Friend has WiFi problems, should I just send him to Geek Squad?

[VirtualLarry]

Last night, my friend was having some "internet / computer issues". So he swapped out his main PC, and hooked up his backup PC, but he's still having the same issues. (Which, to me, indicates that the problem clearly isn't the computer.)

He's borrowing internet from a neighbor two floors up in his apt building, with a high-powered client N150 Wifi adapter.

Current issues (with main PC), includes, Windows Update stalling during the "Download" phase, MagicJack not working. (I can hear him, so his upstream is working, but he can't hear me, so his downstream is an issue.)

After hooking up the backup PC, he can't sign in to Skype for some reason,. and MagicJack still has issues.

I tried telling him that his issue was "internet related" (Wifi issues), but since his taskbar shows full bars on his Wifi adapter, he won't listen to me and tells me his internet is fine. Even though MagicJack has the severe issues, along with everything else going on.

Am I wrong? I always try to do speed tests and test the actual throughput of a Wifi connection, and generally don't pay attention to how many bars it shows.

I tried hooking up a high-powered Wifi router to a relative's internet here, and then I used a 9dbi N300 high-powered Wifi adapter to try to connect to it. It showed nearly full bars, and I could see it, and apparently, authenticate, but I couldn't get internet through it. I'm guessing, that I couldn't send enough signal upstream back to the router.

Anyways, my friend's neighbor upstairs isn't using any sort of specific high-power router, so I was thinking of trying to hook one up as a secondary router. At least, that would be my technical solution, or attempt at a solution, but now I'm thinking, I really don't want to be on the hook every time his internet burps.

So, I'm thinking of finally punting my friend to Geek Squad to solve his problems. (I have no idea what they would recommend - probably the most expensive router and client wifi that BestBuy sells. Might work, might not.) Or maybe they wouldn't want to get involved in sharing internet either.

I told my friend a month ago to sign up for the $10/mo internet via a Sprint LTE MiFi, but he wasn't interested, he considered his existing internet-sharing situation to be superior, so he wouldn't even consider getting his "own" internet.


Any suggestions? My friend was kinda pissed at me for not coming out and "fixing" his internet, before he went to work today a few hours later, and that I didn't want to go over to his place and "fix" it after he got out of work.

 

[ylin0811]

The issue could be caused by the router or isp. Have him do a quick test by pinging the internal gateway continuously to see if there is any packet loss.

Does his upstair neighbor have the same isp? If yes, that would rule out the isp's internal/external routing completely. The issue would either point to the modem snr reading or the router itself.

I wouldn't punt him to the geek squad, since they most likely will overcharge for a simple service that doesn't have any market value.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The issue could be caused by the router or isp. Have him do a quick test by pinging the internal gateway continuously to see if there is any packet loss.

Does his upstair neighbor have the same isp? If yes, that would rule out the isp's internal/external routing completely. The issue would either point to the modem snr reading or the router itself.

He's leeching off his neighbor's connection, so of course the ISP is the same. He went upstairs, and his neighbor was using the connection like nothing was wrong.

I wouldn't punt him to the geek squad, since they most likely will overcharge for a simple service that doesn't have any market value.

But it gets him out of my hair, and shows him the true value of the tech support I've been giving him for free for years.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Power cycle modem, then router, see what happens...he should be able to do that

 

[ylin0811]

Have him replace the router if the isp is indeed the same upstairs. Some apartment blocks may have two different isp sources.

If it is indeed the same, then why don't you just charge him a service fee to diagnose and replace his router? There is no such thing as a free lunch.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, went over there tonight, tried to get a link with a Tenda "High Power" router. Got as high as 1.2Mbit/sec on fast.com, not so great. Seemed to be an issue with the neighbor's router being able to send a signal.

Anyways, the high-power USB client adapter that he was using, managed to fall to the ground when I sat down. One the the antennas came clean off. He claims that I didn't break it, and that it has been like that, and working more-or-less "fine" all that time. I told him that was likely his problem. I guess I'll be able to test that theory when I bring over another one at some later date.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Here's what's weird. The Tenda router, detected the neighbor's router with a strong signal, and the HP USB Wifi detects five bars. Is it common to have five bars showing, and only have a megabit or less of throughput?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Sure, I use a hotpot everyday for work, I always have 5 bar's ....but sometimes wwan still sucks

What's his connection like wired?

 

[JackMDS]

Assuming that the whole thing does not brak the ISP TOS.

Here's what's weird. The Tenda router, detected the neighbor's router with a strong signal, and the HP USB Wifi detects five bars. Is it common to have five bars showing, and only have a megabit or less of throughput?

