PC keeps dropping wi fi connection to router
- Thread starter Lowell
- Start date
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8Muddypaws
Well-known member
One of the things that causes this is channel contention. Too many other networks using the same channels. If you know how to do a site survey and configure your access point to use the least busy channels might help.
Have you gotten any messages about duplicate IP addresses on your network? If you have an ipconfig release and renew might help.
Routers need to be shut down once in a while. Mine reboots itself every night at 3AM. It has that function built in but a simple lamp timer that shuts off the power for a few minutes every day will do the trick just as well.
Microwave ovens and wireless phones can cause interference.
Have you gotten any messages about duplicate IP addresses on your network? If you have an ipconfig release and renew might help.
Routers need to be shut down once in a while. Mine reboots itself every night at 3AM. It has that function built in but a simple lamp timer that shuts off the power for a few minutes every day will do the trick just as well.
Microwave ovens and wireless phones can cause interference.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
"Channel contention" is a likely cause for the ills mentioned above. There are several radio channels available to move data between router and devices. Older or cheaper routers often default to one of them, e.g. #1, #6, or #11, while newer or more sophisticated routers scan for activity and select a channel with low usage. Top of the line routers may actually use multiple channels in parallel (called MOMO). Rebooting the router may be helpful to get it to re-select the channel(s) in use.
This article explains more about it if you care to educate yourself a bit.
https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/why-channels-1-6-11.html
Sometimes you can reduce contention problems by dedicating (reserving) an IP address to devices you use all the time. It still shares a channel, but it cannot get kicked off. To reserve a channel, you have to logon to the router and use its set-up procedures to "Reserve" an IP address. You also have to logon to it to permanently assign a different radio channel.
This article explains more about it if you care to educate yourself a bit.
https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/why-channels-1-6-11.html
Sometimes you can reduce contention problems by dedicating (reserving) an IP address to devices you use all the time. It still shares a channel, but it cannot get kicked off. To reserve a channel, you have to logon to the router and use its set-up procedures to "Reserve" an IP address. You also have to logon to it to permanently assign a different radio channel.
The router I have was supplied by Century Link a couple of year ago. I'm not sure how I would access it. My PC skills are very limited. But I will be dropping Century Link soon and switching back to Cox cable. I've had lots of problems with Century Link Prism and our internet connection being out of service. Hope I'm not trading one problem for another.
8Muddypaws
Well-known member
Ah, being that they own the modem and the router maybe they can administer it remotely. Give them a call and explain your problem.
If you do switch back to Cox ask the installer to give you the administrator password. These?s no rocket science involved in administering a router, I promise! You just need to get familiar with the user interface and learn where the settings you want to tweak are. Channel assignments, lease duration, message logs, update, and backup/restore. You may want to change the passwords as well.
Or even better, buy your own cable modem and a separate router and don?t pay rent on a commodity every month. Modems are $50-$150 and routers are $15-several hundred. Naturally the cheaper ones are not the best but if you?re not gaming and streaming that might be all you really need.
I use ?inssider? From www.majorgeeks.com to do site surveys. Easy to use and free. You may need to do that before you call them.
If you do switch back to Cox ask the installer to give you the administrator password. These?s no rocket science involved in administering a router, I promise! You just need to get familiar with the user interface and learn where the settings you want to tweak are. Channel assignments, lease duration, message logs, update, and backup/restore. You may want to change the passwords as well.
Or even better, buy your own cable modem and a separate router and don?t pay rent on a commodity every month. Modems are $50-$150 and routers are $15-several hundred. Naturally the cheaper ones are not the best but if you?re not gaming and streaming that might be all you really need.
I use ?inssider? From www.majorgeeks.com to do site surveys. Easy to use and free. You may need to do that before you call them.
Lowell said:
Here is a link to how to access Century Link https://support.opendns.com/hc/en-us/articles/228008807-CenturyLink-ZyXEL-C1100Z
That said, I would be sure Cox will be a better option (mind you, maybe not less expensive).
Lou Schneider
Site Team
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2005
- Posts
- 13,302
Lowell said:
The next line in the instructions is "Log into your router?s browser-based utility by entering 192.168.0.1 or your default configuration IP into a browser."
Enter this in the address line of your Web browser. "192.168.0.1" without quotes. If it's been changed during setup you may find a different address on the bottom of the router.
This will take you to the router's configuration web page (you can get to it without being connected to the net) and from there you can access the router functions.
8Muddypaws
Well-known member
If you decide to get your own router this may help.
https://www.techradar.com/news/networking/routers-storage/best-router-9-top-wireless-routers-on-test-1090523?utm_content=buffer807f5&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer-trfb
By the way, if your current router doesn’t ask for a password to access ‘the browser based admin page’ I’d be shocked.
https://www.techradar.com/news/networking/routers-storage/best-router-9-top-wireless-routers-on-test-1090523?utm_content=buffer807f5&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer-trfb
By the way, if your current router doesn’t ask for a password to access ‘the browser based admin page’ I’d be shocked.
scottydl
Site Team
I attribute my overall wifi issues also to the super-cheap Netgear router that was provided by our ISP (Frontier, formerly Verizon). When I had connection problems with the first one a few years ago, they sent me another one. When I had problems with the replacement a few months later, they blamed everything except the equipment and told me to keep a log of downtimes and call when there was a problem (which at that time was intermittent, but almost daily). I do not have time for that. I bought a newer tp-link router but due to wiring issues (needing to convert RJ-11 phone line to RJ-45 ethernet line discussed in this thread) I still have to use the Netgear router as a pass-through for the tp-link.
We never had any other broadband options in our small town until recently, and thankfully a locally-owned ISP is digging fiber optic lines and we're signed up as new customers once the equipment is in. I'll be happy to dump the national company in exchange for a place with a nearby office, a contact number in my area code, and local techs available. The fiber optic reliability should be a big upgrade over our phone-based DSL too.
We never had any other broadband options in our small town until recently, and thankfully a locally-owned ISP is digging fiber optic lines and we're signed up as new customers once the equipment is in. I'll be happy to dump the national company in exchange for a place with a nearby office, a contact number in my area code, and local techs available. The fiber optic reliability should be a big upgrade over our phone-based DSL too.
Lou Schneider said:
I had entered the number into Edge browser but nothing happened. After seeing your answer, I tried it again on my AOL browser and it opened up the Century Link router configuration web page as you said. Thanks, I'll check this out further.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
For those many who don't want to learn to mess around with their wifi router, I suggest buying Google Wifi. It's a top quality router (actually made by one of the top manufacturers) with high-end features and managed remotely by Google (from "the cloud"). They will make sure the software is updated, router viruses and spyware eliminated, etc. I have the previous generation of it in my stick house and it performs extremely well.
https://www.amazon.com/Google-Wi-Fi-1-Pack-GA00157-US-Outlet/dp/B07FXY371L/
They like to sell the 3-pack to guarantee 100% coverage in large or multi-story houses, but the single unit works dandy for me and covers our entire place. Of course, it's a mere 1200 sq ft single floor home, so maybe not challenging, but previous routers didn't do it well, nor does the router supplied by my ISP (Spectrum/Brighthouse).
https://www.amazon.com/Google-Wi-Fi-1-Pack-GA00157-US-Outlet/dp/B07FXY371L/
They like to sell the 3-pack to guarantee 100% coverage in large or multi-story houses, but the single unit works dandy for me and covers our entire place. Of course, it's a mere 1200 sq ft single floor home, so maybe not challenging, but previous routers didn't do it well, nor does the router supplied by my ISP (Spectrum/Brighthouse).
