Wireless connections losing internet connectivity, never losing connection to router.

[TVTech612]

Alright, after trying to figure this out the last two weeks, I've finally decided to post and hoping someone could help me out, as ASUS support hasn't been much help. I'll try to keep this as concise as possible as I am literally at the end of the rope here..

Original setup. Comcast internet, ARRIS SB6183, ASUS RT-N66U.

NO issues at all for approximately 2 years. All of a sudden, we started noticing wireless devices losing internet connectivity. Noticed first on our phones, then the kids started noticing on their games. We will be browsing, and all of a sudden a page is taking forever to load. Phone shows the exclamation point with wireless. After usually 30 seconds to a minute, boom.. Page loads again, and all is fine for a period of time. Sometimes an hour, sometimes 5 minutes, and everywhere in between.

Went through troubleshooting with Comcast and Arris first. They determined no errors (Obviously resetting, rebooting, etc). Went through support with ASUS and they finally had me send in for RMA.

I could accept that the router was having issues and needing service. No big deal.

However, the plot thickens after sending my router in for repair. I obviously needed a router in the meantime, so i just went and bought a Linksys AC1200 to use for the 2 weeks. Set it up using exact same SSID/Pass combo. All has been flawless. During the first couple days, I stumbled across some discussion about being able to repurpose old Tmobile 1900 hotspot into an RT-AC86U. I found a great deal on one, went through the process and what do you know.. I am having the EXACT same issue.

The ONLY settings i changed on both routers have been the SSID and Password. I just for the life of me cannot figure out what is going on. Firmware on the AC86U has been updated to the current one. Tried the merlin firmware. No matter what I do, same exact issue. Done numerous NVRAM resets, factory resets.. Everything. Each time changing only the ssid and pass.

Any insight would be great. I just have a hard time believing its just my old router when Im having the exact same issue on the other ASUS. And also, I guess I'll add im just using the 2.4 band. Not configuring or connecting to the 5. Actually, one of the last things I tried was connecting my phone and laptop to the 5ghz network and still had the same problem.

 

[TVTech612]

Thought I had it figured out for a second. Thought it might be due to router showing that the time was not the same as my locale. Got that fixed, but still having the same issue. After doing a full reset and going through everything all over again. Im racking my brain here.

 

[WiFiNemesis]

Similar experience here.

Just a wild guess: got a Chromecast device?

Chromecast might be causing connectivity issues

Diagnosis

 

[TVTech612]

Similar experience here.

Just a wild guess: got a Chromecast device?

Chromecast might be causing connectivity issues

Diagnosis

Wow! Most of my ecosystem are Google devices. Im going to unplug my chromecast and chromecast audio and will report back how it goes. Usually lose connection numerous times per hour... Thanks for this information

 

[WiFiNemesis]

Unsure if it's the devices or the apps, time for a controlled experiment perhaps.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the problem, but I keep seeing talk of unplugging Homes and Chromecasts and don't understand how that would fix things...

...Seems like, in that case, whether your Home, Chromecast, etc are connected or not, the Apps are still going to query for something to cast to, and still flood your router. Seems like only not using YouTube, Play Music, Home, etc apps, or disabling the ability to cast in those apps, if that's even an option, would be the only way to turn this off...

 

[TVTech612]

Unplugged Chromecast and Chromecast audio before I went to bed last night. Unfortunately still had the issue this morning. Not sure how I would disable casting or the casting apps?

 

[OsoTheBear]

Unplugged Chromecast and Chromecast audio before I went to bed last night. Unfortunately still had the issue this morning. Not sure how I would disable casting or the casting apps?

I found the instructions. Scroll down a bit, it's under "Turn off Cast media control..." heading.

https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/7206638?hl=en

Try it out and let us know if it fixes the problem. Hope Google would release a fix soon.

 

[TVTech612]

I found the instructions. Scroll down a bit, it's under "Turn off Cast media control..." heading.

https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/7206638?hl=en

Try it out and let us know if it fixes the problem. Hope Google would release a fix soon.

I'm going to try that when I get home from work. Now that I think about it, I have a hard time believing it has to do with my Chromecast or Chromecast audio. I've had those, and my Google Home since Christmas 2016. In the past 2 months, I have added 3 minis, ring pro and ecobee3. I did unplug the minis before I left so I will check again later. Last night when I was viewing my wireless clients... I did notice the ecobee and ring going on and off the list. They are both winning 15 feet of the router. Ecobee straight shot, 5 feet away. Ring is a straight shot but through a wall, obviously.

