Troubleshooting Wireless Products

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My wireless audio device sometimes drops off the network or the music pauses.

Created: Sep 28 2015 | Updated: Aug 24 2018

It is likely that the wireless network strength is low at the location of the wireless audio device, or there is something causing interference. Make sure the wireless audio device is positioned away from home telephones and base stations as well as Bluetooth and devices like Wi-Fi baby monitors. Try moving the wireless audio device to a location closer to the router to see if the problem persists. If it does not then you will likely need to add a wireless range extender if the new location is not acceptable. Some possible causes:

Is your router 802.11g or lower?

Play-Fi will work on most routers 802.11g or lower, but performance may not be the best in many situations. 802.11g does not support many optimizing features that were introduced in 802.11n, and sometimes when those features are present, they are not at the current standard. 802.11n routers also offer greatly improved speeds, and this can dramatically help not only Play-Fi, but also your daily network performance. We strongly recommend an 802.11n router or higher.

Is your router 5 years or older?

Newer routers generally support more features, and the reliability of routers often diminishes the older they get. In order for Play-Fi to sync and stream as fast as possible, a router needs to have reliable performance. Additionally, newer routers have many optimizing features that make wireless streaming better, and easier to maintain.

Are you using your wireless audio system in an area with many wireless networks?

Sometimes, many wireless networks in one area can cause interference with your own wireless operation, which in turn will affect Play-Fi’s consistency. Use a program like Wi-Fi Analyzer to investigate which networks are operating on what wireless channels and attempt to change your network to a less congested channel.

In many cases, switching from 2.4 GHz broadcast to 5 GHz broadcast, can greatly improve a wireless audio devices performance, due to generally less wireless interference, and also greater data rates. If your router does not support 5 GHz, it can be valuable to pick up one that does, as it can greatly improve all of your wireless performance. Most devices support 5 GHz communications and can benefit from its speeds.

Do you have many bluetooth devices or wireless handsets in the area?

Some devices that don’t connect to your network but are still wireless can cause various levels of interference. Devices like this can include things like headsets, transmitters, mice/keyboards, baby monitors, and even microwaves. You can try moving either the wireless aduio devices or affecting products to minimize impact.

In many cases, switching from 2.4 GHz broadcast to 5 GHz broadcast, can greatly improve a wireless audio devices performance, due to generally less wireless interference, and also greater data rates. If your router does not support 5 GHz, it can be valuable to pick up one that does, as it can greatly improve all of your wireless performance. Most devices support 5 GHz communications and can benefit from its speeds.

Is the wireless aduio device still visible on the network during the dropout?

It is possible that your internet connection is not connecting consistently at a high speed. Try running a speed-test on your network to determine if you are getting the required speeds from your ISP. Sometimes internet speeds are throttled during high traffic times of the day.

Do the drop outs or pauses in the music occur at specific times of the day?

Sometimes ISPs throttle internet speeds during high traffic times like the early evening. It is also possible that a specific device operating on 2.4GHz is turned on/off at specific times, like a baby monitor or other local wireless music device like a sub or a bluetooth speaker in a bedroom.

 

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