Having trouble with TV reception in the back bedroom.

[John Schmidt]

About the time Marshall Matt Dillon is going to ride off into the sunset with Miss Kitty, the TV suddenly goes to "buffering" for the next few minutes. Sometimes it's only for a few seconds...enough to miss the action, or stays on buffering for the rest of the night. Really irritating but don't know how to correct it. It's not a long distance from the computer or router but is around a couple corners...over to the hallway and around the corner into the master bedroom. Suggestions?

I can usually tell if it's going to buffer cuz the picture goes slightly fuzzy...not sharp images. Next few seconds and bingo...buffering again. 

[Serk]

If you can get your hands on an Ethernet cable long enough, for testing run a CAT5/6 cable from the router to the TV, reconfigure the TV to use the wired connection, and see if that fixes the problem.

Just temporarily, yeah you'll have a cable running across the place for a while.

This way you'll know if the problem is your WiFi setup/configuration or the uplink to the Internet you have...

If you do a physical cable and no problems - problem is WiFi
if you do a physical cable and problems - problem is your Internet connection.

[..]

Is it your wifi ?

Are you using a  wifi booster?

[John Schmidt]

If you can get your hands on an Ethernet cable long enough, for testing run a CAT5/6 cable from the router to the TV, reconfigure the TV to use the wired connection, and see if that fixes the problem.

Just temporarily, yeah you'll have a cable running across the place for a while.

This way you'll know if the problem is your WiFi setup/configuration or the uplink to the Internet you have...

If you do a physical cable and no problems - problem is WiFi
if you do a physical cable and problems - problem is your Internet connection.

That would mean buying a cable about 40' long...maybe more. $$  

Not using a WIFI booster/range extender but do have a couple that was used in my old home in Florida. I just have no idea how to hook them up, FWIW I do know the connection name; LongJohnSilver.

I do have a wall receptacle in the hallway just outside the bedroom door and a fairly straight shot from the router if I move it to the end of the desk on top. I have a buffet looking puter desk and it sits on top, I don't think moving it moving it 3-4' to one side will make any difference cuz it doesn't change the number of curves/corners the signal travels.

[Serk]

$14 for a 50 footer.....

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-BUSOHE-Computer-Internet-Network/dp/B076PNXN76

Although depending on your needs might never use it again, but might too...

Do you have a TV setup close to the router as well by chance you could try? See if it has the same issues?

[John Schmidt]

My TV in the living room is a straight shot maybe 15' away across the room and gives no problems. The hook up for everything is via Spectrum cable...computer/internet & TV. The TV isn't a direct hook up, done via a router and has no issues.

[Serk]

Definitely sound like a weak WiFi signal or interference. It used to be necessary to find a free channel and tweak the channels for WiFi but that's mostly automated now (somethings can really mess with certain frequencies, like running a microwave oven for instance.)

A repeater somewhere between the router and the TV might help a lot in this case.

[carolinarider09]

What Serk said.   You might well find the cable useful in the future.  One never knows.

[scooperhsd]

I'm more old school than Serk - there is nothing better than wire for a device in a fixed location (will begrudgingly admit wireless is "CONVIENENT" , but still not equal in performance).

[cookiedough]

yah, hard wired is the way to go if possible, faster and more reliable. 

Our internet speed is 4x's faster wired vs. wireless, but still plenty fast enough for us at home.

Try resetting the router, etc. by turning power button off and unplug, then plug back in and turn back on.  It might help, doubt it, but worth a shot.

sometimes, not often, that seems to help.  NO idea why but has worked a couple times.  Your router could be going bad though electronics do not last forever.  If you have Spectrum and is a Spectrum router,  just ask them for another router should be free to swap it out.  Only way to know though is if you 'hard wire' first with an ethernet cable.

[carolinarider09]

I'm more old school than Serk - there is nothing better than wire for a device in a fixed location (will begrudgingly admit wireless is "CONVIENENT" , but still not equal in performance).

