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TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

wphil
Dabbler
Posts: 24
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Registered: ‎25-11-2012

TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

I have had my TG582n router for about 6 months.  Occasionally the wireless disconnects and then reconnects.  Then it will just be disconnected and using 'repair' will re-establish the connection.  Gradually the longer I've been connected, say after most of the day this is more likely to happen.  Just recently it has got to the point that sometimes the 'repair' fails on the obtaining an IP address and that seems to be the end of it.  (edited, had originally put DNS rather than IP address, just a slip up)
I wondered if I had a thermal fault with my wireless module in my old laptop but it happens with my desktop as well.
Previous to getting the TG582n I was using an old Linksys wireless modem/router and didn't get the same problem.
I wondered if there are any known problems with this router that may explain my experiences.
16 REPLIES 16
ReedRichards
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Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Sounds like your router may be a bit faulty.  I'm not sure if you are experiencing a 'known problem' but that is not atypical of what a router with faulty wireless might do.
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
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Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Hi wphil,
Welcome to the community forum.
Have you tried your old router to see if you get any similar problems? It might be worth trying to change your <a href="http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/wireless_broadband/wireless_signal.shtml#channel">wireless channels</a>.
Let me know how you get on.
aam
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎21-11-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Quote from: wphil
I have had my TG582n router for about 6 months.  Occasionally the wireless disconnects and then reconnects.  Then it will just be disconnected and using 'repair' will re-establish the connection.  Gradually the longer I've been connected, say after most of the day this is more likely to happen.  Just recently it has got to the point that sometimes the 'repair' fails on the obtaining an IP address and that seems to be the end of it.  (edited, had originally put DNS rather than IP address, just a slip up)
I wondered if I had a thermal fault with my wireless module in my old laptop but it happens with my desktop as well.
Previous to getting the TG582n I was using an old Linksys wireless modem/router and didn't get the same problem.
I wondered if there are any known problems with this router that may explain my experiences.
I had something similar the other day, but my router is only a couple of weeks old.  What I noticed was that my machine was trying to connect wirelessly, but it would not manage to get an IP via DHCP.  All it would do is fail to connect and then try again and again.  I could not get it to work even when I was right next to the TG582n.  I connected via ethernet and wired was fine.  I logged into the router, re-saved the wireless settings, without changing anything, and it all started to work again. 
Based on my experience of the TG582n over the last couple of weeks and what I have read on this forum, I'm really considering if I should return it and look at getting my own alternative device.     
chrispurvey
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Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

@aam
Since you made the changes have you had any more problems?
aam
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎21-11-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

It's only been a day, so no lock outs yet but I still have the very poor wireless coverage.  Btw: I didn't actually make any changes, all I did was re-save the existing wireless settings on the page as is.  
I did temporarily try an old Netgear DG834GT and it worked fine, with good wireless coverage on the same channel I used on the TG582n.  It just shows that the TG582n is simply awful as a wireless router.  I was thinking about mounting the TG582n high up, to see if I can get a bit of an improvement from it, but I need to either get or make a DC power extension lead to go form the power supply to the router.  I thought it was a standard 2.1mm ID (inside diameter) x 5.5mm OD (outside diameter).  Unfortunately the pin actually seems to be a bit bigger than 2.1mm and not quite as big as 2.5mm, but the 2.5mm may work ok.  Maybe I should just cut my losses and return the TG582n and invest in my own alternative.  Someone really dropped the ball at Plusnet when they recommended this as the standard wireless router to be supplied to customers.
dick:quote     
chrispurvey
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Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Have you tried to change your <a href="http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/wireless_broadband/wireless_signal.shtml#channel">wireless channel</a> to see if there is an improvement on the TG582n?
aam
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎21-11-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Yes, it was one of the first things I did.  Unfortunately it made no real difference:  
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,108445.msg937141.html#msg937141
chrispurvey
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Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Thanks for your time on the phone, let me know how you get on.
wphil
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Registered: ‎25-11-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Hi All
Some interesting comments.  Somehow I only got a notification for the first reply so have only just discovered the discussions I seem to have started.
I have tried my old router but not for long as its PSU is rather hot and doesn't smell too good.
I have not tried changing channels as using inSSIDer there is no clear channel.  There are routers using channels 6 and 11,  and there are two routers that use two channels.  I am overlapping with one of the latter routers which is using channels 1 and 5 and I am on channel 1.  This route is about -75bB and mine is about -35dB.  I would have thought this should be okay.
I did go into the router settings as I remembered something about low power.  Anyway, I didn't have power reduction enabled so that couldn't be having an effect.
I did connect up by ethernet but it is a pain continually making another connection frequently with a laptop.
I will try re-saving settings as @aam has done.
My problems do seem to take a long time to occur which one might think could be a thermal problem but it could of course be something software related that takes a lot of up time to occur.
Oh, the other thing is the router is only 4 feet away, there should not be a range issue.
aam
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎21-11-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Quote from: chrispurvey
Thanks for your time on the phone, let me know how you get on.
Thanks for your assistance Chris.  Fingers crossed that the replacement router will improve things. 
Quote from: wphil
I have tried my old router but not for long as its PSU is rather hot and doesn't smell too good.
That does not sound too good.  The psu should not get very hot in a short time and if it is faulty a fluctuating voltage can cause havoc with a router  Maybe you need to request a replacement psu or even the whole router.   
Having used the 10.2.2.9 firmware on the TG582n one useful feature is the automatic wireless channel selection, but how reliable it is has yet to be seen. 
chrispurvey
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Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Hi wphil,
Looking at your connection log it's quite hard to see if your connection is dropping out aswell as it looks like you turn your router off.
<img src="http://ccgi.psmith12.plus.com/visradius/generated/image13540305404635.png"/><div style="clear:both;"></div>
It may be worth repositioning your router to make sure nothing is interfering too.
wphil
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Registered: ‎25-11-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

