TP-Link TL-WDR3600 Router possible intermittent dropping Internet

[videobruce]

I've been having a problem with loosing Internet access. The following is going under the assumption that it may be this Router. The F/W is ww-drt.
The problem has happened more than once, mostly recently. I did upgrade the F/W to 33772 from 33555 a week ago, I don't know if that has made matters worse.

This is all wired Networking, not WiFi.

Specifically, what appears to be happening is it starts out with high latency, or lack of responding to clicking on links withing web pages. It sits for second, then responds. It gets worse until I loose the Internet altogether. Once the Modem rebooted by itself, the other times I did am manual reboot or reset.
I'm not sure it's a Modem (or Spectrum problem, believe it or not). I already have changed out the Modem a couple of weeks ago for a similar problem which doing so did correct.

Now, I'm running a backup Router (Asus RT-N12 D1) which pales compared to the 3600. The dropping the connection hasn't happened yet, but it's too early to tell.

This problem is made worse by the lame and inaccurate indicator LED's on this Zoom 5341 Modem. They can all show ok including the "Online" LED (which is poorly named), but with no Internet access. RF levels are ok, both up & downstream, S/N ratios are also.
Other than thru my browser, I really know that access is lost when one or both 'line' LED's on my OBi202 ATA go dark.

It just seems that something is 'knocking' me 'Offline' or chocking access. The last two times I was just jumping around within & between web sites and forums. Surely nothing 'taxing'. I eventually get 'Could not connect' (mostly timeouts) or similar messages when I go to navigate.

Other than updating the F/W, I have even reset the Router to defaults. I looked at the Router log (which took some navigating around to get it enabled), but it didn't seem to show anything meaningful. I don't have that log I can post.

I really don't want to get another Router, but this is ridiculous.

 

[videobruce]

To make matters worse (to troubleshoot) I can do a download 'binge' for an hour or more, maxing out my Internet connection (60M down 5M up) with 10-15 separate downloads and there isn't a glitch (when one would figure that would kill things).

 

[mxnerd]

If you are using DD-WRT, you have to know it's always in beta.

It supports way too many devices!

You only upgrade the newest version of firmware unless absolutely necessary.

It's always like this for many, many years.

Visit DD-WRT forum and see what version is stable for your device.

It's hard to find an answer but it is what it is.

 

[videobruce]

I still had issues before I updated.

 

[mxnerd]

Shut down everything before you sleep if you use internet all day long.

Power back on everything next morning.

You probably will get a new WAN IP from a new block from your ISP and probably will fix the issue.

===

What you described regarding your router and modem just happened to me about one-two months ago.

I did everything and nothing works.

I then flashed my TPLink travel router DD-WRT back to factory firmware and re-flashed DD-WRT firmware to a newer version.

It still has issues but about one day later everything works again.

So I don't know if it's the ISP's issue or DD-WRT's issue.

Good luck.

===

I'll not use a DD-WRT flashed firmware anymore if I get a new router.

 

[videobruce]

I have had this router for 2 1/2 years with little, if any issues untill a month or so ago. Than involved streaming issues using a TiVo as a streaming device. I swapped Modems and the problem went away.

I did get a new IP address a couple of day ago.

Is it much of a issue to revert to the former F/W?

 

[mxnerd]

I have had this router for 2 1/2 years with little, if any issues untill a month or so ago. Than involved streaming issues using a TiVo as a streaming device. I swapped Modems and the problem went away.

I did get a new IP address a couple of day ago.

Is it much of a issue to revert to the former F/W?

I also owned the router more than 2 or 3 years and I thought it was dying.

You just have to find the factory firmware and use webflash, not difficult at all.

Just make sure use wired connection.

 

[videobruce]

I was referring to the former dd-wrt F/W, not factory.

 

[mxnerd]

I was referring to the former dd-wrt F/W, not factory.

Same. Usually no problem unless there is big change.

Start from fresh might be better, however, I don't know.

==

By the way, I'm running 33607.

==

Remembered what went wrong at the time.

The router CPU load average was always hovering above 90%,

closing to 100% at times, (don't remember which version )

I had difficulty connecting to the router even on wired connection.

 

[sdifox]

Just to be sure, when you lose internet access, you checked the cable modem status page and it shows it is connected?

 

[videobruce]

The router CPU load average was always hovering above 90%,
closing to 100% at times, (don't remember which version )
I had difficulty connecting to the router even on wired connection.

