wi fi conundrum

I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I have been using Ilox 70 mbs since April 2018. My TV situation changed about 8 months ago and I began to stream IPTV services using Firestick. I was having buffering issues so I did a test on the Firestick speed. My laptop would get 65- 70 mbs sitting next to the Firestick, but the stick would only get 30. I had a Netgear extender lying around so I got an ethernet cable adaptor for the Firestick and connected the extender and started getting 50 + mbs. The buffering issues disappeared. For 3 months,  then the Firestick speed dropped to 30 while the laptop speed remained at 70.

The Netgear was a few years old so, based on internet reviews I tried a TP Link extender, no difference. I decided to up my Ilox speed to 300mbs, thinking if I  was getting a lower percentage of a larger number that would be enough. No difference. I had been using a Steren router since day one with no problem but  since that was the only other end of the connection, I decided , based on internet reviews, to try a TP Link Archer 1750, still no difference. I decided to use the Steren router as an ethernet cable Access Point, and fortunately it had WISP protocol which made setting up a bridge extremely easy. I  started to get 60 - 70 mbs at the Firestick while the laptop was getting 150 -250. No problems.

That lasted about a month. Now I am getting 20 - 30, or less, at the firestick, while the laptop at the same location gets 150 -250. 

I should add that the router and the AP are in 2 different rooms with a large wide connecting arch between, so almost in the same room, direct line of sight 25 - 30 ft apart.

Any ideas why the in room wi fi is dropping so drastically?

I experienced somewhat the same problems in the few days that Ilox allowed me to be a client (300mps)!
I posted my problems the same as you are now!
Ilox, their alleged non-representative, and the community at large all told me the same thing.
It's your fault!
You and I both know that that is not the case!

I don't think this is an Ilox problem. I realized within a few minutes that the wi fi of their modem was crap, that's why I installed a Steren router. I'm getting plenty of speed at the modem, just don't understand why the wi fi across the room drops.

How do you test the Firestick speed?

   By using the speed test app called Internet Speed Test
   By using a speed test app called Analiti
   By using a browser on FireStick

And do you also check the "strength" using the Firestick Network Settings?

Because from your description, I cannot see any logical reason for the drop unless something else is interfering. I have seen articles that say cordless phones and some TV boxes can interfere, but I have no direct experieince.

I've tried Internet Speed Test, and using a browser, but the browser takes too long to do an accurate simultaneous comparison with the laptop. I use Analiti mostly because it's numbers are closest to what I get on Nperf or Ookla. With Firestick network when I am connected by ethernet it only tells me if the connection is there as opposed to wi fi where it gives me strength rating.

What I find puzzling is that the system works for a period of time (3 months, 4 weeks) and then just "stops working".

Are there any devices that can measure the actual broadcast and reception strength at their respective points?

If you are getting 30mbps at the firestick that should be plenty for streaming. Are you using a VPN?

What I do is unplug all devices for a minute, which lets them drain their memory cache and their electrical charge, and then plug everything in again starting at the modem. (This allows the IP addresses to pick up properly.)

Weird, Bob, I replied to you and it never showed up. Yes "30 mbs" should be enough to stream but some of these IPTV services have poor content delivery networks and apparently need more.

I think the problem lies with the IPTV servers. Nothing you can do about it.

That was the first thing I did, CG, although I may have plugged in the AP first. I'll give it another shot.

But if I get the speed up into the 50's it works just fine. Agreed that it shouldn't need 50 mbs. But I had well up near 60mbs for the last 4 weeks (and in the 50's for 3 months before that) and suddenly I can only get 20's when I still get 150 - 250 over the wi fi to the laptop.

CanuckBob wrote:I think the problem lies with the IPTV servers. Nothing you can do about it.

Bob makes a point, if you are using that kind of service. In which case, I would test just a standard Firestick app. And if you have a Smart TV, test YouTube or any other "legal" service.

I ran an ethernet cable from my modem, run outside, and into behind my TV in the LR, so I can plug in everything directly when I need to. Then the WiFi issues become moot. I believe newer versions of Firestick have an ethernet port; for earlier versions, there are adapters to allow same.

I do have a service with a good CDN, but it has an annoyingly clunky interface. I am using an ethernet adaptor to run from the AP and I could run an ethernet cable over the roof and back through the wall. I'm just wondering why I have direct line of sight 30ft wireless signal indoors at a certain speed for a length of time then it drops 50% while the same signal to the laptop's wireless card at the same location remains the same.

The only way I know to use a router as an AP is either cabled or bridged. and I assumed that the WISP system was the same as bridging, ie it uses the wifi of the router which should be powerful enough to cross 30 ft. Unless it is some dedicated low level wifi.

Of course it should, but there comes a point --for me-- of diminishing returns. The only time I use WiFi now for my Roku, or (stupid Android) box or "smart" TV is when I have to be on the same network as my cell phone. It just saves me a big hassle.

I have iLox, and its WiFi sucks, so I am using a Netgear R6700 router (with VPN on or off in firmware). It is a damn good router, but not necessarily any better than what you are using, in terms of WiFi signal. I have a very open floorplan, with line-of-sight through two sets of windows from my modem and router to the TV. I do not experience what you are.

I don't know what a "CDN" is, other than a Canadian, but my reason for asking about "normal" apps on your Firestick is obvious: you cannot trust app hacks. Again, do you have a smart TV you can do the same test on?

Unless I misremember, CDN is content delivery network, a dedicated network like Netflix, etc, use.

I have a semi-smart tv that I only use apps on , never set up the tv. I've gotten the tv to connect to the internet but it doesn't seem to have it's own browser capability. I've used Amazon Prime app, but I wouldn't know how to use that to tell me anything in this situation.

I'm actually more curious, in a "why can't I fix this" kind of way, than anything at this point.

I get it, but as a computer guy, one has to look at all the options first. You never know what will turn up.

What I'm telling you is there is no immediate answer, so we go through the steps.

After 2 days in the 20's the speed is back up to 60mbs. Quien sabe.

Thanks for all the responses.

One more thing worth mentioning.

If I reset my ILOX Fiberhome modem and my Firestick, the modem often switches to another channel, 6 or above, and my Firestick cannot see it.  Going into the modem settings, I'll find that the "manual" channel select has been switched to "auto" and the channel selected by the modem is 8 or higher.  Manually selecting a low channel has fixed the problem every time.