Equipment Support > Hardware By Brand > ZyXEL > UPDATE:ZyXEL PK5001Z Modem dropping exactly every 15 minutes

reply to bds85466

Re: ZyXEL PK5001Z Modem dropping exactly every 15 minutes

Yeah, sure thing if you can walk me through the steps. I'm not sure what that is .

Another thing I noticed is that the IPv4 timer counts up to 15 minutes and then resets, triggering the above drop condition.

What IPv4 timer? Can you provide screenshot?

I can't at the moment as I'm away from home. Can do after I get home though.

It's the uptime timer shown with all of the IPv4 stats.

If you are familiar with the firmware menus, I believe it is under the Modem Status heading, and then the Internet Status side menu; though that's completely by memory.

It basically refreshes every 10 seconds or so, and it counts up (but never makes it past 15 minutes without resetting back down to zero). Right at that time is when the connection drops.

reply to Brano
sorry, i did a qreply instead....

Another thing, when a diagnostics test is run, the "encapsulation test" fails every time.

reply to JPedroT

Do you have to connection 'Nailed-up"? If not, make it so.

Do you have latest firmware on the unit? According to this page »qwest.centurylink.com/internethe···are.html the latest is "QZP002-3.4.012.0"

Are you using the PK5001Z as modem only? Do you have another router in your setup?
Or is the PK5001Z being used as modem/router?

As for the packet capture, there are basically several ways to do it
1) If the device itself supports a packet capture the use that.
2) If you have a managed switch or true HUB, place it between the modem and router and use the sniffing port capability to capture the packets (assuming you have separate router and modem and access to managed switch or true HUB).

Brano,

Thanks for the response. I don't know if I have the connection "nailed up". I'm guessing there's some way to check in the firmware.

When I tried to upgrade my firmware via the CL site yesterday it said I had the most up to date release -- though I will double check on the exact version.

No additional router connected at this time, just the modem. I'll look around in the firmware and see (for both the packet capture and the nail up).

reply to Brano

prior to drop

at drop

Is this a PPPoE connection?

reply to bds85466

tracer route to yahoo.com

reply to Brano

Check Advanced -> WAN settings and post screenshot please.
Going by this »qwest.centurylink.com/internethe···ock.html you should have PPPAutoConnect enabled.

I was having this very same issue, and read this thread with great interest. Also I was having trouble with some devices connecting via WiFi (would connect one day, but be unable the next, even in the same room as the router). This and other issues has convinced me the router firmware is basically just bad. Not horrible, but quite buggy.

I was able to get a stable connection by turning off the WiFi and putting the device into 'Bridge' mode (found under Advanced->WAN settings). This basically turns it into a simple modem, no router capabilities at all. This mean however you need a different device to handle router functions. I had a CradlePoint MBR 95 from my days of using wireless modems (very solid performer). Worked without any configuration. Just ran a network cable from one of the network ports on the Zyxel to the WAN port on the CradlePoint, and poof, internet. It's been stable for the last 24 hours, zero connection drops while gaming or using work VPN (both were a real pain with the drops every 15 mins).

Once you set the Zyxel into Bridge mode, you can't connect to it's GUI pages any longer; it's just a dumb modem now. To get it back to 'normal', you have to do a hard reset using the pinhole button on the back. Both bridging and resetting are detailed on Zyxel's website (via videos hosted on YouTube).

If Zyxel comes out with a firmware update I may give it another try, because I did like some of the monitoring features they offer. But until I feel like rolling the dice again, this setup is working great so far!