RT-AC86U & iPad - frequent wifi disconnections

[PULCK]

Having problems with 2 iPads in the house which are frequently dropping wifi connection (usually in the middle of an important Zoom meeting!).

I've checked on the router system log and I think I've identified the entry associated with the disconnections: not mesh client, can't update it's ip

What exactly does this mean?

I've got 2 RT-AC86Us both running Asuswrt-Merlin 386.3_2

Any ideas?

 

[AndreiV]

SNB search : From previous posts the messages should be ignored and wouldn't relate to the iPad issue as it is not a Mesh / ASUS device.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Having problems with 2 iPads in the house which are frequently dropping wifi connection (usually in the middle of an important Zoom meeting!).

I've checked on the router system log and I think I've identified the entry associated with the disconnections: not mesh client, can't update it's ip

What exactly does this mean?

I've got 2 RT-AC86Us both running Asuswrt-Merlin 386.3_2

Any ideas?

Is that the only Log entry at the time of Zoom drop? Is the Zoom drop time random or after x minutes?

What are the client connection details... band, channel, link rate Mpbs? Do they work fine on other WLANs? Have you tried using other fixed, least congested, non-DFS channels?

How does that WiFi signal look at the client location(s)... weak, unstable? A WiFi Analyzer app can help you see your signal and any neighboring signals that may be interfering.

Are you using Smart Connect and same SSIDs? Have you tried disabling SC and using different SSIDs and only connecting your client to the preferred band?

Are you using Roaming Assistant? Have you tuned its RSSI thresholds for your node layout/separation and signal overlap? Have you tried disabling RA?

Are the iPads your only wireless clients with the issue? Do you have 2018 China AC86Us that are failing? Was everything fine for a long time and now suddenly weird things are happening?

What have you done to troubleshoot the issue? Need more clues.

OE

 

[PULCK]

Is that the only Log entry at the time of Zoom drop? Is the Zoom drop time random or after x minutes?

What are the client connection details... band, channel, link rate Mpbs? Do they work fine on other WLANs? Have you tried using other fixed, least congested, non-DFS channels?

How does that WiFi signal look at the client location(s)... weak, unstable? A WiFi Analyzer app can help you see your signal and any neighboring signals that may be interfering.

Are you using Smart Connect and same SSIDs? Have you tried disabling SC and using different SSIDs and only connecting your client to the preferred band?

Are you using Roaming Assistant? Have you tuned its RSSI thresholds for your node layout/separation and signal overlap? Have you tried disabling RA?

Are the iPads your only wireless clients with the issue? Do you have 2018 China AC86Us that are failing? Was everything fine for a long time and now suddenly weird things are happening?

What have you done to troubleshoot the issue? Need more clues.

OE

Thanks for your reply and the questions!

At the time of the last Zoom drop, there were 3 entries in the router log with the ipad's MAC address:

1. dnsmasq-dhcp[23669]: DHCPREQUEST(br0)
2. dnsmasq-dhcp[23669]: DHCPACK(br0)
3. not mesh client, can't update it's ip

With regards to the ipad's connection, I think everything looks good apart from the disconnections. It's using a 5ghz signal and it always appears strong. And all other wifi devices in the house appear to be very stable, even when the ipad disconnects.

Smart connect is switched on (I've not tried switching it off yet), same SSIDs, 5ghz channel is set to Auto, Roaming Assistant is disabled.

Both routers say Made in China 2020 on the back, but this problem has only started happening in the last few weeks. Everything was fine for months before that.

But one thing I should mention is that when the ipad is used for Zooms it is in the kitchen, about equidistant from the 2 Asus routers. One router is downstairs in the next room and one upstairs in the room above.

So is it possible it's disconnecting when it tries to hop to the other node? I could try taking a Zoom meeting in a room much closer to one of the routers to see if that makes a difference. Or else should I bind one of the routers to the ipad?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thanks for your reply and the questions!

At the time of the last Zoom drop, there were 3 entries in the router log with the ipad's MAC address:

1. dnsmasq-dhcp[23669]: DHCPREQUEST(br0)
2. dnsmasq-dhcp[23669]: DHCPACK(br0)
3. not mesh client, can't update it's ip

With regards to the ipad's connection, I think everything looks good apart from the disconnections. It's using a 5ghz signal and it always appears strong. And all other wifi devices in the house appear to be very stable, even when the ipad disconnects.

Smart connect is switched on (I've not tried switching it off yet), same SSIDs, 5ghz channel is set to Auto, Roaming Assistant is disabled.

Both routers say Made in China 2020 on the back, but this problem has only started happening in the last few weeks. Everything was fine for months before that.

