Unstable internet connection, package loss

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Unstable internet connection, package loss

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Unstable internet connection, package loss
Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-19 20:50:24
Model: Archer C2300  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 2.0.3 Build 20180810 Rel. 62903

Hi all, 

 

I just moved to another house, and the same ISP is providing me internet access here. My C2300 Router is a few years old now, and he moved together with us to the new house.

Here i added some extra AP's and switches all from ubiquity, all connected to my TP Link router and that one is connected via the WAN port to my modem from my ISP (telenet in Belgium) 


Now for a few months we notice that during our telework skype and teams is instable. Up to the point that it's not workable anymore. Even on my private laptop (without VPN) i have issues when we do a video call with friends via zoom. (as well as cable and wifi) 

 

So i started some investigation. 

1) I called my ISP and logged a case. Because in the beginning if i restart the modem, the fenomene disapeard and we could work again for a few days. So i thought there is something wrong with the signal or modem. They even sent an engineer over to check the signal here in house etc. All was good and my case was passed through to some technical department for further investigation. Also there they don't see anything wrong. His question was to pull all cables out and work directly on the modem to exclude my setup. 

 

If we work directly on the telenet modem and all other cables are out, things seem to work. But i wrote a quick script with some pings and timestamps, i start it from my laptop.
So i have a continious ping to 2 DNS servers 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8.8

I also have a continious ping to the internal adres of my modem, the internal adres of my router and the 'internal' WAN adres of my router

 

What did i noticed after a few days, all internal pings (up to the modem) do not have any package loss. 

But my ping to the outside / Internet have some serious drops from time to time. 

 

For example this week we could work normal on our initial setup via wifi. But this morning we noticed very quick that skype etc was instable. 

 

So i put my output from my script that pings the external DNS in an excel and noticed the following amount for 'request timed out': 

13/11/2020 9
16/11/2020 107
17/11/2020 55
18/11/2020 22
19/11/2020 3337
Eindtotaal

3530

 

 

So on the 19th i have suddenly a large amount of drops. If i zoom in on the 19th:

19/11/2020 3337
0 375
1 385
2 419
3 352
4 366
5 281
6 409
7 481
8 232
9 37

 

So each hour almost equal amount of dropped packages. From 9h09 i changed the setup by pulling out the cable in the WAN port and plugged it in on a switch and further to my work computer, since then it worked smoothly again. 
This evening i just replugged the cable in the WAN port and all works again. 


Do you have any idea what is going wrong here? 
Other things I can start to monitor? 
First my suspect was the Modem from my ISP but I'm not so sure of it anymore. It seems there goes something wrong with the routing of my router? 

 

Thanks in advance for your help to figure this out. I'm a bit stuck. 

 

P.S.: if i do a ping via the router itself (system tools - Diagnostics) i got the same behaviour. almost instant response from the internal IP of the ISP modem. And I just did the ping to the outside: 

PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8): 64 data bytes
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=1  time=16.658 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=2  time=18.068 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=3  time=21.180 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=4  time=17.146 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=5  time=16.706 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=6  time=18.917 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=7  time=18.314 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=8  time=16.945 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=9  time=21.020 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=10  time=24.899 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=11  time=17.953 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=12  time=22.892 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=13  time=18.280 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=14  time=20.093 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=15  time=16.103 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=16  time=19.930 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=17  time=15.848 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=18  time=15.682 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=19  time=17.946 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=20  time=18.880 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=21  time=17.140 ms
Request timed out!
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=23  time=18.114 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=24  time=16.266 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=25  time=15.797 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=26  time=16.192 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=27  time=17.523 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=28  time=21.306 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=29  time=16.992 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=30  time=16.156 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=31  time=16.235 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=32  time=16.499 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=33  time=17.109 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=34  time=17.348 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=35  time=15.936 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=36  time=18.315 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=37  time=21.338 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=38  time=17.732 ms
Reply from 8.8.8.8:  bytes=64  ttl=118  seq=39  time=15.851 ms

So one drop and it hangs at ping number 39.

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#1
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12 Reply
Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-20 02:52:59

@Koerthe 

 

Hello, can I have a detailed network layout that how this C2300, the ubiquity AP's and switches are connected?

 

How many devices are connected to this network? Only Zoom/Skype/Teams calls or videos have this disconnect issue, how about other internet services, are they normal?

 

You may try to change the DNS server on the C2300 to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, then reboot the whole system to confirm.

 

 

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#2
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-20 09:44:48

@Kevin_Z , thanks for your response 

I tried to visualize the environment in a network diagram

 

The number of devices is limited, it's a home network. So if i list them up: 

2 Laptops with VPN connection for work

1 Laptop for private use

2 smartphones

2 Tablets

1 Desktop

 

and furthermore some game console, solar panel, domotics devices that are connected to the network.

 

I have no wifi signals active anymore on the TP link, all wifi is going through the AP's. 

The issue pops up mostly with video or call communications (as well as on the work laptop as on private, with wifi and with cable) But this ain't so weird because video etc is using UDP and that's more sensitive for package loss then TCP traffic. 
My wife noticed it also on her smartphone where some webpages or video's are loaded slow. 

 

I already tried to change the DNS server to 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1 different from the defaults from my provider, but even that has no luck. So at the moment it's back to the default settings.


Yesterday when the issues occurred again I changed the setup to the following around 9h09, ISP modem -> 8p DLink switch -> 2 work laptops and 1 private laptop and we could work all day. Yesterday evening i changed the setup again to the right diagram on top of this message (current setup) and no reboots were done.

Today i have no issues yet.

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#3
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-20 09:57:16
for your info, I changed the network setup so the router is at my desk and not in the basement together with all the other infrastructure. So that works a bit easier when i need to disconnect or check some stuff on the router.
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#4
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-20 11:29:24

@Koerthe 

 

Hi, thank you so much for the detailed network layout and issue description.

