TP-Link AX1800 Archer AX23 : voice calls freezes every few seconds

muffinman · October 10, 2025, 9:42pm

Hello

I need assistance debugging a very strange issue on my TP-Link AX1800 Archer AX23 router running OpenWRT. I have tried v 24.10.3 and v 23.05.4 (see details below) and they both have the same problem so this issue is unrelated to the version as far as I can tell.

The issue is that when I am doing any internet calls (ex: Teams, Webex, Google etc.) I notice that the other person notices that my voice (and video if it is on) freezes every few seconds. On my end, everything looks very smooth, so I never notice this problem. This became a problem for me because I work from home, so I had to revert to another older router, which also runs openwrt but does not have this problem. In case it matters, all streaming services work perfectly fine which is why I never noticed this problem until some of my work colleagues started complaining about my video/audio freezing. Also the problem stays even if I turn off video. As a layperson who does not understand much about networking, it appears the problem is with "uploading" whereas "downloading" seems fine.

My last option would be to revert back to the tplink firmware, but I would like to first see if I can diagnose this issue. See below details of my current configuration.

{
	"kernel": "5.15.162",
	"hostname": "OpenWrt",
	"system": "MediaTek MT7621 ver:1 eco:3",
	"model": "TP-Link Archer AX23 v1",
	"board_name": "tplink,archer-ax23-v1",
	"rootfs_type": "squashfs",
	"release": {
		"distribution": "OpenWrt",
		"version": "23.05.4",
		"revision": "r24012-d8dd03c46f",
		"target": "ramips/mt7621",
		"description": "OpenWrt 23.05.4 r24012-d8dd03c46f"
	}
}

brada4 · October 10, 2025, 10:09pm

Upgrade to 24.10.3 eg using luci-app-attendedsysupgrade or auc -V 24.10 then you can have software flow offload while keeping wifi roaming. Make measurements using https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat - calls, especially video are very sensitive to extra latency aka bufferbloat.

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:

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

muffinman · October 11, 2025, 8:20am

Firstly thank you @brada4 for quick reply, I know you assisted me with the other router issue as well. Super appreciated. Here are the details as you have requested:

root@OpenWrt:~# ubus call system board
{
	"kernel": "6.6.104",
	"hostname": "OpenWrt",
	"system": "MediaTek MT7621 ver:1 eco:3",
	"model": "TP-Link Archer AX23 v1",
	"board_name": "tplink,archer-ax23-v1",
	"rootfs_type": "squashfs",
	"release": {
		"distribution": "OpenWrt",
		"version": "24.10.3",
		"revision": "r28872-daca7c049b",
		"target": "ramips/mt7621",
		"description": "OpenWrt 24.10.3 r28872-daca7c049b",
		"builddate": "1758316778"
	}
}

root@OpenWrt:~# 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 'fd04:2348:32::/48'
	option packet_steering '1'

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

config interface 'lan'
	option device 'br-lan'
	option proto 'static'
	option ipaddr '192.168.1.1'
	option netmask '255.255.255.0'
	option ip6assign '60'

config interface 'wan'
	option device 'wan'
	option proto 'dhcp'
	option peerdns '0'
	list dns '9.9.9.9'
	list dns '149.112.112.112'

config interface 'wan6'
	option device 'wan'
	option proto 'dhcpv6'

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

config wifi-device 'radio0'
	option type 'mac80211'
	option path '1e140000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:02:00.0'
	option band '2g'
	option channel '1'
	option htmode 'HE20'
	option cell_density '0'
	option country 'CA'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
	option device 'radio0'
	option network 'lan'
	option mode 'ap'
	option ssid 'matrix.reloaded'
	option encryption 'psk2'
	option key 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
	option type 'mac80211'
	option path '1e140000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:02:00.0+1'
	option band '5g'
	option channel '36'
	option htmode 'HE80'
	option cell_density '0'
	option country 'CA'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
	option device 'radio1'
	option network 'lan'
	option mode 'ap'
	option ssid 'matrix.reloaded'
	option encryption 'psk2'
	option key 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'

root@OpenWrt:~# 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 start '100'
	option limit '150'
	option leasetime '12h'
	option dhcpv4 'server'
	option dhcpv6 'server'
	option ra 'server'
	option ra_slaac '1'
	list ra_flags 'managed-config'
	list ra_flags 'other-config'

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:~# cat /etc/config/firewall
config defaults
	option syn_flood	1
	option input		REJECT
	option output		ACCEPT
	option forward		REJECT
# Uncomment this line to disable ipv6 rules
#	option disable_ipv6	1

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

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

config forwarding
	option src		lan
	option dest		wan

# We need to accept udp packets on port 68,
# see https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/4108
config rule
	option name		Allow-DHCP-Renew
	option src		wan
	option proto		udp
	option dest_port	68
	option target		ACCEPT
	option family		ipv4

