Issues with TP-Link Archer C80 causing frequent internet interruptions.
Issues with TP-Link Archer C80 causing frequent internet interruptions.
Hey there! I've been using a TP-Link Archer C80 router for nearly three months now. About a month back, I began observing that the internet would intermittently disconnect for roughly 10 to 15 seconds each day. At first, it seemed like a minor hiccup, but recently (over two weeks) the problem escalated significantly. Now, my connection drops at least ten times daily, which is really disruptive. I often have important work calls and then play online games at night; the interruptions cause me to lose progress every time the connection cuts.
Even when the internet goes down, my Wi-Fi or Ethernet connections don’t show up as disconnected on any of the devices in my home. Websites fail to load, and live streams freeze completely. The router’s LED light turns orange whenever there’s a drop in connection. Initially, I assumed the issue was with my ISP because the router’s configuration displayed no IP address during those brief outages, then it would reappear.
My ISP’s ONT is set to bridge mode, and I connect the C80 directly to the internet via a Cat 5e Ethernet cable straight from the ONT. Nothing else comes out of the ONT. To test, I ran the cable to my PC and connected it directly from the ONT for two days straight—during that time, I experienced zero drops. This confirmed there’s a problem with the router itself.
I’ve tried resetting it, restoring it to factory settings, switching DNS servers to Google’s, and even changed the DHCP settings. Still, nothing resolves the issue. All devices connected to the router are affected: my desktop PC (Gigabit Ethernet), iPad Pro (WiFi 2.4GHz), two iPhones (WiFi 5GHz), PS5 (Gigabit Ethernet), MacBook Pro (WiFi 5GHz), two Smart TVs (WiFi 5GHz).
Any advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Consider removing the router from the setup. Connect your PC straight to the ISP’s equipment and observe the results. If the signal stabilizes, the problem is likely the router. If it continues to drop, the ISP probably needs to address the issue. Should the router be the cause, a firmware update might help. If no update is available, you might be fine. Also, check if the router feels warm—cooling it down often resolves overheating problems.
What speeds are you receiving from your ISP? Consider switching off the ONT and router for an hour, then restarting with the ONT first and the router afterward. How long does the router remain active before connections stop? Have you looked for a firmware update? I notice several available this year.
Hi!
1) My internet plan offers 600mbps download and 200mbps upload over Ethernet, but it changes depending on Wi-Fi.
2) I recently turned off both devices for a night and restarted them, yet they still couldn’t connect to the internet.
3) I’ve installed the newest firmware on my router. Thanks!
It appears to work on both WiFi and ethernet connections. I considered a router overload as a possible cause, but I haven’t lost access to the admin portal. I don’t want to replace my current router just because it keeps having this problem, since the issues only appear when using the router. The ONT functions properly if I connect my PC directly to it.
I believe I found the cause. I connected two additional routers—a D-Link and an ASUS AC68U—and in each of them, the system log showed a similar problem: the WAN's DHCP struggled to renew the IP address, leading to internet interruptions. With the ASUS device, I adjusted all possible settings without success. I reached out to my ISP who will dispatch a technician to inspect or replace the modem.
I experienced a comparable problem with extended network connections. Do you have any long cables or potentially faulty ones? If so, consider inserting a switch between the cables and the router. I believe extended connections consume excessive power from these budget routers, leading to unpredictable crashes because the power supply lacks stability.