Out of ideas - WIFI Dropping - Asus ac-3100

[asims33]

Hey guys

So about a month ago my netgear nighthawk that i bought a year ago started dropping wifi. It would just stop broadcasting all together and would require a hard restart. Thinking it was the router i went and bought a new one after trouble shooting for days.

I bought the Linksys AC-3200. 2 weeks later it starts dropping wifi too. Same as before. I did a search and found other users having the same issue so i thought it was luck of the draw and so i returned it and bought the Asus instead.

Now my asus is doing it a few days later. I have read online and downloaded a wifi analyzer to see interference and there is a TON of other networks near me which is nuts because i live in a house not an apartment but despite that is see no less than 10 other networks with at the very least moderate strength near me at all times.

Channel 6 is overloaded and channel 11 isnt much better. Channel 1 was the best but was still crowded so i set the router to channel 1 and 20mhz.

It lasted about 2 days and then today i started losing internet on my wifi devices. Wired devices continue working fine (as they always have) and on the wifi devices they stay connected now (which is an improvement) but with limited internet access and they wont even pull up the router config if i type in the IP address.

I have installed ASUSWRT-Merlin as of 3 days ago and it hasnt helped that i can tell.

I understand that the FCC says we cant boost the power or broadcast on channel 14 so how in the world am i supposed to get reliable wifi without having to restart my router ever 2 hours?

 

[Klueless]

Ouch. Three routers and four sets of firmware.

Just to verify, wired and 5 GHz work, and continue to work even when 2.4 GHz goes down? WiFi analyzer still shows Channel 1 as least cluttered, i.e., another neighbor hasn't grabbed it since you last checked?

Did anything change at your house a month ago when you started having trouble? Baby monitor, cordless phone, new gadgets for the kids? I dunno, about a month ago my furnace started kicking on. Stupid thought, some ISPs provide a modem/router combo (rather than just a modem), did its wireless kick on?

We were having a similar problem at work. Everything was working fine for two years and then a couple months ago Wifi went down. Rebooted. Couple hours later we had to reboot again. Then again. Next reboot I left the range extender disconnected. Next day we were still running. Turned the range extender back on. Couple hours later WiFi was down again.

Climbed a ladder, removed the range extender and examined it in frustration. Noticed a couple of stinkbugs had welded themselves to the air vents. Cleaned them off and tried again. Everything's been working ever since.

Life is strange. Three routers and four sets of firmware. I'm thinking something's up with your home environment. Maybe take a 20' length of Ethernet cable and temporarily relocate your router and see if anything changes?

 

[asims33]

Ouch. Three routers and four sets of firmware.

Just to verify, wired and 5 GHz work, and continue to work even when 2.4 GHz goes down? WiFi analyzer still shows Channel 1 as least cluttered, i.e., another neighbor hasn't grabbed it since you last checked?

Did anything change at your house a month ago when you started having trouble? Baby monitor, cordless phone, new gadgets for the kids? I dunno, about a month ago my furnace started kicking on. Stupid thought, some ISPs provide a modem/router combo (rather than just a modem), did its wireless kick on?

We were having a similar problem at work. Everything was working fine for two years and then a couple months ago Wifi went down. Rebooted. Couple hours later we had to reboot again. Then again. Next reboot I left the range extender disconnected. Next day we were still running. Turned the range extender back on. Couple hours later WiFi was down again.

Climbed a ladder, removed the range extender and examined it in frustration. Noticed a couple of stinkbugs had welded themselves to the air vents. Cleaned them off and tried again. Everything's been working ever since.

Life is strange. Three routers and four sets of firmware. I'm thinking something's up with your home environment. Maybe take a 20' length of Ethernet cable and temporarily relocate your router and see if anything changes?

5GHZ goes down too. it was completely stopping broadcasting but now it simply loses internet access while still broadcasting signal. Hard wired always stays up and functioning.

Channel 1 is still cluttered but still the best option

Nothing changed at the house. We do have an Xfinity router/modem combo but we have had it broadcasting its own wifi for months now because we also have the Xfinity security system. Never had an issue until recently

Part of my trouble shooting yesterday was completely shutting down the security system and throwing the xfinity box on bridge mode - I dont think we have had any drops since then but we will see.


Would having a repeater or two help my situation? If the problem is the wifi being crapped on by other networks, would repeating my own signal help?

 

[maxbraketorque]

No new devices on your network? Have you considered shutting down all devices and trying one-by-one or in groups?

 

[Klueless]

Part of my trouble shooting yesterday was completely shutting down the security system and throwing the xfinity box on bridge mode - I dont think we have had any drops since then but we will see.

Hey now, you are no novice! Sorry about my dumb/obvious questions. (I've just found it's a good way to get more info without simply asking for more information : -)

I like this change/test you are trying! I hope it works! (I never understood these systems where they put two WiFis right next to each other. It just seems counter-intuitive to me.)

5GHZ goes down too

That's what still confuses me about my stinkbug infested range extender. It only talked to the router at 5 GHz but took down its 2.4 GHz radio as well.

No new devices on your network? Have you considered shutting down all devices and trying one-by-one or in groups?

I love Maxes' suggestion. Consider that shutting down security was one step towards implementing Maxes' plan. If you're reluctant to shut down everything you could start with the most likely suspects, namely the wireless clients with the worst connections to your router. Their crappy connections could impact everyone.

Would having a repeater or two help my situation? If the problem is the wifi being crapped on by other networks, would repeating my own signal help?

Too soon. Lets see what you learn from your test and Maxes' tests.

Everything used to work, nothing changed. But things do change and yes, maybe a repeater would help. Especially if Maxes' test shows a weak wireless client is pulling you down. A repeater, range extender, AP would then make that weak client a strong client.

Which has me thinking about my stinkbugs. I put in the range extender because I had a bunch of weak wireless clients. When the stinkbugs took down my range extender I'm thinking those weak clients tried to connect to my router contributing to taking it down?

Anyway all of this is moot if shutting down security fixed your problem. Here's hoping ...