topic Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem? in Broadband & Landline

broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:30:19 GMT

I was with BT broadband for many years with no problems and recently joined EE fibre min 700. In doing so EE had to upgrade the cable from the box up the street to my house. The cable installation took many more hours than expected as there was a blockages in the ducting. Prior to EE Youfibre tried to install a cable but abandoned the installation and identified where the blockage in the ducting which was located at a junction leading from the footpath to my property that needed digging up.

EE gave it a go to get the cable installation and eventually succeeded. Ever since I’ve been connected up to EE broadband my connection has varied from excellent to poor. I’ve been in touch with EE on many occasions and they have sent an engineering out who just reset the system which seems to fix it for a short time then the faults start to returns. The faults vary as some are as follows

1) the iPhones/ iPads will have a poor WiFi connection to broadband but a good connect to router. So when you open say Sky news, Facebook, instagram the page opens but will not scroll any further past the first or second page.

2) when at home my iphones is connected to the WiFi broadband and on occasion its not able to auto reconnect to the broadband via the WiFi once I’ve been out. This is a frequent occurrence and found I have to connected to my guest broad band WiFi then back to my main broadband WiFi to get it to work.

3) PS5 has a terrible connection, always shuddering and slow. When checking the connection is confirms the router connection is good but the internet connection can be terribly slow. But if you do a speed test on the iPad it next to the PS5 states it’s 500 or more?

4) some apps will not connect at all.

5) occasionally the speed test app is not able to check the speed when the broadband is being problematic, keeps crashing out while other times is over 700/120.

It seems the iPhones etc connect to the router no problem but beyond that it’s variable.

ive done all the usual checks, switching the router of( sometimes many times during the day) the phones off, wiping and reconnecting to the WiFi which in most cases does work for a short while before the connection deteriorates.

im thinking of changing the router but I’m beginning to suspect that the cable may be the problem. Is there any way that EE can test the cable between the box and router to see it there is some damage.

EE have been helpful but do the same thing every time by resetting the broadband at their end and all is good.

Any views or thoughts would be appreciate

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:54:46 GMT

@Bevas64 The cable is out off the question for you to check or diagnose but the tendency is it works or it does not, there is just not much in between for the Fibre Optic cable but sharp bends are not good, and OR would have snaked the duct clear to get a fibre cable in... Also some details regarding what and how it works below! The ONT would be showing you connection with Pon light or Los light issues!

1. FTTP is a contended service, up to 32 users can be sharing the 2.5Gb backhaul, so you can never expect the full speed all the time, you may get 900mb when there are fewer people using it. I expect that you are sharing the backhaul with many users. If everyone was using it fully, you may only get 78mbs. Its called statistical multiplexing, which relies on the fact that all users are not utilising their connection fully, all of the time.

BT quote up to 900mb, so you are likely to get much less than that during peak times.

Speed tests pass very little data, so normally give a much higher speed.

2. The max OR connect to a splitter is 30 ( 32 is the splitter maximum but policy is 30 ) not every CBT port provided is likely to have a customer using it , so unless on a ‘new site’ that has no alternatives to OR FTTP the actual number on a splitter is likely to be way less , OR currently have about a 30% take up, so maybe 10 users per splitter , plus the majority don’t take 900Mb but slower profiles , and the chances of those ‘on line ‘ at any one time all and doing something intensive, rather than browsing / Netflix that may be consuming less than 30-100Mb , is slim , that’s why there is a 700Mb minimum speed guarantee on 900Mb …..the 2.4Gb will be plenty ,you would have to be incredibly unlucky to have any consistent congestion.

If you suspect PON congestion, try at a time when there won’t be much activity, late evening or early morning .

