WRT54G-TM

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StillBlue
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Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 257
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:46    Post subject: WRT54G-TM Reply with quote
I have a WRT54G-TM which I have had running DD-WRT v24-sp2 (08/12/10) mega (SVN revision 14929), which it has been for years. It has always been set up as a repeater, and although it connects to the other router fine and stays connected, it's clients via WiFi stay connected for a while, then after a while they turn to internet unavailable. If you disconnect and reconnect they are fine again.

The Wired clients have no issues.

I haven't used the router for wireless clients in a long time, so had forgotten it was doing this.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this, and if they managed to resolve it.

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StillBlue
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Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 257
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:47    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have just 30-30-30 reset and set it back up, but the problem is the same.
eibgrad
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Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 9157

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:56    Post subject: Reply with quote
Always hard to know for sure what's the real issue when it comes to intermittent problems, esp. wifi related. However, given the age of the router, you have to at least consider the possibility that the wireless IC is simply getting old and wearing out. Yes, ICs wear out! Heat is the mortal enemy of ICs, esp. when it comes to wireless. What was once a rock-solid wireless connection will, over time, slowly deteriorate and becomes progressively less and less reliable.

Again, always hard to say for sure if this is the problem. But it's always one of my first concerns.

_________________
ddwrt-ovpn-split-basic.sh (UPDATED!) * ddwrt-ovpn-split-advanced.sh (UPDATED!) * ddwrt-ovpn-client-killswitch.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-client-watchdog.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-remote-access.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-client-backup.sh * ddwrt-mount-usb-drives.sh * ddwrt-blacklist-domains.sh * ddwrt-wol-port-forward.sh * ddwrt-dns-monitor.sh (NEW!)
StillBlue
DD-WRT User


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 257
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:28    Post subject: Reply with quote
I did consider that, but it just seems so strange that if you disconnect and reconnect then the connection is perfect, until it drops again.

Starting from a Virgin Firmware and basic setup to repeater though, I have to say, I can't think of many reasons why it would be doing this.

I did see some people recommending changing the key renewal interval, I have tried that, but no joy, but to be honest the connections drop long before the default 60 minute interval anyway.

It doesn't have any issues with its wireless link to the other router, the wired clients never experience any outage.

The router has served me proud over the years, but this issue did always seem to be there, its just I mainly used it with wired clients.
eibgrad
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 9157

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:53    Post subject: Reply with quote
StillBlue wrote:
I did consider that, but it just seems so strange that if you disconnect and reconnect then the connection is perfect, until it drops again.


A few years ago, I had a modem from my ISP that worked flawlessly for 5-6 years. Then suddenly it started dropping the WAN connection from time to time. It might go for weeks or days, no problem, then happen again. Over time it happened more and more often. And while a reboot would usually get things working again, it was only for short periods. Eventually, after exhausting all other possibilities, I got a brand new modem from the ISP and all returned to normal. My presumption is that running hard 24/7, heat eventually took its toll, making it unreliable.

So don't assume that should it be failing it will never work at all. A reboot will often get things working, if only briefly. But again, I'm just guessing since there's no way for me to know for sure. If it is due to aging, you can drive yourself crazy trying to determine all the other possibilities, to no avail. At some point (and perhaps you're not there yet), you need to at least consider it.

_________________
ddwrt-ovpn-split-basic.sh (UPDATED!) * ddwrt-ovpn-split-advanced.sh (UPDATED!) * ddwrt-ovpn-client-killswitch.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-client-watchdog.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-remote-access.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-client-backup.sh * ddwrt-mount-usb-drives.sh * ddwrt-blacklist-domains.sh * ddwrt-wol-port-forward.sh * ddwrt-dns-monitor.sh (NEW!)
StillBlue
DD-WRT User


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 257
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:05    Post subject: Reply with quote
May be time for a new one then. I tried timing the incidents, but to no avail, sometimes its 10-15 mins, sometimes it hours.

All the devices that seem to drop, don't actually appear to lose the connection, the connection just won't pass data.

Like I say, the wireless link to the router it repeats from never appears to suffer from the issue, just the wireless clients.

I have had a good Google, and lots of people appear to suffer the same.

Maybe the router wasn't as great as I remember.

I do like the look of some of the new stuff though. Mine still has an MMC card slot and heatsink which I added. The newer stuff doesn't really appear to need any of that.

I will give it a few more tweaks, and if it doesn't improve, I think its time to retire it.

Thank you for your help.
kernel-panic69
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Joined: 08 May 2018
Posts: 14126
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:14    Post subject: Reply with quote
I didn't see any mention of capacitors or replacing them. These old routers eventually require 'maintenance'. There is also the power adapter that could be at play.

Moved the topic to Broadcom since this a Broadcom device.

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eibgrad
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 9157

PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:53    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good point about the caps. This has always been a problem w/ older devices, esp. from that era. Certainly worth a look-see. Should be pretty obvious if you see leaking or bulging caps. And fairly easy to fix.
_________________
ddwrt-ovpn-split-basic.sh (UPDATED!) * ddwrt-ovpn-split-advanced.sh (UPDATED!) * ddwrt-ovpn-client-killswitch.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-client-watchdog.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-remote-access.sh * ddwrt-ovpn-client-backup.sh * ddwrt-mount-usb-drives.sh * ddwrt-blacklist-domains.sh * ddwrt-wol-port-forward.sh * ddwrt-dns-monitor.sh (NEW!)
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