Looking for good wifi suggestions please!

[Sophie12345]

We’ve currently got the Three 5g WiFi router but it’s been consistently pretty bad for the last year, so we are looking to move to another provider. Does anyone have any recommendations for good WiFi in East Dulwich? 
 

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

[Sue]

7 hours ago, Sophie12345 said:

We’ve currently got the Three 5g WiFi router but it’s been consistently pretty bad for the last year, so we are looking to move to another provider. Does anyone have any recommendations for good WiFi in East Dulwich? 
 

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Up until a couple of days ago, I would have said Plusnet.

 I've been with them for years and always found them  reliable and very good value (whenever I have looked into changing, they have always matched the price), but my WiFi went a bit glitchy the other day.

It seems to be ok now, but it has shaken my faith!

I had considered changing to Virgin, but it seems to be constantly going down around this area, even after they were supposed to have fixed it?

Edited Monday at 21:36 by Sue

[Dulwich dweller]

8 hours ago, Sophie12345 said:

We’ve currently got the Three 5g WiFi router but it’s been consistently pretty bad for the last year, so we are looking to move to another provider. Does anyone have any recommendations for good WiFi in East Dulwich? 
 

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Weve used EE for the past 6 years. We're next to Peckham Rye. It's consistent and we've never had any outages or technical issues. We watch live streams for football and suffer no lags or buffering.

 

All the best.

[Kipper_1972]

5G has a shorter range and is worse at penetrating obstacles between you and the cell tower, try logging into the router and knocking it back to 4G (LTE)

You also need to establish if the problem is WiFi or cellular. Change the WiFi from 5GHz to 2.4GHz and you will get better WiFi coverage within your house

If your WiFi is fine and moving to 4G doesn't help then you might be in a dead spot. There's lots of fibre deployed in East Dulwich

[ianr]

Sophie, I have to thank you for bringing me squarely into 2025.  I was aware of 4G/5G USB dongles for single computers, and of being able to use smartphones for tethering 4G/5G, but hadn't realised that the four mobile networks were now providing home hub/routers, effectively mimicking the cabled broadband suppliers.  I'd personally stick to calling the mobile networks 4G/5G rather than wifi, so as not to confuse them with the wifi that we use within home or from external wifi hotspots. 4G/5G is a whole diffferent, wide-area set of  networks, and uses its own distinct wavebands.

So, when you're saying wi-fi, I assume you're actually referring to the  mobile phone networks, and that it's not a matter of just having poor connections within your home local area network, or a router which is deficient.   If any doubt, the best test will be with a computer connected directly to the router by cable; possibly  trying different locations as well.

Which really leaves me with only one maybe useful thing to say.  :) The Which pages at https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/what-is-broadband/what-is-4g-broadband-aUWwk1O9J0cW look pretty useful and informative. They include local area quality of coverage maps for the four providers (including 5G user reports I think) , where they say (and I guess it too is pretty common knowledge):

Our survey of the best and worst UK mobile networks found that the most common issues mobile customers have are constantly poor phone signal and continuous brief network dropouts – and in fact no network in our survey received a five star rating for network reliability. 

Edited Tuesday at 11:14 by ianr

[Penguin68]

I have a warning from EE that they're undertaking work locally to me, I'm assuming the south end of Underhill, over the next 5 days so there may be a temporary reduction in service. Otherwise it's fine. In case you suddenly hear adverse comments, problems may only be short lived. 

[Alec1]

10 hours ago, Sue said:

Up until a couple of days ago, I would have said Plusnet.

 I've been with them for years and always found them  reliable and very good value (whenever I have looked into changing, they have always matched the price), but my WiFi went a bit glitchy the other day.

It seems to be ok now, but it has shaken my faith!

I had considered changing to Virgin, but it seems to be constantly going down around this area, even after they were supposed to have fixed it?

If it's your Wi-Fi that was the problem, that's more likely the router (or the device you were using), not the actual service coming into the router.  I am with plusnet, and whenever mind has been glitchy, I check with a device connected via ethernet cable to the router to see if that is okay.  I've been with them for potentially 15 years now and each time there has been an issue (not many and not plusnets fault, more the infrastructure) I have looked elsewhere, but everyone moans about their providers at some point!  Some more than others.  I often feel it's better the devil you know!   

[Sue]

39 minutes ago, Alec1 said:

If it's your Wi-Fi that was the problem, that's more likely the router (or the device you were using), not the actual service coming into the router.  I am with plusnet, and whenever mind has been glitchy, I check with a device connected via ethernet cable to the router to see if that is okay.  I've been with them for potentially 15 years now and each time there has been an issue (not many and not plusnets fault, more the infrastructure) I have looked elsewhere, but everyone moans about their providers at some point!  Some more than others.  I often feel it's better the devil you know!   