 

[OsoTheBear]

I haven't noticed any issue with the Wi-Fi. But connection on my wired desktop PC was acting out Monday evening. I could barely log in to the router. The weird thing was my laptop didn't have any issue. So I logged in to the router from the laptop and rebooted it, and the connection to the desktop was restored. No more connection issues since then.
For the record, my router is RT-AC68U (previously TM-AC1900). I have a Chromecast since summer 2016 and added a Home Mini last November. Haven't had any issue so far except that Monday evening glitch.

 

[TVTech612]

I haven't noticed any issue with the Wi-Fi. But connection on my wired desktop PC was acting out Monday evening. I could barely log in to the router. The weird thing was my laptop didn't have any issue. So I logged in to the router from the laptop and rebooted it, and the connection to the desktop was restored. No more connection issues since then.
For the record, my router is RT-AC68U (previously TM-AC1900). I have a Chromecast since summer 2016 and added a Home Mini last November. Haven't had any issue so far except that Monday evening glitch.

My issue has been limited to strictly the wireless connection. My hard wired desktops have experienced zero issues I've heard about.

 

[TVTech612]

And of course, I just got my RT-N66U back from ASUS and their action states "test OK (NTF). UGH!

 

[bbunge]

I have had issues with some of my 2.4 GHZ devices. Had tried a couple of brands of routers but ended up with success on Asus. Set to channel 1, 6 or 11, 20 MHZ bandwidth, turn off Airtime Fairness and WPS. Used a N66R for a while then upgraded to an AC66U B1.

Sent from my P01M using Tapatalk

 

[TVTech612]

This is so crazy. Everything was working fine yesterday for a couple hours (much longer then losing connection multiple times an hour). All of a sudden, my daughter gets home, and i lose connection just like what usually happens. After a minute or 2, was reconnected and didn't lose connection all night, overnight. Now. I was online, everything fine... My daughter gets home from school, and I get kicked off. After reconnection, everything is fine again. She has a Pixel 1. Didn't happen when I got home and connected my phone.

 

[RMerlin]

This is so crazy. Everything was working fine yesterday for a couple hours (much longer then losing connection multiple times an hour). All of a sudden, my daughter gets home, and i lose connection just like what usually happens. After a minute or 2, was reconnected and didn't lose connection all night, overnight. Now. I was online, everything fine... My daughter gets home from school, and I get kicked off. After reconnection, everything is fine again. She has a Pixel 1. Didn't happen when I got home and connected my phone.

Got a Chromecast or Google TV? There's a known issue where an Android client can flood the network trying to talk with a Chromecast. Google is expected to push an update to the Google Play Store today. Might explain why your issue only happens when she comes home with her phone.

 

[OsoTheBear]

Does she have Google Cast app on her phone? I heard what was really causing the connection issue was not the Home devices themselves but the Cast app (or Home, in Google parlance). Google is supposed to release a patch today, so try to see if she can apply the updates.

 

[TVTech612]

Got a Chromecast or Google TV? There's a known issue where an Android client can flood the network trying to talk with a Chromecast. Google is expected to push an update to the Google Play Store today. Might explain why your issue only happens when she comes home with her phone.

I do have chromecast and chromecast audio. I have had those unplugged since a couple days ago after someone else mentioned it. I will have to check her phone.

 

[eriddler]

Sorry to drag this back out, but I am having the same issues in my house. Did it ever resolve for the OP?

 

[rrtk70]

I'm having this issue as well. Two months ago I setup a Asus BlueCave router. My family is continually complaining about losing their wifi connection to mobile devices. My husband works from home and his laptop loses connection several times every day. I had a Linksys router for five years, never had an issue with dropping connections.
I do not have chromecast or chromecast audio.

 

[eriddler]

I'm having this issue as well. Two months ago I setup a Asus BlueCave router. My family is continually complaining about losing their wifi connection to mobile devices. My husband works from home and his laptop loses connection several times every day. I had a Linksys router for five years, never had an issue with dropping connections.
I do not have chromecast or chromecast audio.

I tried one of the suggestions, which was to reduce the Key Interval to 0 from 3600...still testing, will let you know how it goes.

 

[eriddler]

I tried one of the suggestions, which was to reduce the Key Interval to 0 from 3600...still testing, will let you know how it goes.

So far so good, no disconnects. One issue I have now is I need to schedule a reboot of the router to get my speed back...probably unique since I'm behind a German modem/router and using the ASUS for VPN. Once I reboot, speed stays normal for about a day.