Router is losing WAN connectivity periodically

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
1

Hello.

I have a Belkin RT3200 with 24.10.1 and everything works fine and I usually have a cron job to reboot the router eveyday. However, I wanted to test an extended uptime and now I'm on 2 days but I'm losing Internet connectivity like every hour or so.

Here's the relevant part of the system log related to this:

Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Network device 'wan' link is down
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Network alias 'wan' link is down
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'modem' has link connectivity loss
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan' has link connectivity loss
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan6' has link connectivity loss
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [239483.315061] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:1f wan: Link is Down
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: wan6 (28496): Command failed: ubus call network.interface notify_proto { "action": 0, "link-up": false, "keep": false, "interface": "wan6" } (Permission denied)
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: wan (28494): udhcpc: received SIGTERM
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: wan (28494): udhcpc: unicasting a release of 38.222.230.210 to 38.222.192.1
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: wan (28494): udhcpc: sending release
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: wan (28494): udhcpc: entering released state
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: wan (28494): Command failed: ubus call network.interface notify_proto { "action": 0, "link-up": false, "keep": false, "interface": "wan" } (Permission denied)
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan' is now down
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'modem' is now down
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'modem' is disabled
Sat Jun  7 22:03:52 2025 user.notice ddns-scripts[28761]: NoIP: PID '28761' terminated by 'SIGTERM' at 2025-06-07 22:03
Sat Jun  7 22:03:53 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan6' is now down
Sat Jun  7 22:03:53 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: read /etc/hosts - 12 names
Sat Jun  7 22:03:53 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: read /tmp/hosts/dhcp.cfg01411c - 8 names
Sat Jun  7 22:03:53 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: read /tmp/hosts/odhcpd - 0 names
Sat Jun  7 22:03:53 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq-dhcp[1]: read /etc/ethers - 0 addresses
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 daemon.warn odhcpd[1972]: No default route present, overriding ra_lifetime to 0!
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 daemon.warn odhcpd[1972]: No default route present, overriding ra_lifetime to 0!
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Network device 'wan' link is up
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan' has link connectivity
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan' is setting up now
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan6' has link connectivity
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Interface 'wan6' is setting up now
Sat Jun  7 22:03:54 2025 kern.info kernel: [239485.703927] mt7530-mdio mdio-bus:1f wan: Link is Up - 1Gbps/Full - flow control off

According to that, it could be OpenWRT's fault or my fiber ONT is losing the link and therefore WAN/WAN6 connectivity.

When rebooting the router everyday I don't usually noticed this, but now I have 2 days of uptime and I'm starting to see these disconnects.

Here's my relevant info:

{
        "kernel": "6.6.86",
        "hostname": "CharlieNet",
        "system": "ARMv8 Processor rev 4",
        "model": "Belkin RT3200 (UBI)",
        "board_name": "linksys,e8450-ubi",
        "rootfs_type": "squashfs",
        "release": {
                "distribution": "OpenWrt",
                "version": "24.10.1",
                "revision": "r28597-0425664679",
                "target": "mediatek/mt7622",
                "description": "OpenWrt 24.10.1 r28597-0425664679",
                "builddate": "1744562312"
        }
}

Network Config:


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 packet_steering '2'
        option steering_flows '128'

config device
        option name 'br-lan'
        option type 'bridge'
        list ports 'lan1'
        list ports 'lan2'
        list ports 'lan3'

config interface 'lan'
        option device 'br-lan'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '192.168.1.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        list dns '127.0.0.1'
        list dns '0::1'
        option dns_metric '20'
        option ip6assign '64'
        option ip6hint '0'

config interface 'wan'
        option device 'wan'
        option proto 'dhcp'
        option peerdns '0'
        list dns '1.1.1.1'
        list dns '1.0.0.1'
        option dns_metric '50'
        option hostname 'belkin-rt3200'

config interface 'wan6'
        option device 'wan'
        option proto 'dhcpv6'
        option reqaddress 'try'
        option reqprefix '60'
        option peerdns '0'
        list dns '2606:4700:4700::1111'
        list dns '2606:4700:4700::1001'
        option dns_metric '55'
        option norelease '1'

config device
        option name 'wan'
        option macaddr '[REDACTED]'

config interface 'modem'
        option proto 'static'
        option device '@wan'
        option ipaddr '192.168.100.2'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'

config interface 'guest'
        option proto 'static'
        option device 'br-guest'
        option ipaddr '192.168.2.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        list dns '127.0.0.1'
        list dns '0::1'
        option dns_metric '20'
        option ip6assign '64'
        option ip6hint '1'

config device
        option type 'bridge'
        option name 'br-guest'
        list ports 'lan4'
        option mtu '1500'
        option macaddr '[REDACTED]'

