WiFi Upgrades Beginning To Roll Out?
Sep 18, 2018, 1:47 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
One of the FAs recently said that the “new” WiFi was found to be causing interference so they’ve had it turned off on many flights. I’ve noticed many flights lately where WiFi is inop as well. Although when it is working, I’ve found it to be barely usable anyway Bc of speeds — and I’ve been experiencing that for the last few years.
Sep 18, 2018, 9:55 am
#17
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
It seems particularly awful recently. One flight the wifi only worked when the plane turned left (no joke!). Thankfully when we were waiting for the weather to clear, our holding pattern had us making left turns.
Sep 18, 2018, 2:22 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,964
Sep 18, 2018, 2:25 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,964
Maybe the storm system was so bad that the satellite signal couldn't penetrate if the airframe was pointed between it and the sats on that end of the sky (I'd be surprised if there were only one sat, i.e., more like an "Iridium" or "SiriusXM" moving-sat setup, vs. a "Direct-TV" geostationary orbit setup).
Sep 18, 2018, 3:00 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
Maybe the storm system was so bad that the satellite signal couldn't penetrate if the airframe was pointed between it and the sats on that end of the sky (I'd be surprised if there were only one sat, i.e., more like an "Iridium" or "SiriusXM" moving-sat setup, vs. a "Direct-TV" geostationary orbit setup).
Sep 18, 2018, 5:50 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 438
Sep 19, 2018, 8:49 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 15
i flew between Dallas and Detroit and the WiFi was active but all but inoperable even to just check my work email and draft replies. It was laggy and non-responsive. I haven't had a great connection in a while. I hope the issues are remedied as I travel for work often and rely on the WiFi.
Oct 8, 2018, 1:03 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 15
another trip out to San Diego from Dallas and I could barely have enough bandwidth to check work emails and reply consistently without losing a connection.
Then i saw a casual flyer pull out their computer and fire up the "free" Southwest offerings of live tv and they were streaming nice HD video without any buffering. I then fired up the Live TV and received a great picture and then went back to my emails and had great bandwidth and then lost it after about 2 minutes, then I went back to the tab with the HD Video and it had stopped. Each time i started the Live TV the bandwidth was better until it stopped.
My conspiracy theory is that Southwest is funneling the Bandwidth to their offerings of Live TV/Movies and throttling other use of the bandwidth. It's just odd that the HD video is so good when I can't even get outlook to work consistently. I'd be curious if others would try this to see if there is any validity to it.
Then i saw a casual flyer pull out their computer and fire up the "free" Southwest offerings of live tv and they were streaming nice HD video without any buffering. I then fired up the Live TV and received a great picture and then went back to my emails and had great bandwidth and then lost it after about 2 minutes, then I went back to the tab with the HD Video and it had stopped. Each time i started the Live TV the bandwidth was better until it stopped.
My conspiracy theory is that Southwest is funneling the Bandwidth to their offerings of Live TV/Movies and throttling other use of the bandwidth. It's just odd that the HD video is so good when I can't even get outlook to work consistently. I'd be curious if others would try this to see if there is any validity to it.
Oct 9, 2018, 8:30 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 35
My conspiracy theory is that Southwest is funneling the Bandwidth to their offerings of Live TV/Movies and throttling other use of the bandwidth. It's just odd that the HD video is so good when I can't even get outlook to work consistently. I'd be curious if others would try this to see if there is any validity to it.
My personal theory is WIFI is maxed out. There at best are three nodes on an aircraft. Only three channels don't overlap so assume they are 1,6, & 11.. Only one user gets data bursts at any time and few of them have the higher bandwidth protocols. WIFI performs more like a hub than a switch. If collision occurs that means a resend.
The free texting probably made matters worse...As phones are constantly pinging the nodes.
Last edited by Flythefuture; Oct 9, 2018 at 8:39 pm
Oct 10, 2018, 2:38 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,192
I haven't seen a 2.4ghz only device in a long time (though some are out there).
Look up the # of channels that standard (narrowband) 5ghz supports. Newer access points have multiple radios for non overlapping higher density situations to ease congestion, and the AC protocol can help this much further.
Oct 10, 2018, 4:02 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
The choke point isn't the wifi onboard, it's the satellite internet connection.
The TV channels are one-way, and one stream from the satellite serves every passenger watching.
Each internet connection is two-way and unique for each passenger connecting to the internet.
There isn't really much correlation between performance of the two.
The TV channels are one-way, and one stream from the satellite serves every passenger watching.
Each internet connection is two-way and unique for each passenger connecting to the internet.
There isn't really much correlation between performance of the two.
Oct 10, 2018, 4:47 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
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