Visitor
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9 Messages
Unreliable/Unstable WIFI Connections due to RFI Interference
I have not had reliable Xfinity WIFI connections for the last 3-4 months. Wifi devices (phones/Rokus/Rings/Fire Sticks, etc.) sometimes connect for a minute or two and then the connection gets dropped. I am paying for a high speed (1000 Mbps) internet connection and routinely get 800-900 Mbps in Speed Tests from my ethernet-networked laptop.
After many hours on the phone or chat with many online Xfinity techs, I have reset my system too many times to count as I always have to go through the prescribed trouble-shooting steps for each phone call/chat. I have had at least 4 tech home visits and 3 modem replacements. No one can improve my connectivity issues. The last tech visit at least identified RFI interference around my home as probably a main cause of my dropped connections. This tech did a location scan for RFI interference around my house/address using a small portable radio set on the 1700 AM band. Major interference/static was detected around my whole house and even out to the street. Walking down my street showed only my address as having interference! Tech suggested that all of my uninterruptible power supplies could be a source of interference so I disconnected the three UPS units in my system. To more accurately determine sources of interference, I bought an EMF meter/RF spectrum power analyzer.
The RF analyzer indicated major emanations from my LG washing machine (which has a WIFI connection) so I unplugged the unit. That helped a bit but I still had dropped connections.
My next step was to get a couple of Xfi Pods to set up an Xfinity mesh network. That helped a bit more such that my Ring doorbell finally connected - but still sporadically. Phones/Rokus still had the dropped connections.
I do not know what to do next. Xfinity tech service is at a dead end and given up on me.
AT&T is not an option because even though my neighborhood has fiber optics available, the POTL copper wires to my house is in such bad shape that they can only offer me 45 Mbps speed!
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this situation? I am desperate!
Thanks, FM3
shix999
Visitor
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9 Messages
2 years ago
Try changing the wifi channel to see if there's any difference?
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shix999
Visitor
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9 Messages
2 years ago
10.0.0.1 admin / password logs in and lets you change your wifi channel.. been like that for years?
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justsam
Contributor
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81 Messages
2 years ago
Not sure your household is any different than any other, in regard to the radio environment. The portable radio test is a fair test to pick up amplitude modulated disturbances. Remember 1700 KHz is the AM broadcast band. Many household devices, especially those using small switching power supplies will create some interference detected by an AM radio.
The name of the game is to keep interference out of your network, i.e. unwanted ingress. Recheck all the coax connections, make sure there is no corrosion. All coax needs to be RG6 Quad Shield, properly terminated, and properly grounded at the network interface where the service enters your home.
Regarding the Xfinity routers, other on here have stated you can not turn off the Xfinity WiFi, so if that is part of your testing please be aware.
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user_cac5d1
Visitor
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9 Messages
2 years ago
BTW I have had 4 (or was it 5?) tech visits by Xfinity but not one of them left me with a stable wireless connection... :-(
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EldenF
Visitor
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8 Messages
2 years ago
I had a similar problem with flakey wifi connections. The best answer I found was to put my Xfinity gateway into bridged mode and use my own router.
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AnnoyedCustomer23
Visitor
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1 Message
2 years ago
I gave up trying to use the XB8 as my primary wireless router. I'm guessing that it's 'auto' management of channels and such is causing interference throughout my house. The XB8 could not easily handle all the devices connected throughout the house.
With no devices connected to the wifi, there is no interference from the Gateway, so I've left my 6E connection on another wifi network [Edited: "Language/Inflammatory"] in case I need/want to use it on a specific device for a period of time. My primary network sits below that and I've not had to use the bridge mode yet, but I will try that next if this solution isn't stable.
The XB8 might be a fine modem, but without the ability to manage it like any other router, it's prone to these problems. To top it off I was told that you can't turn the wifi off with bridge mode if you have Xifi Complete (I have it for the unlimited data). Not sure if that's true, tier 1 support is terrible.
(edited)
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