WIFI issue

[k1ng_alex]

Hello,

My router was working fine all of yesterday and today it just wont work. My phone and laptop can see it but it wont connect , and in the case of my phone it shows 3 bars of wifi and when i try to connect it drops to one bar then disappears for a few seconds. Any advice or tips? 

[Shd0w2]

I know it's really basic to say this, but have you restarted it?

[k1ng_alex]

tried that - still nothing.

[Tsuki]

does it work if you try to plug directly into it (with the laptop of course)

 

EDIT:  @k1ng_alex dont forget to follow your posts so you know when people reply, and quote people so they know when you respond

@Shd0w2

[DarthSlater77]

It may be a bit advanced but if you install Vistumbler on a laptop you can see all the wifi signals in your area and info about them like the channel they are running on. If your neighbor installed a new AP that is running on the same channel as your router it can cause what you are describing. 2.4Gh Wifi runs on 1 through 11 different channels you can use vistumbler to see what channel is used the least in your area and set your router to use that. you want a gap of one channel between you and the other AP's in the area.

Ex:

AP1  Channel 3

AP2  Channel 3

AP3  Channel 3

AP4  Channel 6

AP5  Channel 10

 

The best place for you would be ruining at Channel 8 because there is a gap of one on each side of the channel. I don't know how to change it on your router or even if you can it vary's from model to model. 

[soup]

During your restart did you wait long enough for all the components (the capacitors mostly) to discharge? 

Try a proper power off refresh, waiting a good couple of minutes before powering up the router again.

 

Use scanning software (say inSSIDer) to see what channel(s) your neighbours are using and pick a channel for your router that has the lowest activity on/around it.

[k1ng_alex]

I have an android wi finder (shows me all 12 wifi channels and I am on an empty one.

The router works as a wired switch (the router is plugged into my tower link and i can use wired connection.)

My main concern is I have tried 3 routers all of different brands and they all work for a week then they just stop broadcasting wifi or wont let me connect.

And these are second hand routers so I know i got what i payed for , but it just seems strange that they work rock solid then just die all within that 1 week time frame. 

[k1ng_alex]

And the thing that frustrates me (if were going back to the crowed wifi area which it is) 

I am using the sharing tools on my mac (thunderbolt ethernet to share over wifi) and that works fine ive been using it for almost a month with no problems.

your probably asking why i dont just use that all the time then .

1 When i leave for the day my at home devices then have no internet access

2 my roommate wants wifi and im trying to save him from buying a router

[DarthSlater77]

I have an android wi finder (shows me all 12 wifi channels and I am on an empty one.

The router works as a wired switch (the router is plugged into my tower link and i can use wired connection.)

My main concern is I have tried 3 routers all of different brands and they all work for a week then they just stop broadcasting wifi or wont let me connect.

And these are second hand routers so I know i got what i payed for , but it just seems strange that they work rock solid then just die all within that 1 week time frame. 

what mater is the Channel it is running on this is a better explanation than what i can post myself. You need more info than just the ssid You need to know the channel after you read the artical you will better understand what i meen.  

https://support.zen.co.uk/kb/Knowledgebase/Broadband-Understanding-Wireless-Channels

[DarthSlater77]

And the thing that frustrates me (if were going back to the crowed wifi area which it is) 

I am using the sharing tools on my mac (thunderbolt ethernet to share over wifi) and that works fine ive been using it for almost a month with no problems.

your probably asking why i dont just use that all the time then .

1 When i leave for the day my at home devices then have no internet access

2 my roommate wants wifi and im trying to save him from buying a router

Adding another router will just make your current situation worse. 

EDIT:Sry didn't read enough now I understand.

[k1ng_alex]

all of my routers were on 10 or 11.

My macbook runs the same on 10 and i have no issues with it.

[DarthSlater77]

all of my routers were on 10 or 11.

My macbook runs the same on 10 and i have no issues with it.

True but if a new AP was installed nearby (across the street) running the same channel, that may be the problem. That is why I like Vistumbler and other tools like it because it gives you a good map of what the wifi in your area looks like. it can even pick up networks that are not broadcasting their ssid. Most call it a hacking tool I call it a network analyzer =)

[k1ng_alex]

I have tired all of the wifi channels and still had no luck 

[RossMadness]

Have you tried updating the firmware on the router?

[DarthSlater77]

I have tired all of the wifi channels and still had no luck 

One more quick fix try forgetting the network and re-configuring the network on the devices I hope this works. If not the given information the Wifi channels is all I could think of. It may just be a bad router. Since it has happened with multiple routers, this is a shot in the dark, but there may be a problem with the power going to the router. If you have a volt meter set it to ac ~_ mv and see what is coming from the wall. it should be 110v. if it is much more than that the router may be getting damaged. For good measure keep it plugged into a surge protector.  If the settings are fine, everything has been power cycled, and power is fine I don't know what else it could be. 

 

Have you tried updating the firmware on the router?

Yes try this. 

[k1ng_alex]

Both my routers are way to old and run DD-wrt

[RossMadness]

Both my routers are way to old and run DD-wrt

 

I'm assuming you're saying that in reply to my suggestion to update the firmware. If so, then that is not what I meant. If you log into the Web Control Panel of the router, there is usually an "update firmware" option that looks for new versions of the firmware from the manufacturer. I'm not advocating flashing DD-WRT. 

[k1ng_alex]

I feel like there is no solution , both my routers randomly stopped being AP guess ill just stick to wired