RT-N66U Network Problems

[rittzy]

I'm just going to lay down my network map before I explain the question

Main router is the RT-N66U. Cat5e connected to TP-Link switch which then connects my Main computer, Mini Server, TV, Onkyo Receiver and PS3. Everything else used is wirless.

I am having this problem where my dad's laptop all of a sudden started playing up, as in it would just throw up limited access and random times while connected the the RT-N66U and reconnect within about 10 seconds. The IP address is there at the time of it dropping out and it never changes so it's not like its renewing it at random times.

I have re-installed my dad's laptop to stock but it didn't make a difference, now the funny thing was this all started happening when I installed the Merlin firmware on it but I have since tried the stock firmware and older firmwares and they don't seem to make a difference. He is also saying it only happens when I go upstairs to use my main computer. I don't have any downloads running and not particular heavy usage either.

I was wondering if anyone had any sort of thought was is going on here??

Thanks
Chris

 

[wbennett77]

Merlins firmware for the N66U has a special wireless driver that requires you to set your router to factory defaults and reenter all your settings manually. It is also recommended to "forget" the connection on the laptop in question and recreate the connection.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

 

[rittzy]

factory reset before or after installing the firmare?

 

[jlake]

You can try setting 2.4 ghz channel width to "20 MHz". If the problem occurs on 5 ghz, you can also try setting the channel width to "20 MHz". Then play around with channels 1,6, or 11 to see which is best. For 5 ghz, channel 149 always seems to work best for me....but you can try upper and lower channels there too. Make sure the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz SSIDs are unique.

The wireless driver used in Merlin's firmware for the RT-N66 can be flaky with drops depending on your wireless client(s). Some work great.....others not so great.

But as mentioned, you'll definitely want to reset to defaults and remove your old profiles. Sometimes it's easier to just give both bands completely new SSIDs on the router.

The ASUS stock wireless driver for n66u is much better (from a compatibility standpoint), although it doesn't quite have the range as Merlin's driver.

 

[jlake]

factory reset before or after installing the firmare?

After........

 

[L&LD]

Always after.

But it doesn't hurt to (in order):

disconnect all USB devices,
disconnect all LAN devices (except WAN and the LAN port connected to the controlling computer),
reboot the router
wait at least two minutes after the reboot before flashing the new firmware.

Now; do a factory reset.

Do a full power cycle by using the power switch (if the router has one) or by unplugging the power cord and waiting a minute before plugging it back in.


At this point, manually enter only the needed settings to secure your router (passwords), change the ssid name(s) and passwords and get your WAN connection recognized again.


At this point the router should be as stable as it can be.

To ensure your clients are ready for the new firmware, you can either use a completely new ssid when you're setting up the router above for both bands, or, you can go to each device and remove the existing ssid network connection profile and re-associate it again.

 

[rittzy]

Hmm some good ideas, I didn't know that the whole thing needed a good reset after the installation of the firmware but I'm not too sure if I have done that or not but won't hurt to do it again!!

After wbennett77 and jlake mentioned the different drivers and the possibility of wireless compatibility maybe that might be causing the issue because it is the other laptop in the house that has the problem. Ill give all these ideas a go and let you know how it turns out.

The problem is so intermittent it's hard to tell sometimes!

Thanks

 

[jlake]

Hmm some good ideas, I didn't know that the whole thing needed a good reset after the installation of the firmware but I'm not too sure if I have done that or not but won't hurt to do it again!!

After wbennett77 and jlake mentioned the different drivers and the possibility of wireless compatibility maybe that might be causing the issue because it is the other laptop in the house that has the problem. Ill give all these ideas a go and let you know how it turns out.

The problem is so intermittent it's hard to tell sometimes!

Thanks

Use the universal basic troubleshooting steps in link below:

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=12453

 

[joegreat]

Main router is the RT-N66U. Cat5 connected to TP-Link switch...

Hi Chris,

The N66u router is very sensitive on the LAN connections: All cables (incl. modem) have to be CAT5e or even better CAT6 to have a stable and safe operation!

With kind regards
Joe

 

[rittzy]

Hi Chris,

The N66u router is very sensitive on the LAN connections: All cables (incl. modem) have to be CAT5e or even better CAT6 to have a stable and safe operation!

With kind regards
Joe

Sorry I will correct that, I am running Cat5e on the cables.

Thanks

 

[bilboSNB]

Maybe also check you have not set something up with a static ip address which is conflicting with a dhcp address and also that you have not shortened your dhcp address pool for some reason and run out of spare addresses.

 

[jlake]

Maybe also check you have not set something up with a static ip address which is conflicting with a dhcp address and also that you have not shortened your dhcp address pool for some reason and run out of spare addresses.

Good suggestion, but I don't think that's it. I can't run Merlin's firmware either on N66u due to its driver. Stock firmware works fine, but the special driver that Merlin's firmware uses isn't broadly compatible (at least not at 40 MHz).

I read this forum daily and there's a lot of people that simply can't use Merlin's firmware for rt-n66u. He said he's never going to change the driver so you either have to get wireless clients that are compatible or you have use other firmware.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
What is your dad's laptop WiFi card? Does it have latest driver from the vender, not from the laptop maker? Kong at dd-wrt wrote a specific WiFi set up procedure re: new radio drivers on router f/w.