Contributor
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3 Messages
Microcell crashes when I use ipad wi-fi near it
I have been having a very frustrating problem with my microcell for many months, it worked fine all day every day, but almost every night it would crash sometime over night.
AT&T replaced it and worked with me to figure it out, but it continued.
Then it went several weeks without a problem...when my wife stopped using her ipad to watch netflix at night (she is a creature of the night). Then she started using it again and the microcell started crashing and I put it together.
I discovered that I could cause it in a matter of minutes by doing anything using a lot of bandwidth to the ipad. The wi-fi unit was about three feet from the microcell, and although the manual says 2' is enough I ran some cables and moved the wi-fi unit to another room.
And I can still cause the microcell to go down by using the ipad.
Anyone else seen this? Any thoughts? I am stumped. it is almost as though it is direct interference between the ipad and the microcell.
By the way - it is a wi-fi only ipad, not connected to AT&T in any way.
OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
10 years ago
That is very odd. My son has an iPad and we never experienced what you've described, and he would usually sit closer to the room that the MicroCell was in that I would. In fact, he'd have his iPhone on at the same time and remain connected to the MicroCell with no issues.
How many other devices do have on WiFi at the same time? I'm wondering if it's not necessarily the MicroCell but the fact that too many devices are hitting your router at the same time and it's a matter of priority where the MicroCell will get "booted" off the router in favor of another device.
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Avedis53
Professor
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2.2K Messages
10 years ago
Do you have cable internet or DSL? What are your subscribed upload and download speeds? Sounds like a bandwidth issue to me.
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jmpfas
Contributor
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3 Messages
10 years ago
I have DSL and it is crap, but any downloads from a wired device has no effect on the microcell. It is only wi-fi that triggers the problem.
I can plug my laptop in and download a huge file with no problem. Connect via wi-fi and start the same download and the microcell goes offline in a few minutes.
I tried changing the channel of the wi-fi router last night and the microcell is still up...so it may be fixed. or not. WIll have to give it a few days to be sure.
It would sure help if the microcell gave SOME information or diagnostics. I hate black boxes.
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jmpfas
Contributor
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3 Messages
10 years ago
It is very odd. The interesting thing is that the microcell does NOT lose it's internet connection or IP address. It loses it's 3G connection. Remember - the microcell is not actually connected to the wi-fi router. It has a wired connection.
It really does seem like the wi-fi usage is interfering with the 3G connection...which it should not.
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Avedis53
Professor
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2.2K Messages
10 years ago
Do you have a dual-band router (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) or just a 2.4 GHz router? Can you adjust the channel width (20 MHz or 40 MHz)?
Sounds like RF interference to me if it's only happening when using WiFi. Channel 6 is the typical default frequency used by routers. I'd set the channel to 1 or 11 and narrow up the channel width to 20 MHz to get as far away frequency-wise from the channel you were using before. If you have a dual-band router, there are other options to try.
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OttoPylot
ACE - Expert
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24.9K Messages
10 years ago
That's a little confusing to me. Are you saying that the MicroCell is connected directly to the modem (alternate connection) and not to the router as it usually is? What are your speeds?
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