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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => Routers / COVR => DIR-878 => Topic started by: norbie on February 27, 2018, 08:45:09 AM

Title: Randomly drops connection
Post by: norbie on February 27, 2018, 08:45:09 AM
Hi there,
I have seen similar posts, but don't give me the answer I am looking for, so here I go.
Fairly new (3 mos.) DIR 878 AC 1900, problem description further down. Problem exists since I took the DIR878 into service.
Netgear Modem CM400 about 1 year total runtime
Internet access via Cable 200Mbits down / 20Mbits up. ISP is capable of 1Gbit Data delivery.

D-Link Hardware Version A1
Firmware Version 1.02 upgraded from 1.01 (because of the issue)

Since we are in the 21st Century, the neighborhood is filled with wireless devices and interference is possible, but many signal are down to -100dBm or less.
Devices connected:
1. IP Camera Ethernet direct through 16 port switch (24/7)
2. IP Camera WiFi (2.4GHz 24/7)
3. IP Camera WiFi (2.4GHz 24/7)
4. IP Camera WiFi (2.4GHz 24/7)
5. TP-Link Wireless Light Switch (2.4GHz 24/7)
6. TP-Link Wireless Light Switch (2.4GHz 24/7)
7. TP-Link Outlet Switch Wireless (2.4GHz 24/7)
8. TP-Link Outlet Switch Wireless (2.4GHz 24/7)
9. TP-Link Outlet Switch Wireless (2.4GHz 24/7)
10. Amazon Echo Dot (5GHz capable 24/7)
11. Amazon Echo Dot (5GHz capable 24/7)
12. Chinese (aren't they all) Outlet Switch (2.4GHz 24/7)
13. Chinese Outlet Switch (2.4GHz 24/7)
14. Quad core AMD with Linux OS Ethernet (when needed)
15. Octa core AMD (Gaming computer (Win10)) Ethernet (when I feel like it)
16. Dual Core AMD (Surveillance Computer (Linux)) Ethernet (throughout dark hours)
17. Intel Single board dual core, Ethernet Linux OS Server backup / storage (mostly off)
18. Intel Single Board dual core, Ethernet Linux OS server backup / storage (mostly off)
19. AMD Dual core Engineering Computer Dual OS (Win Vista / Linux CNC) wireless Dualband (mostly off)
20. Intel Dual Core Amateur Radio, Linux OS, Wireless (dual band, mostly off)

I think that's it for the gear.
The problem:
Randomly drops connection either WiFi or Ethernet.
I have been trying to find a solution on my own ever since, Mickey Moused with several settings to no avail.
Prior to the D-Link I had rented an Arris Modem / Router (WiFi and Ethernet) from the provider, which performed as expected.
Since the D-Link, for example: I listen to Internet Radio via Echo Dot, which randomly drops, can be working for a long time or drops frequently. At times I have to give voice commands to reconnect, other times it recovers on its own.
All devices have good to reasonable signals, both ways.
Also installed a 300 Mbits repeater for the wireless cameras (2) and possibly wireless switches, can't determine, if or if not going through the repeater.
All cameras use the rtsp protocol to talk to the camera server running Zoneminder. The server is Ethernet 1 Gbit...
Zoneminder reports lost signals throughout the surveillance operation. This shows as a blue screen and triggers an alarm.
Not much of surveillance, if some or all of the alarm trigger is a blue screen?
This is not all, some of the switches (so called smart devices) don't respond when asked to do what they are supposed to do.
Repeated voice commands produce not the desired results. By the time something happens, I switched them manually. Not much of a smart home, or?
A few seconds later (after I switched manually) they are back alive?
What I think that goes on is, the devices lose their seat in the WiFi world (even though they have reserved IP's) and it takes a long time to wake them up again. This goes for all devices, even the ones with -30dBm signal or better.
I tend to blame the router for not keeping them alive!
Frustrating, if you don't need them, they may work, I'll never know! If you need them, they don't work.
The only ones they work reliably, get this, are the cheap Chinese ones. My guess, their firmware is sending continuously keep alive packets.   
In the client list, I see devices come and go at random, by the way the client list layout sucks. If you want to check the devices, by the time you stored the information in your head, the list has changed and you start over again.
I wish there would be a way for the user to assign a "keep alive" packet for the device that are dearest.
Perhaps, there is another way to make it do what it should do, as of now, I have yet to find it.

