Wireless devices become unreachable after a few hours

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
1

Recent - in the last couple of weeks - I have been having issues connecting to certain wireless devices on my network.

  • printer will become unreachable (and unpingable)
  • sonos speakers are no longer found by the controller app

but

  • sonos devices are still connected to the internet (pressing the play button on the device works)
  • printer reports it is connected
  • restarting devices has no effect
  • restarting the router (or just the wireless interface to which these devices are attached) fixes it .. for a while .. a few hours maybe. Usually by the next morning, the devices are unreachable.

I haven't updated any router firmware or config recently.

I have two wireless networks (5GHz and 2.4GHz and a wired network). Devices are connected to 2.4 and unreachable from 5,2.4 and wired.

Any advice on how to troubleshoot this appreciated!

2

Which model is this router? And which OpenWrt version is it running?
Also paste here the output of uci export network; uci export wireless; iw list
Use preformatted text for console outpout (the </> button)

3

Hi - thanks for replying.

Router model : Linksys WRT3200ACM
Firmware : OpenWrt 18.06.4 r7808-ef686b7292 / LuCI openwrt-18.06 branch (git-19.170.32094-4d6d8bc)

uci export network

package network

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

config globals 'globals'
        option ula_prefix 'fdfe:326f:7a5c::/48'

config interface 'lan'
        option type 'bridge'
        option ifname 'eth0.1'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '192.168.1.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        option ip6assign '60'

config interface 'wan'
        option ifname 'eth1.2'
        option proto 'dhcp'

config interface 'wan6'
        option ifname 'eth1.2'
        option proto 'dhcpv6'

config switch
        option name 'switch0'
        option reset '1'
        option enable_vlan '1'

config switch_vlan
        option device 'switch0'
        option vlan '1'
        option ports '0 1 2 3 5t'

config switch_vlan
        option device 'switch0'
        option vlan '2'
        option ports '4 6t'

uci export wireless

package wireless

config wifi-device 'radio0'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '36'
        option hwmode '11a'
        option path 'soc/soc:pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0'
        option htmode 'VHT80'
        option legacy_rates '1'
        option country 'GB'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
        option device 'radio0'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'Frog_Home'
        option encryption 'psk2'
        option key '*******'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '11'
        option hwmode '11g'
        option path 'soc/soc:pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/0000:02:00.0'
        option htmode 'HT20'
        option legacy_rates '1'
        option country 'GB'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
        option device 'radio1'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option encryption 'psk2'
        option key '********'
        option ssid 'Frog_Home_2_4'

config wifi-device 'radio2'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option channel '36'
        option hwmode '11a'
        option path 'platform/soc/soc:internal-regs/f10d8000.sdhci/mmc_host/mmc0/mmc0:0001/mmc0:0001:1'
        option htmode 'VHT80'
        option disabled '1'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio2'
        option device 'radio2'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'OpenWrt'
        option encryption 'none'

