Wi-Fi Cutting Out

what on 07/05/2015 - 23:50
Last edited 10/05/2015 - 20:50

Hello all

We are currently having issues at home with our WiFi cutting in and out.

I have already checked with our internet service provider to ensure that the problem is not at their end.

We changed our channel settings to see if that makes a difference.

If that doesn't work, we may need to purchase a WiFi range extender.

Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations.

Our modem is a Netgear D6200 WiFi Modem Router.

Thanks.

EDIT: I need to update my post so you all know what I have found whilst trying to fix the initial WiFi issues. I have discovered that we have an intruder using our WiFi. So much of my later comments refer to ensuring that I secure my modem sufficiently to stop the intruder.

Thank you all for all your assistance.

Computing

Comments

    • cryptos on 10/05/2015 - 09:46

      15-20 mins hey? Wow you must be a good hacker, try my modem please noob

  • 2Poor4Ozb on 10/05/2015 - 04:10

    yeh there be an option
    to disable any new device

  • what on 10/05/2015 - 11:19

    Just wondering if changing the ip address of the modem would help.

    • trex on 10/05/2015 - 17:58
      +1

      Nope, it shouldn't as the IP address has nothing to do with wifi range and channel.

  • what on 10/05/2015 - 14:04

    Also, my service provider has advised me that there is no use setting up an access list because a hacker will just hijack your mac address and us it. This would then stop us using the device concerned. Therefore, is there an easy way for me to hide all our mac addresses.

    • trex on 10/05/2015 - 18:06

      What access list do you mean? You should ensure that you use encrypted password for your Wifi like WPA2. Other ways to secure your wifi further includes:-

      • hiding/disable SSID broadcast
      • MAC address filter (only specified MAC address would be allowed to connect to the Wifi)

      Simply said, while a burglar can still break into a locked house, you still wanna keep your doors locked at all times.

      • what on 10/05/2015 - 19:33

        Hi trex. Thank you for your comment.

        I have changed my WPA2 password. I have also changed the generic modem password.

        noz mentioned above that hiding the SSID and MAC filtering is not very effective:

        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/193298#comment-2739695

        I did a google search and found confirmation of this:

        http://www.pcworld.com/article/2052158/5-wi-fi-security-myth…

        I am regularly checking which devices are logged in and found the intruder earlier on today. I did activate the MAC address filter for a short time to kick intruder off and then deactivated it. I then reset my password again.

        Will continue to check for intruder and use the filter to get rid of him.

        • trex on 10/05/2015 - 23:11

          No doubt, encryption is still the best way to prevent intruders. Good to hear that you've potentially found your source of your wifi issue. With the generic modem password, the intruder could have changed your router's settings so that the bandwidth is 100% allocated to him/her. This would have caused connection issues with other devices. Run through your router's settings and look for any weird/unknown settings specifically things like DHCP manual IP and Virtual Server/Port Forwarding.

          I suspect that the intruder would have been torrenting as well. You would probably see an indication of this in your historic data usage on your ISP.

        • what on 11/05/2015 - 00:04

          @trex:

          I have found the Port Forwarding / Port Triggering page.

          Port Forwarding has a dot beside it.

          The details are as follows:

          :Default

          Enable :Yes
          Service Name :Any
          Action :BLOCK always
          LAN Server IP address :Any
          WAN Servers :Any
          Log :Never

          Under these details, I have options:

          Add
          Edit
          Move
          Delete

          I don't know what any of this means. Should I be changing anything?

          I also found, under LAN setup, that use router as a DHCP server has been ticked. Is this secure or should I deactivate it.

          Thank you for your assistance.

        • trex on 11/05/2015 - 00:11

          @what:

          If there are no IP numbers listed in the table then it looks ok.

        • what on 11/05/2015 - 00:18

          @trex:

          There are numbers there:

          Single/Start IP Address …192 168 0 2
          Finish IP Address ………192 168 0 254

          The 192.168.0 is shaded and cannot be changed but the 2 and 254 can be changed.

        • muncan on 11/05/2015 - 08:50

          @what: DHCP server is what allocates internal ip addresses (192.168.x.x) to your devices. This is completely normal. You can limit the range of ip addresses in the event you want to specify a fixed IP address for any of your devices outside of the DHCP ip range.

        • what on 11/05/2015 - 11:10

          @muncan:

          Thank you for your explanation. I am happy to hear that this is normal.

