PPPoE disconnects all the time

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
1

Hello everyone,

I have a DIR-878 router.
My connection is PPPoE - modem tags VLAN 100 as required by the ISP.
I've done some troubleshooting already, please see https://forum.openwrt.org/t/how-to-configure-vlan-on-dir-882-there-is-vlan-support-bot-no-switch/71140/3?u=dynamo (includes basic system settings).

I'm completelly clueless now.
I'm running OpenWRT snapshot r14039-4c73c34ec4

The connection drops at random times - it can be up for anything between a few seconds and 50min. So far I've never had a PPPoE connection last more than 1h.

2

Since you were able to get service then your configuration is working.
Random disconnects might be an indication of line instability.
Did you check if your modem lost sync when PPPoE disconnect?

3

Yes. Layer 1 sync remains good. PPPoE drops and then reconnects in less than a minute. This won't happen if I plug the modem directly at the computer and dial using Windows (haven't tested on Linux yet), nor if I use the crappy ISP modem as the router. Those short drops are enough to compromise VoIP, gaming and video conferencing, though, so it's a must to fix them.
Thanks for you help and let me know if I can provide any further information! :slight_smile:

4

Can you post router syslog when the disconnect happens?

5

Sure, see below.
I'm not sure exactly what was relevant and what wasn't, so sorry about the length.
https://pastebin.com/wUisw7dW

6

Did you try running the router without any background services like SQM?

7

I did the following:

  1. Disabled SQM via LuCI;
  2. issued service network restart

Restart log:
https://pastebin.com/z4576VYa

So far it's been stable for 1h10min, which shows we're getting somewhere.
I'll leave the router be and see if the stability persists and will report back in a few hours.

Here's the SQM config (disabled right now) in case I got something wrong in it:

sqm1
sqm11075×893 63.7 KB

sqm2
sqm21090×973 89 KB

sqm3
sqm31097×726 51.8 KB

Thank you!

8

Still no love :frowning_face:
We just got lucky early, but the disconnects persist.
System log: https://pastebin.com/1wet2pcX

I'll test for longer connecting directly via PPPoE on a Linux PC.

Linux kernel is v 5.4.55 LTS
Connection system log: https://pastebin.com/Txhdfct9
I'll leave it connected for a few hours and report back

9

So when there is a drop, the first thing that OpenWrt logs is:

Fri Aug  7 14:40:28 2020 daemon.notice netifd: Network device 'wan' link is down
Fri Aug  7 14:40:28 2020 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan' has link connectivity loss

This is as if the Ethernet cable were unplugged momentarily (two seconds later, the link comes back up). This triggers the pppoe driver to drop and restart the connection.
I also see that the port is running at 100 Mb not 1000. Is the modem gigabit capable? When two GbE devices only link at 100, the physical cable is suspect.

10

@mk24 Thanks for your help!

The modem is a Technicolor TG788v v3 which only supports FastEthernet 10/100, so I have a Gigabit LAN, and a 100Mb/s upstream Ethernet WAN (PPP bandwidth is 60Mb/s, though).

For testing, I connected the Linux desktop directly to the modem, using the same cable that ordinarily connects the modem to the router - cable A. The connection was stable, and layer 2 negotiation was 100Mb/s as expected. I swapped the cable to another one, known-good, which usually connects the desktop to the router at 1Gb/s - cable B.

Cable swap results:
Linux desktop net logs - first with cable A then cable B: https://pastebin.com/NeJ5X4ma

Ethernet link data with cable B, now connecting modem <--> Linux desktop:

[root@uberzord ~]# ethtool enp3s0f1 
netlink error: No such file or directory
Settings for enp3s0f1:
	Supported ports: [ TP MII ]
	Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
	                        100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
	                        1000baseT/Full 
	Supported pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
	Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
	Supported FEC modes: Not reported
	Advertised link modes:  100baseT/Full 
	Advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
	Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
	Advertised FEC modes: Not reported
	Link partner advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
	                                     100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
	Link partner advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
	Link partner advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
	Link partner advertised FEC modes: Not reported
	Speed: 100Mb/s
	Duplex: Full
	Port: MII
	PHYAD: 0
	Transceiver: external
	Auto-negotiation: on
	Supports Wake-on: pumbg
	Wake-on: d
	Current message level: 0x00000033 (51)
			       drv probe ifdown ifup
	Link detected: yes

Test results:

