Forum Discussion

alert's avatar
alert
Transmission Trainee
3 years ago

Home internet connection keeps dropping

I want to add to the users who reported this behaviour from their home internet. Of note, customer support is of no help (is it me, or has it become useless to contact them over the phone?): the issue is often misclassified (“slow speed”) and they have no idea what is going on, just randomly saying “the tower is under maintenance” (for weeks at a time?).

If you need reliable internet, T-mobile is not for you.

(fun fact: my connection dropped twice just as I was writing this message)

  • rossollo's avatar
    rossollo
    Newbie Caller

    I appear to have the same issue.  The unit works flawlessly sometimes.  Then if we begin intense use of the network, the unit appears to drop the link.  I can only identify it because my in home router shows that the WAN link has gone down.  I am only using the T-Mobile unit as a WAN router.   If I reset the T-Mobile device then everything comes back.  Now I am experiencing network drops for no reason on certain high usage process where I am part of a Zoom meeting or a remote desktop access.  I am in the San Antonio, TX area.

  • EDSinTEX's avatar
    EDSinTEX
    Newbie Caller

    I realize I’m late to this topic, but we just subscribed to T-Mobile’s internet service a couple of weeks ago. After about three days, I was ready to cancel because of the connection drops. I’d have to unplug the modem multiple times a day, and it was very frustrating, particularly because our local internet options are so limited and T-Mobile seemed to offer a promise of better service and price than anything of our other options.

    I had set up our modem in a window sill where it got the best signal. That same window sill is the resting spot for two other devices. One is a controller for some motorized window shades. The other is the base station for our SimpliSafe security system. I had placed T-Mobile modem just a couple of inches from the SimpliSafe base station.

    In a move of desperation, I moved the T-Mobile modem about 6 or 8 inches away from the base station. I have no idea whether it’s coincidence, but we’ve now gone 10 days without a single disconnect. In addition, the signal strength averages one bar greater than before.

    The SimpliSafe system relies on a cell signal, and I can’t help wondering if it was interfering with the modem’s reception. All I know for sure is that that simple move seems to have solved our issue, and caused me to decide to keep the T-Mobile service.

    Just wanted to share my experience in case others might benefit in some way.

  • The move away from the SimpliSafe system was quite possibly related. If you are able to compare the metrics for the cell connections for the T-Mobile router in both locations you might discover there is a change in SNR, signal to noise ratio. It might not be obvious until just prior to the disconnect which might relate to the SimpliSafe system making a routine hello to the monitoring station. There could be signal interference due to the close proximity of the two cellular devices. I have seen references to locating the gateway away from other equipment that can  cause a problem for the signal due to emissions. I would speculate that the SimpliSafe system has a bit of a routine or schedule it maintains to confirm communication to the security monitoring server it communicates with. Good call EDSinTEX! 

    I could be mistaken but I think you are on to something there. It makes sense to me at any rate.  If there is monitoring taking place to insure the SimpliSafe system is still there it stands to reason the two have to talk to one another on a regular basis for proper monitoring.

  • EDSinTEX's avatar
    EDSinTEX
    Newbie Caller

    Thanks for the affirmation. I’m not savvy enough to compare the s/n metrics, but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth ( if indeed that’s what it is).

  • I am speculating based upon my experience working with networking as an escalation engineer. We encountered a few strange cases where the wireless could be disrupted by strong RF signals. The oddest was when a barge with strong radios entered a canal in Amsterdam. When they entered the canal and were broadcasting they had such strong radios that it disrupted the network. It was discovered by chance when the barge entered the canal. One of our engineers was there on site and the episode took place. It was isolated down to the RF from the barge. So, it is not beyond chance that proximity to another RF source can be an influence.