Infrastructure, student house, problems

[Mastermind-]

Where and what do I start looking for?

The Problem
Using my desktop, I get frequentley disconnected from the wireless routers. My connection gets disaccociated and I have to sent a new DHCP request to the routers to get my connectivity back. (This happens automaticially, but I can force it).

These disconnects happen more often when I am doing heavier-duty things like streaming video or Skyping. We are talking several times an hour.

The weird thing though, is that if I have a continious ping up from my phone, connected to the same network, whenever my computer disconnects I see latency go up to 1000ms, although my phone doesn't get disconnected at the same time, not to say that it doesn't have problems with stuff like streaming video itself.

Looking at said router, there are only 3 devices connnected and not a whole lot of packets flowing trough it.

Infrastructure
The infrastructure we are talking about is kind of weird, this being a student home.

We have two ISP's, one modem from each of them. Then we have three switches, one for each floor. I will list the models below. On each switch, we have several routers. Roughly 4 routers per floor, one for each four rooms.

These routers have their own SSID's up. I have access to their web configuration panels. I do not know if there are any diagnostics I could do on the switches and modems, maybe you guys know.

Electronics
Routers:
10x TP-Link 1043 ND Wireless Router (rev 2 or 3)

Switches:
2x TP-LINK TL-SG1005D
1x TP-LINK TL-SG1008D

My stuff:
1x Linux desktop with a TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 PCIe Wireless card
1x Xperia Z

 

[Fardringle]

Are the three switches all connected to both modems, or are they split between the two modems to provide separation and to balance the load somewhat? If they are connected to both, what are you using to provide failover/load balancing between the connections?

With that many devices chained together, the failure point could be any number of things. It could be an individual router, it could be wireless interference between neighboring signals, it could be one of the switches, it could be a modem, it could be you are exceeding the limits of the ISP connection, or it could be a problem with the ISP itself. Or any of the wiring anywhere along the path.

Does anyone in any of the other rooms (connected to other routers) have the same problem? If not, then it's likely a problem with your specific router. If so, then next check the switch that the problem router(s) are attached to, and then move up to the modem/ISP.

 

[Mastermind-]

Are the three switches all connected to both modems, or are they split between the two modems to provide separation and to balance the load somewhat? If they are connected to both, what are you using to provide failover/load balancing between the connections?

I think there are basicially two circuits in place. One floor has routers connected to a switch, which then connects to modems of ISP #1

And the other floor has routers connected to a switch, or two, that connects to the modem of ISP #2. I think this because in the list I have It specificies which goes over what ISP. Also, ISP #1 also has some other problems that I don't have when connected to a router designated to ISP #2, but let's leave those problems for another thread for sake of the scope.

With that many devices chained together, the failure point could be any number of things. It could be an individual router, it could be wireless interference between neighboring signals, it could be one of the switches, it could be a modem, it could be you are exceeding the limits of the ISP connection, or it could be a problem with the ISP itself. Or any of the wiring anywhere along the path.

I know right... But how to locate the failure point?

Does anyone in any of the other rooms (connected to other routers) have the same problem? If not, then it's likely a problem with your specific router. If so, then next check the switch that the problem router(s) are attached to, and then move up to the modem/ISP.

I'm using ISP #2 for reasons, and only one of those routers is near me, so I haven't been able to check the others. But I have heard complaints from other housemates aswell. I have instructed my landlord to call the ISP's, see if they can figure anything out.


I still think its also very weird that my desktop completley loses its lease, whilist my phone stays connected. The phone's connection gets very, very slow though. Like a ping of 1 second.

Can I provide you with any other information?

 

[kevnich2]

With the way you have things setup, there's ALOT that could be causing the issues your describing. Most likely, since your using ALOT of different wifi router's in a very close space, likely all in the 2.4ghz range so there's going to be alot of RF congestion. I'd say try and either switch to an open channel in 5ghz or if you're in the 5ghz range, check the channels and make sure your router isn't trying to compete with others in the same channel.

 

[yinan]

This is kind of a horrible design. If you need 2 ISPs then you should have 1 router that can automatically load balance. You should also, only have enough access points to cover the load, not one per person. Better routers can broadcast more than one SSID if that is required.