  • Cable B worked without a single drop: the desktop PPPoE connection was up for about 3h20min and the network logs came out clear (logs here);
  • I swapped back to cable A - the one you suspect might be bad - still using it to connect desktop <-> modem. This is the layer 2 data for the connection:
[root@uberzord ~]# ethtool enp3s0f1 
netlink error: No such file or directory
Settings for enp3s0f1:
	Supported ports: [ TP MII ]
	Supported link modes:   10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
	                        100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
	                        1000baseT/Full 
	Supported pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
	Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
	Supported FEC modes: Not reported
	Advertised link modes:  100baseT/Full 
	Advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
	Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
	Advertised FEC modes: Not reported
	Link partner advertised link modes:  10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full 
	                                     100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full 
	Link partner advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
	Link partner advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
	Link partner advertised FEC modes: Not reported
	Speed: 100Mb/s
	Duplex: Full
	Port: MII
	PHYAD: 0
	Transceiver: external
	Auto-negotiation: on
	Supports Wake-on: pumbg
	Wake-on: d
	Current message level: 0x00000033 (51)
			       drv probe ifdown ifup
	Link detected: yes
  • After 3h, the connection remained stable without a single drop. Desktop system logs (pastebin is offline, returning 503 Unavailable at this moment):
<< Cable A plugged in  - Linux desktop <=> modem >>
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7835] device (enp3s0f1): carrier: link connected
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7841] device (enp3s0f1): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'carrier-changed', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7874] policy: auto-activating connection 'Wired connection 1' (77ebcd2a-4c99-3e2a-9f0b-7a230af34c36)
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7879] device (enp3s0f1): Activation: starting connection 'Wired connection 1' (77ebcd2a-4c99-3e2a-9f0b-7a230af34c36)
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7881] device (enp3s0f1): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7883] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7885] device (enp3s0f1): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7891] device (enp3s0f1): state change: config -> ip-config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7897] device (enp3s0f1): state change: ip-config -> ip-check (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7974] device (enp3s0f1): state change: ip-check -> secondaries (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7976] device (enp3s0f1): state change: secondaries -> activated (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7979] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTED_LOCAL
ago 07 19:54:21 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840861.7987] device (enp3s0f1): Activation: successful, device activated.
ago 07 19:54:31 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840871.8036] device (enp3s0f1): carrier: link connected
ago 07 19:54:31 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840871.8038] device (enp3s0f1): state change: activated -> unavailable (reason 'carrier-changed', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:31 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840871.8045] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED
ago 07 19:54:31 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840871.8054] device (enp3s0f1): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:31 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840871.8062] policy: auto-activating connection 'Wired connection 1' (77ebcd2a-4c99-3e2a-9f0b-7a230af34c36)
ago 07 19:54:31 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840871.8064] device (enp3s0f1): state change: disconnected -> unavailable (reason 'carrier-changed', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2654] device (enp3s0f1): carrier: link connected
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2660] device (enp3s0f1): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'carrier-changed', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2681] policy: auto-activating connection 'Wired connection 1' (77ebcd2a-4c99-3e2a-9f0b-7a230af34c36)
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2697] device (enp3s0f1): Activation: starting connection 'Wired connection 1' (77ebcd2a-4c99-3e2a-9f0b-7a230af34c36)
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2698] device (enp3s0f1): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2702] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2704] device (enp3s0f1): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2710] device (enp3s0f1): state change: config -> ip-config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2718] device (enp3s0f1): state change: ip-config -> ip-check (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2732] device (enp3s0f1): state change: ip-check -> secondaries (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2733] device (enp3s0f1): state change: secondaries -> activated (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2737] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTED_LOCAL
ago 07 19:54:34 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840874.2745] device (enp3s0f1): Activation: successful, device activated.
ago 07 19:54:37 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840877.1840] device (enp3s0f1): carrier: link connected
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1286] device (enp3s0f1): disconnecting for new activation request.
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1286] device (enp3s0f1): state change: activated -> deactivating (reason 'new-activation', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1288] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTING
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1295] audit: op="connection-activate" uuid="8dad599c-cf2a-472e-b081-da0c611b7f2d" name="test pppoe" pid=1278 uid=1000 result="success"
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1372] device (enp3s0f1): state change: deactivating -> disconnected (reason 'new-activation', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1385] manager: NetworkManager state is now DISCONNECTED
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1387] device (enp3s0f1): Activation: starting connection 'test pppoe' (8dad599c-cf2a-472e-b081-da0c611b7f2d)