But one thing I should mention is that when the ipad is used for Zooms it is in the kitchen, about equidistant from the 2 Asus routers. One router is downstairs in the next room and one upstairs in the room above.

So is it possible it's disconnecting when it tries to hop to the other node? I could try taking a Zoom meeting in a room much closer to one of the routers to see if that makes a difference. Or else should I bind one of the routers to the ipad?

That gives a troubleshooting vibe...

The issue may affect other client connections but go unnoticed with their usage...

The equidistant kitchen location between the vertically located APs may be a concern... max AP separation might help in general. Is there any radio interference in the kitchen besides the microwave, like a cordless phone handset, new neighboring WiFi?

I'd try a fixed (not Auto), least-congested, non-DFS 5.0 channel at 80 MHz to remove any variables there. And maybe the iPads want to hop to a 2.4 channel (2.4 cordless devices operate there), so disabling SC and connecting only to the SSID-50 would rule that out. Also use a WiFi Analyzer app to look for any new signals that could be upsetting your Auto channels, causing them to flap around, which may affect the iPad usage in the kitchen area.

I'm not a fan of binding capable clients in lieu of making other network adjustments that maybe should be considered first.

OE

 

[Zoomingrocket]

Having problems with 2 iPads in the house which are frequently dropping wifi connection (usually in the middle of an important Zoom meeting!).

I've checked on the router system log and I think I've identified the entry associated with the disconnections: not mesh client, can't update it's ip

What exactly does this mean?

I've got 2 RT-AC86Us both running Asuswrt-Merlin 386.3_2

Any ideas?

We had similar issue and finally got it fixed when we disabled Private Address for the WiFi settings on Apple devices

 

[PULCK]

That gives a troubleshooting vibe...

The issue may affect other client connections but go unnoticed with their usage...

The equidistant kitchen location between the vertically located APs may be a concern... max AP separation might help in general. Is there any radio interference in the kitchen besides the microwave, like a cordless phone handset, new neighboring WiFi?

I'd try a fixed (not Auto), least-congested, non-DFS 5.0 channel at 80 MHz to remove any variables there. And maybe the iPads want to hop to a 2.4 channel (2.4 cordless devices operate there), so disabling SC and connecting only to the SSID-50 would rule that out. Also use a WiFi Analyzer app to look for any new signals that could be upsetting your Auto channels, causing them to flap around, which may affect the iPad usage in the kitchen area.

I'm not a fan of binding capable clients in lieu of making other network adjustments that maybe should be considered first.

OE

Thank you. That's fantastic - I'll go through all your suggestions.

Is there a reason not to bind devices? And just so that I'm understanding this correctly... clicking the bind button simply tells the mesh to restrict the device to one node, right?

 

[PULCK]

We had similar issue and finally got it fixed when we disabled Private Address for the WiFi settings on Apple devices
View attachment 37417

Oh, this is interesting! I'll take a look at the settings.

Thank you!

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you. That's fantastic - I'll go through all your suggestions.

Is there a reason not to bind devices? And just so that I'm understanding this correctly... clicking the bind button simply tells the mesh to restrict the device to one node, right?

Try disabling Private Addresses on the Apple devices first! (I'm a PC user.)

Bind, if it solves the issue, but it may only mask the issue and does not bind to a signal, only the node (supposedly), and will not let a mobile client roam when it should.

OE

 

[dlandiss]

Oh, this is interesting! I'll take a look at the settings.

Thank you!

I have also seen a recommendation that iStuff may play better with IGMP Snooping and WMM Support are both on. I think WMM is already locked on in ASUS routers.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have also seen a recommendation that iStuff may play better with IGMP Snooping and WMM Support are both on. I think WMM is already locked on in ASUS routers.

I just checked on AC86U 9.0.0.4.386_55919 (RC3-1 beta firmware)... both settings are enabled by default.

Edit: Settings are under Wireless\Professional\band.

OE

 

[PULCK]

I just checked on AC86U 9.0.0.4.386_55919 (RC3-1 beta firmware)... both settings are enabled by default.

OE

Thanks! Good news, since I don't know where to find those settings!

 

[PULCK]

I had the opportunity to test Zoom on the iPad again today and, despite disabling "Private Address", it dropped connection after 5 mins.

Also, disabling Private Address does weird things: it changes the iPad's MAC address and then there is no trace of said MAC address on the router's GUI! You can see that bandwidth is being used as normal, but you're unable to see which device is using it. Very odd.

So I've switched Private Address back on and I'm trying to bind the iPad to my downstairs router now. Will see how it goes.

 

[PULCK]

Just an update: since binding the iPad to just my downstairs router, I've had no disconnections.

Seems strange, since both my routers are the same model/firmware. But for the time being, it works so I'm happy.