Agree.  When I built my house I ran the best cable I could buy to all the areas that would need it.  

I know, someday, it will be outdated but by then I probably won't care.  

Oh, I use Netgear routers to expand the wired access.  It came in handy when they installed the Kohler generator and wanted wired internet so I could monitor it.

Edited to correct spelling error.

[John Schmidt]

I wouldn't mind a wire hook up except it would be in the way, having to walk over it constantly and there's no way around that the way my place/rooms are located. It would have to go halfway across the living room in the open, down the hall past two doors and across the bedroom in the open, no other way around it.

[Serk]

No argument, if practical wired is always best. I've got CAT6 running all over my house, a 48 port GB switch at the main server safe (My servers and other equipment are on top of a gun safe), and 8 port GB switches placed strategically around the house as needed...

But for John's purposes, I got the impression running a permanent wire isn't practical. If you can run a wire and tuck it along walls, whatever, that's ALWAYS the best solution...

[carolinarider09]

Not to stretch a point but......   

When I was putting things in my new, to me, house in Irmo, SC (single story) I had to run some coax for my amateur radio setup.

In my case, I drilled holes in the floor next to the boards along the wall and then went under the house ro run the coax out to the antennas. 

So, it is possible, but, if the room is upstairs, that makes it a lot harder but there are ways to run the cable up the wall and cover it with a small "cable cover" (don't know the name).   

The drawback to this is that it does add to the "clutter" along the walls but, if run in the corner of the wall might be not very visible. 

I guess the question becomes, who badly do you want to correct it so it will not happen again. 

Oh, I forgot, if the house is on a slab, then things change.

[Cyclejohn]

Next few seconds and bingo...buffering again. 

John,

Is this on Netflix?

Thank you,
John

[Jess from VA]

Run it out a window and around the side and back in another window.  

If there's siding, it slips under easy.

Just don't let them see you doing it.

I once put a big TV antenna in a tree right outside my 3d floor dorm room.

It was all good until all the leaves fell off.  

So I moved it to the roof (4 floors).  

[John Schmidt]

Next few seconds and bingo...buffering again. 

John,

Is this on Netflix?

Thank you,
John

No...all channels, affects the TV as a whole. I may have discovered a possible fix but apparently need a coax to HDMI convertor. Life get tedious at times! 

[John Schmidt]

Run it out a window and around the side and back in another window.  

If there's siding, it slips under easy.

Just don't let them see you doing it.

I once put a big TV antenna in a tree right outside my 3d floor dorm room.

It was all good until all the leaves fell off.  

So I moved it to the roof (4 floors).  

Can't do that Jess. Would involve exiting through the sliding glass doors, go out the length of the garage, around my double garage and around upstairs neighbor's single garage, back the length of the garage to my bedroom window, then another 10' across the room to the TV. No way to either secure it or hide it...back to the drawing board.    Think I might have a solution in mind...stay tuned.

[Jess from VA]

Think I might have a solution in mind...stay tuned.

Move the bed into the living room, with both TVs.   

[John Schmidt]

Hey...there's an idea. Not a good one but an idea never the less. 

I'll bet you sell rubber crutches on the side! 

[John Schmidt]

I had typed an earlier posting but apparently forgot to "post" it...so here goes again. New discovery, I pulled the chest out a bit to look behind it with a mirror/flashlight and see there's a cover plate the size of a regular receptable but down near the floor. Never noticed it before when I moved in but was kinda busy that day. Anyway, got the cover off(was curious), lo & behold there's a recessed coax connection in there. I hooked a cable direct to the TV but tells me it needs an HDMI feed. Does that mean I need a coax to HDMI convertor...is there such a thing? Is that all I'll need?

[Serk]

I have ZERO experience with this or this product, just did some searching, appears there are devices to run a HDMI digital signal over COAX cabling, but they're a little spendy:

https://www.amazon.com/Mirabox-Extender-Connectors-Lossless-Extention/dp/B08ML3NXHS/

(Once again, please research deeper, not saying this is the one to get, I know zero about it until 30 seconds ago.)