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1398] device (enp3s0f1): state change: disconnected -> prepare (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1401] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTING
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1403] device (enp3s0f1): state change: prepare -> config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1409] device (enp3s0f1): state change: config -> ip-config (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1412] ppp-manager: starting PPP connection
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840880.1422] ppp-manager: pppd started with pid 8950
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord pppd[8950]: Plugin rp-pppoe.so loaded.
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: Plugin rp-pppoe.so loaded.
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: RP-PPPoE plugin version 3.8p compiled against pppd 2.4.7
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord pppd[8950]: RP-PPPoE plugin version 3.8p compiled against pppd 2.4.7
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord pppd[8950]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.7/nm-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.7/nm-pppd-plugin.so loaded.
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: initializing
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord pppd[8950]: pppd 2.4.7 started by root, uid 0
ago 07 19:54:40 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: status 3 / phase 'serial connection'
ago 07 19:54:42 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840882.2744] device (enp3s0f1): carrier: link connected
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord pppd[8950]: PPP session is 14707
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: PPP session is 14707
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: Connected to f8:6e:ee:87:f9:bd via interface enp3s0f1
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: Using interface ppp0
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: Connect: ppp0 <--> enp3s0f1
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: status 5 / phase 'establish'
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord pppd[8950]: Connected to f8:6e:ee:87:f9:bd via interface enp3s0f1
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord pppd[8950]: Using interface ppp0
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord pppd[8950]: Connect: ppp0 <--> enp3s0f1
ago 07 19:54:45 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840885.3599] manager: (ppp0): new Ppp device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/6)
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: status 6 / phase 'authenticate'
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: passwd-hook, requesting credentials...
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: got credentials from NetworkManager
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: CHAP authentication succeeded: Authentication success,Welcome!
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: CHAP authentication succeeded: Authentication success,Welcome!
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: CHAP authentication succeeded
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: peer from calling number F8:6E:EE:87:F9:BD authorized
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: status 8 / phase 'network'
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: CHAP authentication succeeded
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: peer from calling number F8:6E:EE:87:F9:BD authorized
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: local  LL address fe80::7da2:fba1:6b0e:7a37
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: local  LL address fe80::7da2:fba1:6b0e:7a37
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: remote LL address fe80::fa6e:eeff:fe87:f9bd
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: status 9 / phase 'running'
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: remote LL address fe80::fa6e:eeff:fe87:f9bd
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: ip6-up event
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: sending IPv6 config to NetworkManager...
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.6829] ppp-manager: (IPv6 Config Get) reply received.
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.6886] device (ppp0): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'connection-assumed', sys-iface-state: 'external')
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.6899] device (ppp0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'external')
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: Cannot determine ethernet address for proxy ARP
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: Cannot determine ethernet address for proxy ARP
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: local  IP address 191.163.2.221
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: remote IP address 186.230.220.91
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: primary   DNS address 189.40.198.81
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[8950]: secondary DNS address 208.67.222.222
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: ip-up event
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: local  IP address 191.163.2.221
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: nm-ppp-plugin: sending IPv4 config to NetworkManager...
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: remote IP address 186.230.220.91
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: primary   DNS address 189.40.198.81
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord pppd[8950]: secondary DNS address 208.67.222.222
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.6927] ppp-manager: (IPv4 Config Get) reply received.
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.6931] device (enp3s0f1): state change: ip-config -> ip-check (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.7016] device (enp3s0f1): state change: ip-check -> secondaries (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.7018] device (enp3s0f1): state change: secondaries -> activated (reason 'none', sys-iface-state: 'managed')
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.7021] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTED_LOCAL
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.7027] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTED_SITE
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.7028] policy: set 'test pppoe' (ppp0) as default for IPv4 routing and DNS
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.7030] policy: set 'test pppoe' (ppp0) as default for IPv6 routing and DNS
ago 07 19:54:48 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840888.7601] device (enp3s0f1): Activation: successful, device activated.


