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[norbie]

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

[FurryNutz]

Link>Welcome!

• What region are you located?
• Was a Factory Reset performed before and after any firmware updates then set up from scratch?

  Link> >FW Update Process


Internet Service Provider and Modem Configurations

• Check cable between Modem and Router, swap out to be sure. Link> Cat6 is recommended.

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.

• Enable or Disable Use Unicasting (compatibility for some ISP DHCP Servers) and test under Setup/Internet/Manual. Disable may help with speed performance on higher speed ISP services.
• Turn off DNS Relay under Setup/Networking. Link>Finding Faster DNS Addresses using Name Bench and input new DNS addresses under Setup/Internet/Manual.
• Setup DHCP reserved IP addresses for all devices ON the router. Setup/Networking. This ensures each devices gets its own IP address when turned on and connected, eliminates IP address conflicts and helps in troubleshooting and maintain consistency for applications that need to connect as well as mapped drives. Use this for devices that need router management only. Set other devices that don't need much internet access for Static IP addresses ON the devices outside of the routers default IP address pool range.
• Ensure devices are set to auto obtain an IP address for those which do not have a Static IP address set on the device.
• If IPv6 is an option on the router, select Local Connection Only under Setup/IPv6.
• Set Firewall settings to Endpoint Independent for TCP and UDP under Advanced/Firewall. Enable or Disable SPI to test.
• Enable uPnP and Multi-cast Streaming under Advanced/Networking.
• WAN Port Speed set to Auto or specific speed? Some newer ISP modems support 1000Mb so manually setting to Gb speeds can be supported by the router. Advanced/Advanced Networking/WAN Port Speed

>WAN and LAN Connection Rates and ISP Speeds FAQ

• Set current Time Zone, Date and Time. Use an NTP Server feature. The DST setting is only needed in the NA region. Tools/Time.

 
Wireless Configurations
Links>Wireless Installation Considerations and Managing Signal Congestion and Good Neighbour Policy

• Ensure the default (dlink) SSID name is changed. Ensure that different SSID names are used between each WiFi 2.4/5Ghz radios. Can be anything and not something that's already in use by any neighbouring WiFi routers. Under Setup/Wireless/Manual.
• What wireless modes are you using?
• For routers with Smart Connect Technology , try disabling this feature and test. Under Wireless.
• 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz routers: Try single mode G or N or mixed G and N on 2.4Ghz and single mode N or AC on 5Ghz?
• Channel Width set for Auto 20/40Mhz or try 20Mhz only.
• Try setting a manual Channel to a open or unused channel. 1, 6 or 11. 11 for single mode N if the channel is clear. 13 for EU regions. Try channel 48 or 149 on 5Ghz.
• What security mode are you using? Preferred security is WPA-Personal. WPA2/AES Only. Some WiFi adapters don't support AES, so you might want to try TPIK only or Auto TPIK and AES.
• Ensure any devices with WiFi adapter drivers are updated.
• Any 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz cordless house phones or WiFi APs near by that maybe causing interferences?
• Any other WiFi routers in the area that maybe causing interferences? Link> Use a WiFi Scanner to find out. How many?

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.

[norbie]

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.

[GreenBay42]

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?

[FurryNutz]

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...

[FurryNutz]

FYI: http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=73509.0