Wireless Network problems after running VZ Speed Optimizer

Question

Good Day and thanks for reading!
This issue may sound improbable but, please hear me out. To begin my network has 2 Windows 7 x64 PCs connected to the modem/router via Ethernet, a wireless laptop, a wireless PS3, 2 android smart phones and a tablet running on Wifi. (usually not all at the same time)
Everything had been working properly until I recently did a clean (re)install of Windows on one of the PCs with a wired connection. After getting back to the desktop I did a couple required updates installed Norton 360 then downloaded and ran the Verizon Speed Optimizer (http://my.verizon.com/services/speedoptimizer/fios/).
This was the first time I'd ever ran the vz speed optimizer, I only did it on a whim.. I figured it couldn't hurt. The program only took a second to complete and everything seemed normal at first; internet speeds seemed as fast as normal. 
It wasn't until next day I noticed all the wireless devices in the house started having connectivity issues whenever that PC was running; even at idle. The PS3 would drop the PSN connection regularly and take forever to reconnect, the tablet and phones download speeds were unusable and also intermittent.  I could shut down that PC, restart the tablet/PS3/etc and have them working normally.
After a little research I ended up re-running the optimizer program and at the end clicked 'undo settings to defaults' hoping that would resolve the issue.  Afterwards I unplugged the modem for 60 seconds hoping a reset would put everything back to normal but it hasn't..  When that PC is running, everything else on the network has constant connectivity issues.
Is it possible the speed optimizer program did something to the wireless settings of the modem, or somehow gave that one Windows PC dominance over the network? I was under the impression the optimizer would change a couple local settings on that machine. I can't think of a reason why it would effect the entire network, (most evident on  the wireless devices).
Any ideas or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Answer 1

I promised I would post a solution to this if found so..
As I set up my wireless laptop next to the wired PC in preparation to call Verizon tech support, I remembered a handy app I had on my phone.. Wifi Analyzer.
I checked the range of wireless signals the the app picked up and low-and-behold, there were two new wifi signals of decent strength operating in the same channel (1) that I was set up in!  (I hadn't checked this since I first set up my router over a year ago and the apartment building next door is always getting new people)
This was totally unacceptable!  The app showed that channel 11 had only a single, very weak signal in the area and recommended I switch to that.  After logging into the router and doing so, it was as if all the wireless tech in my house was instantly given new life!  
I could once again be downloading a game from Steam on a wired PC, steaming netflix on the wireless PS3, watching a YouTube video on my phone, all while the wireless laptop was downloading (way too many) windows updates.
Solution:  Regularly monitor the amount of congestion in the channel your wireless is operating in. This is especially important if your reside in or near a rental/leasing property that often has people moving in and out.
Changing the wifi channel on your router is easy, fast and not scary at all. It could save you a lot of headaches.