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MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC
·TELUS
Actiontec T3200M
Arcadyan WE410443-TS
Sipura SPA-2102

MacGyver

WiFi in my house suddenly became useless

I've been using a DLink 615-E1 with DD-WRT and an Asus RT-N12 with Tomato in my home for the last while with absolutely no issues. Never have to reboot these things, and they just keep on working without me having to mess around with them.

Last week, my wife who lives on wifi via her laptop and phone, complained she wasn't able to connect to the Asus router. I, who use wired networks exclusively, didn't notice any problems. Tested the wifi with my cell phone, our iPad, her laptop, my work laptop, and all could NOT connect even though nothing had changed in our configuration.

I tried rebooting the router. No dice. So I figure the wireless radio in the router died. Then I try switching her over to the DLink. Same thing - weird! Eventually hook her up with the blue cable (aka Ethernet) to pacify a bad situation, but still this persists on the wifi side. Even took the opportunity to update Tomato to the latest version and rebuild the router config from scratch, which is a pain, but no improvement at all.

Over the past few days, wifi has been working sporadically. Some days we can connect, others not at all. Today I tried to connect the iPad and it would not accept the password. After multiple attempts, eventually it accepted the password and connected, and DD-WRT claims 70%+ signal quality, but absolutely no traffic goes through. Cannot browse at all.

Because this has happened with two routers, I am wondering if there is a pile of new interference on the 2.4GHz band. We have no need for 5GHz yet, but I may be forced to acquire some new equipment since wifi is now essentially useless.

We live in a rural suburb of middle class homes with a minimum of wireless AP's in the area. But not so many that it would degrade performance, and in our case this isn't performance degradation, it's total lack of connectivity.

Any thoughts from the resident experts?

billaustin
they call me Mr. Bill
MVM
join:2001-10-13
North Las Vegas, NV

billaustin

MVM

Try disabling the wifi, in each unit, one at a time. One unit may be failing and flooding the airwaves.

Get a copy of InSSIDer and do a wireless network scan. You may be surprised at what you find.

It might be time to switch to a newer, dual-band, router.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G to MacGyver

MVM

to MacGyver
Just to add to billaustin See Profile's post, MetaGeek has discontinued distribution of the FREE version of InSSIDer (Home), but you can still find it here: »www.majorgeeks.com/files ··· der.html

BlueMist
join:2011-01-24
Cookeville, TN

BlueMist to MacGyver

Member

to MacGyver
With the free version of InSSIDer being terminated I have found the program Vistumbler at »www.vistumbler.net/ does just as well, is being supported, and is free for personal use.

Try the program with your routers powered off to see if other routers are being used in your area. Then power yours back on and see what the program shows. Could be someone has added a router since the holidays and have it on the same channel or an adjacent channel to yours.

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC

MacGyver to billaustin

to billaustin
InSSIDer revealed that the RT-N12 radio signal is up and down like a yo-yo. That would be it. Channel interference isn't an issue; I have channel 6 all to myself!

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

How old is that RT-N12?
I've seen wireless router issues like that caused by blown caps in the router and/or PS... May be worth opening it up and see...

I've resurrected a few units that way...

BlueMist
join:2011-01-24
Cookeville, TN

BlueMist to MacGyver

Member

to MacGyver
From the power supply shown on the DD-WRT chart »www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/inde ··· ces#Asus your unit can be tested with a generic 12vdc 1 amp power supply. If it becomes stable with a temporary replacement you have it fixed.

I usually find replacement or test power transformers at one of my local charity locations. Many times they have them dumped into a box where I just have to go through them until I find one with the correct voltage and current ratings. Quite low in price and it gets them recycled rather than tossed out.

The voltage is critical, and DC but the current needs to start at 1 amp. You can use anything with a 1 amp or larger rating, just not lower unless yours is the D1 hardware revision which only needs .5 amps but works just fine with the larger 1amp replacement.

As for bad capacitors on the motherboard of the router, that too can be looked into but I find more power transformers go bad rather than the motherboards.

Oh yea, make sure the antenna's are on properly, loose antennas can make troubleshooting a real pain.

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC

MacGyver

I will have to see if I have a spare AC adapter. I did open it up and the two caps inside are just fine.

I only paid $15 for it so no big loss, still annoying though.

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7 to MacGyver

Member

to MacGyver
said by MacGyver:

InSSIDer revealed that the RT-N12 radio signal is up and down like a yo-yo.

Can you post the data from InSSider?
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE to MacGyver

MVM

to MacGyver
said by Hard Harry7:

said by MacGyver:

InSSIDer revealed that the RT-N12 radio signal is up and down like a yo-yo.

Can you post the data from InSSider?

...seconded. What's the exact dB reading? IIRC, -60dBs should be fairly stable, but if you're into -80 to -90dB range for 2.4Ghz all bets are off.

My 00000010bits

Regards

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC

MacGyver

I can't post a screenshot, but both routers are peaking at -50dB, but the RT-N12 is dropping down to -95 every four seconds.

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby to MacGyver

Member

to MacGyver
said by MacGyver:

InSSIDer revealed that the RT-N12 radio signal is up and down like a yo-yo. That would be it. Channel interference isn't an issue; I have channel 6 all to myself!

Press PRT SCRN and paste in to paint, save, then upload.

Post an image of this, what channels are occupied by others?

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC
·TELUS
Actiontec T3200M
Arcadyan WE410443-TS
Sipura SPA-2102

MacGyver

Click for full size
Click for full size
Click for full size
Here are screenshots from inSSIDer and Nirsoft WifiInfoView. omega is the RT-N12 that is misbehaving. Leafssuck is the DIR-615. See how the signal on omega suddenly drops while Leafssuck is fine? Except now omega isn't doing it every four seconds, it is for extended periods at decreasing intervals.

