5g drop out -every day!

[sometime]

We have a Three 5g router - ZTE MC801A 5G Hub - and frequently experience signal Wi-Fi drop-out which we’d like to resolve.

We’re on the cusp of the Three 5g router signal range but also have a SIM only deal with Three for the iPhone which doesn’t appear to have any signal drop out issues at all.

We use the 5G router connection for TV and internet and on almost every day (usually in the morning) it drops out briefly. Sometimes it’s only for seconds but on other occasions, for a few minutes. This doesn’t seem to happen over the Christmas holidays so I assume that it’s related to other commercial users’ activities.

Most of the times I sit and wait for it to come back up again which might be 20 seconds or 3 minutes. Other times, briefly switching the router off upstairs seems to reset it and makes it work again after the reboot sequence of 1 minute-ish. Other times however, it’s more urgent. For example, during a Teams meeting etc. In order to mitigate this eventuality, I have the Iphone handy and use the Personable Hotspot function to maintain the Teams meeting. The Iphone is also on the Three network (SIM only) - so how come the Iphone is able to receive a useable signal downstairs (which can then be used as a Wi-Fi Hotspot to the adjacent PC / TV) yet the router (which is in a physically better location & has a better arial) cannot manage this?

Before entering into the current rolling monthly agreement with Three, we had a 1 month trial (whilst continuing with the incumbent provider) and Three provided us with a Zyxel NR5103 router. With that device, we could get a very good 5g signal with it located upstairs (typically 500mb download speed) but if it was placed downstairs (next to the TV & pc) it would only get a 4G signal – (the LEDs advised this) resulting in a slower, but still useable, download speed. Had we kept that device and located it permanently upstairs would this problem not be apparent?

Do I need the old 5G + 4G router?

Is my Iphone super strength?

Do I need to contact Three tech support – will they fob me off etc?

[jr0]

Hmm is the WiFi signal dropping out or is the 5g signal dropping out? 

Either way, have you thought of giving the ZTE the old reboot first thing in the morning and then see if it holds throughout the day? Give it a go for a few days...

It could be something with the WiFi firmware/sw. I can only think of you getting another ZTE same model, claiming that your current one is not working properly, and then test it for a few days and if the new one is okay then your 1st ZTE is dud. However if both ZTEs show same problem, either you were really unlucky with the second ZTE again or that model is no good after all. Because you said that the Zyxel was ok upstairs so doesn't sound that is Three signal problems.

[sometime]

thanks for your input - you've raised a good question.

when the fault manifests itself on my PC (every day!) I get the 'globe' icon bottom right of the windows desktop which I understood to mean 'no internet' rather than 'no wifi'. is there an easy way to determine if I'm losing wifi or internet signal? also, clicking the windows icon (again, at the bottom right) which looks like a broadcast radio signal strength indicator (but is actually a wifi signal strength indictor) , windows displays the available wifi signals - and the relevant one (Three) - is listed, but windows states something like 'no internet' (I can't recall the precise wording). also, when the problem manifests itself whilst watching TV, the Three wifi network is also listed but shows no internet' (again, I don't recall the precise wording). finally, when the fault manifests itself, my Iphone sees the Three wifi network and connects to it but then can't get a web connection through it (even though at that time I'm standing upstairs and right next to the Three 5g router and the Iphone can get the internet connection direct to the tower) 

whe

[jr0]

It doesn't sound it's WiFi cutting out... However can still be something like between the WiFi function/module to the "broadband/network".

Give it a try to what a suggested before, first thing in the morning power down the ZTE (assuming you can do this and you don't have anything critically relying on internet). Wait a few seconds eg 15 to 30 sec. And power up again. Let's us know if the ZTE cuts out in the morning or later