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:57:39 GMT

@Bevas64 If you can also say what EE Router you are using, if you have also any form off wireless wifi boosting or mesh connected does not matter if it is by EE or a third party supplier! All the Routers are below if you need to look see!

https://ee.co.uk/help/broadband/getting-started/compare-our-range-of-broadband-hubs

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 19:17:19 GMT

Thanks for getting back to me and your comments

when I had BT broadband I had no drop outs, connection or performance issues. In the many years I had BT I would say I had to reset the router about twice a year. Since the upgrade to EE fibre I had nothing but problems for 6 months. BT was guaranteed for a min 100 while EE have guaranteed min 700, overall I would have expected a far superior improvement and not the opposite, same cables/box other than the length of cable changed to fibre from the box to my house which is about 30m away.
Will contact EE again after the break. Thanks

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 19:25:34 GMT

@Bevas64 You cannot have the same cable if you upgraded to FF Full Fibre FTTP connection, so the question is were you on Fibre with BT before the change to EE all be it potentially a slower Fibre connection that OR had to change out for you or were you on a copper supplied broadband connected to the OR Master socket.

You also do not say what you have, without knowing there is NO WAY for anyone to try to help! If you do not know or feel this is way out off your comfort zone then by all means seek help from a company who may specialise in home BB and Network setup, it's not every ones cup of tea so to say!

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

XRaySpeX — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 20:01:49 GMT

@Bevas64 wrote:
BT was guaranteed for a min 100 while EE have guaranteed min 700, overall I would have expected a far superior improvement and not the opposite,

I wouldn't expect anything of the kind! I would say with BT you had up to 165 Meg FTTC G.Fast, whereas with EE you have up to 1 Gig FTTP Full Fibre. They are completely diff technologies with completely diff cabling & routing to the home (as you discovered with the blocked duct). Therefore you cannot not expect an improvement in proportion to their nominal speeds.

EE no longer supplies G.Fast!

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 19:47:33 GMT

The BT was a copper supplied broadband connection to the OR Master socket.
EE replaced the cable from the openreach underground box in the public footpath appx 30 m away via an existing duct which has a junction opposite my property leading to, via my private driveway, the frontage of my house where the fibre cable was fed into the house into a new EE fibre master socket.
This is a newish culdesac estate with only 40 houses with cabling along either side of the footpath so appx 20 units per openreach box.

A problem was feeding the cable through the duct via a junction next to my driveway. The duct seemed to have been squashed due to the likely construction of the public footpath thus causing great difficulty pulling the cable through. A simple enough job in but took many attempts and several hours to achieve the installation. I suspected the cable may have been damaged in the process of installation.

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 20:25:20 GMT

@Bevas64 You have to just take it all up with EE CS then if you think that, nothing else for it! 🙄👌

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 20:29:35 GMT

Wishful thinking, round in circles when I suggest it, usual standard response, I will reset the broadband at their end, all good now, bye until next time.

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 20:34:21 GMT

@Bevas64 Really cannot fault the Engineers response to it knowing the construction of the Fibre Optic cable make-up and how it all works with the method used to install it.

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:50:38 GMT

Having been in touch with EE and investigated everything including changing the manager setting the conclusion was that the hub WiFi is faulty. So another hub on the way, third one so far.
The situation currently which has deteriorated is that all devices that are connected by cable direct to the hub work fine.

newer devices, iPhones, iPad, are connected on line to WiFi but with limited broadband access, I.e Facebook has only several pages but nothing else. Instagram no connection.

older devices, echo dot ext, are on line but no broadband connected. They see the router but that’s it.

PS5 is unusual as it won’t even see the router via WiFi so no broadband connection at all.

awaiting the new router to see if it resolves the problem and if so will push EE to provide a better quality router that is suitable for its purpose. Third one suggest the router is substandard.

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:16:22 GMT

@Bevas64 If you go back over the post, have a look and answer the question regarding what you have EE Router wise, without knowing what you have you are not helping anyone in the slightest to give you any help, especially as you appear to only have a wireless wifi issue with the Router! Suspect that your main issue will be wireless securities!

It takes only one bad wifi device to act up and cause havoc on a network!

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:47:19 GMT

Thought i had mentioned it previously.

EE smart hub 6 plus.

no changes to the devices when I had a BT hub (which I had for several years no problem) to this new hub type.
A search online has numerous complaints about its poor quality and performance with many changing to a higher quality third party unit. May be the answer until my contract is up and can change to new provider.

