Internet radio receiver

[Origami Engineer]

I have a Telefunken IR 310 internet radio connected to the web via my TalkTalk wifi router. When in internet mode, the radio is prone to disconnecting from the station (usually German NDR1). This happens even when my desk top is disconnected; i.e switched off. My wifi download speed is 6+Mbps (measured using my laptop) and upload speed is 0.6Mbps. Anybody any ideas?

 

[General Lighting]

the wifi frequencies (especially at 2.4 GHz) are really crowded nowadays and 2.4 is full of interference.

You share the airwaves with all your neighbours gadgets, as well as interference from microwaves, wireless mouse/keyboards and other random devices (I have monitored it with some specialist equipment and found all sorts there; would post up some pics but I need to check them for security/privacy.

Its got to the stage that its impressive anything still works at all at 2.4 GHz; but that is achived by sharing out the bandwidth across lots of competing devices.

Many ISP supplied routers are not the best equipment and do not "play as nice"; some are on the verge of what is acceptable as radio communications equipment according to the international agreements and can even transmit rough noise across the band that will stop everyones wireless for a few seconds.

5GHz is slightly better for "free space" but not all equipment supports this (often new laptops do but not kit just 1-2 years older) and even then you have to select the channels carefully as those nice "free" ones are shared with aircraft radars; if a radar transmits into your area your access point is knocked back to a random channel lower on the band that may again be shared with the neighbours. (this bit varies depending on country and region)..

 

[General Lighting]

PS: if the device is this (I wasn't sure if it was a "portable" set or intended to be used as part of a separates hi fi system)

Telefunken IR 310 Test - Radios

Test DAB+ Radio - Telefunken IR 310 - gut

which otherwise gets very good reviews from the Germans (who are fussy about decent hi fi) one solution may be to use a cable to connect it direct to the router rather than using wi-fi.

If the router is in a different area it may be a slight annoyance running the cable but at least you won't be at the mercy of the WLAN interference - any subsequent problems can be narrowed down to network congestion at the ISP or defects in the router.

 

[Origami Engineer]

Thanks

Alex,thank you for your time and excellent response to my question. The receiver is part of an audio setup via an amplifier; i.e. not a portable. I assume that because the radio wifi antenna came as part of the radio's kit, I will be stuck with 2.4Ghz. Can that be changed?

 

[General Lighting]

Unfortunately it appears to be 2.4 GHz only; around the time it was designed BNetzA may have still been discussing the fine points about 5 GHz licensing; (I was investigating using a long range link at work and had to notify the Ofcom man).

its also not a universal panacea for wireless problems as the range is not as large - depending on how big your building is; what is between your router and the receiver and the presence of nearby aerodromes and radar equipment. Many walls in European houses are full with metal studwork that gets connected to protective earth at the electricity meter cabinet - that creates a Faraday cage (block for radio signals).

I was able to listen in to NDR1s stream myself; I have a business grade VDSL connection from a local ISP but it uses the same networks as Talk Talk with less traffic shaping. I don't use the "free" ISP router and this was a desktop on a cabled part of the network.

The cheapest and most effective solution would be to use the cable to the router; but (making a guess that you are of German ancestry and maybe my uncles age range as its an unusual receiver to find in Britain) there must be a logical reason why you have not done so (such as a being in a rented house); or anything set up in there outside of your study/workshop having to be acceptable to die Frau / Vriendin and you may already spend most of the day fixing stuff so don't want to be crawling around on the floor and in roofspaces etc and dealing with trunking etc.

PS: If you like Schlager music you may also find these streams from NL / DE border areas of interest..

Geheimezender.com • Streams

 

[Origami Engineer]

Problem solved!

I have solved the problem by forcing my router to channel 6 after 1st trying channel 11 (which was better, but the cut-outs were shorter). I intend to talk to by neighbours asap (delayed due to family berevement) to ensure we each are not on overlapping channels.
Thank you again for your support.