True, though a couple of years back I did have an issue which they had to sort remotely. I can't remember what it was now, some technical thing.

[ed_pete]

I have been using the 5G broadband service from 3 for about 3 years and I've rarely had issues.  I have a separate router for the WiFi around the house so can't comment on the quality of the WiFi from the 3 5G router itself.

It could be worth moving it to a different location in your property.  I also think there is a way to get the router to show you the 5G signal strength to help you find the best location.

[ianr]

For convenience, here are details of which  mobile phone networks some individual ISPs use for 4/5G services.  I've copied it from the Which reference above.

EE: 1p Mobile, BT Mobile, Lycamobile, Spusu, Utility Warehouse

O2: Giffgaff, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile

Three: Honest Mobile, iD Mobile, Smarty

Vodafone: Asda Mobile, Lebara, Talkmobile, Voxi

I don't know that Plusnet use a mobile network but bear in mind that they're a ?subsidiary of BT.  Virgin I don't see listed either, but I know they have their own dedicated fibre network.

Edited Tuesday at 11:35 by ianr

[Angelina]

we use Virgin - rather expensive but works fine.

[ed_pete]

6 minutes ago, ianr said:

For convenience, here are details of which  mobile phone networks some individual ISPs use for 4/5G services.  I've copied it from the Which reference above.

EE: 1p Mobile, BT Mobile, Lycamobile, Spusu, Utility Warehouse

O2: Giffgaff, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile

Three: Honest Mobile, iD Mobile, Smarty

Vodafone: Asda Mobile, Lebara, Talkmobile, Voxi

I don't know that Plusnet use a mobile network but bear in mind that they're a ?subsidiary of BT.  Virgin I don't see listed either, but I know they have their own dedicated fibre network.

Vodafone and Three merged this year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VodafoneThree

[ianr]

So some out-of-dateness then, thanks.  I was relying on the "30 Sept 2025" date on their webpage. :)

[Sue]

I am totally confused.

How are mobile networks connected with broadband?

Have I missed something somewhere (very likely)?

[Angelina]

mobile networks use the signals like phones so (rather than the usual broadband cables) but you need a dongle (or something else) for your laptop etc.

[ianr]

Sue, I was surprised too, at least about the router, before I rooted around.  Before that i'd been ignorantly ready to help correct the OP. :)   'Broadband', whatever it means, doesn't define what medium is being used, but just its capacity.  There seems to be quite a lot of room in the air for several gigahertz of wavebands, hence the continuing rise in the G numbers.  And so, they realise, why not use the mobile network for internet access as well if people want.  You could, for example, have had a 3?/4/5G  dongle to stick in any computer USB socket and use it for instant internet access wherever you can get their signal.

Edited Tuesday at 12:12 by ianr

[Alec1]

6 hours ago, Sue said:

True, though a couple of years back I did have an issue which they had to sort remotely. I can't remember what it was now, some technical thing.

Me too, now and then it would be down to the exchange and an issue there.  Comparing what I have had done in the last 15 or so years with them, friends have had more issues with Sky, Virgin etc than I have ever had!  I moved to fibre a while ago with them, and, 'touchwood', everything has been great.  

[ed_pete]

4 hours ago, Sue said:

I am totally confused.

How are mobile networks connected with broadband?

Have I missed something somewhere (very likely)?

So for the vast, vast majority of people their internet is access via wires (or fibre) supplied by openreach, virgin or one of the smaller providers like community fibre so there is a physical medium involved.

However you can buy off-the-shelf 5G Routers that have a SIM card slot.  Put a 5G SIM card in it and you can then access the internet from your home devices via 5G.  Imagine hot-spotting your phone and sharing it.  Effectively that's what your doing.

Rather than buy one, 3 (and I think EE) allow you to take out a contract for a 5G SIM and the router for around £20-25 a month.

Speeds won't be as fast but I get around 80 gig bits download speed and it holds up fine for us.

Thus the mobile providers gain a foothold in the "broadband" market.

3 offer a no-quibble 30 day guarantee so you can try it out and if you find your signal isn't strong or reliable enough you can take it back for no charge.

[Azalea]

20 hours ago, Sue said:

Up until a couple of days ago, I would have said Plusnet.

 I've been with them for years and always found them  reliable and very good value (whenever I have looked into changing, they have always matched the price), but my WiFi went a bit glitchy the other day.

It seems to be ok now, but it has shaken my faith!

I had considered changing to Virgin, but it seems to be constantly going down around this area, even after they were supposed to have fixed it?

I have Plusnet too.   I recently (August) had some problems with WiFi connection on different days but and the turning off and turning on didn’t work.  The WiFi didn’t work for quite a few hours - overnight in one case but eventually rectified itself.   Would be interested to know how much other people pay for Plusnet. I also have a landline with them as the mobile signal is bad inside house.  That is with EE and I want to change from them to another provider.

