BT Smart Hub 2 dropping 1 device constantly - how to fix it?

Hi, my BT Smart Hub 2 (FTTP 150Mb/s) has started dropping one laptop device from my network repeatedly. It happens when I'm just generally working and on video calls etc. It reconnects sometimes after a few seconds and other times I have to manually trigger it.

BT suggested it could be a VPN issue but I don't use one. They "dialled in" to the router but said it all looked fine. They told me my Sky Q box could be causing it by bombarding the router with requests for info(?) and to reset the box it but it's made no difference.

The log shows these entries for a couple of recent times it's happened. I have no idea what this stuff means and when I read some of it out to the BT support they didn't really explain it or suggest they heard anything that was a problem.

As it's only one device I'm wondering if it's the device or the network?
Incidentally the range on the hub has gotten poorer lately and I've been considering replacing it with something else but want to figure out if this is the laptop or hub first.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.

Windows 10 Pro Surface Laptop, Core i5 7300, 8GB RAM, all updates installed, wifi driver up to date.
Wireless channels 2.4GHz = 11 and 5GHz = 48.
Wireless mode = Mode 1. BT Support suggested changing to mode 2 but warned it comes with some performance drop(!).

06:52:14 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:52:08 12 Feb. 5G Client associate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=-61 Rate=866Mbps host LAPTOP
06:52:08 12 Feb. DHCP device Connected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
06:52:08 12 Feb. LAN [ADD] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0(wl0)
06:52:08 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:52:07 12 Feb. Receive a DHCP request
06:52:07 12 Feb. ARP [add] br0(wl0) 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
06:52:07 12 Feb. WHW INFO A station (Smart Hub 2)IF[5G](0C:8E:29:1A:82:C0):STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7)(Legacy Device) join WHW infrastructure
06:51:14 12 Feb. DHCP device Disconnected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
06:51:13 12 Feb. LAN [DEL] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0
06:51:13 12 Feb. 5G Client disassociate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=0 Rate=0Mbps
06:51:12 12 Feb. WHW INFO A station STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7) leave WHW infrastructure
06:51:12 12 Feb. ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
06:51:11 12 Feb. 5G client Mac: C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7 Deauthentications (Reason:Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS)
06:50:08 12 Feb. DHCP device Connected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
06:50:08 12 Feb. 5G Client associate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=-63 Rate=780Mbps host LAPTOP
06:50:08 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:50:07 12 Feb. LAN [ADD] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0(wl0)
06:50:07 12 Feb. Receive a DHCP request
06:50:07 12 Feb. WHW INFO A station (Smart Hub 2)IF[5G](0C:8E:29:1A:82:C0):STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7)(Legacy Device) join WHW infrastructure
06:50:07 12 Feb. ARP [add] br0(wl0) 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
06:50:03 12 Feb. 5G Client disassociate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=0 Rate=0Mbps
06:50:03 12 Feb. WHW INFO A station STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7) leave WHW infrastructure
06:50:03 12 Feb. ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
06:50:03 12 Feb. 5G client Mac: C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7 Deauthentications (Reason:Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS)
06:49:51 12 Feb. DHCP device Disconnected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
06:49:50 12 Feb. LAN [DEL] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0
06:49:47 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:49:47 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:49:47 12 Feb. 5G Client associate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=-64 Rate=650Mbps host LAPTOP
06:49:47 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:49:47 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:49:47 12 Feb. WHW INFO A station (Smart Hub 2)IF[5G](0C:8E:29:1A:82:C0):STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7)(Legacy Device) join WHW infrastructure
06:49:47 12 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
06:49:47 12 Feb. ARP [add] br0(wl0) 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
06:49:46 12 Feb. WHW INFO A station STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7) leave WHW infrastructure
06:49:46 12 Feb. Receive a DHCP request
06:49:46 12 Feb. ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
06:49:46 12 Feb. 5G client Mac: C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7 Deauthentications (Reason:Disassociated due to inactivity )

===============================================================================================================================

11:13:54 11 Feb. DHCP device Connected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
11:13:54 11 Feb. LAN [ADD] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0(wl1)
11:13:53 11 Feb. ARP [add] br0(wl1) 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
11:13:53 11 Feb. DHCP device Disconnected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
11:13:52 11 Feb. LAN [DEL] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0
11:13:52 11 Feb. ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
11:13:52 11 Feb. 5G Client disassociate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=0 Rate=0Mbps
11:13:51 11 Feb. 5G client Mac: C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7 Deauthentications (Reason:Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS)
11:13:46 11 Feb. DHCP device Connected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
11:13:46 11 Feb. LAN [ADD] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0(wl0)
11:13:45 11 Feb. 2.4G Client associate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=-48 Rate=130Mbps host LAPTOP
11:13:45 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:45 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:45 11 Feb. DHCP device Connected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
11:13:44 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:44 11 Feb. LAN [ADD] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0(wl1)
11:13:44 11 Feb. ARP [add] br0(wl1) 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
11:13:44 11 Feb. Receive a DHCP request
11:13:44 11 Feb. WHW INFO A station (Smart Hub 2)IF[2.4G](0C:8E:29:1A:82:C1):STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7)(Legacy Device) join WHW infrastructure
11:13:41 11 Feb. DHCP device Disconnected: 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 LAPTOP
11:13:40 11 Feb. LAN [DEL] ARP 192.168.1.130 with c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 from br0
11:13:40 11 Feb. 5G Client disassociate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=0 Rate=0Mbps
11:13:38 11 Feb. WHW INFO A station STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7) leave WHW infrastructure
11:13:38 11 Feb. ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
11:13:38 11 Feb. 5G client Mac: C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7 Deauthentications (Reason:Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left) IBSS or ESS)
11:13:23 11 Feb. 5G Client associate from c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7 (IP=192.168.1.130) RSSI=-58 Rate=866Mbps host LAPTOP
11:13:23 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:23 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:23 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:23 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:23 11 Feb. Lan IPv6 Neighbour Discovery events: NEIGHBOR_SOLICIT
11:13:23 11 Feb. Receive a DHCP request
11:13:22 11 Feb. ARP [add] br0(wl0) 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
11:13:22 11 Feb. WHW INFO A station (Smart Hub 2)IF[5G](0C:8E:29:1A:82:C0):STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7)(Legacy Device) join WHW infrastructure
11:13:22 11 Feb. WHW INFO A station STA(C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7) leave WHW infrastructure
11:13:22 11 Feb. ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.130 c4:9d:ed:10:4a:b7
11:13:22 11 Feb. 5G client Mac: C4:9D:ED:10:4A:B7 Deauthentications (Reason:Disassociated due to inactivity )

"Reason:Deauthenticated because sending station is leaving (or has left)" seems to suggest that the problem is with the laptop. There are lots of reports of similar issues on Microsoft support forums. Just one example here and oodles and oddles here

Hi, thanks for the reply. I will investigate the links and look into this further.
Thanks!

Hi,

Have you tried to connect the laptop via ethernet? Might solve your issue.

HTH,

Sadly the laptop doesn't have a LAN socket and only one USB so I'd have to buy a powered hub of some kind to enable this.

Hi,

I use a non-powered 7 port USB 2 hub personally...Cost about £20 several years ago...also have a 4 port USB 3.0 hub which I got last year for less than £20 on Amazon (search for Sabrent on Amazon).

HTH,

Thanks; will take a look.