[carolinarider09]

Ok.. not totally sure of stuff but.....

I was under the impression that you had a "black box" kind of thing that you had at the TV that allowed you to connect to stuff using the internet.  

In my case, I have a ROKU box.

So, my question becomes, what is the HDMI for?  It usually is used for video/audio from a distribution system.  

I was considering running an internet connection from the house down to my workshop which would have allowed me to pickup WiFi at my observatory.  I installed two coax cables from the house to the workshop with the idea of using a converter.  

https://www.screenbeam.com/wifihelp/wifibooster/ethernet-over-coax-make-wifi-better/

And the box

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/728077-REG/Veracity_VHW_HW_Highwire_Ethernet_over_Coax.html/?cnxclid=16437634795742432539610080301008005

Opps.... I failed to see you would need two of these "black boxes".  

I have purchased several items from bhphotovideo over the years and find them to provide good products at reasonable prices.

[carolinarider09]

And just in case I missed the "mark", here is the black box I use to allow me to get video and audio from my security cam system (located in a safe away place not on the first floor) to my amp so I can, with the push of a button on my "remote" change the TV's input from whatever I am watching to the security cam's output.

[bassman]

Can you put the "buffering" TV in the main room where the working TV is located to see if the problem persists to determine if it works better in a known good location?  Hook up the second TV to the good TV connections of the working TV to see if it is the TV?  If it works there, then it's probably a weak signal to the other room.  Might help using a booster midway or in the other room as stated above.

M'be reboot your router too?  Unplug 60 seconds then plug back in?  Any software updates available for the router? (If there is such a thing)

Have NO clue how well any of these work or not but might be able to find something in the $20 range, if needed.

https://www.amazon.com/wifi-repeater-booster/s?k=wifi+repeater+booster&rh=n%3A172282%2Cp_36%3A1253503011&dc&qid=1643767302&rnid=386442011&ref=sr_nr_p_36_1

[carolinarider09]

I forgot all about this until, well I thought of it.

Its not a WiFi extender but what I would call a "repeater".  I use it on the road so I don't have to synch all my gadgets to the motels WiFi when I am in the room.  Just synch the device and then all the gadgets are ready to hookup to the "repeater".  Works well, not many issues except first time setup in some motels.  

And, best of all its sort of inexpensive.  

Drawbacks, this device is limited to something like 25Mbps (based on memory when I ran the speed test but might be better).  

Plus side, It cost $30.00.  You will need to set it up but once setup your system should connect to it like the main WiFi.  

Oh it may need a USB plug kind of thing but I forget what came with it

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073TSK26W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Mooskee]

Call Spectrum and tell them their cable isn't working. Let them figure out the fix.

[John Schmidt]

Call Spectrum and tell them their cable isn't working. Let them figure out the fix.

That would just cost me more money. They'd hook up a cable box back there, plug in my Roku doodad and away I go...for more $$ per month and they're already costing me almost $200/month as it is. I can do that myself, just don't want to spend the bucks. If I wasn't in an apartment I'd just use an antenna on the roof and cable only for the computer.

[cookiedough]

seems pretty pricey to me 200 mth for TV and internet?  Any other alternatives up there to go with?  I pay for TV with Dish 85 mth.  Is still a rip off even though regular rate 110 mth.   I talked them down to stay with them vs. switching to TDS TV or Spectrum Charter (has TV and internet)  I also have TDS internet for 60 mth having TDS router, etc. in basement around 5 more per mth but anything that goes wrong with 'their' router is covered 100% to come out and replace the router which being here near 30 years have had to replace about 3x's with new ones since NONE last forever.

Who knows, your TV might be going on the fritz as well they do not last forever either.  I say try swapping TV's to a known good connection and if TV still acts up you know it is your TV.

