Everyone - please check your logs for devices frequently reconnecting to Wi-Fi

[Cliff_G]

We had the wi-fi dropout problem which looks to be fixed by the latest firmware, r4.26.3.  However, we still have one problem which wasn't there prior to the r4.16.1 update and is not fixed by r4.26.3.  This is that one laptop, an HP, reconnects to the wi-fi every 6 seconds. The Hub is an SH31B

This issue is not obvious unless you look at the log, or do something like streaming or a video call and notice that it is freezing or stuttering.

Please, everyone, go to the Hub web page at 192.168.1.254, go to Advanced Settings, Technical Log / Event log tab and scan the log for any device (MAC address) connecting multiple times.  You will probably need to hit the Next page button several times, but with us, the same MAC address connecting every 6 seconds becomes very obvious after only a couple of next page-s.

If you ARE getting this problem, can you please post here and include info such as Main vs Comp wifi, what GHz it's connecting at, and anything else you think relevant.

Thanks

[Cliff_G]

Hi @Andy_65 

Interesting. I'll wait and see how you get on with the changes you mentioned. Let us know.

Was the laptop OK before the previous firmware update to r4.26.1 ?  Ours was fine, the r4.26.1 broke it.  I'm kind of hoping its more than just our laptop struggling since I think they may not do anything if it's a very low number getting the issue.

Ours never settles like yours does, stays every 6 seconds forever.

[Andy_65]

Hi @Cliff_G 

I knew it wasn't exactly the same issue but I posted because of both being HP laptops and no other devices were having issues.

It's been okay today on compatible wifi so that seems to be the answer. I'd been having connection problems for just over a month I think but I didn't check the firmware version as nothing else was having a problem. Also, 3 to 4 months ago I started to have problems with the laptop connecting to my Synology NAS. This started to happen after a Win 11 update and again only affected the laptop. I never fully fixed these issues but I found workarounds.

Last night I booted up my old Toshiba laptop, it was originally Win 7 but now Win 10. That connects straight to the main wifi with no problems at all, and it connects with the NAS without any issues. It's only a guess but from my experiences it looks like Win 11 is a likely culprit.

[Cliff_G]

Thanks, that's good for you.  I shall have to get to grips with the Windows event logs

[Cliff_G]

OK, with Claude's help, the Event Viewer logs relevant are at Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → WLAN-AutoConfig → Operational.  Here the 6 second behaviour is clear, every 6 seconds I'm getting a sequence of 11004/11010/11005 which is respectively Wireless security stopped, Wireless security started, Wireless security succeeded, then a 6 second gap to another "Wireless security stopped".  The started/succeeded is correct behaviour, it's the Stopped which is the issue.

Claude tells me (bearing in mind it may be wrong, and that AI can be sycophantic too) that this is "a full stop/start/success security cycle every 6 seconds isn't a dropped connection, it's a forced re-authentication. Windows isn't losing the link; something is telling it to redo the security handshake on a fixed timer" [so far believable] but then that "the router's Group Key Renewal Interval (GTK rekey) [may have - my wording] got reset to an abnormally low value by the firmware update — sometimes a firmware bug sets this to something like 6 seconds instead of the normal default (usually 3600s / 1 hour".  The problem with this explanation is that it should affect all devices.

Now I have a little more detail I will take this up with EE.  Till then we will continue to use ethernet-over-mains (Powerline)

Anyone else with a similar problem can look at the event viewer (Windows key, then type Event and it will come up) at the tree location above

[JimM11]

@Cliff_G If you do think it's the EE Hub although it's a complete pain to do with no Backup facility, then you may just have to bite the bullet and Factory Reset the sucker, that should in theory reset all the values in the EE Hub! Just cross everything and touch hold as much wood as you can if deciding that's the way to go? Grabbed a couple off mine showing a few time start's for you when they get approved for viewing. Going to reset the log and do a restart also. Jim

Today's start was at 8.10amYesterday's may have been a restart as well.

[JimM11]

@Cliff_G Straight clear the log, shutdown the computer and a restart at 16:10.00PM..#

Shutdown Restart and what is logged.

[Cliff_G]

Already tried that. The only config I have to do is turn comp on, so not much of a faff, but it didn't help 

[JimM11]

@Cliff_G You don't have an old RE Range Extender kicking around, just wonder if it would be happier on a WiFi 5 signal rather than fighting the WiFi 6 off the EE Smart Hub 6 Plus assuming you could get the Range Extender to connect to the EE. With all the Entries getting written the log will be getting massive as well, does not help. 

[Cliff_G]

I can't see your 5:03 message image, just a yellow triangle. ?

No, no extender. TBH, I CBA any more. Spent 3 hours on it today with Claude to fail to fix a problem for which the workaround is take 5 seconds to plug in the powerline. Ok, I'm retired, but there's a limit!

[JimM11]

@Cliff_G Once approved you will see it, also below the seven steps that the interface produces below from that once cleared from bottom to the top steps. Bold highlights the section breaks ..... It's cleared now so you should be able to see it.

Wireless security stopped.

Network Adapter: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Interface GUID: {d348ab4c-6ad5-4660-ba5d-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Local MAC Address: F4:D1:08:xx:xx:xx
Network SSID: SKY69xxxxx
BSS Type: Infrastructure
Security Hint: The operation was successful.

WLAN AutoConfig service started a connection to a wireless network.

Network Adapter: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Interface GUID: {d348ab4c-6ad5-4660-ba5d-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Connection Mode: Automatic connection with a profile
Profile Name: SKY69xxxxx
SSID: SKY69xxxxx
BSS Type: Infrastructure

Wireless network association started.

Network Adapter: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Interface GUID: {d348ab4c-6ad5-4660-ba5d-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Local MAC Address: F4:D1:08:xx:xx:xx
Network SSID: SKY69xxxxx
BSS Type: Infrastructure
Authentication: WPA2-Personal
Encryption: AES-GCMP-128
802.1X Enabled: No

Wireless network association succeeded.

Network Adapter: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Interface GUID: {d348ab4c-6ad5-4660-ba5d-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Local MAC Address: F4:D1:08:xx:xx:xx
Network SSID: SKY69xxxxx
BSS Type: Infrastructure
Management Frame Protection Enabled: 0x100000000

Wireless security started.

Network Adapter: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Interface GUID: {d348ab4c-6ad5-4660-ba5d-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Local MAC Address: F4:D1:08:xx:xx:xx
Network SSID: SKY69xxxxx
BSS Type: Infrastructure
Authentication: WPA2-Personal
Encryption: AES-GCMP-128
FIPS Mode: Disabled
802.1x Enabled: No

Wireless security succeeded.

Network Adapter: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Interface GUID: {d348ab4c-6ad5-4660-ba5d-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Local MAC Address: F4:D1:08:xx:xx:xx
Network SSID: SKY69xxxxx
BSS Type: Infrastructure

WLAN AutoConfig service has successfully connected to a wireless network.

Network Adapter: Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz
Interface GUID: {d348ab4c-6ad5-4660-ba5d-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
Connection Mode: Automatic connection with a profile
Profile Name: SKY69xxxxx
SSID: SKY69xxxxx
BSS Type: Infrastructure
PHY Type: 802.11ac
Authentication: WPA2-Personal
Encryption: AES-CCMP
802.1x Enabled: No
Hidden: false