Weird WiFi Issue ???

Lately I have been having this weird WiFi issue where my WiFi router will just disappear. Now, I'm talking about my actual WiFi router, not my Internet router. At first I thought it might be my device losing its signal, but when I'd look I can still see other routers available, just not mine. It's like it goes completely off-line. When it does this it does not come back on-line after a while, it just stays off-line. The only way to make it come back on-line is to power cycle the router.

So, here's the weird part...The router only does this at the top of the hour. It's not the same hour, just random different hours, but always at exactly the top of the hour. Not 5 minutes after, or ten, and not 20 minutes before...it's always at exactly the top of the hour (i.e. 7:00, 8:00, etc.). After I power cycle the router it will stay on-line for the rest of the day sometimes, but other times it may do this 2-3 times a day. There's no pattern other than it's always at exactly the top of the hour.

Here's some other pieces of info:

- This particular WiFi router is also a hardware based firewall. And the firewall is set up.

- The router has been in service for 5+ years, and it only just recently started doing this.

- The way I have my security set up is, users are granted a 24 hour token, after which their session will expire and they have to log in again (to the WiFi router for another token).

- The router is a ZyXEL router

- The SSID is not broadcast

- I run WPA2 security on the firewall

Any ideas on what might be going on?? It's starting to get irritating.

At first I thought maybe the router was losing its clocking and expiring the tokens, but that's not it, because if it was I'd still be able to see the router (but I'd have to log in). But, I don't see the router at all when it happens. It's like it just vanishes. The 'idiot lights' on the router still show connections, but there are none. Then I thought it might be my PC/laptop, but it happens to my wife's devices too...and at the exact same time, with exactly the same symptoms. The only fix I've found is to power cycle the router, and then it comes right back up. But this is a pain because sometimes I'm in a different building, which means I'll have to hike all the way down to the house to reset it. There's no other pattern I've been able to determine other than the top of the hour (and a completely random hour too, it can be morning, evening or night...just completely random)

Any ideas?

ETA - I'm wondering now if it could be dust related. (??) I've blown it out, but I didn't pull the cover off it as it's not really a serviceable unit. I'd really like to find the problem because it took a long time to set this all up and I really don't feel like going through all that again! (The manual is like 550 pages!). However, it seem to be happening more frequently as time marches on.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Could be a few things, you say your WiFi router and not your internet router (modem do you mean?), what's the difference? For example, my ISP provided a router which you hook up to a socket that your internet is provided through. That router then provides access to internet via WiFi and wired.

My first guess would be someone is pen-testing your network. The would be hacker uses a powerful antennae to kick off all devices on a selected network, once re-connection is established, the hacker 'sniffs' the encrypted 'handshake' (which contains your login credentials) and uses one of many available programs to 'crack' the encryption. Once they're on the network they will then be able to log into the router (if you haven't changed to login details, the login details are usually:
Username - Admin
Password - password
or a variation of those. So if you've never changed them, change them now.

Check all your devices names and mac address's and cross check with devices connected to your network and if you see any unauthorized devices, block the mac address and change your wifi password.

Like I said, this is my first guess and the problem might be something completely different such as network congestion (too many devices connected) or channel conflicts.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

5 years? It could be something going bad either software or hardware.

I would check first to see if there's a firmware update for the router that may address the issue.

If that doesn't fix things. Might be time for a new one.

I’m assuming you mean your SSID disappears?
Sounds like your router’s wifi is hopping onto a channel your device can’t see.

Setting it to a static channel on the lower range, like 1-5 should solve it.
Routers change their wifi channel to avoid interference, some intelligently. Certain devices can’t see the upper range, 13 and up.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

5 years? Lotsa changes since....get a new router!

Good luck!

a reply to: GreenGunther

Correct, yes, the SSID disappears. However, normally when there is a non-broadcast SSID you will see the device but you have to know the SSID to log into it. In this case, I don't even see the device at all (until I power cycle the router).

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
I saw in the OP that the SSID is ‘hidden’, it doesn’t make much difference. Your answer is to switch your wifi network to a static channel in the lower ranges. Your router is hopping onto a channel your devices can’t see. - most likely.

a reply to: TheMadTitan

Well, the Internet 'router' is also a router (in this case), but just not a WiFi router. It could be a WiFi router, but we have WiFi turned off on that device. We then situate a firewall in front of that device and our 10.x network behind that. So, in this scenario, we have created a "DMZ" between our 10.x network (and all its connected users) and the Internet provider.

All external users have to be manually approved at the MAC level, and any unapproved MAC's will be rejected and banned. This approval is done via an out-of-band connection directly to the router.

Plus, a hacker is going to have to guess the SSID...and the password...and even then he can't get to the admin level because that's out of band.

It's a pretty secure network!

a reply to: GreenGunther

That's actually a great suggestion! I hadn't thought of that, but you could very well be correct. And, I know there is some X-talk on some of the upper channels.

I thought I had it restricted to 1, 3 or 5, but I'll go take a look at the router settings.

Excellent suggestion!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Any time

Let me know what you find.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

**sigh**

That's not the answer I was hoping for! LOL!

I don' wanna' go through all that again! **snivel, snivel**

You're wasting too much time on this. Get a new one. It's not worth messing with.

If your router has the ability to save the configuration, I suggest a backup and then reset the router to factory defaults. Reload the configuration. Also verify date and time settings for the router. Sounds like the wireless rx/tx is going bad. Heat can be an issue.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Its probably dual band but not simultaneous despite broadcasting both network SSID. Run only 2.4ghz band (disable 5ghz) and see how it goes.

Your router will communicate at the level of the dumbest device connected. You connect your computer lets say to 5ghz and your roku or wifi camera connects on 2.4ghz. It will dumb itself down to 2.4 dropping your computer off. Inside a small building with a lot of walls you are better off running 2.4.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It could be hardware failure or decomposition. Hardware errors are pure voodoo to determine the cause.

Possible DHCP timeout needs to be upped. THought I would throw that out there. I have seen that go bonkers before.

How physically hot is it getting?

Heats the killer of a lot of electronics and in a warm environment can slowly expand/contract and that can start to cause problems that are just strange so perhaps point a fan at it for a few hours which may help but long term its a gonner.

The reason it might fail on the hour mainly would be perhaps it runs a bit of housekeeping when the clock strikes the hour and if something aint right it just goes and has a sulk since it doesn't know what to do.

If you can crack it open perhaps a clean out of any crap inside it may help as dust can become conductive or perhaps you'll see some dry solder joints or caps bulging thus letting you know its either a soldering iron or wallet job.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Are there any logs on the router or laptops that you can study to see what is going on? They will likely give a good indication. I have seen issues with dual band routers before and disabling 5Ghz is probably something worthwhile trying.

If you do end up replaing the router, I reccomend using third party firmware like DDWRT or Tomato for extra protection.

Your router had a long , wonderful life of 5_ years . That is nearly 100 years in human terms
Some component has reached EOL
Time to give it an honorable burial in the bin and upgrade.