# Allow IPv4 ping
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

# Allow DHCPv6 replies
# see https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/issues/5066
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

# Allow essential incoming IPv6 ICMP traffic
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

# Allow essential forwarded IPv6 ICMP traffic
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


### EXAMPLE CONFIG SECTIONS
# do not allow a specific ip to access wan
#config rule
#	option src		lan
#	option src_ip	192.168.45.2
#	option dest		wan
#	option proto	tcp
#	option target	REJECT

# block a specific mac on wan
#config rule
#	option dest		wan
#	option src_mac	00:11:22:33:44:66
#	option target	REJECT

# block incoming ICMP traffic on a zone
#config rule
#	option src		lan
#	option proto	ICMP
#	option target	DROP

# port redirect port coming in on wan to lan
#config redirect
#	option src			wan
#	option src_dport	80
#	option dest			lan
#	option dest_ip		192.168.16.235
#	option dest_port	80
#	option proto		tcp

# port redirect of remapped ssh port (22001) on wan
#config redirect
#	option src		wan
#	option src_dport	22001
#	option dest		lan
#	option dest_port	22
#	option proto		tcp

### FULL CONFIG SECTIONS
#config rule
#	option src		lan
#	option src_ip	192.168.45.2
#	option src_mac	00:11:22:33:44:55
#	option src_port	80
#	option dest		wan
#	option dest_ip	194.25.2.129
#	option dest_port	120
#	option proto	tcp
#	option target	REJECT

#config redirect
#	option src		lan
#	option src_ip	192.168.45.2
#	option src_mac	00:11:22:33:44:55
#	option src_port		1024
#	option src_dport	80
#	option dest_ip	194.25.2.129
#	option dest_port	120
#	option proto	tcp

muffinman · October 11, 2025, 8:31am

Here are the results, definitely there is some issue. should I try the recommended approach? Kindly suggest what I should be tuning for. Thank you again, this looks promising

https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat?test-id=495d823e-6a60-4882-a8ee-0dae7b44a4fd

brada4 · October 11, 2025, 8:37am

100ms latency is not exactly good for calling (10Mbps can hold many calls either, but that crackles other end not you)

What is your subscribed speeds?

First attempt-

enable firewall soft offload and measure again - if latency improves to at least green “calls” checkmarks that is the best way.

If not lets try QoS (longer article to type, all hopes on offload now)

muffinman · October 11, 2025, 8:56am

100Mbps down and 10Mbps up

I ran it a few times after enabling firewall soft offload. Here are the results, they seem a bit of a mixed bag. But I think there is certainly some improvement :

wired connection from my PC : https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat?test-id=ac6e0bf2-668e-4bb1-8719-7147e306a5df
wireless connection from my PC : https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat?test-id=927e2465-17c2-43c2-8c12-44469b343325
wireless connection from my laptop : https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat?test-id=1d570df0-8726-4fbc-8fda-a4c2a1f9bfb1

What do you recommend?

brada4 · October 11, 2025, 9:13am

I’d recommend to try sqm-scripts 200ms absolute latency is not usable.

You achieved 10Mbps in upload

Get sqm luci app, general outline there

Install iptables-nft ip6tables-nft

install luci-app-sqm

Disable firewall offload

Set download bw to zero

Set upload to 5000kbps

Check latency

Grow towards 10000kbps like approx half at the time, measure at each step

When latency starts to grow do one step back.

IF you do not get 100Mbps bandwidth as measured without qos you are limited by CPU - you may need to change qdisc to fq_codel from cake and maybe change used script.

muffinman · October 11, 2025, 10:34am

I installed SQM, and results look promising. I just went with the default configuration by setting upload to 90% and download to 90%.

Wireless on PC: https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat?test-id=d78398e3-1e69-443a-86cd-f392833a2672

Wireless on Laptop: https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat?test-id=4126b4e1-c79b-45d8-83db-8504c3aed2fd

It is long weekend here, so I will keep testing this. Thank you again!

brada4 · October 11, 2025, 10:44am

Great!

Laptops who want a good network need to be in 5GHz and you need to auto-select 5GHz channel. No saving in 2.4GHz.

Fif you null the download shaper? Sounds a bit excess that 1/3 of BW was robbed by nothing?

If yes - null it and re-measure WIRED. Wifi can get 100ms latency just from competing AP+client doing full speed transfers.

If not limiting DL - play around with packet steering options in Network/Global settings.

brada4 · October 11, 2025, 10:53am

Next level would be next release of qosmate having this fixup shaping traffic with offload.

REF: https://github.com/hudra0/qosmate/commit/07c4fcbc82b70d7272424e34dea0d31fbbc8e8a6

Qosmate is relatively more lightweight using firewall to classify packets on par with sqm-s lightest scripts.