Wireless config:


config wifi-device 'radio0'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option path 'platform/18000000.wmac'
        option band '2g'
        option country 'PA'
        option cell_density '0'
        option noscan '1'
        option htmode 'HT40'
        option channel '11'
        option log_level '4'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
        option device 'radio0'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'CharlieNet'
        option encryption 'psk2'
        option key '[REDACTED]'
        option ieee80211r '1'
        option mobility_domain '4f58'
        option ft_over_ds '0'
        option ft_psk_generate_local '1'
        option ieee80211k '1'
        option wnm_sleep_mode '1'
        option bss_transition '1'
        option time_advertisement '2'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option path '1a143000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0'
        option band '5g'
        option country 'PA'
        option cell_density '0'
        option htmode 'HE160'
        option channel '36'
        option noscan '1'
        option log_level '4'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
        option device 'radio1'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'CharlieNetHD'
        option key '[REDACTED]'
        option encryption 'psk2+ccmp'
        option skip_inactivity_poll '1'
        option ieee80211r '1'
        option mobility_domain '4f58'
        option ft_over_ds '0'
        option ft_psk_generate_local '1'
        option ieee80211k '1'
        option wnm_sleep_mode '1'
        option bss_transition '1'
        option time_advertisement '2'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet2'
        option device 'radio0'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'CharlieGuests'
        option encryption 'psk2'
        option key '[REDACTED]'
        option network 'guest'
        option isolate '1'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet3'
        option device 'radio1'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'CharlieGuests'
        option encryption 'psk2'
        option dtim_period '2'
        option key '[REDACTED]'
        option network 'guest'
        option isolate '1'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet5'
        option device 'radio0'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'Airtek24'
        option encryption 'psk2'
        option hidden '1'
        option dtim_period '3'
        option key '[REDACTED]'
        option network 'guest'
2

My gut reaction is that this is likely a physical issue such as something wrong with the cable or ports, or in rare situations issues at the phy level between two devices.

But I do see a few small things you should fix in the network config... namely, you should be using a single bridge and bridge-VLANs instead of creating two bridges. I don't know that this will fix your issue, but it most certainly will not hurt and is worth doing.

Delete br-guest:

Add port lan4 back into br-lan like this:

config device
        option name 'br-lan'
        option type 'bridge'
        list ports 'lan1'
        list ports 'lan2'
        list ports 'lan3'
        list ports 'lan4'

Create two bridge-VLANs:

config bridge-vlan
        option device 'br-lan'
        option vlan '1'
        list ports 'lan1:u*'
        list ports 'lan2:u*'
        list ports 'lan3:u*'

config bridge-vlan
        option device 'br-lan'
        option vlan '2'
        list ports 'lan4:u*'

Edit the lan to use br-lan.1 and the guest network to use br-lan.2. You can also get rid of the DNS related lines as it doesn't do anything useful there. It'll look like this:

config interface 'lan'
        option device 'br-lan.1'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '192.168.1.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        option ip6assign '64'
        option ip6hint '0'

...

config interface 'guest'
        option proto 'static'
        option device 'br-lan.2'
        option ipaddr '192.168.2.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        option ip6assign '64'
        option ip6hint '1'

Then restart and test again.

If this doesn't solve the issue, try swapping cables with a known good one. While you're at it, inspect the physical ports for any debris or bent pins and make sure the new cable seats properly into both jacks.

1 Like
3

Thanks for your kind reply!

I added those DNS as part of the Stubby tutorial. I use DoT with Stubby.

Other than that, it's working fine so far, but I'll wait like 2 or 3 days to see if the WAN disconnects start.

But I have a question for learning purposes. How do I set up those VLANs on Luci? There's no way to specify which ports belong to a VLAN. I see that it works, but I don't see how can I edit via Luci.

EDIT: I figured out where to do it in Luci: Configure Bridge LAN > Bridge VLAN filtering. Still I'll wait for a couple of days if the WAN disconnect persists. Can I ask why separate ports in VLANs instead of Bridges? The wiki says it needs vetting.

4

For most of the devices with DSA, issues arise when have more than one bridge associated with the switch chip. There is no problem if you remove a port and use it directly as a device in a network interface, but if you instead put that into another bridge, this can cause issues with the switch and/or kernel (I'm not exactly sure the root cause here).

AFAIK, this limitation doesn't apply to all devices and may in fact be mitigated in the future, but the bridge-VLAN approach against a single bridge is guaranteed to work and has no downsides.

1 Like
5

Thank you again, P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney.....

NEMO!

Just Kidding.

Still working fine after a day and a bit. I'll wait for another day or so, to mark the thread as solved.

I can't thank you enough.

1 Like
6

Apparently this was the issue, because as of 3 days, I didn't had a single WAN disconnection.

I followed the Dumb AP guide but then I wanted to add LAN4 also as part of the guest network in case I wanted an external wired computer not to be part of my home LAN. Maybe with only the WiFi APs in the guest bridge there weren't any issues, but when I added a LAN port, issues happened.

Thanks again Mr Sherman.