BlueCurve channel options?

[RFujisan]

Hello, Let me start this off with what my problem is, and what I have done so far.

Problem:
I live in a stack of condo/apartments (I'm sure most of you reading already know where I'm going with this.) and using my wifi analyzer I was horrified to see how many connections were being congested on channels 149-165 while other channels were completely vacant. I'm one of the poor guys who invested some money into my wireless headset (Astro A50's) that operate on channels 149-165 which means that my router is constantly trying to ping my headset which freezes my audio for 5-10 second intervals. Seriously frustrating, almost infuriating.

I go into 10.0.0.1 as I used to last year to make the change down to a lower channel like 44 so my router no longer makes the attempt to ping my headset and alas, grey screen of death on the wifi settings.

Attempted solution options:
-Hours on live chat, most agents I speak to are clueless on how to fix and want to send out a service tech.
-I bite, tech comes out and deems my box toasted (Ran an RF of 9 instead of the optimal RF 6, whatever that means.) So we order a new box, it shows up at lightning speeds. Fantastic, but the same greyed/disabled options.
-Box was stuck in manual mode which meant I was stuck on channel 157 for eternity, new box slaps me on channel 44 off the hop with automatic settings, I'm hopeful.

Stoked, because my interference won't exist on this channel - I continue with my business. 2am hits and the auto-optimization I've been terrified to encounter happens and it tossed my connection back to channel 157 along with 12 other connections and my audio IMMEDIATELY cuts out and renders my enjoyment useless, as well as my $400 headphones while I can see only two connections are on channel 40.

Shaw's solution to my problem instead of being a functional ISP suggested to buy a third party router. I'm insulted that a service provider I have been paying for for well over 20 years has the audacity to suggest that I fork out more money for a router to bridge the connection and [hope] to keep my channels off 149-165 ranges instead of allowing me as a client paying for a service to have the free range of making these adjustments myself in the matter of seconds. I shouldn't even have to begin to explain why it's wrong to suggest a paying client pay for something else just to enjoy a service they are already paying for.

$400 headphones
$200+ third party router
$70 internet service with nobody knowing what is going on or any viable consumer friendly solutions.

Telus is looking really friendly these days.

[mdk]

@RFujisan -- Shaw's solution to my problem instead of being a functional ISP suggested to buy a third party router.

I think that it is a reasonable suggestion, given your requirements.

> $200+ third party router

From www.staples.ca there are some less-expensive options:

CA $119.97 Linksys EA6900 AC1900 Dual Band Smart WiFi Router
CA $149.97 Linksys WRT1900AC AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Router
CA $149.97 Linksys (EA9200) AC3200 Tri-Band Smart WiFi Wireless Router
CA $149.97 Linksys EA8500 Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Dual Band Smart WiFi Router
CA $169.99 Linksys MR7350-CA, AX1800 WIFI 6, Dual Band Mesh Router, Single Unit, Black
CA $179.99 Linksys AC2200 Mesh WiFi Router
CA $199.97 Linksys EA9500 Max-Stream AC5400 MU-MIMO Tri Band Gigabit WiFi Router

Taxes & $0.20 eco-fee not included. Amortize the cost at $5/month for 40 months, to get peace-of-mind over that term.

[cpmrich36]

i know how it fels that you have to fork out more money for unneccessary router which telus will have nmo proble, connecting you so shaw modems are not really great cause they disabled all of the setting in their modems and wont even let yoiu change channels either.  glad im not a customer anymore.  

[RFujisan]

While I appreciate you taking the time to break down some alternative costs on routers, the point I'm trying to make is that I'm already paying for a service. Shaw didn't tell me that upon signing up for their service that I would potentially be required to dish out another few hundred that severely outweigh their product and available services. Currently their service delivery is grossly mislead. The genius who thought disabling the auto-optimization process and somehow thinking by blanketing everyone on the same channel was a good idea should be fired.

I may have replied to the wrong comment, I'm not too savvy on this forum yet so I apologize.

[tc10]

if you like, you can click the little white circle on the right side near top of your comment, then copy your reply and add it to the correct location.  

I do agree that we definitely need to be able to access the additional settings. Shaw seems to think that all of their customers are not capable of making decisions for themselves so turn it off for everyone. This is a strange way to provide an upgrade of service. Most people can read an disclaimer that says make changes at your own risk AND here is a way to reset back to automated.
Hopefully Shaw will do this sooner than later

[mdk]

@tc10 -- Shaw seems to think that all of their customers are not capable of making decisions for themselves so turn it off for everyone.

As previously noted elsewhere in this discussion forum, Shaw is at the mercy of COMCAST, who writes the software that runs inside the BlueCurve cable-modems.  It is my impression that Shaw is not capable of changing the software, except to "push out" upgrades provided by COMCAST.

> Hopefully Shaw will do this sooner than later

I share that hope, but I am not holding my breath. 

[tc10]

Any updates on COMCAST software for Shaw Bluecurve?  I have a Nestcam that keeps going offline. The Gateway connection to the Nestcam does not work well. The Pod connection is very stable BUT the Gateway keeps taking back the Nestcam as a Gateway device rather than leaving it with the much more stable Pod connection.  I have talked with Shaw several times and they says this is working as designed....
I have a Gigabit network and the Nestcam says poor signal quality whenever the Nestcam is connected to the Gateway while the signal is very strong while connected to the Pod.  Shaw says that there is no way to keep the connection with the Pod and I jsut have to live with it.

I have asked for them to put in a Design Change Request to Comcast.  If anyone else is having similar problems with the Pods not keeping their device connections, PLEASE contact Shaw and ask them for a fix.  Thanks.  I am going to put this in as as separate post as well.

[RFujisan]

At this point I have given up any hope that Shaw will remain the company I choose to do business with. I don't give a flying rats Beep if they have another company writing their scrips or coding. But if they choose to work with Comcast and limit user interface or ability to benefit from the services their clients are paying for then they lose the business of the client. Simple.

I have been with Shaw for over 15 years, at $60/mo:
-60x12=720
720x15=$10,800.

Glad to know that the money I have given them over the course of the last decade doesn't matter to them at all. I'm to the point that I will wait for my contract to run out with them and see if they have dumped comcast or not. If they haven't dumped that **bleep** American company then I have no business doing business with Shaw anymore.

I don't even care about being nice anymore. Money is on the table and I'm being disrespected as a client.

[cpmrich36]

I would check out telus or saskel if you live in sask.  I checked their quarterly reports, they are losing customers big time and continues to do so once rogers buying them out next year, hopfully soon.  good luck wih telus

[rstra]

@tc10 I had kind of the opposite issue, some devices would jump right past the XB6 and connect to a pod on the other side of the house, even though two of those device were only 10 feet from the XB6. I only had the pods for the back yard of the house, so I got rid of them and got a Netgear Mesh extender. The Netgear allows me to block certain devices from connecting.