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 12:35:28 GMT

@Bevas64 If you did i can not see it mentioned anywhere that you are using the EE Smarthub+ as your Router.

Would advise you to look carefully to what is connected to where, there is a very good chance that with this EE Router and the devices you are using it would be best to setup the compatible network feature and connect the devices to that, if you want to have speed then use and turn on only the 5Ghz band with it, if speed is not an issue then use both bands turned on and let the devices go were they see the best connection! Ones with no issue then leave them on the main network.

Set up and use Compatible WiFi | Broadband Help | EE

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 14:00:24 GMT

Hi, im sure I had mentioned what hub I had because someone asked and remember typing it out but reading through the comments It didn’t upload. My apologies.

thanks for the comments.

Been through the compatible network issue, switched it on and the 5 ghz off and no difference when connecting any of the devices. Hence a new router seems the last resort before I kick it into the street.

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 14:48:15 GMT

@Bevas64 It's the main reason that i am NO Longer an EE customer due to what they did to that EE Router with the Mid Feb 2025 FW update, that's what broke the camel's back, 11 months out off the 24 and left with 13 too go and gone!

Would also suggest when you do make the changes and enable the option that you do power off the Router for 5 minutes, then when back on check to see it has all been applied correct, there is a lot going on under the hood off the EE Router with ALL the options enabled!

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Weety — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 16:55:09 GMT

Test from a Wired connection

it could be the Smart Hub 6 and it being WiFi 6

get a pro, or ask EE for the new Smart wifi 7 router

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

sarah517 — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:57:23 GMT

I had the same problem and tried you fibre and it got worse 🙃 I don't know what the solution to your problem is but just wanted to reach out in solidarity to say you're are not alone and everyone I've spoken to is having issues after going down the 'you fibre' route 😳

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

Bevas64 — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:25:51 GMT

And the saga continues.

new hub arrived in the post. Connected it up and worked great for an hour then started play up. Reduced connection preventing streaming, won’t open apps etc.

so called EE who quickly sent an engineer who couldn’t connect to the WiFi or hub manager to check it so confirmed my problem. The engineer installed a new factory set hub he had in the van.

Connected up and worked great however this time I only connected my iPhone to the WiFi and left it for appx 2 hours to update before I connected all the other items. And would you believe it the WiFi would not work again. Limited access and no streaming.

so after installing the 4th hub it’s been whittled down, in my view, to a software issue when it’s updating from factory setting. EE have passed the problem on to the IT software side to investigate as it’s a new one to them and the engineer who visited.

There must be some setting or script that is messing up the access to the WiFi and it only happens when the hub has been updated with the latest software. I can reset it back to factory setting but it will automatically update again so no use.

so after 6 months of poor to no broadband it looks as if we are homing into the problem area, the software! The next is problem is for EE to find and fixing it.
May opt to leave EE and try an alternative provider with a different hub may be the overall answer.

Re: broadband dropout/ poor/ reduced connection. Possible cable problem?

JimM11 — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:53:14 GMT

@Bevas64 Real pity you never looked at the screen's on the hub to get pre/post any FW updates to the EE Smarthub+ version, as far as i am aware the FW now set's the main WiFi to WPA3-T operation with i think no adjustment from that! You could look to see what version the Router is on now and apply a Factory Reset again with all the Fresh FW updates applied, not sure what the OOB is would depend on age and manufacture applied before shipping to EE, but here are the last 4 posted up by user's below!

FW: r3.8.11-R-1414606-PROD-83002 and the gui is at App version 2.36.9. 23/06/2025
FW: r3.8.17-R-1464067-PROD-83002 and the gui is at App version 3.1.3 03/09/2025 Https:// now!
FW: r3.8.24-R-1531355-PROD-83002 and the gui is at App version 3.1.3 10/10/2025 Now https://
FW: r3.8.30-R-1627300-PROD-83002 and the gui is at App version 3.1.18 05/12/2025