WIFI OPTIMISATION

[Chris1012]

I recently switched to Talktalk broadband and I'm having issues with WIFI optimisation and channel hopping causing certain devices to disconnect from the WIFI network. From reading these pages I understand that a Talktalk employee can disable this feature on my router? Please can this be actioned?

[Chris1012]

Hi Michelle,

You can't see any errors on the line for yesterday from 4.09pm to 4.43pm? If so, this is very surprising since the router log (below) shows 9 VDSL dropouts during that period and the internet was virtually unusable! I don't have a phone connected so can't comment on any noise on the line.

09.05.2024 16:43:04	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:43:02	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:42:33	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:42:33	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:42:01	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:41:59	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:41:30	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:41:29	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:41:11	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:41:08	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:40:39	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:40:38	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:39:21	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:39:19	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:38:50	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:38:49	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:38:29	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:38:28	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:37:59	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:37:58	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:36:55	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:36:53	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:36:24	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:36:23	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:35:28	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:35:26	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:34:56	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:34:56	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:33:34	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:33:32	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:33:02	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:33:02	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:10:15	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:10:13	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:09:44	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:09:43	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris,

I can't see any errors on the line during this time. Have you noticed if there is any noise on the voice service when your connection drops? 

Michelle

[Chris1012]

Thanks Michelle,

From looking at the logs it seems most of the VDSL disconnects are occurring in the afternoon, with 3-5pm being the most common time for them to happen, although not everyday.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris,

Great thank you. I'll re-check the connection stats later on today to see how the stability compares at the test socket.

Thanks

Michelle

[Chris1012]

Hi Michelle,

I have connected the router to the test socket via a microfilter (no phone connected). When I did the connection test yesterday afternoon (during the 9 VDSL dropouts/~40 minutes shown in the previous log) I think the router light was flashing amber/white (not just amber). Looking at the router log now (below) for when the cable was unplugged I get the same VDSL/WAN DCHP errors as I was getting yesterday, indicating that the dropouts yesterday (and previously) were 'breaks' in the line.

10.05.2024 07:37:06	Info	SYS	TR-069 connectivity to (acs.talktalk.co.uk) has been closed
10.05.2024 07:37:04	Info	DHCPC	The WAN DHCP client IP address 78.146.XX.XX
10.05.2024 07:36:32	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
10.05.2024 07:36:30	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
10.05.2024 07:32:11	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
10.05.2024 07:32:11	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris,

That's strange. Does your main socket have a test socket please? If it does then would it be possible to connect the microfilter, phone and router at the test socket please so we can re-run the line test again?

Thanks

Michelle

[Chris1012]

Hi Michelle,

Thanks for getting back to me. Just so you know, yesterday evening and overnight I had further VDSL disconnects/reconnects that interrupted my internet connection. Also, please could you explain why when I ran a connection test through my talktalk account using my phone and 4G it said there were no connection faults despite my router flashing the amber light and the dashboard saying the router was not connected?

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris,

I'm sorry to hear this. I've run a test on the line now which has detected the following - No problem found on the Openreach network. The performance of this service may be impacted by a recent mass sync event. Submitting a fault to Openreach cannot expedite the restabilisation of this service. 

The stability should hopefully start to improve over the next few days so we will re-check the connection stats again first thing on Monday morning to see how this is looking.

Thanks

Michelle

[Chris1012]

Hi Debbie,

I now have another issue with my Talktalk fibre 65 broadband! I joined Talktalk on 4 April 2024 and the VDSL connection was stable for about 4 weeks. However, in the past week I have been experiencing quite a few VDSL dropouts - two on the 2 May, one on the 7 May and nine so far today (see log below). The VDSL dropouts on 2 May were only for a minute or so, the one on 7 May was for 6 minutes and today the dropouts were for ~40 minutes! Nothing has recently changed with my setup. These dropouts are very annoying as they interrupt streaming/internet access. I ran a connection test (using phone 4G) whilst the VDSL was down (flashing amber light on the router) and it said everything was fine and my router was connected, which it obviously wasn't! Please can you investigate and fix this issue?

Thanks

Chris

09.05.2024 16:43:04	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:43:02	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:42:33	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:42:33	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:42:01	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:41:59	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:41:30	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:41:29	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:41:11	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:41:08	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:40:39	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:40:38	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:39:21	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:39:19	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:38:50	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:38:49	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:38:29	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:38:28	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:38:13	Info	SYS	Modem login was successful
09.05.2024 16:37:59	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:37:58	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:36:55	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:36:53	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:36:24	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:36:23	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:35:28	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:35:26	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:34:56	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:34:56	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:33:34	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:33:32	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:33:02	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:33:02	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1
09.05.2024 16:10:15	Info	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) started
09.05.2024 16:10:13	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is up port 1
09.05.2024 16:09:44	Warning	DHCPC	WAN DHCP client (1) stopped
09.05.2024 16:09:43	Info	XDSL	VDSL connectivity is down port 1

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris1012

That's great, thanks for letting us know 🙂

I have sent you a Private Message with a link to a short survey for the Community.

Thanks again.

Debbie

[Chris1012]

Hi Debbie,

Just a quick update - in the ~10 days since you switched off wifi optimisation on my router I have had no more of the random 'WiFi security settings have been successfully saved' messages in the router's log and I have had no more issues connecting to my 3D printer. Hence, as others have posted, the cause of the original issue (devices becoming unresponsive on the network) appears to be down to the wifi optimisation being turned on.

Thanks again for sorting this out for me. I assume any future router firmware updates may switch wifi optimisation back on, if so I'll update this thread.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris

That's great. If you do experience any further issues then please let us know.

Thanks

Debbie 🙂

[Chris1012]

Hi Debbie,

Looking at the log I've not had any more of the 'WiFi security settings have been successfully saved' entries (and associated disconnects/reconnects) since you made the change on Friday morning. I've also been able to connect to the 3D printer with no problems. It's early days, but it's looking promising and fits with other reports that disabling wifi optimisation solves the connection issue. I'll let you know if the issue reappears.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris

How's the connection been since your last post?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris

No problem. You don't need to reboot the router, the changes have already taken affect.

Thanks 

Debbie

[Chris1012]

Hi Debbie,

Thank you for disabling the wifi optimisation, is there anything I need to do here, i.e. restart the router?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Chris1012

Thanks for your reply.

Ok, I've switched the WIFI optimisation off and I will feed this back to our Devices Team.

Please can you retest and let me know how you get on.

Thanks again.

Debbie

[Chris1012]

Hi Chris,

The issue has happened again this evening (18 April) at around 7pm. Checking the router log there are several entries for 'WiFi security settings have been successfully saved' at around 7pm, followed by devices disconnecting and reconnecting - none of these 'security settings' were instigated by me! I've looked through the community pages and there are several reports of this happening (two linked below), together with devices (printers) being unreachable. I see that in at least one of these cases you were involved. The solution in both of these cases seems to have been to disable the wifi optimisation, but you say this is not possible? Please could you investigate further since this seems to be a documented issue that causes devices to become unreachable on the network.

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Fibre/Wifi-security-settings-have-been-successfully-saved-droppi...

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Broadband/WiFi-security-settings-messages-and-devices-offline/td...

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK thanks 

Chris

[Chris1012]

It happened a couple of times over the past week, but I couldn't give you dates and times. When it happens again I'll note the date/time and add to this post.

Thanks