How many Wifi Devices can connect before issues occur??

[davida1992]

Hi all! Merry Christmas!! 🙂

We have the BT Business Hub 3 i believe (it looks like the BT Home Hub 3).

Basically we have been having issues with the WiFi. 

Sometimes it will work fine but randomly it will stop assigning IP addresses to WiFi connected devices, and instead it will think about it for a while and eventually a 169 address will be given.

I have knocked everything off the wireless network and changed the password and only allowed 4 or 5 devices on the wifi, and it appears to be working ok so far!

Usually there will be around 10 things connected to wifi from phones to laptops, and it varies throughout the day as peoiple move around and go in and out of range of the signal. 

I was wondering how many devices can be connected to the business hub before issues start to occur?

BT have already sent out a replacement router and the same thing continues to happen.

Regardless of what happens phyisically wired devices never have an issue on the network, just wireless devices.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks! 

[Sogo7]

As folk move in and out of the hotspots range the IP leases should be released and recycled so people wandering past are seldom a problem.  In theory you could connect 255 to a single access point but wether they would work reliably depends on what they are all doing.

Things like grabbing emails, browsing the web or some querying of a databse for sales or support systems are unlikely to cause a problem becuse it's intermittant and only relatively small amounts of data being shifted at any given time. However it only takes a few users to be performing large uploads, downloads, streaming video or using remote desktop applications to create problems as the router is continiously working at maximum capacity.

Basically it can only shovel data so fast for so long before things start backing up and it throws a fit saying "hang on a minute I'm busy"    speeds drop and new users cannot associate as it tries to cope.

From a security standpoint NOBODY but the head of the IT dept (and maybe the Boss) should have the router WiFi password.  Sure it's easier than running cable all over the place but its open to abuse so be careful who gets to know the password and change it every month. Especially if your WiFi signal can be recieved in a publically accesable area  outside the business premises like a car park.

Was called into troubleshoot a small 'mom & pop' outfit last month who despite only doing a little web browsing and sending company emails were getting warning letters about excessive Internet usage to the tune of 80 Gigabytes a month. Turned out the cleaner had copied the password directly off the sticker on the router and had a laptop in the mop cupboard running 24/7 downloading torrent files.