the house.

Virgin do have the better network speed and will give you a good deal to sign up but to maintain that speed you are likely to have to pay a lot more in year 2. Also a better network speed will not guarantee your wifi that is down to your router, its positioning and what the internal fabric of your house.

 

[BLOCK F]

Just ask McDonnell, he'll sort it!

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I have this problem with sky atm, think it's due to a faulty cable outside which I'm waiting for them to fix. The TV is miles better than virgin

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Latency isn't the same as bandwidth.

Yep, I know that but it does have a big affect on speed.

 

[Simster]

Virgin is a broadband provider that also provides television, whereas Sky are a television company that also provides broadband.

Ultimately, you ought to always get better television with Sky and better broadband coverage with Virgin. My recommendation would be to go with the company whose core business matches your priority.

We are with Virgin and I can't say they fill me with confidence, so the day Sky prove to consistently match Virgin's broadband coverage in my area is the day I switch to them.

 

[um bongo molongo]

I’ve done a speed test and that was fine (80 which is the max I’m told for my area) and the fix a problem thing. The the issue is that it’s highly temperamental - the Andone of WiFis. Drops out or goes slow at a moment’s notice. I spent four hours on the phone to them essentially turning off and on again. The annoying thing is sky have a better newer router called as part of their Boost package, but want an extra £5 a month. If I knew that was going to work I might stomach it...