WiFi Issue - Old Laptop Not Working On New Ultra Hub

[WinTroutman]

Hi everyone, 

I just went live with fibre 500 package and Ultra Hub, Apple TV, etc.  Great package.  Except, an older laptop cannot connect by wifi.  Dont get further than’NO INTERNET, SECURED’ and globe instead of a wifi symbol.  I spent too long on a live chat (after finally making it past TOBi, the worst Ai ever), but the tech finally Sid that the problem was in my device, not the network.

This worked just fine with the old BT fibre, so it’s frustrating. The laptop must be about six years old, running an i7 and 8 bg ram.   Anyone have any ideas?  

Many thanks.

[Lee_Paul · Accepted solution]

Hi WinTroutman, I was having issues with my older laptop connecting to my router. I ordered the following tiny USB adaptor for £8.49 and now get full speed through the 5GHZ frequency set in the router. Got to be worth a try for a small price :). 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266215689082?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=4vIJooT5QTC&s...

[Ripshod]

That's not as fast as it claims to be. No way can an 802.11bgn device do 650Mbps.

With one antenna (which it's size dictates) it can only connect at a maximum of 72.2Mbps. Even if it was a 3*3 device, it still wouldn't connect at more than 450Mbps. And don't forget, actual transfer speed will be around 80% of those figures.

I'd like to see iperf results using this device. 

[Lee_Paul]

No I get around 250-300mpbs which is alot faster than the laptop achieves on 2.4GHZ with the built in adaptor within the older laptop. You have to be within 10 metres or so of the router or the speed drops off pretty fast. For me it was being able to get faster downloads on the higher frequency band.

Was just trying to help as the oringsl post can't get the older laptop to work on 5GHZ by the sounds of it. 

[Ripshod]

I was just pointing out the false claims. 

Your speed figures are much more realistic for 802.11n. And, surprise, it does seem to have 3 antennas. 

[Lee_Paul]

Agreed, alot of products are advertised falsely in particular on Ebay.

When I looked into the claimed 650mbps figure, the argument was it the combined speed of 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The device can only work on one frequency at a time so very misleading. 

[WinTroutman]

That was going to be my next question, would a new wifi adaptor work?  I’ll order now.  Thanks!

[WinTroutman]

In bought an inexpensive USB adapter and it works as it should. Thanks, everyone!

[Lee_Paul]

Hi WinTroutman, thanks for keeping us all updated.

I'm really pleased the cheap USB Adaptor has worked for you. 

All the best, 

Lee 

[Jayach]

Glad to  hear you are up and running. Can't help but wonder why the internal adapter didn't work.😕

[Jayach]

There are also AC versions of those type of Wi-Fi dongles, I use one to add the 5Ghz band to my old laptop.

This is the same as the one I use: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204319927108