Did any one ever heard about Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR).echnical Value.

The Bars of WIFI is a crude visual indication to please the common user it is Not a real Technical Variable.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

WiFi isn't really reliable unless you have LoS to the router.

It's double-crappy in apartment buildings, on account of all the appliances, other wifi networks, etc. E.g., iIf the neighbors have a 2.4GHz cordless phone, you have no way of finding out, but it'll still toast your network connection every time it rings. Not to mention microwaves, etc., that you have no control over.

Shrug-worthy. You can go ahead and tell him how WiFi works, but IMO he needs to figure this one out on his own. Not a rabbit hole that's worth your energy.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Here's what's weird. The Tenda router, detected the neighbor's router with a strong signal, and the HP USB Wifi detects five bars. Is it common to have five bars showing, and only have a megabit or less of throughput?

The Bars of WIFI is a crude visual indication to please the common user it is Not a real Technical Variable.

Even worse, it's a one-sided visual indication of what your PC can see from the router - you have no idea how much of the signal from your WiFi NIC is actually punching its way back through to the WAP in return. - You might have "five bars" of signal from the router, but when the router is trying to listen to the data your PC is sending it, it's only getting "one bar."

 

[crashtech]

Is having their very own Internet connection really that prohibitive for this individual? If so, you sending them to the Geek Squad would practically be criminal. What they might charge could cover several months of basic Internet.

 

[VirtualLarry]

sending them to the Geek Squad would practically be criminal.

Would probably serve him right, for calling me at 3am a few years back, complaining that his internet went out. Turns out that Comcast was doing work on the lines in his area.

I'm not his ISP, but he treats me like I am.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Would probably serve him right, for calling me at 3am a few years back, complaining that his internet went out. Turns out that Comcast was doing work on the lines in his area.

I'm not his ISP, but he treats me like I am.

HAH.

Eff 'im.

 

[crashtech]

I think that you enjoy helping and your clients enjoy taking advantage of this fact.

 

[ylin0811]

Is the HP USB Wifi the one with the defective antenna? If yes, that would depend on what that antenna is used for (transmit or receive).

Full bar reading is nothing more than a low rssi or high snr reading for the spectrum. With that said, you will still run into issues such as cci or aci that will affect your bandwidth if there are radiowave or interference nearby.

However, getting 1.2 megabit is a little extreme. If there are no issues with the client's adapter, i would point the issue to be either on the router or isp.

Have you tried wired?

 

[VirtualLarry]

A little follow-up. The issue was fixed by replacing the USB Wifi adapter with an identical model (without a broken antenna). Now he speedtests @ 16Mbit/sec down, and 6Mbit/sec up (max up with that Comcast plan). MagicJack works fine now.

I charged him $20 for the adapter, and $5 for gas. Maybe someday I'll learn to actually try and make a profit. Sigh. (He's a friend, though.)

This would have been a lot more straightforward a repair call, if he had only told me up-front that one of the antennas on his wifi adapter was busted.

 

[MtnMan]

If they ask for advise, then refuse to take advise, Shame on them.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

A little follow-up. The issue was fixed by replacing the USB Wifi adapter with an identical model (without a broken antenna). Now he speedtests @ 16Mbit/sec down, and 6Mbit/sec up (max up with that Comcast plan). MagicJack works fine now.

I charged him $20 for the adapter, and $5 for gas. Maybe someday I'll learn to actually try and make a profit. Sigh. (He's a friend, though.)

This would have been a lot more straightforward a repair call, if he had only told me up-front that one of the antennas on his wifi adapter was busted.

 

[JackMDS]

To understand Technology rather than Trial and Error.

Antennae problems is one of the main Variables of inadequate Signal to Noise Ratio.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Good deeds, they hurt....repeatedly.

 

[XavierMace]

A little follow-up. The issue was fixed by replacing the USB Wifi adapter with an identical model (without a broken antenna). Now he speedtests @ 16Mbit/sec down, and 6Mbit/sec up (max up with that Comcast plan). MagicJack works fine now.

I charged him $20 for the adapter, and $5 for gas. Maybe someday I'll learn to actually try and make a profit. Sigh. (He's a friend, though.)

This would have been a lot more straightforward a repair call, if he had only told me up-front that one of the antennas on his wifi adapter was busted.

And now you're on the hook for helping him steal his neighbors internet.

 

[VirtualLarry]

And now you're on the hook for helping him steal his neighbors internet.

"steal" might be too strong a word... since he's paying for it.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

"steal" might be too strong a word... since he's paying for it.

The ISP's Terms of Service more than likely specifically prohibit what he's doing.

 

[crashtech]

ToS shmee-oh-ess...