iw list

Wiphy phy2
        max # scan SSIDs: 10
        max scan IEs length: 256 bytes
        max # sched scan SSIDs: 10
        max # match sets: 10
        max # scan plans: 1
        max scan plan interval: -1
        max scan plan iterations: 0
        Fragmentation threshold: 2346
        RTS threshold: 2347
        Retry short limit: 9
        Retry long limit: 4
        Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
        Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
        Device supports T-DLS.
        Available Antennas: TX 0x1 RX 0x1
        Configured Antennas: TX 0x1 RX 0x1
        Supported interface modes:
                 * IBSS
                 * managed
                 * AP
                 * P2P-client
                 * P2P-GO
        Band 1:
                Capabilities: 0x17f
                        RX LDPC
                        HT20/HT40
                        SM Power Save disabled
                        RX Greenfield
                        RX HT20 SGI
                        RX HT40 SGI
                        RX STBC 1-stream
                        Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
                        No DSSS/CCK HT40
                Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
                Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: No restriction (0x00)
                HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7, 32
                VHT Capabilities (0x33c07130):
                        Max MPDU length: 3895
                        Supported Channel Width: neither 160 nor 80+80
                        RX LDPC
                        short GI (80 MHz)
                        SU Beamformee
                        +HTC-VHT
                        RX antenna pattern consistency
                        TX antenna pattern consistency
                VHT RX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: not supported
                        3 streams: not supported
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                VHT TX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: not supported
                        3 streams: not supported
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                Frequencies:
                        * 2412 MHz [1] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2417 MHz [2] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2422 MHz [3] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2427 MHz [4] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2432 MHz [5] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2437 MHz [6] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2442 MHz [7] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2447 MHz [8] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2452 MHz [9] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2457 MHz [10] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2462 MHz [11] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 2467 MHz [12] (disabled)
                        * 2472 MHz [13] (disabled)
                        * 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
        Band 2:
                Capabilities: 0x17f
                        RX LDPC
                        HT20/HT40
                        SM Power Save disabled
                        RX Greenfield
                        RX HT20 SGI
                        RX HT40 SGI
                        RX STBC 1-stream
                        Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
                        No DSSS/CCK HT40
                Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
                Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: No restriction (0x00)
                HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7, 32
                VHT Capabilities (0x33c07130):
                        Max MPDU length: 3895
                        Supported Channel Width: neither 160 nor 80+80
                        RX LDPC
                        short GI (80 MHz)
                        SU Beamformee
                        +HTC-VHT
                        RX antenna pattern consistency
                        TX antenna pattern consistency
                VHT RX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: not supported
                        3 streams: not supported
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                VHT TX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: not supported
                        3 streams: not supported
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                Frequencies:
                        * 5040 MHz [8] (disabled)
                        * 5060 MHz [12] (disabled)
                        * 5080 MHz [16] (disabled)
                        * 5170 MHz [34] (disabled)
                        * 5190 MHz [38] (23.0 dBm)
                        * 5210 MHz [42] (23.0 dBm)
                        * 5230 MHz [46] (23.0 dBm)
                        * 5180 MHz [36] (23.0 dBm)
                        * 5200 MHz [40] (23.0 dBm)
                        * 5220 MHz [44] (23.0 dBm)
                        * 5240 MHz [48] (23.0 dBm)
                        * 5260 MHz [52] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5280 MHz [56] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5300 MHz [60] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5320 MHz [64] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5500 MHz [100] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5520 MHz [104] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5540 MHz [108] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5560 MHz [112] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5580 MHz [116] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5600 MHz [120] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5620 MHz [124] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5640 MHz [128] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5660 MHz [132] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5680 MHz [136] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5700 MHz [140] (23.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
                        * 5745 MHz [149] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 5765 MHz [153] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 5785 MHz [157] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 5805 MHz [161] (30.0 dBm)
                        * 5825 MHz [165] (30.0 dBm)
        valid interface combinations:
                 * #{ managed, AP, P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 3,
                   total <= 3, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match, radar detect widths: { 20 MHz (no HT), 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz }

