For the past few weeks, my internet connection has been dropping for roughly five seconds at random times. I first noticed it because my PS5 is connected by Ethernet to a Wi-Fi extender and immediately reports that the LAN connection was lost. My partner has also seen brief disconnect and reconnect alerts on her laptop, so the problem does not appear to be limited to the console or its Ethernet cable.
The likely causes seem to be the router, the extender system, or the Ethernet cable running between the router and the primary extender. I have already restarted and reset the devices but have not yet replaced that cable. I use Xfinity with an older Netgear Orbi extender setup that may be close to a decade old. Because the house is large and has two floors, I still need some kind of extended coverage. What troubleshooting steps should I try before replacing the extenders?
4 Answers
Even though the PS5 is plugged into the extender, its connection still depends on Wi-Fi between the extender and the router. The same applies to your partner if her laptop is using the extender network. Try connecting one device directly to the router's Wi-Fi as a test. If that device stays connected while the extender-connected devices drop, the extender link is the likely culprit.
A useful test is to temporarily run a long Ethernet cable directly from the router to the PS5, even if it is only routed along the floor for a few minutes. If the disconnects stop, the extender or its wireless backhaul is almost certainly responsible. If they continue over a direct connection, then investigate the router, modem, or service line instead.
The router and console are on opposite sides of the house, so a permanent cable would be difficult, but I may try a temporary one just to isolate the problem.
Older wireless repeaters can be unreliable, especially when several devices are connected through them. Many have to share one radio between communicating with the router and serving clients, which creates extra delay and occasional dropouts. Replacing the old units with a modern mesh system, or using wired access points, would likely be more stable. Powerline adapters are another possibility, but their performance depends heavily on the home's electrical wiring and interference from other devices.
The house is fairly large and has two floors, so I do need extended coverage. Given how old the Orbi units are, replacing them with a newer mesh setup may be the most practical option.
Run a continuous ping from the laptop to 8.8.8.8 while the problem is happening and check for packet loss. If the ping stays clean during a disconnect, the internet service and main router may be fine, pointing more toward the extender or local wireless network. If the ping also drops, contact Xfinity and have them check the line and modem connection.
The test showed 0% packet loss, so that makes the old extender setup look more suspicious than the provider connection.
That makes sense. I was trying to improve the PS5 connection with Ethernet, but the extender's wireless link can still be the weak point. I'll test it directly against the router.