Landline/Broadband ....

[Stokey Sue]

I think that was on Rip Off Britain this morning, NLB, which will be on iPlayer - I only listened to them saying what they were going to cover

[Amber]

We use a free app called Speed test. I just got 160 download and 36 up. But we still have internet problems. Like others, it’s the thick walls of an old house, and the distance from the router. We’re with Virgin, have been for most of our internet life, and we’ve never had a problem with them. But interestingly, when we’ve tested with different phones and iPads at exactly the same place and exactly the same time, we all get different results.

[Stokey Sue]

I’m with Virgin too and get very good speeds, as you’d hope within the inner city networks.

However, like Amber, in an old building I have WiFi dead spots, and I have to use a signal booster to get enough signal in the “new” extension (ca 1893) - it just plugs into the power socket nearest the router. Before I got it I could barely WhatsApp in the sitting room, but Alexa is quite happy right at the other end of the space.

I’ve had mine so long they don’t make it any more (it’s by Belkin) but there are plenty out there if you get a new router might be worth asking if a matching range extender (which seems to be what they are called now) is available. They are a bit of a faff to set up because of security but once set up - no problem.

[Earthmaiden]

Thought I'd use this thread as it's vaguely related.
I live in a two up, two down house with stairs going up the middle dividing the back and front rooms. My heating works on a wireless system where the control (usually in the front sitting room) talks to the boiler (in the back bedroom).

My Virgin router and laptop are in the front bedroom which I use mainly as a study.

Recently, my internet has been cutting out a lot both with the laptop and my phone (the latter I tend to use in the downstairs front room).

I have come to the conclusion it is doing this every time the boiler ignites. I have no idea why this might suddenly happen when nothing has been moved.

Any helpful suggestions/solutions?

[Stokey Sue]

That sounds very plausible, which remote system does the boiler use?

[Earthmaiden]

I've no idea - the controller is a Honeywell but I don't think that's what you mean ..

It's just odd it's started doing it out of the blue.

[Busybee]

I am no expert……..

But I wonder if when the boiler fires up there just isn’t enough bandwidth for everything to operate.

As you know we live in the sticks and have very poor internet, someone using their phone kicks the tv out. Our internet just hasn’t got enough oomph!

As an aside, a train going past also kicks us off the internet. The joys of rural living.

BB

[KeenCook]

As an aside, a train going past also kicks us off the internet. The joys of rural living.

BB

Goodness, BB, I've bet you've got into the habit of saving your work or whatever every few minutes!

[Stokey Sue]

I've no idea - the controller is a Honeywell but I don't think that's what you mean ..

It's just odd it's started doing it out of the blue.

That was my misunderstanding, think you had something like Hive or Nest, but it's just a single link, mobile thermostat to boiler, I had one of those for a while
No helpful suggestions, but it's possible that your router has had an update, and that's what has triggered it?

[PatsyMFagan]

I have a similar set-up .... my central heating boiler etc was installed about 2009..,. a long time before I got broadband. My router and wireless thermostat are not too far apart, almost on the same wall; the router is in my lounge, the thermostat on the hall, same floor, about 2-3 metres away.

I do get regular messages on my phone saying my internet has been reconnected .... and if this is the same problem, I have never connected it to my thermostat firing up my boiler.

[Earthmaiden]

Thank you for your thoughts. Broadband is good here generally so it is even more annoying. I've switched things on and off and moved the router a bit in the hope it will improve.

I'll chat to my plumber (who installed the boiler) when he comes to do my bathroom. It may not be that at all but I noticed it fail at the exact moment the boiler fired last night.

[Earthmaiden]

Not related to broadband but a vaguely related question.

I've got to set up a new dedicated email account to be used by a group I belong to. It will be used for sending newsletters to those on a mailing list and for any related or non-related correspondence connected to the group.

I haven't set up a new email account for about 20 years. It would be good if it was free, suitable for groups and not related to the current accounts of any members. Gmail has been suggested. I have personal accounts with Virgin, Yahoo and gmail so am wondering if it is possible to use any of those without the system thinking it is a personal account for me. It would also be helpful if it could be accessed by three or so key people.

I know that someone here will state the obvious and point me in the right direction!

[Stokey Sue]

It's a while ago but when I was on the local WI committee we had a Gmail account, I don't think there's any problem setting one up and keeping it distinct from your personal account as long as you make it clear when first setting it up that it is for a "club" ans not personal,

We just had a password that about 3 or 4 people knew and could use, that didn't seem to worry it

[northleedsbhoy]

Would it not be better to set up a WhatsApp or Messenger group? Attachments can be added to both. Not really sure a dedicated email would work, but I’ve never tried to set up a group one.

Cheers
NLB

[Earthmaiden]

Thanks, Sue. That sounds the best thing to try. I'll have a look.

NLB - I think modern groups need both - and the steering committee are of the same thinking. I find that WhatsApp messages get lost when something is posted and someone else immediately posts something unrelated which others reply to. The previous post gets buried. We have a FB page but not everyone uses it or Messenger.

[Stokey Sue]

You can set WhatsApp Groups so only the Committee can post, but then the members don't like not being able to respond.

Organisations I belong to tend to use email, then maybe a short-lived WhatsApp for something specific