        Coalesce support:
                 * Maximum 8 coalesce rules supported
                 * Each rule contains upto 4 patterns of 1-40 bytes,
                   maximum packet offset 100 bytes
                 * Maximum supported coalescing delay 100 msecs
Wiphy phy1
        max # scan SSIDs: 4
        max scan IEs length: 2242 bytes
        max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
        max # match sets: 0
        max # scan plans: 1
        max scan plan interval: -1
        max scan plan iterations: 0
        Retry short limit: 7
        Retry long limit: 4
        Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
        Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
        Device supports T-DLS.
        Available Antennas: TX 0 RX 0
        Supported interface modes:
                 * managed
                 * AP
                 * AP/VLAN
                 * monitor
                 * mesh point
        Band 1:
                Capabilities: 0x186f
                        RX LDPC
                        HT20/HT40
                        SM Power Save disabled
                        RX HT20 SGI
                        RX HT40 SGI
                        No RX STBC
                        Max AMSDU length: 7935 bytes
                        DSSS/CCK HT40
                Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
                Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 4 usec (0x05)
                HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-23, 32
                VHT Capabilities (0x339b7976):
                        Max MPDU length: 11454
                        Supported Channel Width: 160 MHz
                        RX LDPC
                        short GI (80 MHz)
                        short GI (160/80+80 MHz)
                        SU Beamformer
                        SU Beamformee
                        MU Beamformer
                        MU Beamformee
                        RX antenna pattern consistency
                        TX antenna pattern consistency
                VHT RX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: MCS 0-9
                        3 streams: MCS 0-9
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                VHT TX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: MCS 0-9
                        3 streams: MCS 0-9
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                Frequencies:
                        * 2412 MHz [1] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2467 MHz [12] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2472 MHz [13] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
        valid interface combinations:
                 * #{ AP } <= 16, #{ mesh point } <= 1, #{ managed } <= 1,
                   total <= 16, #channels <= 1, radar detect widths: { 20 MHz (no HT), 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz }

        HT Capability overrides:
                 * MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
                 * maximum A-MSDU length
                 * supported channel width
                 * short GI for 40 MHz
                 * max A-MPDU length exponent
                 * min MPDU start spacing
Wiphy phy0
        max # scan SSIDs: 4
        max scan IEs length: 2247 bytes
        max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
        max # match sets: 0
        max # scan plans: 1
        max scan plan interval: -1
        max scan plan iterations: 0
        Retry short limit: 7
        Retry long limit: 4
        Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
        Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
        Device supports T-DLS.
        Available Antennas: TX 0 RX 0
        Supported interface modes:
                 * managed
                 * AP
                 * AP/VLAN
                 * monitor
                 * mesh point
        Band 2:
                Capabilities: 0x186f
                        RX LDPC
                        HT20/HT40
                        SM Power Save disabled
                        RX HT20 SGI
                        RX HT40 SGI
                        No RX STBC
                        Max AMSDU length: 7935 bytes
                        DSSS/CCK HT40
                Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
                Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 4 usec (0x05)
                HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-23, 32
                VHT Capabilities (0x339b7976):
                        Max MPDU length: 11454
                        Supported Channel Width: 160 MHz
                        RX LDPC
                        short GI (80 MHz)
                        short GI (160/80+80 MHz)
                        SU Beamformer
                        SU Beamformee
                        MU Beamformer
                        MU Beamformee
                        RX antenna pattern consistency
                        TX antenna pattern consistency
                VHT RX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: MCS 0-9
                        3 streams: MCS 0-9
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                VHT TX MCS set:
                        1 streams: MCS 0-9
                        2 streams: MCS 0-9
                        3 streams: MCS 0-9
                        4 streams: not supported
                        5 streams: not supported
                        6 streams: not supported
                        7 streams: not supported
                        8 streams: not supported
                VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
                Frequencies:
                        * 5180 MHz [36] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 5200 MHz [40] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 5220 MHz [44] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 5240 MHz [48] (20.0 dBm)
                        * 5260 MHz [52] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5280 MHz [56] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5300 MHz [60] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5320 MHz [64] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5500 MHz [100] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5520 MHz [104] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5540 MHz [108] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5560 MHz [112] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5580 MHz [116] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5600 MHz [120] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5620 MHz [124] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5640 MHz [128] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5660 MHz [132] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5680 MHz [136] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5700 MHz [140] (27.0 dBm) (radar detection)
                        * 5720 MHz [144] (disabled)
                        * 5745 MHz [149] (disabled)
                        * 5765 MHz [153] (disabled)
                        * 5785 MHz [157] (disabled)
                        * 5805 MHz [161] (disabled)
        valid interface combinations:
                 * #{ AP } <= 16, #{ mesh point } <= 1, #{ managed } <= 1,
                   total <= 16, #channels <= 1, radar detect widths: { 20 MHz (no HT), 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz }

        HT Capability overrides:
                 * MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
                 * maximum A-MSDU length
                 * supported channel width
                 * short GI for 40 MHz
                 * max A-MPDU length exponent
                 * min MPDU start spacing
4

You should upgrade the firmware to a newer version.
Apart from that I find your configuration fine, the only thing I would remove is the legacy rates. I suppose you don't have any old b only device.