<< PPPoE is now up with the "maybe bad" cable >>
ago 07 19:55:52 uberzord NetworkManager[915]: <info>  [1596840952.2049] manager: NetworkManager state is now CONNECTED_GLOBAL
<< about 3h later and no further logs show up >>

This isolates the problem definitely at the router. Unfortunately I need help troubleshooting further. I am now considering the following possibilities:

  • A bad layer 1 WAN Ethernet port (i.e. the router is physically defective at that port). This could be the case considering the router is brand new and therefore it has no working history - I got it out of the box and flashed OpenWRT right away. Is it possible to have the router use one of the LAN ports for the WAN connection, for testing? Would removing, say, lan4 from the br-lan bridge and configuring pppoe on it work, or would I need to do something else?
  • A bad Ethernet driver. It's unlikely because the LAN ports use the same chip ( MediaTek MT7621AT) and the LAN links aren't showing intermittency;
  • A software misconfiguration (UCI / LuCI / pppd);
  • A software bug (UCI/ LuCI / pppd).

Any further ideias? Please let me know what else I can provide. No idea what to do regarding the software part. Maybe the issue is with pppd, maybe with UCI? I really have no clue how to troubleshoot any of those.

11

Updates:

  • I've tested configuring the LAN ports for the WAN connection and the problem persists;
  • Out of desperation, I contacted the ISP. Level 2 support verified their PPP logs and confirmed they're deauthing the connection. This seems to be the root cause. They suspect a problem with my modem and are sending someone to verify. They reset it to defaults so I lost IPv6, oh well...

I'll mark it solved once everything is settled.

12

More updates:

Considering @RHBH has got his PPPoE connection working just fine on a DIR-882 on r13938-15f585afc5, I flashed the same image to test if it'd work.
Spoiler: it didn't.
But the "great" news is that, for the first time, one of the lan interfaces showed intermittency on this version! So I believe there's definitely something wrong with the mt76 drivers - RHBH is having wifi issues.
Granted, I flashed a DIR-882 firmwate on a DIR-878 device, but it's very nearly the same hardware and I'm writing this though it, if it were incompatible it'd probably have bricked the device or at least LAN wouldn't work at all.

I'm trying a different setup to see if my connection becomes stable: I configured the ISP modem as router, and OpenWRT DIR-878 running DIR-882 r13938 WAN through DHCP, effectively doing double-NAT.

Here's the system log that shows the newfound LAN intermittency: https://pastebin.com/CqFNPmEu

Further testing connecting the desktop to the modem directly and dialing PPPoE via Linux shows everything works fine, except when OpenWRT is involved.

Should I file a bug report at this point?

13

Correct. DIR-867 A1, DIR-878 A1 and DIR-882 A1 shares exactly the same hardware specs and even the same base board. The differences is that DIR-867 is limited to just 3x3 streams at hardware level while DIR-882 has the USB ports the other two lack. DIR-1760 A1, DIR-1960 A1 and DIR-2660 A1 also shares the same base board and hardware specs, apart from having 256 MB of RAM instead of 128 MB and having 128 MB NAND flash instead of 16 MB NOR flash.

14

Maybe you have a defective unit?
Did anyone with the same model complained about having the same problem as you?
Was your unit working as it should on stock firmware?

1 Like
15

It is a possibility. I didn't test the stock firmware because I specifically purchased this unit to run OpenWRT on it, so I got it out of the box and flashed. I'll search how to restore to stock firmware for further testing - I need to "make sure the firmware is unencrypted" but I have no idea how to do that.

  • The wan interface connect/disconnect persists with DHCP - either I have a defective unit or this is a driver/kernel bug.

  • Someone filed a bug report facing the exact same issue on another device. - @RHBH the bug OP also is facing WiFi chaos

I'll try building the firmware from the master branch - once I find out how to do that - as suggested in the bug comments and, if that doesn't work, I'll try testing with the stock firmware.

Thanks again for your help @Handyman

16

Read this, it'll help...

1 Like
17

Absolutely, thank you. The wiki is pretty good but it's sometimes hard to find where exactly in it the information you need is.

EDIT:
Flashed the stock firmware v1.20, successfully decrypted with dlink-decrypt.
The WAN connection is up and I'm gonna see if it lasts or if the random drops persist, to rule out a layer 1 failure completely.

18

My DIR-882 with r13938 had no WiFi issues, I've been using it since July 26.

I had WiFi issues with r14088, but I didn't reset to factory defaults when upgrading from r13938 to r14088, could this be the reason I had issues? Anyway, I'll do further testing later, currently I'm back in r13938.

Regarding PPPoE, I never encountered issues as you described.

I would try the following settings in WAN port

# Override MTU
uci set network.wan.mtu='1492'
# Inactivity timeout - Close inactive connection after the given amount of seconds, use 0 to persist connection
uci set network.wan.demand='0'
# LCP echo failure threshold - Presume peer to be dead after given amount of LCP echo failures, use 0 to ignore failures
uci set network.wan.keepalive='0 5'
# Force Link - Set interface properties regardless of the link carrier (If set, carrier sense events do not invoke hotplug handlers).
uci set network.wan.force_link='1'

Make sure you set the MTU properly, I guess for PPPoE you don't use anything above 1492 due PPPoE overhead (8 bytes).

19

This is a possibility, but at this point I'm pretty sure we have a bad driver. Just doing some further testing to rule out what's left to rule out - so far the stock firmware hasn't had any drops.

This wouldn't work - it turns out the drops are happening at the link layer, considering that:

, my router is either defective or this is an OpenWRT bug. So far I believe the later, the stock firmware is running stable but I'll wait for an uptime of at least 3h before jumping to any conclusions.

Thanks for the help!

20

As my WiFi issues started in the newest build, I think they might be related to the new drivers available in snapshot since Aug 06.

https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/openwrt.git;a=commit;h=bab0d1c33c5b2c3ed7a02ed840d22f7dd3624619

But this is a subject to discussion in another topic.