WiFi security settings messages and devices offline

[papd63]

Hello,

Please can someone tell me what the message 'WiFi security settings have been successfully saved' in my router log actually means i.e. what is the router doing, and why? The message tends to appear multiple, usually 4, times in quick succession, and I get several groups of messages on most days.

My reason for asking is I've been struggling with my wireless printers frequently going offline at seemingly random times. Internet searches show printer-offline issues are widely reported with various printer models, but none of the suggested fixes work for me. Furthermore my problem is affecting two printers (different models) at varying times. So I decided to take a closer look at what is happening in my case...

I ran a batch script which pings my printer IP addresses every 5 minutes over several days to find out when the problem occurs. By cross-referencing the results against my router's log, I've concluded that my problem is somehow linked to the 'WiFi security...' messages in the router log.

To clarify, my 'WiFi security...' messages are usually followed in the log by all 2.4GHz wifi devices - or less frequently all 5GHz wifi devices - automatically disconnecting and reconnecting from the network, and therefore becoming un-pingable for a short time. This is acceptably brief, and is NOT the problem.

The problem IS:
- one or both of my printers becomes permanently un-pingable (ping returns 'unreachable' response) from any device (like my test laptop on wifi, or wired, or my mobile phone) which disconnects and reconnects to the network, AFTER the 'WiFi security...' messages appear. Subsequent pings continue to fail despite the fact that, according to the log, both test device and printer are successfully connected to the network;
- devices that stay connected to the network after the 'WiFi security...' messages, continue to see the printer until the next time they reconnect;
- the only way I have found to make the printer ping-able again from all devices is to disconnect/reconnect the printer itself.

As said above, the 'WiFi security...' messages are normally followed in the log by all wifi devices on one frequency disconnecting and reconnecting. In practice, this can lead to a scenario where the printer becomes un-pingable after one set of 'WiFi security...' messages, and then becomes pingable again several hours later, through being automatically disconnected and reconnected following another set of 'WiFi security...' messages.

In hindsight, my problems will have have seemed random during daily use because firstly, my newer printer can switch between 2.4/5GHz, and secondly, my main laptop running Windows 11 reconnects to the network every time it wakes from sleep. My testing has eliminated these random elements and my printer-offline problems coincide with the 'WiFi security...' messages every time.

So to help me determine where the root cause lies and how to fix it, please can someone tell me what the router is doing when these messages appear, and why do they happen when they do (what is the trigger)?

[ The back of my router says its a Sagemcom FAST 5364-3.T8. The firmware version is SG4K100174. ]

Many thanks in advance.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

@KeithFrench - have you ever come across this before?

Thanks

[papd63]

Hi Debbie, thanks for your suggestion, although I think that my problem may be different to yours...

My printer(s) will always print successfully when first connected, whether on 2.4 or 5ghz. Its just that one or both printers become unreachable from some devices, at some (seemingly random) time after that, and I have to restart or disconnect/reconnect the printer to bring it back online. It turns out when a printer becomes unreachable from a device it always coincides with that device reconnecting to the network following the 'WiFi security settings...' messages, so the 'random' element is actually about when do those messages appear, and when does the source device next reconnect after that.

My printers do stay online longer when they are on 2g than when on they are on 5g. I believe that's because most of the 'WiFi security settings...' events seem to trigger all 2g devices (but not 5g devices) to disconnect and reconnect, so any printer on 2g which may have gone offline is immediately corrected, whereas any printer on 5g isn't. However keeping my printers on 2g isn't a solution because I still get some less frequent 'WiFi security settings...' events which seem to trigger all 5g devices (and no 2g devices) to disconnect and reconnect, so any 5g printer is corrected, whilst any 2g printer isn't.

Please can I take this opportunity to underline the thought behind my original question about what is the router doing, and why, when the 'WiFi security...' messages appear:
1) If I could understand the events which trigger the messages in my case, then I might be able to take action to prevent or reduce those events, or trigger my own corrective action following those events
2) I presume there's a reason why my router seems to trigger all 2g OR all 5g devices to disconnect and reconnect after these messages? But if so, I wonder why it wouldn't it trigger all 2g AND all 5g devices to reconnect at that point, because if it did, then I wouldn't have a problem at all?

Thanks again for your time.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi papd63

I had issues with my own printer, mine will only connect if I connect on 2ghz first.

If you connect to 2ghz first and then connect to the printer will it print ok?

[papd63]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your question. No, I'm not using any wifi extenders.

[ Actually TalkTalk did send me a wifi extender recently, but its still in the box, unused. It was sent to me after I reported my Internet Status showing Disconnected via the online chat, which I mentioned in the penultimate paragraph of my previous post. It had nothing to do with the problem I reported, which I didn't get a fix for; but the agent said he could see some evidence of wifi problems and seemed desperate to do something useful, by which time I was desperate to end the chat without offending anyone, so I let him send me a wifi extender. As I say I haven't used it - if I do have any wifi coverage problems in our small house it will be at the furthest corner where I don't really need coverage. ]

To be clear, all of the tests I've been referencing in previous posts have been done with laptops and printers in the same room as the router i.e. within about 3 metres of it.

Since my post yesterday, there have been further groups of 'WiFi security...' messages in the router log at around 15:20, 16:03, 18:05, 18:51, 19:51, 21:36 yesterday, and 00:11, 01:10, 02:10, 03:11 (hourly?) this morning.

