How do you get a Windows 7 laptop to see Vodafone broadband? SOLVED!

[Gobsheeite]

SOLVED: Just to save anyone else with the same problem trawling through the whole of this thread, all you have to do do is to download the old Vodafone mobile app v4.1.0 

and change the channel setting from 12 down to 5. Thanks to all the contributors on this thread

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Hi I switched to Vodafone broadband couple of months back and I've only just starting using my old Windows 7 laptop and it won't connect to Vodafone, it won't even see it, my laptop can see all the Wi-Fi in the neighbourhood just not my own Vodafone router, I've tried split in the signal to 2.4 GHz but it's still cannot see the Vodafone router, even added a guest login, still can't see it at all, I can temporarily share the WiFi with my phone and it connects no problem. How do you get a Windows 7 laptop to see Vodafone broadband?

[Jayach]

The first possibility is that the laptop can't use channels 12&13 on the 2.4Ghz (I assume the laptop is 2.4Ghz only)

Check what channel the router is using in the router's interface under Status&Support.

Main Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz

Status

On

Name

vodafone0403xx

MAC Address

d4:35:1d:04:03:xx

Security

WPA2-PSK

Channel

7

Bandwidth

72 Mbps

Max BW

288 Mbps

Minimum Sync Speed

72 Mbps

If it is 12 or 13 let us know and we can suggest ways to get the laptop to be able to use them.

[Gobsheeite]

I'm using the Vodafone mobile app and it doesn't seem to have status and support so not sure where I will give the channel 

[Jayach]

Never use the app myself, it's pretty useless. If you use a Wi-Fi analyser on the phone it should tell you what channel it is using.

If you don't have a device you can use to conveniently log in to the user interface at 192.168.1.1, you could use the laptop with an Ethernet cable, (if it has an Ethernet port)

[Gobsheeite]

"Check what channel the router is using in the router's interface under Status&Support"

I still don't know what you're looking at. Assume I'm not vaguely interested in router settings 😁. In only here because I'm stuck. So where exactly did you find this information about the channel that I can change it?????

[Gobsheeite]

Yeap checked my mobile WiFi spec, checked the router login 192.168.1.1, 

Nowhere does it mention "Channel"

I'll need to refer to the WiFi router settings for ignoramous forum 🙂 simply no clue what you're looking at, not a Scooby

[Jayach]

I think the problem is that you are using a phone, it's soooo much easier on a proper browser.

The best advice I can give is for you to use an old version of the Vodafone app as that will allow you to set your own channel. The version you want is v4.1.0. It is available from various alternate app stores.

See this thread: 

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Broadband-connection/Channels-manual-change/m-p/2708290

Have you considered upgrading the laptop to Windows 10? It's still a free upgrade.

[Gobsheeite]

I found the setting in the web page but how do I change it?

[Jayach]

You can't, except by using the old app. (see above)

I just wanted to know if the reason you can't connect is because it is on 12 or 13. Is it?

[Gobsheeite]

Yes it's on 12

[Gobsheeite]

I've got the old app, set 2.4 to channel 5

Quick question

Why is it showing the signal in not split yet showing separate settings for 2.4 and 5ghz????

Which one is actually broadcasting???

 

[Jayach]

That confirms the reason.

You can either use the old app or find out why the laptop isn't seeing it. It will either be country settings or a driver problem .

[Jayach]

If you split the bands, they are both broadcasting, but the 5Ghz gets 5G added to its name.

[Gobsheeite]

But the 2.4 and 5 g settings imply they're both broadcasting anyway? If not which one is all my services connected to? 2.4 g or 5g???

And the 2.4 and 5 g broadcast on two different channels, so which one should I change? Quite confusing

[CrimsonLiar]

If you have a laptop that could not see your VF router at all, I would assume that your laptop only has 2.4GHz WiFi - so that would be the one that you need to change (channels 1 to 11, and 20MHz bandwidth).  If you have 5GHz capable WiFi devices and only if some of them cannot see the 5GHz channels then you'd probably want to set that to channel 36,40,44,48 and 80MHz bandwidth.

[Jayach]

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@Gobsheeite wrote:

But the 2.4 and 5 g settings imply they're both broadcasting anyway? If not which one is all my services connected to? 2.4 g or 5g???

And the 2.4 and 5 g broadcast on two different channels, so which one should I change? Quite confusing

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If you have split the bands , it will connect to whichever you choose. That is the point of splitting them.

If you don't split them the device will connect to whichever it thinks is best.. Obviously if the device can't use 5Gz it will use the 2.4Ghx, which is why I see no advantage to splitting them.