HUB 3 in Modem mode keeps dropping out

[MackNev53]

HI, a while ago I posted a question here about my Hub 3 as the router dropping out.  An engineer did come out and added an attenuator and the system was more stable with fewer dropouts but very bad WiFi coverage.  I have now added a TP-Link M5 Mesh and put the Router in Modem mode as I kept hearing the HUB 3 was not great as a router anyway.  That was on sunday.  All was ok until today.  I am personally not at home right now but my partner is at home pulling her hair out with constant drop-outs.

I have now read posts here about the HUB3 in Modem mode and drop outs.  I would share my BQM but it is red so I'm guessing the Mesh system or HUB3 is blocking it.

I did add a TP-LINK WPA4220 powerline onto one of the M5 units, to get signal to an outbuilding.  Could this cause a problem ?, it all seemed to work fine sunday and yesterday.

Whilst I have found this forum and Virgin tech support good, the Hub3 tech has caused nothing but trouble.

Has anyone found any fixes for HUB3 drop outs in Modem mode

Any advice before I go home and face my partners wrath 

Matt

[lotharmat · Accepted solution]

Can you post your Hub status and logs?
Someone should be spot if there is a problem
Navigate to http://192.168.0.1 (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode)
Don't log in!
Click on 'router status'
Copy/paste the data from each of the tabs. The forum software will remove the MAC addresses for you (you may need to click the 'post' button again).

[365nice · Accepted solution]

Hi Matt - I have a Hub 3 (and previously a Hub 2) in modem mode with a Deco m5 - so sounds a lot like you.

I don't normally get dropouts like you are describing - it did work really well for a long time, however I have an ongoing ticket with Virgin as lately I am getting more and more frequent dropouts which is currently being investigated in our area (and I can't pursue an individual ticket until that work is complete).

I'm in London W4, but not sure if your area might have the same issue - I know a lot of my neighbours and colleagues in West London are saying the same thing.

Just to check though - your M5 is plugged straight into the Hub and then you have a mesh from the M5 right? I'm by no means an expert in networking, but I have heard its important to do that, and then add any further networking from that M5 (like a TP-Link switch).

From what you describe with the powerline - does that setup prevent you from having a mesh setup (I can't recall - but might be worth checking as there is something you have to be careful with for Deco's when you do this).

Hope you can get it sorted though, as dropouts are so annoying.

By the way - BQM should work with this setup, you might just have a new IP address though.

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

The M5 will be blocking the ICMP requests that create a BQM unless it is running the latest v1.5 firmware.  If it's new it may already have v1.5.  If not, previous v1.4 firmware blocked ICMP requests, v1.5 makes that a toggle setting, but you would have to toggle that on, the default is off.  If you're not on v1.5, it can be downloaded from the TP-Link site along with full instructions for a manual installation, but make sure you follow them to the letter, and get the right firmware for your device and device version (otherwise your Deco will be a brick).  I don't think that the v1.5 firmware can be installed from the Deco app, which is a pity as that's previously been an easy and effective way of doing it.

The wifi extender is unlikely to be the cause of the problem, and personally I doubt that the M5 is either.  A more probable cause is a poor broadband connection.  When you get back, connect to the hub by clicking on this link http://192.168.100.1/  That should pull up the log in page for the hub.  But don't log in, just click on the link "Check router status"  That'll bring up a window with five tabs.  Open the Downstream tab.  Select all the text (Ctrl-A if using a keyboard), copy it (Ctrl-C), then paste it (Ctrl-V) into a reply here as TEXT not screenshots.  Post that, do the same for the Upstream and Network log.  You'll get an error message when you post the Network log, just click on "post" a second time.  If you can do that after the hub has been running for a good few hours or overnight that will help, because a manual reboot clears the hub's error counters that can be useful data.

Then we can check for any obvious problems with power, noise or error counts.

[MackNev53]

Hi,

Yes I will do later when back home

Many thanks for replying

Matt

[MackNev53]

Hi,

Yes you are correct, I put the Hub in Modem mode and connected the first M5 unit into that with an ethernet cable.  The only other connection to that M5 unit is our SONOS system.  The second M5 unit is then in the next room connected to the first via the mesh.  I have the TP-LINK powerline connected to that unit. I have checked on TP-Link forums and they say that the powerline will work fine on an M5 Mesh as the M5 unit acts as a regular wireless router.

I am in Oxfordshire.

Matt

[MackNev53]

Many thanks Andrew-G,

The M5 did do a firmware update via the app but I think it was to 1.4.  I will do a manual update this eve and post the Logs before I do any restarts.

There was talk on forums here about a firmware update to the Hub causing problems to the HUB3 modem mode - was this a proven thing? 

[Andrew-G]

@MackNev53 There was talk on forums here about a firmware update to the Hub causing problems to the HUB3 modem mode - was this a proven thing? 

I must have missed that, but I'm running Deco M4's with the hub in modem mode and have not seen a single thing to persuade me that there's any problems.  There certainly are issues from recent firmware changes for users operating the Hub 3 in router mode.

And I'll emphasise again, make sure you get the right firmware version and understand the instructions before trying to update firmware.  Most TP-Link products have several versions.  If in any doubt don't do it.  If you want a BQM and don't want to risk a firmware update, plink the hub back into modem mode, turn off its wifi* and flip the Deco into access point mode, which is easily done via the Deco app.  That's not optimal because the hub has a pound shop router, but it'll do until the problem is identified and resolved.  And if we find something amiss, it will enable the forum staff to check it out remotely, which they can't do when the hub is in modem mode.   

* And hope it stays turned off.  There's a few bugs in the latest Hub 3 firmware that do stuff like turning the wifi signal back on when you've turned it off, or renaming the 5 GHz wifi band with a new name that means nothing can connect to it.  All in all, a real crock.

[MackNev53]

Hi again, I just checked on the TP-link app and I am on firmware 1.5.3, What do I toggle on to get the BQM working.

[lotharmat]

I think it is under security firewall ICMP requests - they shouldn't be blocked!