I restarted my router at 18:00 and my 5G-capable printer at 18:05 to start a new test. The router log shows my printer connecting just 9 seconds after the last message in the group at 18:05 above, so I'm wondering if there's a relationship?

After that the 5G-capable printer is shown in the router log as having remained connected with no disconnections, but my ping testing shows the printer became unreachable from a laptop which disconnected and reconnected to the router at 18:55:12 last night, whilst it remained pingable all night from a second laptop which stayed connected to the router. This printer remains pingable from one laptop and not the other now.

Chris, I wonder does your question imply that the 'WiFi security...' messages can occur as a consequence of wifi interference?

Thanks again.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi papd63,

Are you using wifi extenders?

Chris

[papd63]

Hi Debbie, 

I received my new router (same model) on Tuesday, connected it yesterday evening, and ran an overnight test starting around 9.30pm last night. Unfortunately the results so far aren't very encouraging...

There are groups of 'WiFi security...' messages in the router log at around 02:55, 03:09, 03:23, 03:38, 03:40, 04:09 this morning. On each of those occasions the router log shows that every 2.4G wifi device was briefly disconnected and reconnected.

One of my printers can only connect over 2.4G wifi, and my ping testing (every 5 mins) of that printer shows only brief disruptions overnight, in line with the disconnections and reconnections above. However my other newer printer was connected over 5G wifi, and whilst the router log shows it remained connected throughout last night with no disconnections, my ping testing shows the printer became unreachable from a laptop which disconnected and reconnected to the router at 02:55:20. By contrast the same printer remained pingable all night from a second laptop which stayed connected to the router. As I type, this printer remains pingable from one laptop and not the other.

The logs from last night are somewhat complicated by the fact that the router did a firmware update between 02:50 and 02:53. I'm reasonably confident this had no direct bearing on the results above because the firmware update completed by 02:53, after which both printers returned successful ping responses before the first 'WiFi security...' messages at 02:55. However I'm happy to continue testing for the avoidance of doubt.

The router updated to firmware SG4K100174 overnight, whereas I think it was on something like 130(?) yesterday. Frankly I'm not sure this update was a good thing. I didn't mention it before but my previous router was showing the Internet status as Disconnected, when I clearly did have an internet connection (I reported this via the online chat a while ago but got nowhere and gave up, as it didn't seem to be impacting anything). I was pleased to see this glitch had gone away when I logged into the new router last night, but it now seems to be back this morning. I'd also say the GUI was faster and more stable last night than this morning, or with my previous router. So if you'd like me to test with the previous firmware version and can tell me how to roll back, I'd be more than happy!

I'd welcome any further suggestions on next steps, including any further tests. 

Thanks again.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi papd63

Thank you 🙂

[papd63]

Ok, I will do. Thanks

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi papd63

Please let us know if you do experience any of the issues you have reported in this thread.

Thanks

[papd63]

Thanks Debbie.

Just to clarify for my testing then, are we saying that the 'WiFi security...' messages should only appear if I make a configuration change, so if they occur at other times then I know immediately there's still a problem? Or are we saying those messages appearing at random times isn't necessarily a problem in itself, I should focus on checking whether it affects my printer connections?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi papd63

The replacement router is on its way, please allow 24-48hrs for this to arrive.

Let us know how the connection compares with this router.

Thanks

Debbie

[papd63]

Yes Michelle, I'm happy to test a replacement, thank you.

Keith - thanks for your help getting me to this point.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

Would you like us to send a replacement router for testing purposes? We would also send a router returns bag so that one of the routers can be returned, would this be ok?

Thanks

[KeithFrench]

OK, I will ask TalkTalk to consider swapping your router out for another. 

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[papd63]

No Keith, not at the same time. I get one pair of TR-069 messages once per day, at the same time every day, currently 11.22am-ish. I get groups of 'WiFi security...' messages several times per day, at varying times, day and night.

[KeithFrench]

When you get these messages are there any TR-069 messages at around the same time?

[papd63]

Hi Keith,

Thanks for replying so quickly!

I haven't been changing the WiFi configuration at all to my knowledge. These messages appear sometimes several times a day, including overnight when I'm asleep. For example there were groups of messages this morning at around 00:36, 02:13, 03:39, 03:43, 06:44 when I certainly was asleep.

I do log in to the router daily, but have only been doing so to get the logs. Each time I logout I get a message "Logging out of your Wi-FI Hub - Be sure to save changes to your settings first" to which the only option is to click 'Yes', even though I haven't actually changed anything. And again, I'm certainly not doing this in the middle of the night when some of these messages appear.

My problem has existed for several weeks, possibly months, I've only focussed on trying to fix it in the last couple of weeks. If the 'factory default' you're referring to is the same as 'putting a pin in the hole at the back' then I did that on June 24th, and since then I've continued to see these message most days, including at 02:40, 03:24, 06:49 on the 25th. (I'm happy to do another reset if you think it would help with any further diagnosis, or if I've misunderstood what you meant please can you explain the steps?)

My only change on the router since doing the factory reset was a few days ago when I set reserved IP addresses, just in case some IP conflict was causing my problem, but it hasn't helped, and the problem and the messages were present both before and after that change.

Could there be anything else triggering the messages, perhaps a connected device misbehaving in some way?

Thanks again, I appreciate your time.

[KeithFrench]

You will get the "WiFi security settings have been successfully saved" log message whenever any WiFi configuration is changed, even things like enable/disable WPS. 

Have you been changing the WiFi configuration in the router just prior to getting these log messages? If not, have you tried a factory default of the router's configuration?