U-verse TV works fine in the morning, but not in the evening

Let's get your U-verse service working better, @bumfi! 

We'd be more than happy to get a tech out there! We're going to need to meet in a direct message. Please check the direct message inbox in the top right corner of the screen.

In the meantime, you may want to try using the Troubleshoot & Resolve feature on your TV to see if it improves your viewing experience in the evening.

1. Press Menu on the U-verse Remote Control.   
2. Scroll down to Help, then press OK.   
3. Select Information.
4. Scroll to Troubleshoot & Resolve, then press OK.   
5. Select the area you want to troubleshoot.   
6. Allow the interactive diagnostic test to run and complete.   
7. Follow the onscreen instructions to attempt to resolve the issue online. Other options may include dispatching a technician or speaking to a Customer Care agent.

We're looking forward to chatting with you! Keep on the lookout for our DM! 

Raiden, AT&T Community Specialist 

I have chatted with a couple of AT&T support agents regarding this. Both of them tried helping me through remote support of my system. Finally, they came to the conclusion that the Modem/Gateway needed to be replaced. I should be getting the replacement delivered today (Monday, 3/21/22). Once set up, I will give an update of the status of my Internet/U-verse TV connections. Thank you for all of your support.

@bumfi 

Hello.  I do not share any confidence in a replacement box making a difference.  You can simulate the change there by factory resetting your existing gateway as these boxes rarely fail.  

Do you have a coax installation there?

No, I do not have any coax installation. There is a panel in my master closet that at one time housed both coax and CAT5, but these were clipped off before I purchased the house. Is there a reason that you are asking this? Would coax be a better signal delivery than wi-fi (I'm thinking, YES) ?

I am going to reiterate my issue with my U-verse TV. I apologize up front if I am re-hashing some of my original post, but this will hopefully make sense.

I will try to explain the physical set up of my system.

In my single story house, the front room is my office/computer room. I have my 5268AC Modem right next to my PC. The modem is Fiber Optic internet. Right next to the modem is a U-verse VAP2500 Access Point Wi-Fi Video bridge. This is Connected to the modem. Next to the VAP2500 is an ISB7500 DVR, which is also connected and linked to the Modem.

After that, everything else is connected wirelessly to the two ISB7005 TV receivers in the house. The first TV receiver is approximately 40 feet from the VAP2500. There is a Wi-Fi extender (AT&T) close to the first receiver. Then the second receiver is approximately 60 feet away from the modem.

When this was initially set up by AT&T technicians, I was told that the DVR had to be installed to allow the two TV receivers to get a signal. The DVR is not independently used for anything. It just sits in the office, connected/linked to the Modem. Seems like a waste, doesn’t it?

I want to either get rid of it, or use it as one of the two TV receivers. The problem is that in order to utilize it, I would have to move the VAP2500 to a location within reach of one of the two TVs in my home. The first one is approx. 40 feet away. This would mean that I would have to run at least 50 to 60 feet of CAT5 cable up into the attic, then back down to where the closest receiver is. which I am not ready to do at this time.

So, now I am going to try this replacement modem that AT&T just sent me. I so hope this will fix my issue.

@bumfi 

No, coax isn’t better for U-verse.  As cable and connectors degrade, the TV picture will pixelate.  

Any device that transmits a WiFi signal should have separation from similar equipment, I believe the recommendation is 3 ft.  
The closer you can get the receivers to the WAP the more reliable link you’ll have. 5GHz radios have a very limited distance greatly impacted by physical barriers.  

Did they send you another 5268?   

As for the DVR, this was always the crown jewel of the product.   The feature I personally use most often is time shifting a live stream, but we do use the box to record programs as well.   

They sent me the BGW210-700. The 5268 that I had was with me since around 2016. 
so far, my reception has been a lot better. I don’t know if it’s only coincidence right now, considering I’ve only had it hooked up for about half a day. I guess time will tell. 

It has been a couple of days since getting and installing the BGW210-700 modem. As I suspected, it did not fix the issue of intermittent connection and signal loss. It did fine the first day, then yesterday evening it went out. Not only in the far bedroom, but also the family room TV suffered. I used the AT&T app feature that lets you see where your signal strengths and weaknesses are visually. All through the late evening, I rebooted the gateway and messed around with the AirTies 4920 wi-fi extender. 

One of the things I did not do when first setting up the "new" modem was to "pair" the wi-fi extender to the modem. I still do not know if they are paired now, but I seem to have a better signal in the far bedroom.

So, this brings me to the Wi-Fi pairing procedure. When I brought the extender within 10 feet of the modem, I turned on the extender, then waited for the flashing green lights. I then pressed the WPS button on the extender and then on the modem. Both began flashing. The modem WPS kept flashing until it turned a solid red. The extender then became solid green lights (5Ghz and 2.4Ghz). So, I unplugged the extender and placed it where it is supposed to be.

The problem I have is that I do not know for sure if they are paired. Why did the WPS on the modem turn red and eventually go out?

Anyway, I have wi-fi signal throughout the house, for now. I will see later on tonight.

The DVR seeming like is waste… is the hard drive with all related functions.

If you do not record any programs, watch any recordings, use the PAUSE, REWIND, or FAST FORWARD on the wireless receivers then you do not need the DVR.

Both wireless receivers receive signal from the 5Ghz WAP 2500 sitting in the same area as gateway… ideally at least 5 feet away as both sent 5Ghz wifi.

The Wi-Fi extenders in the middle of the house is for your internet devices, not the two receivers (connects to WAP).

Are you on close housing situation such as apartment or condo? May be experiencing interference from other nearly 5Ghz routers.

The WAP and your gateway will change channels when detects interference, this changing channels result in loss of service till the receivers lock on to the new channel the WAP moved to.

If I am reading this correctly, you are saying that I do NOT need to have the DVR in the equation. I like that suggestion.  If I move the WAP further away from the modem and closer to the two receivers, then I should receive better  TV signal, correct? 

I do understand that the wi-fi extender is for the internet. It appeared, in the recent past, that when I lost TV service or signal, I also lost Wi-Fi or had a diminished signal. 

 So, I was fighting two different battles at the same time. 

Thanks for the information. I will watch and see how my U-verse signal fares in the next couple of days, then try your suggestions. Thanks!

I decided to remove the DVR to see if it made a difference. I still had good reception, which made me ponder about why they told me that the DVR was necessary to receive TV reception. I will return the DVR soon. 

Do not return DVR, this is a FREE receiver, necessary for DVR functions of record/play/pause/rewind/FF.

Just keep it not plugged in. Or leave it connected if desire ANY of the above features on your other receivers. 

It is now Monday afternoon and my U-verse reception is 100% better. Cannot say in particular what was the solution. Could have been removing the DVR. Could have been 

moving the WAP 2500 a bit closer to the receivers, or just rebooting everything. Whatever it was, I am satisfied with the outcome. Thank you to all of you that made recommendations, and suggestions. I truly appreciate it all!

When it’s time to retire U-verse TV, which is likely sooner rather than later, it’s the DVR and time shift functionality of live streams I will miss the most.   

I have had this same problem for over a year.  I have had techs out twice and been told the same as you.  I am tired of turning the system on and off to fix an obvious AT&T problem.  Have been looking at moving ATV to alternate carrier and living phone and internet with AT&T.  Thoughts?