Okay, got lots of things to report but just confusing at present, I haven’t spotted a pattern.
Using inSSIDer I can see there are lots of networks around me spread all across the channels.  There is no channel that is clear.  Mostly there are two or three networks.  There are three local networks that are dual channel.  All other networks show as -75dB compared to my own network typical of -30 to -35.
I have left my modem/router turned on since you commented and this seems to be causing more problems although I need to experiment more.  The reason I have been turning off despite advice to the contrary is of course waste of power.  Once settled down after a number of weeks I find that with turning the router on and off I always get a sync speed of 10.2 or 10.3; I previously got typically 7.8 with my old voyager modem.
Since leaving it on I have had trouble getting my desktop to stay connected on wireless.  It keeps disconnecting and reconnecting and has even got into the state where it will not reconnect.
At the moment I have laptop and desktop connected.  The desktop is struggling but showing a steady signal level from the router.  The laptop is staying connected but inSSIDer is showing dropouts in signal.  I had spotted the latter before and have been waiting to see if there is correlation with the disconnects and particularly inability to reconnect.  I’ve not been able to confirm this yet.  Of course the problem could be reception by the computer(s) rather than transmission by the router.  The mismatch between which computer is struggling to maintain a connection and signal dropouts suggests it isn’t actual wireless connection; however, I would need to work for some time using Ethernet instead to confirm this.  Limited time with Ethernet has not had any problems.
I have not relocated the router yet.  To do so I will need to move it away from the computers.  I am aware of all other equipment that might cause an issue (that’s in my property) so would spot any correlation with that.  The only thing particularly nearby is the cordless landline; so again I would be aware of correlation with that.  It does have Bluetooth but I’ve turned that off with no effect.
I have noticed by hovering over tray icon for wireless that the speed varies, things are reliable when it shows 54Mbps but it can fluctuate down to 20 ish and still be okay (obviously both computers are wireless g).
I think will leave a bit longer but if things are still an issue the first thing will just be to power cycle the router.  Then I’ll move it.
Obviously my biggest problem is the variability of the problem and that is not there all the time so any experiments need ages to try and confirm any effect or not.  At the moment things are not the worst they’ve been; reconnect works or occasionally ‘repair’ is necessary but I’ve not had failure to obtain an IP address of late.
I think that’s probably enough comments at present to get everyone else as confused as me!
aam
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎21-11-2012

Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

@wphil
Have you already tried changing the wireless setting in the router from WPA+WPA2 (the default) to just WPA2 (labelled WPA2-PSK in the setting dropdown) to see if it helps?
@chrispurvey
The replacement router arrived.  Apart from the terrible wireless range that persists, it unfortunately whines more than the one that went back.  As suspected, the source of the noise seems to be what would be classed as coil whine.  This must be down to sub-standard manufacture, where components under load resonate to give off the high frequency sound.  The usual solution used during manufacture is to use an adequate amount of non-conductive adhesive on the components to reduce the amount of resonance.  As mentioned previously, the noise may not be audible to everyone unless the router is situated in a quiet environment and you have good hearing that can hear higher frequencies.       
Having extended the DC power cable, I did mount the TG582n at ceiling height to see what effects it would have on the signal.  Unfortunately, as the router was already mounted on the wall lower down, it did not make too much difference.
wphil
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Re: TG582n drops wireless after many hours or even no IP address issued

@aam
My security mode is WPA-PSK, not either of your options but I suspect what you meant to use.
To answer an old comment you made about my PSU - that was the old Linksys I tried for comparisonso nothing to do with Plusnet.