5

Thanks - I'll try the upgrade; it was next on my list of things to try. As it happens, the sonos speakers have stayed online for nearly 48 hours which is unusual.

6

I have upgraded to 19.07.2 and will give it a few days before reporting back.

Regarding legacy rates, are you referring to option legacy_rates '1' ? In the LuCI UI, the Operating Frequency mode for both interfaces is set to 'AC'. Are these different settings?

7

Yes

It should be AC for 5GHz and N for 2,4GHz.

8

I thought that it had worked as it seemed ok for several days but yesterday morning I had to restart again. I have just now disabled the legacy rates, will leave it for a while again.

9

Same here with Xiaomi R3P. I loose connection to my WiFi printer and Bose SoundTouch. I have the issue at least till Last October and it is persistent till the very recent master ...
There must be some bug. Devices stay connected to the WiFi and are ‚pingable‘ from the Router but not from other wifi Clients.
After restarting the WiFi or rebooting the router everything is working fine again (devices are pingable from other WiFi clients). After several hours or days the same happens again.

As this happens on my side with a completely different wifi chipset and platform I would assume that it is a general bug in openwrt ...

10

Hi, I experience the same on an ArcherC7 with firmware 19.07.2 and Xiaomi A4 with firmware SNAPSHOT r12138. I suspect it deals with arp not being broadcasted to this client, I will check that tomorrow making some capture. As soon as I ping the device from the router, it gets reachable from the others devices from the lan, is it the same for you ?

11

No for me its impossible to reach the devices after some time. Even if I ping it from the router it is not reachable from other wifi clients. :frowning:

1 Like
12

I have upgraded to 19.07.02 and now disabled legacy rates. Waiting for it to break again to perform more troubleshooting. Will try pinging from the router next time!

13

Just as a test, create a new wireless network for the Sonos and printer, set it up the same as you normally would but with WMM disabled.

I have to do this for an Epson printer for some reason when using OpenWrt, when using stock firmware it worked without issues.

14

Disabling legacy rates did not help neither did switching off wmm ...

15

Printer was unreachable this morning (from my phone, which is on the 5Ghz network) and unreachable from a client on the wired network. Once I pinged it from the router (which worked), it was then reachable (pingable) from the wired client. And I was then able to print from my phone.

I guess I could schedule something on the router to ping all the 2.4GHz clients every few hours, but it would be great to find the underlying problem

16

I got some network capture, my laptop (pinger) is connected to 5ghz wlan0, the other device (unreachable) is connected to 2.4ghz wlan1. It appears that arp request is broadcasted over br-lan and the reply is received on br-lan as well, but this reply does not seem to be relayed on wlan0. After removing blank arp entry on laptop and adding static one, the device gets reachable. For some reasons, arp reply does not get to requester. I wonder if the same happens if the two devices are on the same wlan, probably yes, because bridging is done on the br interface. What it's strange is this happens after several hours, I can't find anything relevant in the logs.

Same issue if I connect the laptop on the lan using ethernet cable.
I confirm that pinging from the router not always solve the arp issue.

17

this thread seems relevant

https://bugs.openwrt.org/index.php?do=details&task_id=714

18

Okay, as this seems to be a general problem not related to a specific platform, we should make a BIG bug report. This is def. a major problem!

19

I read in a couple of other threads that the problem might be related to hostapd-2.9. I made a fresh 19.07.2 build with hostapd-2.8 and will test it in the next days ...

20

Were you able to solve it?