I was in a "what do I do now" state at the time, so I don't remember exactly what I did at those times other than power cycling the Modem.

Since you mention CPU usage, those three 'load' entries I have been been more observing since I now know what th hell they are suppose to mean (no thanks to dd-wrt where there is nothing on those (another assumption that the user is suppose to know all of this). I did notice once that those figures were above 1.0, one was over 3.0 for some unknown reason. I checked it a minute or so later and it was close to zero. This was NOT one of these 'lost connectivity' deals.
.

Just to be sure, when you lose internet access, you checked the cable modem status page and it shows it is connected?

No, I never did, I was concentration on the Router. This single status page does not update, it only shows a one time reading unless you relaod the page. The timeout for that is short, forcing you to log back in. Real lame setup.

 

[videobruce]

Well to keep thing even more interesting, I just had another episode if you can call it that.

Different this time. I was posting on another forum, the page wasn't responding (after hitting 'post'). After a few seconds I glanced over at the Modem and the 'Online' light was off, I'm not sure about the 'Link' light. I was running a TraceRoute program at the time, I had my standby Router and the Modems status pages open.

The TraceRoute first three hops IP, Hostname & latency columns were blank. No data, no numbers, the rest of the route still showed.

The Modem did NOT reboot, nor did I have to. Connectivity returned after a couple of minutes. I looked at the Routers log, but there were no entries. The Modems log did, but they are the same error messages I see all the time;

SNMP Event Log
This page displays the contents of the SNMP event log. Time Priority Description
Mon Dec 11 12:03:11 2017 Error (4) Missing BP Configuration Setting TLV Type: 17.9;CM-MAC=fc:4a:...
Mon Dec 11 12:03:11 2017 Error (4) Missing BP Configuration Setting TLV Type: 17.8;CM-MAC=fc:4a:...
Mon Dec 11 12:02:47 2017 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Un...
Mon Dec 11 12:01:50 2017 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Mon Dec 11 11:57:21 2017 Error (4) Missing BP Configuration Setting TLV Type: 17.9;CM-MAC=fc:4a:...
Mon Dec 11 11:57:21 2017 Error (4) Missing BP Configuration Setting TLV Type: 17.8;CM-MAC=fc:4a:...
Mon Dec 11 11:56:53 2017 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Un...
Mon Dec 11 11:56:20 2017 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...

The Modems status page showed normal. The Router never lost it's WAN IP address nor the DNS address.

 

[sdifox]

sounds like an issue with your cable modem. there is no log for the cable modem? Mine has an event log.


wait your snmp points to your isp being cheap and over loaded the segment. call them and complain about losing connection. send them that log.

 

[videobruce]

That was from the Modem.

 

[mxnerd]

Hookup your PC directly to the modem and see if problem persists.

Use Public network profile and make sure firewall is on.

 

[videobruce]

I have VoIP service and the problem is too intermittent.
This "Public Network profile" is that for WiFi which only has one client?

 

[mxnerd]

Did you put OBI202 before or after router? If it's before router and the VOIP service is intermittent, than your line has problem. Call your ISP.

Public netowrk profile means when you connect your PC directly to modem using wired ethenet in your case,

you will get an public IP address (not in 192, 10 or 172 range) from ISP,

usually Windows will detect the IP change and change your network adapter from Private to Public network.

 

[videobruce]

After. I treat that as a client purposely. I didn't want all LAN & WAN traffic traveling thru this device even thou it can be used that way.
Yes, I though about using it in Bridge mode (I assume option is available), but my above reason is why I don't.

I have seen the term "Public Network" used with WiFi.

There have only been a couple of times I connected the PC directly to the Modem and that was for testing, as in this case.

 

[mxnerd]

Why not flash back to factory firmware and see what happens?

Continue to use an unstable DD-WRT firmware is not a solution.

Any specific reason you have to use DD-WRT?

 

[videobruce]

I probably will but I'm trying to rule out the other possibilities. It's not the easiest procedure and 'bricking' is too easy to have happen.

To answer your question, after reverting back to the lame stock TP-Link F/W, it's very clear anything else is better. The stock F/W doesn't even have the ability to do a 'site survey' so you have NO idea what Wi-Fi channels are in use.
Then there is the unnecessary "System" blinking LED (that dd-wrt smartly has disabled) that could of been combined with the 'Power" indicator. Minor, but still lame to have it, especially since it works in reverse. Solid should mean good, not flashing.