Router not letting Wi-Fi Calling through

[Mig017]

Phone: iPhone 6S (iOS 11.4.1 T-Mobile) Router: ASUS RT-AC68U (Firmware Version:3.0.0.4.384_21045)

Hi, I'm having a new issue where WiFi calling works fine but when I leave the house, switch to cellular data, and then come back to the house, WiFi calling will sometimes not re-activate. It probably happens about half the time. Even when I put the phone in airplane mode, WiFi calling does not activate. I have also powered down/turned on my phone, but to no avail. The only solution I have found is to login to the router and reboot it. Any idea on why this may be happening and if there's a fix other than rebooting my router each time?

 

[Grisu]

Phone: iPhone 6S (iOS 11.4.1 T-Mobile) Router: ASUS RT-AC68U (Firmware Version:3.0.0.4.384_21045)
Hi, I'm having a new issue where WiFi calling works fine but when I leave the house, switch to cellular data, and then come back to the house, WiFi calling will sometimes not re-activate. It probably happens about half the time. Even when I put the phone in airplane mode, WiFi calling does not activate. I have also powered down/turned on my phone, but to no avail. The only solution I have found is to login to the router and reboot it. Any idea on why this may be happening and if there's a fix other than rebooting my router each time?

try newer firmwares

 

[mafiaboy01]

So I did some more testing. At my place I have an AC87. Using an android phone I'm able to use wifi calling but the person on the other end can't hear me. With NAT acceleration off it works fine.

I tested at my parents house, they have an AC3100 and the wifi calling worked perfectly. Both are running Merlin 384.7_2.

 

[Mig017]

My ISP recently changed my modem from an older Motorola Surfboard to an Arris Touchstone SB6183. After the modem switch, my Wi-Fi calling has been working perfectly. Not sure if switching the modem would have anything to do with Wi-Fi calling, but I thought I'd let you all know.

 

[mafiaboy01]

So I updated my 87u to 384.9 beta and still have the same problems. iPhone doesn't connect to wifi calling at all. My Pixel 3 XL connects and I can make a call but I can't hear the person on the other end.

I'm on Bell Fiber with media convert and using the 87u to do the pppoe session. Turning off NAT causes wifi calling to work fine but not practical with a gigabit connection.

My parents have a 3100 with Rogers and on firmware 384.8 and wifi calling works fine over there. I'm really running out of ideas why this isn't working.

I'm almost wondering if this is an issue with having a pppoe connection and the NAT acceleration.

 

[Deleted member 58331]

So I updated my 87u to 384.9 beta and still have the same problems. iPhone doesn't connect to wifi calling at all. My Pixel 3 XL connects and I can make a call but I can't hear the person on the other end.

I'm on Bell Fiber with media convert and using the 87u to do the pppoe session. Turning off NAT causes wifi calling to work fine but not practical with a gigabit connection.

My parents have a 3100 with Rogers and on firmware 384.8 and wifi calling works fine over there. I'm really running out of ideas why this isn't working.

I'm almost wondering if this is an issue with having a pppoe connection and the NAT acceleration.

Unfortunately, I do not know of any solution. I have simply complained of the issue, and ASUS bought back my router.
I am no longer using ASUS routers as I am not comfortable having a device blocking traffic for no reason with no official answer as to why that's happening and a proper fix.

 

[mafiaboy01]

Unfortunately, I do not know of any solution. I have simply complained of the issue, and ASUS bought back my router.
I am no longer using ASUS routers as I am not comfortable having a device blocking traffic for no reason with no official answer as to why that's happening and a proper fix.

That's unfortunate that Asus wasn't able to shed some light on the problem. I wonder if @RMerlin has any input on it. But my guess is its something NAT acceleration when the router is running a PPPOE session.

 

[GHammer]

Must be PPPoE. I have an iPhone 7 and an iPhone XS on two different carriers both with dismal signal at the house and both work exclusively on WiFi at that location, calling included. I have Comcast, an 86U, currently on 384.9 Beta.

 

[mafiaboy01]

Must be PPPoE. I have an iPhone 7 and an iPhone XS on two different carriers both with dismal signal at the house and both work exclusively on WiFi at that location, calling included. I have Comcast, an 86U, currently on 384.9 Beta.

That's all I can think of because it works at my parents house and they have a 3100 on Cable internet(DHCP) and it works at my place if I turn NAT acceleration off. So something with NAT acceleration and PPPoE is causing issues. I've emailed their tech support about it but I'm not keeping my hopes up.

Its unfortunate because it seems like a general Asus bug and not specific to a router do I can't even upgrade to fix the problem.

 

[sbsnb]

My parents have a 3100 with Rogers and on firmware 384.8 and wifi calling works fine over there. I'm really running out of ideas why this isn't working.