 

Do you mean there is currently no issue with the "Current Setup" layout after you confirmed by ISP modem -> 8p DLink switch -> 2 work laptops and 1 private laptop? 

 

BTW, how much bandwidth you paid for your internet? When the Skype and teams was unstable, is that computer actually getting a good connection from the network? Is it connected to the network via cable?

 

If possible, we hope you could test this in an easier way that by connecting a computer to the C2 directly and use Skype or Teams to confirm if they can work properly. Please enable the IGMP Snooping and Proxy on the C2 (Network-IPTV) to give it a go.

 

Good day.

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#5
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-20 13:14:20

@Kevin_Z 

 

Indeed, yesterday things started to fail, so i changed the setup directly on the modem via cables to be able to work. Yesterday evening (after our work) i 'normalized' the setup to the 'current setup' without any reboots of the infrastructure, only plug/unplug the cables.

This morning we started again working via the 'current setup' over WIFI. (But in the past I noticed that the same phenomene occurs with cable, I tried to exclude my AP's from the setup)

 

So today i don't have any issue with 3 laptops on the wifi network with the TP link router in between. And the 2 workingh laptops are using skype and teams regularly.

 

Also no package drops today:

Ping statistics for 1.1.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 10779, Received = 10778, Lost = 1 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 6ms, Maximum = 2437ms, Average = 12ms

 

I did some speed tests before, during and after the issues, most of the time they are good. even directly from the router: 

I have some history from the TPlink speedtest:

Speedtest (just executed) directly on the Laptop over wifi is a download speed of 84.9 Mbps.

So, not bad in my opinion. I have basic internet which means 100Mbps theoreticaly. But like said, the bandwidth is the same as in my previous house.

 

As stated earlier, if I plug a cable from the laptop in the router, the same situation occurs after time. 

IGMP Proxy is enabled, snooping is not. So I'll activate snooping also. Will this have any impact on traffic used by Skype/teams? Just to learn how the IGMP Snooping can help me and what i can expect.

 

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions btw. 

The difficulty is ofcourse that the issue pops up from time to time (2 or 3 times a week) so its difficult to troubleshoot. 

It seems that there is a trigger somewhere that starts my network to flip 
Any ideas how i can see the load on my network to see if something starts bursting my network?

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#6
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-20 13:19:39
FYI IGMP V2 is running, or should I take V3?
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#7
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-23 06:48:29

@Koerthe 

 

Hello, yes, please try V3 as well.

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#8
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-23 12:31:34

@Kevin_Z 

 

To update you on the current state. I changed the snooping parameter on my router friday right after you told me. It seemed not had any (possitive) impact. 
My script is still running, here are the numbers 'request timed out' for a continuous ping to 1.1.1.1:

19/11/2020 3447
20/11/2020 1005
21/11/2020 5382
22/11/2020 7014
23/11/2020

12

 

 

These are the numbers 'request timed out' for the ping to 8.8.8.8:

19/11/2020 2790
20/11/2020 986
21/11/2020 5387
22/11/2020 7028
23/11/2020 8

 

So i don't need to tell you the stability of the network was really not good. even after your suggestion. 


I changed my setup (22/11 20h40) to exclude a possible issue on the router. So it's still the image of the 'current setup' but the TP link router is replaced by the simple Dlink switch and the ISP modem is acting as a router now. So the TP Link is not in use (and disconnected) at the moment.

 

As you can see the number of failed pings drastically lowered today (and yesterday evening). 

I'll follow up the setup this week and see if the pings remain stable. 

 

if the situation remains stable, I can decide carefully that the issue is located on the TP link router. 

 

But 2 questions i have: 

1) Do I hit a kind of bug on this router? Although it has the latest firmware and the router is only 1 year old? 

2) I still see some drops (20 today on an amount of +/- 74 000 pings in total) but i assume this is negligible?

 

How shall I proceed with this? I think the V3 version for the IGMP snooping will not help me out here? Are there any other parameters, monitoring, actions on the router that i can perform to get the router functioning properly again?

Do you have any idea where this goes wrong? Something to do with the routing part ? 

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#9
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-24 02:34:57

@Koerthe 

 

Thank you so much for your tests and cooperation, this will be forwarded to the engineer, who will be able to help you better. If you are willing to do further analysis, please check your inbox and respond.

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#10
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Re:Unstable internet connection, package loss
2020-11-24 20:10:47

@Koerthe 

@Kevin_Z

 

Facing same issue


[0] wan port link down

Model: Archer A6
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 1.1.7 Build 20201010 rel.49458(5553)
Hi,

 

I recently bought TP Link Archer A6 online and started facing as an Internet connection keeps on dropping.

I checked the system Logs and found below messages occur periodically in the span of 1-2 hrs or sometimes lesser.

 

[0] wan port link down

[0] wan port link up with speed 1000M

 

I was using Tp link TL-WR840 N and never had any issues.

The reason I purchased a new router as my Internet speed is 250 Mbps and old router did not have gigbyet port.

 

When contacted TP link support did all the troubleshooting including factory reset and firmware upgrade.

Finally, I have been advised to replace the router.

I requested a replacement and received the same in 4-5 days. Meanwhile, I connected old TL-WR840 N router and the internet worked just fine.

However, the moment in connected Brand new Archer 16 which i received as a replacement I started facing the same issue again.

 

once again contacted support and wilth advise setup primary and Secondary DNs to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 respectively. MTU size : 1458

Still facing the same issue. Not sure what to do as fed up. Never thought of such issues before purchasing a new router. 

I would appreciate if some can help.

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#11
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