Poor WiFi signal

[bridder]

I've a problem with my WiFi and wondered if anyone might have a tip or two for improving it. This all started when I took it into a Nokia Care Centre to have a free screen replacement, it just went foobar one day (this was months ago), the new screen was fitted and for the most part I'd say I was happy with the service, however upon getting it back, the WiFi just seems a lot poorer than it used to be. I don't want to take it back to the care centre as I know they will look at me like my plonker is hanging out, because it does work.

Just moving about my house loses signal, or reduces it to only the inner bar, if I go upstairs I always lose connection to my router, I'm certain it never used to be like this.

Is there anything they might have done, inadvertently, when replacing the screen that might have made the WiFi reception poorer?

Thanks in advance for any guidance,
J.

 

[Harrie-S]

They could have "damaged" the wifi antenna in your phone.
But did you already try to delete the network and connect it again?
Or can you also compare how good the connection is on another wifi network.
Or reset your router or use another channel on your router?

But your problem is difficult to pin down as you already describe because what is "poorer".

 

[bridder]

Thanks for the quick reply Harrie. I know this is a tough one but wondered if someone might have any pics or insights into the insides of the 925, I don't even have a suction cup to remove the back although I'm sure I could get one off the bay.

Things I have tried include;

Hard resets
Switching channels and frequency on the router
Network has been removed and re-added

It's not desperate as I have more than enough data in my data plan so for a while now I've just kept it disabled, it's just bugging me. It doesn't help that I only have a 3g plan (no 4g where I live on my network) and I have this perfectly good local home broadband network that I virtually can't use as far as the 925's wifi is concerned anyway.

I'm sure they have done something to the insides, but like I say, inadvertently and probably very minor.

Thanks again,
J.

 

[Harrie-S]

Okay you already did all the "needed" things and you also should checked some disassemble video's.
Maybe you do not really need a suction cup or do you have for example a car holder with a suction cup or from an "old" navigation system. These can also be used.

Now if they totally "broke" the antenna it also would be clear but maybe it's a bad connection or a torn antenna.

Good luck and let use know what you find after the disassemble.

Bye the way do you know someone with a 925 so you could compare the signal strength?
Just to double check there is really a problem.

http://www.windowsmania.pl/wsparcie...rozkladowka-czyli-szczegolowa-budowa-hw-4061/

http://www.cpkb.org/wiki/Nokia_Lumia_925_service_manual

 

[bridder]

Thanks for the links Harrie, I don't know anyone else with a 925, I can only go by my own experience which tells me that it is not what it was prior to me having the screen replaced.

After taking a look at a disassemble video on youtube I think I'll skip taking apart and trying that, to be honest I don't know what I was expecting now from asking the original question, it seems to me that a partial teardown and checkover is the minimum required with possibly a new mainboard or certainly wifi antenna.

I think in all likelihood I'll just continue to use it, as I have been, without WiFi turned on, they are not worth much now being a couple of years old and it is not like the mobile doesn't work. Another option I'm considering is buying a new 640, don't like that it uses the soft keys instead of capacitive, but what can you expect for a mid-range mobile that I can pick up from CarphoneWarehouse for ?129 sim free and a years subscription to Office 365 I think? The CarphoneWarehouse website makes no mention of that offer with the phone; it doesn't compromise in many other ways and at least has glance, probably would need to see one in the flesh though and have a hold before buying. No rush though as I still have my 925 plus a OnePlus One Android and even a Nokia 700 Symbian, spoilt for choice so this is a real first world problem I know.

Thanks anyway Harrie,
J.

 

[Harrie-S]

No problem. If you don't ask you never know. And maybe you still get a reply from someone with the real answer.

 

[djeire84]

Out if curiosity when you hard reset your phone did you do it by going Settings.. About.. Reset phone or did you use the windows phone recovery tool (PC program)?
When you hard reset your phone using the settings... About.. Reset phone it sometimes leaves residual files and data behind but if you do a flashing using the windows phone recovery tool it completely wipes all residual files and data begin and it freshly installs on your phone. Try that last step to see does this aide in your help for a better WiFi connection.

 

[djeire84]

Oh and also putting a pin in the reset button in the back of your router (press and hold for 30 seconds) and wait for it to turn on. It could be a corrupt update from your ISP. My service providers often sends router firmware updates down the line and can cause WiFi and or ethernet connection issues. Try that too.

 

[vsmh96]

If it is true that it got worse after repairs, do get them to look into it. Im in Malaysia and have almost the same situation, i got a free screen and Motherboard replacement but they left a speck of dust inside the back camera, and lost a tiny part of my sim holder of my 920. Now after they removed the dust, my phone body makes some weird noise which only developed after the dust removal as far as i know and they said they can replace the screen FOC under warranty but is out of stock and if its the phone body that has to be replaced id have to pay Rm276.50, which i find ridiculous. A little off topic but i hope you get them to finish their job properly. I think they did a not so great job on mine although im happy with the new screen and motherboard and general use of the phone. Also note that opening it up by yourself means voiding warranty. All the best.