My money's on the ISP's modem. See these threads for people with WiFi calling issues on AT&T fiber that was only solved by downgrading firmware or replacing their modems:

https://forums.att.com/t5/AT-T-Internet-Equipment/Pace-5628-ac-wifi-calling-issues/td-p/5119266

https://forums.att.com/t5/AT-T-Fiber-Equipment/PACE-11-1-0-531418-DMZ-Issue/td-p/5700776/page/9

 

[mafiaboy01]

My money's on the ISP's modem. See these threads for people with WiFi calling issues on AT&T fiber that was only solved by downgrading firmware or replacing their modems:

https://forums.att.com/t5/AT-T-Internet-Equipment/Pace-5628-ac-wifi-calling-issues/td-p/5119266

https://forums.att.com/t5/AT-T-Fiber-Equipment/PACE-11-1-0-531418-DMZ-Issue/td-p/5700776/page/9

I'm not using the ISP's modem. Inernet setup is:

Fiber -> TP-Link MC220L -> Etherent -> 87u(PPPoE, VLAN 35 on WAN)

It actually works fine if I user the ISP modem/router combo (HH3000)

 

[sbsnb]

If I were in your shoes I would try:

Fiber -> TP-Link -> HH3000 -> Asus

Fiber - > TP-Link -> Asus -> HH3000

And see if the behavior differs between those configurations. If it does, that gives us some clues about where the problem lies.

 

[sbsnb]

There are four permutations possible:

1. Both combos work
2. Only HH3000 -> Asus works
3. Only Asus -> HH3000 works
4. Neither works

In the case of #1 we can surmise that the HH3000 has an additive quality that allows WiFi calling to work and nothing is blocked by the Asus. The solution will involve finding out that the HH3000 is doing to allow WiFi calling to work and get the Asus to do the same.

In the case of #4 we can assume that the presence of the Asus is a causative factor. The solution will involve figuring out what is being blocked/filtered and why.

#2 suggests that the HH3000 "adds" something that is blocked/modified by the Asus, but that the Asus isn't blocking the packets themselves.

#3 suggests a property that is added by the Asus but modified by the HH3000 to allow WiFi calling to work.

 

[mafiaboy01]

Okay so I got some interesting results.

Fiber -> TP-Link -> Asus(WAN VLAN 35/NAT Acceleration ON) Wifi Calling DOESN'T WORK
Fiber -> TP-Link -> Asus(WAN VLAN 35/NAT Acceleration OFF) Wifi Calling WORKS
Fiber -> HH3000(VLAN35) -> Asus(No VLAN/NAT Acceleration ON) Wifi Calling WORKS
Fiber -> HH3000 Wifi Calling WORKS
Fiber -> TP-Link -> HH3000(WAN ethernet port) Wifi Calling WORKS
FIber -> TP-Link -> Asus(No VLAN) -> HH3000 (WAN Ethernet/VLAN35) Couldn't seem to get this setup to work. The HH3000 wouldn't get an IP. I turned on PPPoE relay on the Asus.

So looks like there might me some issue with NAT Acceleration and VLAN on the Asus?

 

[sbsnb]

In the configurations where WiFi calling works, you should be able to go into the System Log -> Connections tab and see something like:

udp    192.168.1.2    34078    9.9.9.9    4500    ASSURED

where the 192.168.x.x address is your phone's IP and 9.9.9.9 is your cell co's server. Do you see that?

 

[mafiaboy01]

In the configurations where WiFi calling works, you should be able to go into the System Log -> Connections tab and see something like:

udp    192.168.1.2    34078    9.9.9.9    4500    ASSURED

where the 192.168.x.x address is your phone's IP and 9.9.9.9 is your cell co's server. Do you see that?

So when it's not working I get this (iPhone)

udp 192.168.2.23 4500 74.115.199.40 4500 UNREPLIED

Pixel 3 XL

udp 192.168.2.114 43408 74.115.199.40 4500 UNREPLIED

When it does work it's:

udp 192.168.2.23 4500 74.115.199.40 4500 ASSURED

 

[sbsnb]

So the packet is dropped somewhere. Set Firewall -> General -> Logged Packets Type to "Dropped." Do you see anything in your logs when it's not working? If not, the Asus isn't dropping the packets. For the purposes of fixing the problem I hope it is the Asus, otherwise troubleshooting gets more difficult.

 

[mafiaboy01]

Nothing in the logs show that anything is being dropped/blocked.

I can see things getting accepted

Feb  3 09:40:32 kernel: ACCEPT IN=br0 OUT=ppp0 SRC=192.168.2.114 DST=74.115.197.40 LEN=392 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=253 ID=12668 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=42507 DPT=500 LEN=372

Feb  3 09:40:32 kernel: ACCEPT IN=br0 OUT=ppp0 SRC=192.168.2.114 DST=74.115.197.40 LEN=364 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=253 ID=12669 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=42507 DPT=4500

 

[sbsnb]

Dang it. That means the problem is with the other equipment. I'm wondering if the Asus is inserting your LAN IP somewhere in the packet and some retarded hardware down the line is dropping it or altering it so that it's not coming back correctly. I suspect the TP-Link, but I don't know why it would do anything to packets. I can't find any documentation for that device. It could even be your cell provider, but because it works on other networks with the same equipment I doubt it.

 

[mafiaboy01]

The TP-Link simply converts the Fiber into Ethernet so I can connect to the 87u.

The strange because the wifi calling works if I use the HH3000 with the TP-Link

And it works with the TP-Link if I turn NAT Acceleration off on the router.