First thing I noticed, is that whereas all my neighbours were on channels 1 or 11 up until yesterday. Now some are on 6, so I wonder if they are troubleshooting the same issue I am.

Look at the two screenshots from Wifiinfoview. It appears there is an unnamed SSID suddenly spiking in power, becoming ridiculously stronger than the APs in my own house, WifiInfoView picked this up where inSSIDer did not. Looks like a second band off the JAVAKAB AP.

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby

Member

Good screen shots, very helpful.

It looks like there are several 300 Mbps and even a 450 Mbps 802.11n device shown in the first image.

It doesn't look like that your laptop can see any device that has anything wider than 20 Mhz for a single channel. But this doesn't mean they don't exist.

A correctly operating Access Point is supposed to drop back to a narrow 20 Mhz channel if it detects another AP that it over laps with, but very few follow that rule. It looks like other APs are on channel 6 also, aswell as 1 and 11.
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE to MacGyver

MVM

to MacGyver
said by MacGyver:

omega is the RT-N12 that is misbehaving. Leafssuck is the DIR-615.

I was going to ask why you were running both on channel 6 -- personally I'd prefer to run both on seperate channels.
said by MacGyver:

It appears there is an unnamed SSID suddenly spiking in power, becoming ridiculously stronger than the APs in my own house, WifiInfoView picked this up where inSSIDer did not. Looks like a second band off the JAVAKAB AP.

Don't see that behavior in your screenshots... are you able to post the chart of the signal strength over time?

My 00000010bits

Regards

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC
·TELUS
Actiontec T3200M
Arcadyan WE410443-TS
Sipura SPA-2102

MacGyver

I did have them on separate channels, but when I first had problems it didn't matter what channel either router was on, I could not connect to them with any wifi device I owned.

The second screenshot shows the unnamed AP at a signal strength of -10! I'm sorry, but inSSIDer wasn't able to produce a graph showing this phenomena.
MacGyver

MacGyver

A quick search revealed that the local cable company, Rogers, deploys Hitron equipment for their customers. So I consulted in the Rogers forum here and got this answer: »Re: Rogers customer router bombarding my neighbourhood?

I'll need to find the neighbour with the misbehaving piece of equipment and have them get Rogers to fix it.
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill to MacGyver

Member

to MacGyver
-90 signal will not affect you, move your stuff as far away as possible from each other.. channel 1 and 11

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC

MacGyver

But a -10 signal will. At that strength I should be feeling it in my teeth.
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE to MacGyver

MVM

to MacGyver
said by MacGyver:

The second screenshot shows the unnamed AP at a signal strength of -10!

Wow... can't say I've ever seen an RSSI of -10dB, even standing next to the AP.

Otherwise, lesson to take away -- and it's been said before in this forum -- you want convenience, go wireless, but be prepared for
the quirks and quarks. You want reliability, go wired.

Regards

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC
·TELUS
Actiontec T3200M
Arcadyan WE410443-TS
Sipura SPA-2102

MacGyver

said by HELLFIRE:

you want convenience, go wireless, but be prepared for the quirks and quarks. You want reliability, go wired.

Tell that to my wife. Plus the iPad doesn't have an Ethernet jack.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL

Tursiops_G

MVM

If all else fails, get a Dual-band router and at least the iPad should be able to connect on 5GHz...

mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON

mozerd to MacGyver

MVM

to MacGyver
said by MacGyver:

Tell that to my wife. Plus the iPad doesn't have an Ethernet jack.

get yourself a Netgear R6300 or if you can afford more money get the Netgear R7000 and your issues will disapear. The iPad will use the 5G network and if you have an iPhone it will also use the 5G network etc.

Any of the Netgear modes I mentioned will blow Hellfire off the map

And CHUCK your DLink and ASUS gear .... Very old tech that is USELESS!

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7

Member

Router manufacturers are like TV manufacturers, it more important who makes the parts then the brand. I personally would stay away from Netgear. I used to be a Dlink fan boy with the DGL series, but now I am on Camp Asus. Also, I wouldn't call it useless, just problematic.

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby to mozerd

Member

to mozerd
said by mozerd:

get yourself a Netgear R6300 or if you can afford more money get the Netgear R7000 and your issues will disapear. The iPad will use the 5G network and if you have an iPhone it will also use the 5G network etc.

Any of the Netgear modes I mentioned will blow Hellfire off the map

And CHUCK your DLink and ASUS gear .... Very old tech that is USELESS!

Ignore this.

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC

MacGyver

Ignore what?
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE to MacGyver

MVM

to MacGyver
said by MacGyver:

Tell that to my wife. Plus the iPad doesn't have an Ethernet jack.

...get a tablet-convertable ultrabook or laptop?
said by mozerd:

will blow Hellfire off the map

I'll settle for ending up somewhere near "this weekend," how about that mozerd See Profile ? XP

Regards

MacGyver

join:2001-10-14
Vancouver, BC
·TELUS
Actiontec T3200M
Arcadyan WE410443-TS
Sipura SPA-2102

MacGyver

said by HELLFIRE:

...get a tablet-convertable ultrabook or laptop?

Only if you're buying. And mozerd is apparently buying me a new 5Ghz AP.
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE to MacGyver

MVM

to MacGyver
...sorry man, still paying off a bunch of Christmas and earlier bills Nice try tho

Other wild idea is a (micro)usb to RJ-45 adapter... maybe this connected to this ?
Or whatever the apple-proprietary connector is?

My 00000010bits

Regards