 

[bridder]

djeire84, thanks for your suggestions, I can't remember how I reset it the last time, I know I was running PFD last year but towards the end of the year I definitely used the NSRT (LSRT) to come out of PFD ready to get the Denim update, the WiFi has been pants since a replaced screen first half of last year so it has had issues both before and after a full reset using NSRT. Since upgrading to Denim though I think I may have Settings > About > Reset but that was for another reason, pants battery life because Cortana canes location services for geofencing, I've turned Cortana off now to fix that issue and get much better battery life.
On the router, I've restarted it, been into it's settings and adjusted the channel and frequency, all to no avail, I haven't done a reset with a pin like you point out. I don't think this is one of the possibilities though, as the other phone I use (OnePlus One) has fantastic WiFi all over my house so I think the signal coming from the router is OK.

vsmh, honestly I can see where you are coming from and I do feel it has a poorer WiFi connection since the screen replacement but I don't think I would get anywhere with taking it back, the first thing they would do is connect it to their WiFi, see it is working and just think "What is he on about?", how can I argue that the signal has degraded by 10-30%? In an ideal world, they would believe my story and see if they had done something to the inside, maybe bending the antenna or something, I just don't think it would play out like this, thanks for your suggestion and sorry hear about your troubles :-(

 

[djeire84]

The NSRT tool is a little outdated. It would be worth installing the Windows phone recovery tool as that's the tool you need to use as its constantly being updated and more access to firmware signatures. The fact that your other phone has near prefect WiFi then your WiFi router is not the problem.
I would 100% recommend the windows recovery tool though. You could try with that just uninstall the NPRT first along with subsequent drivers (USB) and install the Windows tool. It truly is worth it.
I hope you get it sorted but we will try and figure out how to fix your issue. Mobile data is far too expensive when you have WiFi at home.

 

[mary beth hale]

Agree with Djeire re: Windows phone recovery tool. Have used it 3 times to roll back my 930 while trying out W10TP. Worked perfectly every time.

 

[djeire84]

Agree with Djeire re: Windows phone recovery tool. Have used it 3 times to roll back my 930 while trying out W10TP. Worked perfectly every time.

Used that tool too to rollback my Lumia 520 twice from WP10TP and without issue. When so many others were getting theirs bricked. Don't know how they were like it is such a simple process.

 

[mary beth hale]

Used that tool too to rollback my Lumia 520 twice from WP10TP and without issue. When so many others were getting theirs bricked. Don't know how they were like it is such a simple process.

I know the first time I used it an update to the app was required. Maybe people are running without updating first?

 

[djeire84]

I know the first time I used it an update to the app was required. Maybe people are running without updating first?

I downgraded before and after the main programs update and no issue. Its a puzzler lol

 

[bridder]

djeire84 and mary beth, what software do you mean? Surely you mean the Lumia Software Recovery Tool, that is what the NSRT morphed into after the MS takeover of the devices and services division. Or do you mean another software download Windows Phone Recovery Tool?

I've just launched the LSRT, had a shortcut on my desktop, it didn't say that any updates were required. I'm just trying to understand if you are meaning another software package?

 

[bridder]

djeire84 and mary beth, what software do you mean? Surely you mean the Lumia Software Recovery Tool, that is what the NSRT morphed into after the MS takeover of the devices and services division. Or do you mean another software download Windows Phone Recovery Tool?

I've just launched the LSRT, had a shortcut on my desktop, it didn't say that any updates were required. I'm just trying to understand if you are meaning another software package?

 

[mary beth hale]

You can use the Nokia tool also, but what we are talking about is the Windows Phone Recovery Tool. You can download it from Microsoft.com. Some people have better success with it. They both do the same thing though.

 

[djeire84]

djeire84 and mary beth, what software do you mean? Surely you mean the Lumia Software Recovery Tool, that is what the NSRT morphed into after the MS takeover of the devices and services division. Or do you mean another software download Windows Phone Recovery Tool?



I've just launched the LSRT, had a shortcut on my desktop, it didn't say that any updates were required. I'm just trying to understand if you are meaning another software package?

Its a completely different program its a newer version of the LSRT its called Windows recovery tool. Type it into google its way better the the LSRT. Uninstall the LSRT beforehand and its drivers.

 

[gordonfink]

My suspicion is that they damaged the wifi connector on the board. My reason for suspecting that is that I did exactly that a week ago on a 925 that I was trying to replace the screen on. When I tried to remove the wifi cable, the connector came with it from the board. There is a shield that holds it in place, so that, even broken, it can still make contact, but I suspect it would cause issues like you're having.

The back is a PITA to remove on that phone - more difficult, IMHO, than most Lumias. I have found that the best way to do it is this:

Take the sim tray out. Poke something through where the sim tray was to the back, and push the back out a little. This will give you a start to use a guitar pick or something like to slide around the cover to remove it (held on by extremely tough plastic tabs). That part isn't so hard. What I found tough is that one side comes off easily, the other side is very hard. What I found in that case is rotate up the side you have off, then push the other side towards the phone, if that makes sense. One side has little tabs, the other side has like a shelf that runs the whole length. You simply can't just pull that off, it has to slide away from the frame.

Once you've done all of that, you can check your wifi cable connectors. Taking the shield off requires a T7 screwdriver - the biggest I've seen used in a Lumia.

I haven't really found a very good DIY guide. I just plunged in. If you decide to attempt it, I'll be glad to try to help.