Conclusion:
The DIR878 does not have a solid connection algorithm.
Even my wired (Ethernet 1Gbit) devices lose connection.

Cheers
Title: Re: Randomly drops connection
Post by: FurryNutz on February 27, 2018, 10:28:49 AM
Link>Welcome! (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=48135.0)

  Link> >FW Update Process (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=42457.0)


Internet Service Provider and Modem Configurations

Router and Wired Configurations
Some things to try: - Log into the routers web page at 192.168.0.1. Use IE, Opera or FF to manage the router. Be sure to log into the Admin account on the router.
>WAN and LAN Connection Rates and ISP Speeds FAQ (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=63449.0)

 
Wireless Configurations
Links>Wireless Installation Considerations (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=48327.0) and Managing Signal Congestion (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=53228.0) and Good Neighbour Policy (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=10634.0)

Router Placement
Forum User - "Well I feel really dumb. After moving the router away from other electronic devices my speeds are back to normal. Just a heads up for anyone experiencing slow speeds, you might want to move it away from other electronics and see if that helps."
3-6' feet minimum safe distance between devices.
Placement on main level floor and central in the building and WELL ventilated is preferred. Not in basements or closets as building materials, or near by electronics devices could interfere or hinder good signal propagation.
Title: Re: Randomly drops connection
Post by: norbie on February 28, 2018, 07:47:42 AM
Thanks for all the hints and tips.
Went through the list e.g. factory reset etc. took a while to get all back.
Assigned all static IP's, ( to some devices, I don't have access, I believe they use MAC ID's ) still losing signals on the the camera's ( all static IP's ).
Actually, I changed settings in the camera's to lower the load (now less than 3%), not that the wired surveillance server couldn't handle it.
Also, some of the smart home devices, still have problems to stay awake.
Played with some suggested router settings, to no avail.
Again, all devices have, static IP's, except where I can't access and reasonable to good signal strength.
To be honest, I have never in my 30+ years with computer networking, experienced anything like this, then again this was mostly wired and not too smart.
I think the DIR878 is too smart and thereby gets really dumb.....
I'll reset my 16 port Gigabit switch, just in case there is something funky.
A lot of settings aren't accessible to the user and the router makes its own, maybe not so smart, decisions.
If I can't find a solution for this, I think I am doomed to go to the competition, shelling out a few more bucks.
It's just money!!!!

"Just as I am writing this and listening to Internet Radio programming, my Echo Dot lost signal again, played out the cache and then was silent for about 10-15 seconds, recovered and plays again"
This thing is 4 feet away from the router??????
And again the Echo Dot lost signal or got dropped, and back again.
I can't believe this is normal!!!

Thanks

P.S. The WAN side and modem is working as expected, speed tests show 200Mbits down and around 25Mbits up.
Title: Re: Randomly drops connection
Post by: GreenBay42 on February 28, 2018, 08:07:28 AM
Is the wireless signal dropping or is the internet connection dropping?

When it drops, do all devices drop or just random 1 or 2 here and there?
Title: Re: Randomly drops connection
Post by: FurryNutz on February 28, 2018, 09:01:26 AM
Any chance you can disable half of your wireless clients and test with the router.
Wondering if the wifi is getting over loaded with all these devices online...Try testing with out the cameras for a while. And just the Echo Dot to see if the behavior changes...Then graduate adding a camera.

Disable MIMO if there is a option for this as well...
Title: Re: Randomly drops connection
Post by: FurryNutz on March 14, 2018, 07:59:43 AM
FYI: http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=73509.0 (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=73509.0)