PS4 Issues Resolved · 6:54pm Dec 7th, 2017
It was the WiFi.
I got a LAN cable in a package of Christmas presents the other day (ordered WITH, not AS one) to see if I could pin down this problem once and for all. Today, since nobody in the house is actually actively using the computer, I was able to get under there and hook up to the router and run it back to my room. Immediate success--quickly signed into PSN, and am now redownloading all my content onto the new hard drive.
So I ended up throwing two months of frustration and $75 at this problem, but I came out ahead as I now have twice the storage space on my PS4 and have learned to not even bother trying to use its WiFi anymore--not even when I go home. I'll be getting a shorter LAN cable to hook it up at home.
For now, it's ungodly length of blue cable for as long as I can get my uncle to tolerate it, preferably until I leave if I can get some painter's tape to make it inobtrusive.
I'm just a little curious. How long a length of cable did you get?
4743656
100 foot because I tend to subscribe to the "way too much is better than not enough" theory. I really only needed about 25 feet, but it's nice to have slack in case I need to tape it up along the jambs or something.
Oh hey, I was right, it was the wifi.
A word of advice: if you have a device that must access the internet at all times, like a game console, it's always better to do it wirely, for this exact same situation. Saves you a ton of time, money and frustration on the long run.
Especially if you're playing online multiplayer. Latency is always lower with a wired connection.
4743852
Eh, honestly? Environment is a factor.
Back in my apartment, I have everything in the same room and nothing that needs the router is more than 5 feet away from it. WiFi in that situation is completely stable unless the router squirts itself, and makes sense because I don't have to have a birds nest of LAN cablea going hither and yon.
PS4 is likely to be the one exception after all this, but my other gear wil remain wireless because it's never not worked.
Glad you got it fixed. Personally I only use wifi on my tablet and phone. Most everything else is on a wired connection.
4744157
I still prefer WiFi because it means less cables to deal with and when you live in a one-bedroom apartment where everything is within five feet of the router it makes sense, but yeah, I might wire the PS4 down for good even when I'm back home, it works so much BETTER on a wired connection.