AC1600 Modem/Router (Model No. C6250) Problems with WIFI

[SteveDavisPsyD]

Within the last several months, I have noticed that when in my office (where I have the AC1600 [Model No. C6250] modem/router) I have had difficulty maintaining connections with my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook (i.e., when streaming video, it will go well for about five minutes, but then it will freeze -- it will have full WIFI "bars" but absolutely no data going back and forth). I have another (non-Mac) work laptop that is connected via ethernet cable. I seem to have the most problems when connected to the 5G but have noticed that the problems have continued with using the 2.4G setting. It has been rather annoying and seems to be most prevalent on my iPad. Yesterday, I wiped my iPad and restored it, but the problem has not resolved. I have followed all the instructions the internet (i.e., renewing the lease, forgetting the network, resetting network settings, making sure security settings were correct, etc.) and have seen no results. I don't want to buy a new modem/router, but I think I am going down that road. Ironically, the hardwired laptop never misses a beat. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to possibly fix this?

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

Maybe a minute or less. 

[FURRYe38]

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed? 

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Is IPv6 enabled on the modem? 

What iOS versions are installed on your apple devices? 

[SteveDavisPsyD]

Thanks for your reply. 

1) I have reset the modem/router a couple of times. However, I am not sure if I have done a "factory reset."

2) I am not sure how to do the channel check. I am in a rather rural area and don't have close neighbors. I can see in the router setting that no one else is connected to my router.

3) What is IPv6? Is that firmware? It says I am running firmware v1.01.13. I don't know if I can fix that.

4) I am running Mac 10.14.5 on my Macbook and iOs 12.3.1 on my iPad and iPhone 

[SteveDavisPsyD]

I just discovered the channel setting and reset the channel. The 2.4 G was set to Auto. I moved that to channel 1. The 5G was set to channel 153. I moved it to channel 36.

[SteveDavisPsyD]

Changing channels has improved things.

[FURRYe38]

Review the user manual on information on how to do a factory reset. There is a button in back or a modem web page feature that you can click on to do a factory reset. 

IPv6 is a addressing that is new. Some modems have this enabled by default. If your ISP doesn't support this, just checking to see if it's disabled on the modem. Maybe found under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/IPv6. 

Glad changing channels has helped. 

[SteveDavisPsyD]

Thanks for getting back to me.

Since changing the channels, things have been much better. However, things aren’t perfect. I have spent a little time digging around in the router on the computer. I found a setting that said “Disable IPv4 firewall protection” — this box was unchecked. I never found anything labeled “IPv6.”

I also found a factory reset button in the advanced section. Should I try this?

[FURRYe38]

I would try the factory reset and set the modem up again from scratch. Use the manual channel configuration as well. 

[SteveDavisPsyD]

How long does the factory reset take?

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

Maybe a minute or less. 

[SteveDavisPsyD]

So, I just performed the factory reset. Now I can't log into my router. When it asks me for the serial number (and I enter the correct number from the bottom of the modem/router),  it tells me that the serial number is incorrect. 

[SteveDavisPsyD]

I figured it out. Since I did the factory reset, my laptop had logged into another router in the house 🤦🏼‍♂️. Once I figured that out, everything is done and seems to be working better.

[FURRYe38]

Glad you got it working. 

Enjoy.