Interesting but not unusual comments. Just a warning. I’m going to make some pedantic (to you) statements you may not like. This will also be a wall of text. Please don’t argue. You don’t like what I say? Don’t read more. I can back up everything. I am drawing on my experience of having pods for the last five years, both with Bell and Rogers and some digging.
Issue: Your pod speeds are low.
Solution: Move the pods around. The key is location, location, location. Pods should be no more than 15m apart. But they are also affected by building structure, distance, furniture and appliances. Wiring the pods back to the modem are best, but adjust the location. Use the network map on the WiFi app. If it won’t load, remove it, restart your smartphone and reinstall. Remember to log in with your MyBell credentials and not your b1 credentials.
Issue: I can’t get the speeds I pay for.
Solution: You won’t and never will. Stop trying to do the impossible. The maximum wireless speed for a Gen 2 pod, under ideal lab conditions, is 850 Mbps. Gen 1 pods are less, on the order of 350 Mbps under ideal conditions and practically 100 to 200 Mbps. That is according to Plume.
Bell does not make this clear, unfortunately. As far as Bell is concerned, the speed test from the modem dashboard is considered definitive. If you have that speed, you are fine. This is not a matter of proper diagnosis by Bell but of reality. Users are expected to figure out what works best in their setting. Once you get past the modem you are on your own.
According to Plume,
Maximum device WiFi speed is dependent on several factors such as:
- Internet connection speed
- Overall network traffic
- Number and type of hops to the gateway pod
- Type of network application
- Environmental radio interference and signal strength of the connections
- WiFi capabilities of the client device and its distance from a pod
Hard wire any gaming devices to the hub. Use a Cat6 cable. Cat 5 and 5e can be an issue, especially with PlayStations.
Issue: I will switch to Rogers or another provider.
Solution: Go ahead. Bell does not care. You won’t be offered anything better. You have a free upgrade to 3 Gb fibre. Great. I have a free upgrade to 8 Gb fibre that isn’t even offered to existing customers in my city. We are just numbers on a spreadsheet. See the Bell Q2 Results for actual numbers of those leaving. You won’t hurt Bell at all. You will be an anonymous number on the Q3 Results. You will have spent a lot of emotional energy on anger with Bell (who everyone loves to hate) with little result. Think logically and rationally.
If you go to Rogers, you will have the same issues, as Rogers also uses Plume pods (might still be free, though). Rogers has their own issues.
In summary a Solution: If you don’t want to live with Bell pods, buy your own whole home mesh wi-fi system. It is plug and play with the modem. Bell does not provide a bridge mode for their residential HH4000 or Giga Hub, no matter what anyone of the internet says, nor is that planned, at least that I know of. They use PPPoE passthrough. I can point you to directions if you go that route. Rogers does provide a bridge mode, bypassing the modem.
Finally, you don’t buy pods. They can only be rented. You have to return them to Bell or you will be charged for them.
I hope this has been helpful. Thanks for reading all the way to the end.