[John Schmidt]

Well wouldn't you know it, last night it didn't flake out one time. I had tried different things including using the recently discovered direct cable hook up available...no idea why it was recessed and covered. Went to Best Buy to see if they had a convertor for coax to HDMI, only to find they are closing at 7:00pm temporarily. So, back to the hovel and just put it all back the way it's been the last couple years and voila...worked fine from about 10:30 to 12:00 midnight when I shut down for the night. Who knows why!

[Wizzard]

I pay 260/mo with all the taxes and other fees including local broadcast and 220 CH with local sport CH
Have 1.2GB speed with 3 tv boxes and DVR cloud storage plan.
That is with Xfinity and Its also a mesh network with their AX router so I get the fastest WiFi and have 4 of their mesh devices covering my whole 4600 sq ft well
I am not unhappy with it

[Jess from VA]

Who knows why!

Maybe just taking it apart and back together did it.

Or maybe gremlins.   

[bassman]

M'be just a loose connection that got tightened up when re-assembled........

[John Schmidt]

Well nuts, bought a new extender, all the lights are glowing that's supposed to be and now to get everything to hookup, I'm supposed to click on one of the new channels and enter my WIFI password. Great...that was originally set up maybe ten years ago and I'm supposed to remember the password? Tells me I can reset a forgotten password by resetting the router, says it will reset the password but to what...the original factory password? Doesn't say, plus doesn't say if it also resets the name. So tomorrow  the new extender goes back to Best Buy along with a suggestion! 

I'm ready to forget the whole thing and just put up with the buffering interruptions. Nobody locally carries a coax to HDMI convertor so I gave up on that. Metropolitan area this size I'm finding is very limited in shopping sources. Welcome to the 1900's...still! 

[scooperhsd]

What brand of router ? most of the major manufacturers always use a default userid and password.

[John Schmidt]

What brand of router ? most of the major manufacturers always use a default userid and password.

It's Netgear, I have the tag for it that has the network name and password. I assume if I do a reset it will go back to those two ID's so I can start over, but the instructions on how to reset a forgotten password doesn't say that so I'm hesitant to do a reset.

[scooperhsd]

Netgear is usually admin,admin for username and password. I've used quite a few Netgears over the years.

[bassman]

M'be something on Amazon for Coax to HDMI converter?

https://www.amazon.com/Coax-Hdmi-Converter/s?k=Coax+To+Hdmi+Converter

[carolinarider09]

All I can tell you is the document for my Netgear router, a Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router Model R7000, says in the documentation the following:

WiFi network key or password. Your router is preset with a unique wireless network name (SSID) and password for wireless access. This information is on the router label.

And.... it says that if you use a paper clip to press the button to return the device to factory settings the User Name (case sensitive) is "admin" and the password (case sensitive) is password. 

While that seems strange to me, its what my documentation says. 

[Timbo1]

Well nuts, bought a new extender, all the lights are glowing that's supposed to be and now to get everything to hookup, I'm supposed to click on one of the new channels and enter my WIFI password. Great...that was originally set up maybe ten years ago and I'm supposed to remember the password? Tells me I can reset a forgotten password by resetting the router, says it will reset the password but to what...the original factory password? Doesn't say, plus doesn't say if it also resets the name. So tomorrow  the new extender goes back to Best Buy along with a suggestion! 

I'm ready to forget the whole thing and just put up with the buffering interruptions. Nobody locally carries a coax to HDMI convertor so I gave up on that. Metropolitan area this size I'm finding is very limited in shopping sources. Welcome to the 1900's...still! 

If your router is 10 yrs old you might consider a new one.  I had for many years two Netgear WNDR 3400 setup in our home one acting as main router to my ISP and the other as an access point for down stairs.  Last year we switched to AT&T fiber and with their new Router my WIFI Speeds doubled and range was improved so no need for the second router.  So the old Netgear routers I had were a bottle neck and I didn't even know it until replacing them.