Forum Topic

Talktalk problems

My sister's router is failing, but TT have put all their support staff into self isolation so there is absolutely no way of contacting them (I have tried everything!). Even doing their online test has it reporting that there is no internet so they can't connect to the router - whilst she is on the internet running the test - sigh. She really needs a new router. Does anyone have any ideas about actually getting through to someone at TT to tell them?

Iris Hill ● 2405d20 Comments

You could try posting on one of the TalkTalk Community forum forums.  If you or your sister are not registered, go to https://community.talktalk.co.uk/Once registered I suggest a post on the broadband forum at https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Broadband/bd-p/111There seem to be some "Community Stars" there who can pass the problem to TT customer service.

Richard Jennings ● 2405d

You need to connect a laptop/pc over ethernet and do a test to find if its the router or not. Could be no internet into property rather than router failed or over WiFi from router.Only other thought if you have internet coming but still cant connect is to go into the router and do a reset if need be rather than on the router itself. Details of admin and password on back of router unless you changed them yourselves in the past192.168.1.1  for talktalk

Julian Pavey ● 2405d

Or buy a router from someone else-they ate not very expensive But ensure it's compatible with how you connect you connectly to the Internet. Always good to have a spare even if the router gets sorted out.  I have had a lot of trouble with Talktalk routers overheating.  When it happens I leave  it off foran hour to really cool down and then leave it connected for 30 mins and it usually reconnects

Claire Moran ● 2404d

In our street whenever this happens we link up to our next door neighbour's WiFi. I had a similar problem with TalkTalk last year and was using my lovely neighbour's WiFi for 2 months.😃

Juliet Hogg ● 2404d

Seems TalkTalk and Virgin seem to get many issues posted on here over a year period

Julian Pavey ● 2404d

TalkTalk routinely come bottom of the OFCOM customer satisfaction survey with almost five times the number of complaints per 100k customers as the highest rated provider (Sky) and twice the overall industry average.

N V Brooks ● 2404d

My mistake, PlusNet come bottom in the latest survey, just pipping TalkTalk (Sky are still top of the league).

N V Brooks ● 2404d

Allso worth noting settings within a router for future issues.Over time as more WiFi spots came up at home meaning more interferance including othe devices that transmits or receives a wireless signal is allso capable of causing an interference to a signal. About a year ago my WiFi started slowing down but ethernet connection was fast. SoI went into the router and split the 2.4 and 5GHz signals apart and then under the 2.4ghz changed the CH from the default Ch in the router to another swapping chs and applying changes then doing a speed check on each. My wifi download which got too around 20MB- 10mb download and sometimes even dropped to about 2mb at times went straight back up to around 55mb average and never gets below 45-50mb and the distance improved.Allways worth doing a google for your ISP provider and router type to get in and change default settings. Especially as more people and devices come into our space at home.

Julian Pavey ● 2404d

Thanks for all your suggestions. Unfortunately my sister is totally nonplussed at anything to do with computers. For instance she does not even understand the difference between Microsoft Outlook and webmail. So to ask her to do anything with router settings is not a runner. I think the problem is most likely the router but there is no way to find out. I can remote in but that is so painfully slow it is like growing mushrooms! I agree it could be the line or microfilter but even asking her to find another microfilter is likely to leave her without anything. I will try the community and see if I get anywhere there

Iris Hill ● 2404d

Good luck Iris,not the best time to have no internet in these modern times. Its a shame  your sister cant connect to router by way of ethernet and check connection that way. Soon find out if its outside or insideJust to say that the changing of router settings was more for people reading this  who may have slow WiFi or its slowed down over time and likely not to be specifically a router problem or putting it down to walls and distance as such.

Julian Pavey ● 2404d

Thanks Julian. Router is very old, probably on 801.11b, not even g! I have posted in the community to see if anyone can help - which would be a good solution. I see on March 3rd someone posted that their router was failing and TS popped in and sent her a new router! At the best my sister's connection is 4mb - supposed to be 10-17mb. But if it was 10mb or above she could do Zoom which is a life saver for her. She is doing it on her phone but this is not ideal. The router is next to her computer so no hope of moving it around to sort it out. I just think it is very old, as is my sister. I have been trying to get her to move to another ISP for ages, and she had just decided that she had enough courage (with my help) to do this when we went into lockdown. Such is life

Iris Hill ● 2404d

Just a thoughtIf anyone is out of contract and wants to stay with same ISP provider,insist they send you the latest router if continuing with them on a new contract.

Julian Pavey ● 2404d

Thanks Julian. That is where we are at I think. Trouble is, my sister has to do all the negotiation and she doesn't know what and how to ask#! But thanks to Richard, I think my post in the Community forum may have opened an avenue of some sort

Iris Hill ● 2404d

I am supposed to contact TT exactly on 8 April to renegotiate my Package.  This Package does NOT include a boost for 500 mins @ £5 pm for calls to Monaco and my line rental all paid in advance up to 28th Oct 2020, that's a separate issue.  I don't want to go online on 8 April regarding the Package renewal I want to talk to them.  Last week, finally a person in S Africa answered trying to help me but was unable to explain my bill at all, couldn't put me through to anyone else just said I had to phone on 8 April!  Seems I can't do that - will I now be cut off???  I'm in isolation so can't have anyone in my home for 4 months.  Will work my way through the numbers suggested by Richard J.  Will try to email TT but don't hold out much chance of anyone seeing it!

Jennifer Selig ● 2404d

What is webmail and what is the difference between Microsoft Outlook and webmail?

Michael David Rowe ● 2404d

Webmail just means that the email is accessed using a web browser such as Internet Explorer, Chrome or Firefox rather than a dedicated email client application such as Microsoft Office Outlook, Windows Live Mail or Thunderbird

N V Brooks ● 2404d

Okay thanks. I asked because I’ve had a Hotmail email account for about 20 years, so I suppose this would have been classed as webmail before it was ‘absorbed’ into Microsoft Outlook but I still access it in a browser like Google Chrome via outlook.live.com. I have a work email address also accessed in a browser via outlook.office.com. So are these still classed as webmail when accessed this way but not when accessed directly with Microsoft Office Outlook? I don’t really see what the significance is, you still get to read and send emails.

Michael David Rowe ● 2404d

Its about access. You can go on any device and access your email in any browser,including other peoples devices nothing more.

Julian Pavey ● 2404d

Result! Through the community forum, a member of TT staff has actioned a new router for my sister. Thank you Richard!

Iris Hill ● 2402d

Wonderful and, as you say, well done Richard.

N V Brooks ● 2402d