2.4ghz drop issue
2.4ghz drop issue
I had to relocate my home office down to the basement, but my PC couldn't connect to Wi-Fi anymore. The router was already in the basement, so I purchased a used Asus device and a repeater from a store today. Connected everything and it functioned better than expected—until my child mentioned the TV was disconnected. My Roku relies on 2.4GHz signals throughout the house. I adjusted settings like channels, banding, and power levels. After about half a minute, my Wi-Fi speed test showed zero. No matter what I changed, the connection vanished. I removed the repeater but the issue persisted. Eventually, I switched back to my Linksys router (model WRX-2800ACM), which performed similarly. I reset it and moved it back to its original spot in the house—it still worked. When either router was stable, my speed reached 144 Mbps download and around 90 Mbps upload during testing. The tests were done near and far from the devices. It seems interference might be the problem, not just my equipment. Networking isn’t my strongest skill, but I’m learning. Do you think I have two faulty routers? I’ve used this model before—it’s been reliable for years, only needing occasional reboots. I monitor neighbor channels and occasionally switch mine to cut down on noise.
It’s challenging to pinpoint exactly what you’re doing. I’d revisit the fundamentals—make sure the repeater is unplugged for troubleshooting, as it might be the source of your issues. Could you share the model of your Asus router and repeater? (Have you checked for firmware updates on your Asus devices?) Connect a computer to your router via a wired connection and turn off Wi-Fi on the router. Does it function normally? If yes, the problem likely lies with your Wi-Fi network. If not, the issue probably resides with your ISP’s router. When you connect a device directly to the wired router and disable Wi-Fi, test again. Only after confirming stability should you reintroduce devices to the new Wi-Fi network. One thing to note: wireless gadgets such as phones or tablets won’t automatically switch to the stronger signal unless they’re close enough. Unless you’re using a mesh system, they’ll stay on the first signal they detect, regardless of distance.
Well, perhaps you're onto something with a particular gadget causing the trouble. Keeping my Linksys router connected the usual way seemed to resolve the problem. When I tested it under load, the Wi-Fi dropped, but devices like the TV stayed online. I suspect my Asus router might be overheating. After replacing the thermal pads and adding two 5V fans inside, I installed Merlin firmware. I ran it with just my phone for an hour without any interruptions. Once switched to the main router, the connection remained stable for over a minute. About twenty minutes later, the 2.4GHz band vanished completely. All devices still had strong signals, but no internet access. So I turned off the 2.4GHz radio on the Asus and set my Linksys router to only provide 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. It's now functioning properly. For now, I'm planning a few hours of board games with the family to try and identify the culprit. The devices I've got are a Linksys WRT3200ACM, an Asus RT-Acc88U, and an Asus RP-Ac68U. I'm pretty sure my modified Asus RT-Acc88U performed well for at least an hour with just one device connected. But when seven were on the 2.4GHz band, it dropped after roughly twenty minutes. Still, now everything stays under 50MHz... if that's important.
Checking how these gadgets interact is key. Their setup matters, and knowing which ISP device powers your router helps. Since the basement usually has poor WiFi coverage, positioning your router there might not be ideal. Also, many omnidirectional routers struggle with strong signals going up, so clients in the upper floors could experience weak or no connection.
I'm experiencing quite a bit of confusion, so I apologize. I wasn't expecting a strong Wi-Fi signal everywhere. When devices disconnect, it's not because of the signal strength. It seems the issue arises when I'm close to the router and still have a solid connection. The current setup uses FiOS ONT with an Asus router, broadcasting only on 5GHz. My Ethernet link is connected to a Linksys device, which has DHCP disabled. A static IP of 192.168.1.2 is assigned, and the gateway is set to 192.168.1.1 (Asus). The Linksys only supports 2.4GHz, while my router uses 5GHz. Each SSID operates on separate bands. When configured with the Asus router, both bands work together for stable connectivity and decent speeds. However, after about 20 minutes, the connection drops to 2.4GHz, losing internet access despite strong signal. I use a different SSID for each device. If a TV goes offline, I can easily connect nearby using my phone—my device shows 144Mbps upload and 1-2Mbps download. This suggests the 2.4GHz radio is only receiving, not transmitting. The 5GHz radio remains functional throughout the house. In a previous post, it was suggested to test devices one at a time to identify issues. I think this approach might help. Currently, my Linksys router is stuck on the 2.4GHz band, which keeps TVs stable. If I run a long connection test from my phone, it can replicate the drop. This confirmed that the problem lies with the 2.4GHz channel. Initially, I suspected overheating from the Asus router due to dust buildup. I tried cleaning it, but nothing changed. Both routers were reset and firmware updated on the Asus, yet the issue persisted. Unless I discover another solution, I plan to switch SSIDs and test connections one by one while monitoring via my phone. A side note: the Asus router's range significantly interferes with the Linksys. This was intended as a simple upgrade for Ethernet access upstairs. I might have overlooked checking Wi-Fi settings instead of just powering it on. At first, I was thrilled when my son's PC downloaded 500Mbps and my TVs reached over 100 Mbps—unheard of on Wi-Fi before.
I only possess one Cat6 cable at home. Verizon set up my service in the basement and extended it upstairs to the living room. My PC and work devices had both Wi-Fi and Ethernet ports. When my office was on the upper floor, Wi-Fi worked there but not downstairs. I mostly needed Ethernet connections in the basement. Eventually, I plan to install the remaining components for my PFS sense PC, adding a switch in the basement and running Cat6a throughout. This keeps moving up the list of tasks I need to complete around the house.