RAX20 dropping some connections

[microsvc2]

Have a nighthawk RAX20, it's been great. Within the past week, a few times I've lost WiFi connection to my doorbell cam, tempest weather station and myQ garage door opener. Power cycling the router fixes it for a while.  Firmware is the latest.

Suggestions are helpful.

Bob 

[Kitsap]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

Have a nighthawk RAX20, it's been great. Within the past week, a few times I've lost WiFi connection to my doorbell cam, tempest weather station and myQ garage door opener. Power cycling the router fixes it for a while.  Firmware is the latest.

Suggestions are helpful.

Bob 

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What frequency band are these various IoT devices using to connect to the RAX20?

If you are using the 2.4 GHz band, what channel do you have set on the router or are you using AUTO?

If using AUTO, recommend you manually select channel 6 or 11, in particular if you have close neighbors that are also using Wi-Fi.

[microsvc2]

Hi. I'm using 2.4 for these items on channel 11.  I'm in a single family house on .75 acres. Neighbors aren't that close. 

[Kitsap]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

Hi. I'm using 2.4 for these items on channel 11.  I'm in a single family house on .75 acres. Neighbors aren't that close. 

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If your router has the option to configure a 20 MHz wide channel on the 2.4 GHz band, stick with that.  It will do everything you need for bandwidth on IoT devices.  No need for the 40 MHz wide channel.  Disable the 20/40 MHz co-existence option.  Re-boot the router.

[michaelkenward]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

I'm in a single family house on .75 acres. Neighbors aren't that close. 

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Bit of a stretch. WiFi doesn't get that far on my 1-acre plot.

[microsvc2]

Right.  This is a bizarre issue. 

[Kitsap]

There may be more Wi-Fi signals in your area than you think.  Do a scan with a Wi-Fi manager program on your mobile device to see for sure.  The Ubiquiti product works well on Android:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubnt.usurvey&hl=en_US&pli=1

Microwave ovens are a powerful source of 2.4 GHz radio frequency interference.  Cordless phone sets can also generate problems in the 2.4 GHz band.

[microsvc2]

How would another wifi signal mess with three devices at the same time?

[Kitsap]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

How would another wifi signal mess with three devices at the same time?

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Knock your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi radio off line that each of your devices connect to.

[microsvc2]

A few months ago, I installed a wavlink mini wifi router (wired Ethernet to it) in my garage for my video garage door opener. This issue didn't happen until this week which is interesting. I changed the channel from auto to 6 today. Time will tell if it helps. Thoughts?

[michaelkenward]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

A few months ago, I installed a wavlink mini wifi router (wired Ethernet to it) in my garage for my video garage door opener.

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How is that wavlink router configured? To avoid all the usual "double NAT" hassles, wireless Access Point (AP) mode would be best,

What is Double NAT? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

But then you get this:

Disabled Features on the Router when set to AP Mode | Answer | NETGEAR Support

If the idea is simply to make the wifi go further, that should be no problem.

[microsvc2]

The wavlink is set to access point.  There's three choices. AP, repeater and router.

[michaelkenward]

It is wired to the router so AP is the best choice.

Just wanted to rule out other c0omplications.

[microsvc2]

No idea how to resolve this.  

[Kitsap]

Your original post indicated loss of Wi-Fi signal to three IoT devices. 

Later on you indicated a second source of Wi-Fi from a WavLink access point.  This source is in addition to the Wi-Fi from your RAX20.

Are your three IoT devices connecting to the same Wi-Fi source or are they split up?  How are they split up?

What are the Wi-Fi channel number and channel width settings on your RAX20?

What are the Wi-Fi channel number and channel width settings on your WavLink access point?

How far apart physically are the RAX20 and WavLink access point located?

[microsvc2]

you indicated a second source of Wi-Fi from a WavLink access point. This source is in addition to the Wi-Fi from your RAX20. 

Yes

Are your three IoT devices connecting to the same Wi-Fi source or are they split up? How are they split up?

Doorbell cam, wyse cameras and tempest station.

What are the Wi-Fi channel number and channel width settings on your RAX20?

Wireless setup on rax20:

Enable AX; enable ssid & 20/40 coexistence; channel 11 and 600 mbps; tkip & aes

What are the Wi-Fi channel number and channel width settings on your WavLink access point?

Channel 11. Unsure of width

How far apart physically are the RAX20 and WavLink access point located?

About 40 feet. Rax in living room and wavlink in garage via Ethernet cable from the rax.

[Kitsap]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

you indicated a second source of Wi-Fi from a WavLink access point. This source is in addition to the Wi-Fi from your RAX20. 

Yes

Are your three IoT devices connecting to the same Wi-Fi source or are they split up? How are they split up?

Doorbell cam, wyse cameras and tempest station.

What are the Wi-Fi channel number and channel width settings on your RAX20?

Wireless setup on rax20:

Enable AX; enable ssid & 20/40 coexistence; channel 11 and 600 mbps; tkip & aes

What are the Wi-Fi channel number and channel width settings on your WavLink access point?

Channel 11. Unsure of width

How far apart physically are the RAX20 and WavLink access point located?

About 40 feet. Rax in living room and wavlink in garage via Ethernet cable from the rax.

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First suggestion would be to disable the 20/40 coexistence.  This sets your 2.4 GHz broadcast to 20 MHz channel width.  Most IoT devices that connect to the 2.4 GHz band have no need for and cannot accommodate a 40 MHz wide channel.

Second suggestion would be to disable the AX transmission.  There have been reports of this causing a problem.  This would be temporary for testing.  Until proven in your configuration, they are only reports.  For the AX band, are you trying to use a 160 MHz wide channel?

Some good reference material here for Wi-Fi:  https://www.wiisfi.com/.

[microsvc2]

I've disabled AX and coexistence. I'll monitor how this works. What should I look out for?

[Kitsap]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

I've disabled AX and coexistence. I'll monitor how this works. What should I look out for?

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Loss of connection to IoT devices over the 2.4 GHz band.

[microsvc2]

Hi. It worked for four days then it failed, just now.

[Kitsap]

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@microsvc2 wrote:

Hi. It worked for four days then it failed, just now.

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There may be other events causing the loss of connection.  Reboot the router and keep track.  An improvement none the less.

It would not hurt to do a full sequential restart of your network.  Power down the modem and the router.  Power up the modem and let it fully boot and show connection to the internet.  Next power up your router and do the same.

[microsvc2]

Thanks for your suggestion. I do that exact thing when this happens.

[microsvc2]

I changed the channel of the wavlink to 1 (from 6) and I haven't had any issues since then. The rax20 is still on channel 11.

[Kitsap]

Thanks for the update.  Time will tell for sure!