Persistent wireless network failure

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

My wireless network fails maybe twice a week. Only the wireless network though. Typically, I’ll just setup a wired connection to my router and reboot it over ssh. Here’s the output of wifi status.

edit: I just noticed it says radio0 is “up”. My laptop won’t connect though.


{
"radio0": {
"up": true,
"pending": false,
"autostart": true,
"disabled": false,
"retry_setup_failed": false,
"config": {
"path": "platform/soc/fe300000.mmcnr/mmc_host/mmc1/mmc1:0001/mmc1:0001:1",
"band": "5g",
"channel": "36",
"htmode": "VHT80",
"country": "US",
"cell_density": 0
},
"interfaces": [
{
"section": "wifinet1",
"ifname": "phy0-ap0",
"config": {
"mode": "ap",
"ssid": "BoboPlanet",
"encryption": "psk2",
"key": "xxxxxx",
"mode": "ap",
"network": [
"lan"
]
},
"vlans": [

			],
			"stations": [
				
			]
		}
	]
}

}
Wifi spontaneously and persistently disabled
2

Let’s start by looking the complete config.

Please connect to your OpenWrt device using ssh and copy the output of the following commands and post it here using the "Preformatted text </> " button (red circle; this works best in the 'Markdown' composer view in the blue oval):

Screenshot 2025-10-20 at 8.14.14 PM

Remember to redact passwords, VPN keys, MAC addresses and any public IP addresses you may have:

ubus call system board
cat /etc/config/network
cat /etc/config/wireless
cat /etc/config/dhcp
cat /etc/config/firewall
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3 
root@OpenWrt:/tmp# ubus call system board
{
"kernel": "6.6.86",
"hostname": "OpenWrt",
"system": "ARMv8 Processor rev 3",
"model": "Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Rev 1.5",
"board_name": "raspberrypi,4-model-b",
"rootfs_type": "ext4",
"release": {
"distribution": "OpenWrt",
"version": "24.10.1",
"revision": "r28597-0425664679",
"target": "bcm27xx/bcm2711",
"description": "OpenWrt 24.10.1 r28597-0425664679",
"builddate": "1744562312"
}
}
root@OpenWrt:/tmp# cat /etc/config/network

config interface 'loopback'
option device 'lo'
option proto 'static'
option ipaddr '127.0.0.1'
option netmask '255.0.0.0'

config globals 'globals'
option ula_prefix 'fddb:4626:91c::/48'
option packet_steering '1'

config device
option name 'br-lan'
option type 'bridge'
list ports 'eth0'

config interface 'lan'
option device 'br-lan'
option proto 'static'
option ipaddr '192.168.5.1'
option netmask '255.255.255.0'
option ip6assign '60'

config interface 'WAN'
option proto 'dhcp'
option device 'eth1'

root@OpenWrt:/tmp# cat /etc/config/wireless

config wifi-device 'radio0'
option type 'mac80211'
option path 'platform/soc/fe300000.mmcnr/mmc_host/mmc1/mmc1:0001/mmc1:0001:1'
option band '5g'
option channel '36'
option htmode 'VHT80'
option country 'US'
option cell_density '0'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet1'
option device 'radio0'
option mode 'ap'
option ssid 'BoboPlanet'
option encryption 'psk2'
option key 'xxxxx'
option network 'lan'

root@OpenWrt:/tmp# cat /etc/config/dhcp

config dnsmasq
option domainneeded '1'
option boguspriv '1'
option filterwin2k '0'
option localise_queries '1'
option rebind_protection '1'
option rebind_localhost '1'
option local '/lan/'
option domain 'lan'
option expandhosts '1'
option nonegcache '0'
option cachesize '1000'
option authoritative '1'
option readethers '1'
option leasefile '/tmp/dhcp.leases'
option resolvfile '/tmp/resolv.conf.d/resolv.conf.auto'
option nonwildcard '1'
option localservice '1'
option ednspacket_max '1232'
option filter_aaaa '0'
option filter_a '0'

config dhcp 'lan'
option interface 'lan'
option leasetime '12h'
option dhcpv4 'server'
option dhcpv6 'server'
option ra 'server'
list ra_flags 'managed-config'
list ra_flags 'other-config'
option start '100'
option limit '150'

