Just switched to fibre and Internet is awful!

[Exhile]

Internet intermittently works on fibre. Sometimes I can connect tot a website and sometimes I can't. I have to wait a few seconds before I can connect to a website. This is awful. I thought fibre was better than copper but maybe it's just the new technology that Telus is rolling out. Telus still has some bugs to clean up before this fibre network of theirs goes mainstream. I should have stayed with copper.

[Nighthawk · Accepted solution]

Please note that if you have fiber with Telus, the T3200 is merely a ROUTER, not a modem. If you have hardwired devices and they're not losing the signal then your connection is fine. It'll just be your wireless that's unstable. 

In the settings on the T3200, is band steering on or off? If it's on and your house is not friendly for wireless (too many environmental factors that impede it), it can automatically switch frequencies and there may be a brief drop every time it does.

Log in to the router. Select Wireless Setup from the top, and then Band Steering from the menu on the left. If Enable is selected, click Disable then Apply. If you're wireless at the time the connection will drop briefly when the changes are applied. Once the wireless connection is back up, monitor and see how it performs. Also ensure you're using the 2.4 GHz frequency for wireless as it has the greatest range.

If you have your own router or wireless access point, you can connect it to one of the LAN ports on the T3200 and see how it performs if the above change has no effect. 

[WestCoasterBC]

If you're having an issue with your connection give Telus a call. It's not normal for the connection to have issues and is superior to copper

What websites are you having issues with?

[Exhile]

I'm having problems connecting to nhl.com, telus.com and google.ca.  Connection strength to the modem is really good but it's just that I can't connect to websites.

[WestCoasterBC]

That's definitely not normal. Contact Telus so they can diagnose your connection and see where the issue is. They may have to setup a tech visit if they can't troubleshoot it from their end. The earlier you call in or initiate a live chat the better, as the support team gets pretty busy.

Curious did you try a hard wired connection or just wireless?

[Exhile]

When the tech came to install the fiber, he also switched the modem.  There were some difficulties connecting to the Internet while he was setting up the new modem. He said the problem had to do with the firmware in the modem.

The wireless is the problem.

I'll give Telus a call and see if tech support can help me.

[NFtoBC]

Waiting a few seconds to connect to a website is often due to the website, not your connection speed. Fibre is great for large downloads or many users, but is average for most web surfing, as the files are much smaller, and the bottleneck is at the server end.

[Exhile]

No, I know the problem is Telus because I have two different web browsers trying to connect to the Telus website and the other to nhl.com.  It's not a coincidence that both websites would be down at the same time.

[SmokeJV]

Is it really the fibre that is the problem or just the wireless connection?  Have you tried to physically connected to the router and see if you have the same problem?  Also have you rebooted the router?  Or if that fails reboot the fibre modem itself.

[Exhile]

It looks like Telus updated the firmware on the T3200M modem because I get good Internet without it stopping intermittently.  GOOD JOB TELUS!

[Exhile]

Spoke too soon. Now the outage takes about a minute rather than 10-20 seconds. Telus still needs a better firmware update to get this problem fixed.

[Nighthawk · Accepted solution]

Please note that if you have fiber with Telus, the T3200 is merely a ROUTER, not a modem. If you have hardwired devices and they're not losing the signal then your connection is fine. It'll just be your wireless that's unstable. 

In the settings on the T3200, is band steering on or off? If it's on and your house is not friendly for wireless (too many environmental factors that impede it), it can automatically switch frequencies and there may be a brief drop every time it does.

Log in to the router. Select Wireless Setup from the top, and then Band Steering from the menu on the left. If Enable is selected, click Disable then Apply. If you're wireless at the time the connection will drop briefly when the changes are applied. Once the wireless connection is back up, monitor and see how it performs. Also ensure you're using the 2.4 GHz frequency for wireless as it has the greatest range.

If you have your own router or wireless access point, you can connect it to one of the LAN ports on the T3200 and see how it performs if the above change has no effect. 

[Exhile]

I tried hard wiring my connection through an Ethernet cable and that was fine so it's the wireless that's the problem.  Band steering was already off when I logged into the router.  I'm also using the 2.4GHz frequency band.  I don't have an extra wireless router to see if that would work.

[DavinG]

Did you ever resolve this issue? I connected to fiber optic from Shaw a few months ago and am having intermittent internet issues, some websites not working, some devices in the house not connecting. Didn’t have issues before moving to Telus. I’ve spent hours on the phone with Telus and even had a few technicians come to the house to try fix the issue but haven’t had any luck.

[NightHawk007]

Sounds to me to be a bad fibre connection at the pole or house or the fibre from the pole is kinked .I was thinking of switching but i think i will stick to Shaw at least i have more than i pay for downstream .

[DavinG]

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@NightHawk007 wrote:

Sounds to me to be a bad fibre connection at the pole or house or the fibre from the pole is kinked .I was thinking of switching but i think i will stick to Shaw at least i have more than i pay for downstream .

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So I think my issue with the intermittent internet connection has been resolved. I had an AirPort Time Capsule connected directly to my wireless router (use for wireless storage and backups). Turned the wifi feature off so it was solely used for wireless storage. After unplugging the Time Capsule from the wireless router (a week ago) I haven't had issues with internet since. My fibreoptic cable connection to TV is also running more smoothly now. 

I don't understand why TELUS' wireless router won't work with the AirPort Time Capsule (Shaw's did with no issues), but at least the issue has been resolved.