Wireless Network problems after running VZ Speed Optimizer

Good Day and thanks for reading! 🙂

This issue may sound improbable but, please hear me out. To begin my network has 2 Windows 7 x64 PCs connected to the modem/router via Ethernet, a wireless laptop, a wireless PS3, 2 android smart phones and a tablet running on Wifi. (usually not all at the same time)

Everything had been working properly until I recently did a clean (re)install of Windows on one of the PCs with a wired connection. After getting back to the desktop I did a couple required updates installed Norton 360 then downloaded and ran the Verizon Speed Optimizer (http://my.verizon.com/services/speedoptimizer/fios/).

This was the first time I'd ever ran the vz speed optimizer, I only did it on a whim.. I figured it couldn't hurt. The program only took a second to complete and everything seemed normal at first; internet speeds seemed as fast as normal.

It wasn't until next day I noticed all the wireless devices in the house started having connectivity issues whenever that PC was running; even at idle. The PS3 would drop the PSN connection regularly and take forever to reconnect, the tablet and phones download speeds were unusable and also intermittent. I could shut down that PC, restart the tablet/PS3/etc and have them working normally.

After a little research I ended up re-running the optimizer program and at the end clicked 'undo settings to defaults' hoping that would resolve the issue. Afterwards I unplugged the modem for 60 seconds hoping a reset would put everything back to normal but it hasn't.. When that PC is running, everything else on the network has constant connectivity issues.

Is it possible the speed optimizer program did something to the wireless settings of the modem, or somehow gave that one Windows PC dominance over the network? I was under the impression the optimizer would change a couple local settings on that machine. I can't think of a reason why it would effect the entire network, (most evident on the wireless devices).

Any ideas or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

Accepted answers

Validas

I promised I would post a solution to this if found so..

As I set up my wireless laptop next to the wired PC in preparation to call Verizon tech support, I remembered a handy app I had on my phone.. Wifi Analyzer.

I checked the range of wireless signals the the app picked up and low-and-behold, there were two new wifi signals of decent strength operating in the same channel (1) that I was set up in! (I hadn't checked this since I first set up my router over a year ago and the apartment building next door is always getting new people)

This was totally unacceptable! The app showed that channel 11 had only a single, very weak signal in the area and recommended I switch to that. After logging into the router and doing so, it was as if all the wireless tech in my house was instantly given new life!

I could once again be downloading a game from Steam on a wired PC, steaming netflix on the wireless PS3, watching a YouTube video on my phone, all while the wireless laptop was downloading (way too many) windows updates.

Solution: Regularly monitor the amount of congestion in the channel your wireless is operating in. This is especially important if your reside in or near a rental/leasing property that often has people moving in and out.

Changing the wifi channel on your router is easy, fast and not scary at all. It could save you a lot of headaches.

All comments

walt178

I can sympathize with your problem. I ran the optimizer a couple of times after I got FiOS. Both times it resulted in worse performance and I had to go through my computer settings to find out what it fouled up. I would never use it again.

I don't know if the optimizer alters modem settings. But turning the modem off and back on is not the same as a reset. Try an actual reset: press and hold the recessed reset button for at least 15 seconds. Not sure what the difference is, but experience tells me there is one.

Validas

Hmmm... that's an idea I hadn't considered, thanks Walt!

I imagine this full reset will eliminate any and all custom rules, port forwarding and admin password I've set up in the past?

Even if this does work, I'd still like to know exactly what settings were changed to effect the entire network like this.

viafax999

@walt178 wrote:
I can sympathize with your problem. I ran the optimizer a couple of times after I got FiOS. Both times it resulted in worse performance and I had to go through my computer settings to find out what it fouled up. I would never use it again.
I don't know if the optimizer alters modem settings. But turning the modem off and back on is not the same as a reset. Try an actual reset: press and hold the recessed reset button for at least 15 seconds. Not sure what the difference is, but experience tells me there is one.

I assume you mean router as there is no modem anywhere in a fios setup.

The fios optimizer does not modify router settings, that's why you have to run it on each machine.

Validas

You're absolutely correct Viafax, my apologies for using an incorrect term.

I've not yet found a solution however the issue has progressed. At this point whenever the PC that is wired to the router is powered on, all wireless activity ceases. Not a single wireless device is able to access the internet, though they all report they are connected to the network (except the PS3 which has a tendency to complain about everything). When the wired machine is powered off wireless network activity resumes as normal.

Last night as a test, With the original wired machine turned off, I connected a second PC to the router via ethernet using a different port on the router. This machine has never had the VZ Speed Optimizer ran on it. The wireless devices lost their connection to the internet when the machine was turned on.

This new evidence leads me to conclude that the faulty wireless connection does not have anything to do with the VZ Speed Optimizer and it was simply a coincedence that I noticed the problem after running it.

At my next available opportunity I will be taking two tylenol (for the immenent headache) then calling Verizon support. I have to assume that it might be a hardware issue with the router. I have not attempted to 'hard reset' the router as my wife has threatened terrible things if we lose internet connectivity entirely.

I will update this post if I am able to come to a solution. Any further ideas are always welcome 🙂

Validas

I promised I would post a solution to this if found so..

As I set up my wireless laptop next to the wired PC in preparation to call Verizon tech support, I remembered a handy app I had on my phone.. Wifi Analyzer.

Changing the wifi channel on your router is easy, fast and not scary at all. It could save you a lot of headaches.