Wi Fi Dodgy

[allenlondon]

Mrs A has been in local hospital for 4 weeks.

Her mobile, thank gord, works all the time.

But the hospital’s Wi-Fi is on and off like the proverbial trousers, so our iPads, our preferred method of contact, go off too.

This has GOT to be something to do with their routers, hasn’t it? Sometimes it’s on for hours, sometimes on and off six times a day.

Any thoughts?

A

[Buenchico]

If everyone in the ward is experiencing the same problems, it must be something to do with the NHS Wi-Fi system in the hospital.

If it's only your wife who's experiencing problems, get the iPad to 'forget' the network
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208941
Then turn the iPad off a back on again before reconnecting once more to the hospital's wi-fi. That often seems to solve intermittent connection problems.

[barry1010]

Allen, don’t mind me bobbing in but I was wondering how your wife is getting on with her power pack. Does she find it useful?

[allenlondon]

No, it’s all the hospital. An enormous place, and she’s asked. people from all over, and all say the same. Wi Fi is awful!

A

[allenlondon]

She LOVES the Power Pack, Barry. Brilliant bit of kit.

[barry1010]

I am pleased. I wouldn’t be without mine

[Buenchico]

Contact the hospital's PALS team to complain about the wi-fi problems. The more moans they get through an 'official' channel, the quicker they might be to get things fixed!

If people tell you that the problem has existed for ages, try a letter to your local rag, pointing out how important a reliable means of communicating with relatives is for patients, particularly when visiting rights are either restricted or non-existent through Covid.

[ToraToraTora]

allen, get a no limit deal on 4g and use that.

[Buenchico]

^^^ Most iPads sold in the UK are 'Wi-fi only' variants, TTT, rather than 'Wi-fi + Cellular' ones. Only the latter can connect to mobile phone networks.

[ToraToraTora]

yes indeed I was thinking that he could get a smart phone and make it a hotspot and then the tablet can connect to that.

[allenlondon]

Thanks Tora, might help us, but I think we’ll go down the PALS route, as it is at best a nuisance and at worst positively dangerous to the many hundreds who work there.

And they probably haven’t the time or energy to complain!

A

[eve1974]

Allen this isn’t kings college hosp by any chance? When husb was in there (not for covid) the wifi is so iffy! That said tho the medical care is amazing .... abd I guess that’s the most important bit

[allenlondon]

Eve. No, Northwick Park, Harrow.

Sounds as if the NHS wifi network is ALL dodgy.

[murraymints]

we don't get wifi in our hospitals..otherwise the pay to view telly would not make the fortune it does..GGRRRR... how is your wife doing now Allen ?

[barry1010]

Most of my local hospital is a dead zone for 3G and 4G internet. Don't know if it's the building or some sort of jammer. The WiFi is pretty good and free.

[allenlondon]

Hello murraymints.

Four weeks now. She’s doing better, thanks. Stuck in bed having groin infusions, but it’s a v good place, so hoping she’ll be back home soon.

A

[barry1010]

Is she still losing a lot of that awful fluid and swelling?

[allenlondon]

Another twist on Northwick Park.

Mrs A was talking to her ward manager, who told her:

At the start of Covid they had hospital iPads for patients to have virtual visits. Those were connected to the hospital WiFi line. They didn't crash.

However, they were only for use if you set an appointment for talking to your family. I asked if I could be connected that way but she said the staff aren't even allowed to know the password. Stoopid, or what?

———

So they HAVE got a stable wifi system, but they keep it secret!

What a shambles, eh?

[barry1010]

Sounds ludicrous, allen

[Old_Geezer]

My thoughts are that when the WiFi is down, there's always standard text messaging from the mobile network. Still annoying though.

[bhg481]

Not really silly, routers have a limited bandwidth and video calls take up a lot, so they'll be trying to keep it in good shape for those.