DNS errors Fast 364 router

[Merlin2021]

Hi, for some time now I have been getting the the following message in the Maintenance  logs: DNS name resolution failure (_dns.resolver.arpa). I checked this when returning from holiday, when only a few devices were left on, and the error messages continued whilst away. Occasionally I also get a DNS name resolution failure (reports.crashlytics.com). The router access screen also keeps crashing and I have to keep logging back into the screen to access the hub. 

I suspected a camera that was left on and accessible via port forwarding as it shows a high data usage on the TalkTalk router web screen but powering that down hasn't made a difference.

Internet speeds and service otherwise seem OK.

[Merlin2021]

 Keith, thanks for confirming.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @Merlin2021 

In the logs [WL_PRIV] is the router's 2.4GHz band and [WL_VIDEO_5G] is its 5GHz band. Does that answer what you wanted to know?

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi Merlin,

Thanks for the update. 

Wi-Fi Hub light too bright? - TalkTalk Help & Support

Michelle

[Merlin2021]

Michelle, thanksI have installed the new router and all working OK.

I noted the following during checking against the old router.

The white LED light of the old router was very dim compared to the new router but that could be just an LED issue.

The dashboard crashes are happening occasionally, usually when all devices are connected, reducing the number of devices seems to reduce dashboard crashes.

When only connecting a laptop with a fresh install of MacOS, DNS 'errors' can be seen. As Keith explained this is a known issue.

I also noted from the logs that all devices logged into 2 default router SSIDs [WL_PRIV] and [WL_VIDEO_5G] (on both routers)

[KeithFrench]

Thanks @Michelle-TalkTalk 

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi @KeithFrench 

I've been advised that the new firmware is due to start rolling out around the beginning of August.

Michelle

[KeithFrench]

Hi @Merlin2021 

One of the problems is that most Android phones & possibly iPhones as well have MAC randomisation enabled by default, which is totally unnecessary and makes your task impossible. 

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning @KeithFrench 

I'll see if I can find out when the next version of firmware is due.

Thanks

Michelle

[Merlin2021]

Keith, thanks for the info as I currently cannot isolate which device is responsible for the error/information. 

 Prior to your reply, I tried to isolate various devices listed by the router. An unknown phone with an IP address on the router has a MAC address that I cannot identify. I used an IP scanner, it identified an Apple device using open Port 6208 (IOS).  A quick internet search, suggests it is either a backdoor used by hackers or a port reserved by Apple for UPnP multimedia files sharing, and for synchronising iTunes files between devices.

I would like to try and block this open port.

[KeithFrench]

Hi @Merlin2021 

There is nothing wrong with your router, if these are your only issues. You will still experience this with the replacement router.

These messages should be there, as the router logs them when any devices fail to resolve a DNS request. It can be very difficult to prove which of your devices are trying to access something, where the DNS entry is wrong. You would need to have high IP skills and special hardware to find this. These failed DNS requests are often because a website that you have visited, can have many components in it. These are not maintained by that website owner, but by a third party. One of these is often the culprit. I have found this to often be the case with some newspaper websites.

Currently, there is a bug in the router's firmware where the classification of these messages in the system log is wrong. They show up with an "Error" classification, instead of "Informational" as they should be. This means that if you try & filter them out, you remove virtually the complete log. 

I have raised this as a bug in V174, along with a request to display these messages or not, via a checkbox or similar, because there are a lot of "Informational" messages of much greater interest than these.

The UI stopping responding is a bug that I reported with an earlier firmware version & apparently, this will be fixed in the next release.

I have heard rumours that there should be new firmware sometime in the first half of this year, but I have no idea when.

@Debbie-TalkTalk @Michelle-TalkTalk is there any update as to when the new firmware will be released?

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Merlin2021

The 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

[Merlin2021]

Thanks Michelle that would be very

helpful.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Good afternoon,

I'm sorry to hear this. I've run a test on the line now which is clear. Would you like us to send a replacement router for testing purposes to rule this out? We would also send a routers return bag so that one of the routers can be returned.

Thanks

Michelle