[Sue]

1 hour ago, Azalea said:

I have Plusnet too.   I recently (August) had some problems with WiFi connection on different days but and the turning off and turning on didn’t work.  The WiFi didn’t work for quite a few hours - overnight in one case but eventually rectified itself.   Would be interested to know how much other people pay for Plusnet. I also have a landline with them as the mobile signal is bad inside house.  That is with EE and I want to change from them to another provider.

I'm paying £31 pcm for full fibre 300, whatever that is.

I'm not sure it's a particularly good deal now, but I did a comparison at the time I went onto it, and it was then.

I don't have a landline any more, and my mobile is with iD, who piggyback off 3.

I don't usually have any problems,  except once a few years back when the whole 3  network (?) went  down for quite a long time.

[Alec1]

For Plusnet, I pay £31.99 for Full Fibre 500.  (the number is the line speed you have paid for) I have recently recontracted.  Always phone them up, and ask what deal they can do for me.  Usually get a decent reduction.  Sue, I would suggest you call them, especially if you are close to contract renewal.  Sometimes they will change deals mid-contract, as I have found in the past.      

[Sue]

8 hours ago, Alec1 said:

For Plusnet, I pay £31.99 for Full Fibre 500.  (the number is the line speed you have paid for) I have recently recontracted.  Always phone them up, and ask what deal they can do for me.  Usually get a decent reduction.  Sue, I would suggest you call them, especially if you are close to contract renewal.  Sometimes they will change deals mid-contract, as I have found in the past.      

Thanks, I'll try.

I don't think I'm near to renewal, but they may do something as I've been with them for so long, if I say I'll look elsewhere at renewal if they don't! 

What difference does the line speed make? Does it affect the signal at various points through the house?

When I changed to fibre, the guy who installed it really resisted having the router where it had been before, at the back of the house,  presumably because it would have been a lot more work for him having to run wires through, over doors etc?

At the time I was working at the front as my office at the back had become so dark (adjacent loft extension) so I wasn't too bothered, but I've since moved back.

I've got those plug in extension things, but the WiFi at the back is now sometimes quite iffy, particularly the printer, which is annoying.

[Alec1]

3 hours ago, Sue said:

Thanks, I'll try.

I don't think I'm near to renewal, but they may do something as I've been with them for so long, if I say I'll look elsewhere at renewal if they don't! 

What difference does the line speed make? Does it affect the signal at various points through the house?

When I changed to fibre, the guy who installed it really resisted having the router where it had been before, at the back of the house,  presumably because it would have been a lot more work for him having to run wires through, over doors etc?

At the time I was working at the front as my office at the back had become so dark (adjacent loft extension) so I wasn't too bothered, but I've since moved back.

I've got those plug in extension things, but the WiFi at the back is now sometimes quite iffy, particularly the printer, which is annoying.

With fibre you are paying for the speed, which is the number, yours is 300 so if you did a lot of gaming, for example, you would want the fastest possible.  If it's just office work or maybe streaming on Netflix you likely won't need as fast, but, if there are a lot of people in your house all doing their own thing on different devices, then faster speeds are better.  I don't rely on my Wi-Fi much other than when I am using my mobile.  I use Ethernet cables to connect up everything, I Have one cable running from my router, along the skirtings and through a hole I drilled in the wall to another room.  I have attached the plusnet speed guide which gives you an idea of how it works.   

[ed_pete]

14 hours ago, Sue said:

Thanks, I'll try.

I don't think I'm near to renewal, but they may do something as I've been with them for so long, if I say I'll look elsewhere at renewal if they don't! 

What difference does the line speed make? Does it affect the signal at various points through the house?

When I changed to fibre, the guy who installed it really resisted having the router where it had been before, at the back of the house,  presumably because it would have been a lot more work for him having to run wires through, over doors etc?

At the time I was working at the front as my office at the back had become so dark (adjacent loft extension) so I wasn't too bothered, but I've since moved back.

I've got those plug in extension things, but the WiFi at the back is now sometimes quite iffy, particularly the printer, which is annoying.

Line speed and the strength of your Wi-Fi signal are two separate things.  The first is determined by the type of connection (fibre/copper etc) to the outside world and the second is the connection between the device (printer/TV/laptop/tablet etc) and the router.

If you are connecting a device to the router using cables (as Alec1 is) then this is will give the best possible connection but isn't practical for many without a degree of upheaval and even then not all devices (tablets for example) will allow a wired connection.

So you relying on the quality of the Wi-Fi signal from the router to the device and this will depend on the quality of the router, the type of Wi-Fi connection (the frequency), line of sight etc - many different things.  This is why some people opt for a "mesh" type setup which is supposed to give a solid quality of Wi-Fi signal around the house with little or no blackspots.  It's expensive though and still requires the devices that send and receive the signal (like the plug-ins you have) to be wired to the router.