config dhcp 'wan'
option interface 'wan'
option ignore '1'

config odhcpd 'odhcpd'
option maindhcp '0'
option leasefile '/tmp/hosts/odhcpd'
option leasetrigger '/usr/sbin/odhcpd-update'
option loglevel '4'

root@OpenWrt:/tmp# cat /etc/config/firewall

config defaults
option input 'REJECT'
option output 'ACCEPT'
option forward 'REJECT'
option synflood_protect '1'

config zone 'lan'
option name 'lan'
option input 'ACCEPT'
option output 'ACCEPT'
option forward 'ACCEPT'
list network 'lan'

config zone 'wan'
option name 'wan'
option input 'REJECT'
option output 'ACCEPT'
option forward 'REJECT'
option masq '1'
option mtu_fix '1'
list network 'wan'
list network 'wan6'
list network 'WAN'

config forwarding
option src 'lan'
option dest 'wan'

config rule
option name 'Allow-DHCP-Renew'
option src 'wan'
option proto 'udp'
option dest_port '68'
option target 'ACCEPT'
option family 'ipv4'

config rule
option name 'Allow-Ping'
option src 'wan'
option proto 'icmp'
option icmp_type 'echo-request'
option family 'ipv4'
option target 'ACCEPT'

config rule
option name 'Allow-IGMP'
option src 'wan'
option proto 'igmp'
option family 'ipv4'
option target 'ACCEPT'

config rule
option name 'Allow-DHCPv6'
option src 'wan'
option proto 'udp'
option dest_port '546'
option family 'ipv6'
option target 'ACCEPT'

config rule
option name 'Allow-MLD'
option src 'wan'
option proto 'icmp'
option src_ip 'fe80::/10'
list icmp_type '130/0'
list icmp_type '131/0'
list icmp_type '132/0'
list icmp_type '143/0'
option family 'ipv6'
option target 'ACCEPT'

config rule
option name 'Allow-ICMPv6-Input'
option src 'wan'
option proto 'icmp'
list icmp_type 'echo-request'
list icmp_type 'echo-reply'
list icmp_type 'destination-unreachable'
list icmp_type 'packet-too-big'
list icmp_type 'time-exceeded'
list icmp_type 'bad-header'
list icmp_type 'unknown-header-type'
list icmp_type 'router-solicitation'
list icmp_type 'neighbour-solicitation'
list icmp_type 'router-advertisement'
list icmp_type 'neighbour-advertisement'
option limit '1000/sec'
option family 'ipv6'
option target 'ACCEPT'

config rule
option name 'Allow-ICMPv6-Forward'
option src 'wan'
option dest '*'
option proto 'icmp'
list icmp_type 'echo-request'
list icmp_type 'echo-reply'
list icmp_type 'destination-unreachable'
list icmp_type 'packet-too-big'
list icmp_type 'time-exceeded'
list icmp_type 'bad-header'
list icmp_type 'unknown-header-type'
option limit '1000/sec'
option family 'ipv6'
option target 'ACCEPT'

config rule
option name 'Allow-IPSec-ESP'
option src 'wan'
option dest 'lan'
option proto 'esp'
option target 'ACCEPT'

config rule
option name 'Allow-ISAKMP'
option src 'wan'
option dest 'lan'
option dest_port '500'
option proto 'udp'
option target 'ACCEPT'
4

Your config looks fine, but there are two things that come to mind...

  1. This could be a power issue -- are you using a 15W (or greater) power supply on your Pi?
  2. Are any other devices connected over wifi when you're unable to get your laptop join the network?

The Pi (all of them, actually) is terrible as a wifi AP. The chipset is extremely limited in many ways, and may not support many concurrent client devices (I've never actually tested this, but a quick search says that it may only support 6-7 concurrent connections; this is a function of the wifi chipset and its firmware, not OpenWrt).

5

I’ve been meaning to replace it with a purpose built router+AP… But I haven’t been shopping around.

No issue there. The power supply is rated for 30W.

6

Now would be a good time.

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