  • frinik on 10/05/2015 - 18:36

    Not sure how tech savy you are but you could try opensource firmware on it http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=163698
    disclaimer not my fault if u brick the router :P

    • what on 10/05/2015 - 19:42

      frinik - Thank you for commenting. Not too tech savvy so I am little concerned when it comes to doing something like this. Given that you mentioned that my modem could be bricked.

  • spackbace on 10/05/2015 - 18:38

    Have you check your usage around that time? Your ISP should have a toolbox to check. Just wondering if there's a massive spike in downloads in the hour it has issues

    • what on 10/05/2015 - 19:12

      Thank you spacebank.

      I haven't checked this. I will start to note the times that we get cut off and also check if the intruder is connected at that time. Will then check with service provider if there is a peak in internet usage.

  • victorheaven on 10/05/2015 - 20:45

    I have a similar issue with my modem router too.

    Wireless disconnection normally happen when I started streaming a video like youtube.

    Anyone had this issue before too?

  • teaBagger on 11/05/2015 - 21:16

    Can guarantee is it a cordless phone basestation transmitting on 2.4GHz or a cordless phone basestation located too close to your wireless router.

    It will knock the wireless out when the basestation pings the handset every few minutes.

    If the cordless base of any frequency is too close it will swamp the receiver in the wireless router and knock the wireless out.

    Always purchase a DECT cordless phone as these use 1.9Ghz. If its not a DECT cordless it will transmit on 2.4GHz.

    The problems is what I wrote above OR an "intruder"

    • what on 11/05/2015 - 22:29

      Thank you for your response.

      I have had a look at the cordless phone and found that it runs of the 5.8 ghz frequency. However, I am happy to move it or use a corded phone for a while. Our cut out problem mainly happens at night. I have downloaded inssider and saw that we are the only ones in the area who have access to the 5 ghz frequency, or our neighbors don't know they can change their frequency. Have also changed our 2.4 ghz frequency to another channel. Will experiment for a while with the two frequencies to see if things improve.

      I think I have covered the intruder problem the best I can by changing the WiFi password, twice, over the weekend, and changing my modem's generic password. Have set up an MAC access list but as mentioned by noz, this is not very effective. I did activate it for a short time to cut off an unknown device from my WiFi. I then deactivated it and changed my password.

      • what on 12/05/2015 - 11:31

        forgot to mention that I have also changed my SSID as advised in an earlier comment.

  • 2Poor4Ozb on 15/05/2015 - 23:45

    hi what,
    theres only one way you can stop an intruder is to turn off your wireless.
    all encryption ,mac filter hide ssid will only delay their hacking.
    some newer router not sure about yours but there a email option email when their a new device logged on.
    I have study this subject and it that easy to hack into wireless router with the right tools and software.
    best advise got for you is to use power Ethernet for all your laptop n pc, and only turn on wireless when needed.
    all the option above will NOT prevent it will only delay.
    hackers will used a fake mac address so it hard to report them and get a trace to where they are.
    might worth a try is to write a letter and manually posting it to surrounding house, hopefully it one of them and they stop.

    • what on 16/05/2015 - 00:17

      Thank you for your response.

      I have been trying to monitor the devices that are connected to my WiFi regularly. Have not found anything suspicious during the week. However, this does not mean that someone has not logged in when I have not been checking.

      You are right, the only way to stop a WiFi hacker is to turn my wireless off. Even though I cannot do this permanently because of my son's devices, you do have a good idea there. I will start turning the modem off when nobody in my household is using it. I will also change my password regularly. Hopefully I can make it difficult for the hacker which may turn him/her off using my WiFi.

  • 2Poor4Ozb on 16/05/2015 - 04:55

    there should be a security log that you can check on your router settings.
    also as a netgear user get netgear genie for ur pc to manage ur router

    • what on 16/05/2015 - 12:02

      I have netgear genie. Cannot locate the security log. Will do some more looking.

      I did read somewhere that I should change the IP address of modem. Do you think this would help or can it cause other problems?

  • 2Poor4Ozb on 16/05/2015 - 17:50

    it fine changing router ip
    factory standard usually 192.168.1.1/.254 or 10.1.1.1/0.0.1 etc
    changing ip is mainly used for network not really for security

  • 2Poor4Ozb on 16/05/2015 - 18:01

    security log you need to log into your router
    netgear genie is good for constantly checking what device is log onto it
    with security log once a hacker logged into your router they can delete their logs but if they a newbie they forget

  • congo on 04/06/2015 - 19:11

    The IT Crowd:
    Have you tried turning it off and on again?

    • what on 05/06/2015 - 23:37

      Yes. Many times. I strongly believe we had an intruder using our wifi. Also, we are on a very busy exchange.

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