DGN2200v4 strange Wireless error

armadillo · Apr 01, 2014, 23:19:35

This is now the second time this error has occurred and I wonder if anyone can explain it. DGN2200v4 firmware V1.0.0.5_5.0.3 .

This is on ADSLMAX and working happily at 8064kbps and noise margin 11.9dB. I have up to 3 devices connected to it: an iPhone by WiFi, a Windows laptop by WiFi and a Windows PC by ethernet cable.

Everything has been fine for about four months since I got the router. Then suddenly, for no obvious reason, the WiFi devices become unable to access the internet and the browser gets redirected to the BT wholesale error screen at http://62.6.38.125

But the PC connected to the router by ethernet cable continues to access the internet perfectly normally. I am currently entering this into the forum on it but the WiFi connected devices are getting the BT error screen.

I previously solved this problem by rebooting the router. I shall power the router off overnight (it is normally on all the time) and reboot it tomorrow morning after leaving it powered off overnight.

Can anyone explain what is going on? It seems weird to me.

As a follow up question, should I update the firmware to 1.0.0.24_5.0.8? Never having updated firmware, I don't know what can go wrong with firmware updates so I a bit wary of doing that.

Steve · Apr 01, 2014, 23:39:32

I would try a manual DNS setting on the WiFi devices.

zappaDPJ · Apr 01, 2014, 23:40:29

That sounds similar to what's happening here: http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,31992.0.html

armadillo · Apr 02, 2014, 00:16:58

Amazing, Steve. Thank you. I just changed the iPhone WiFi DNS from 192.168.0.1 to 212.69.36.3 (didn't even know it could be changed till you suggested it!) and it now connects correctly to the internet without a reboot. Changed the laptop WiFi to that DNS from its previous "obtain automatically" and it also now works fine.

Thanks for the link, Zap. It does look like the same problem. Somehow, I failed to find that post before.

Anyway, the DNS setting has fixed it but I don't understand why a reboot fixed it before.

zappaDPJ · Apr 02, 2014, 00:44:23

It does seem like a bit of a dark art

armadillo · Apr 02, 2014, 00:50:58

Sure does, Zap.

I now just changed iPhone's DNS to 8.8.8.8 instead. That works too. Probably better to have the iPhone set to that Google DNS as I guess IDNET's DNS might well not be available on non-IDNET connections.

Steve · Apr 02, 2014, 08:01:52

It's not usually an issue upgrading a routers firmware, however upload the file over Ethernet, don't mess with it until it's finished and I usually factory reset afterwards to clear any cached settings. Previously saved config files are best not used as they may not be appropriate for the new firmware so it then takes awhile to manually input your local configuration settings.

Gary · Apr 02, 2014, 09:10:52

Quote from: Steve on Apr 02, 2014, 08:01:52
It's not usually an issue upgrading a routers firmware, however upload the file over Ethernet, don't mess with it until it's finished and I usually factory reset afterwards to clear any cached settings. Previously saved config files are best not used as they may not be appropriate for the new firmware so it then takes awhile to manually input your local configuration settings.

armadillo · Apr 02, 2014, 12:20:14

Thanks Steve and Gary. That is useful advice re firmware. I think I will leave the firmware alone since the "problem" appears to be a DNS issue unrelated to the router.

Actually, I now remember that when I first solved the problem a month ago by rebooting the router, I had to do it twice. The first time, when done in the evening immediately after the problem occurred, the reboot made no difference. When I rebooted in the morning, the problem cleared. This might in fact have been coincidence.

I suspect that the actual problem lies at IDNet. The router itself was, and still is, set to get its DNS settings from the ISP. My PC always had manual DNS settings to the IDnet DNS server and was never affected. The iPhone obtained settings from the router via DHCP. The laptop also obtained settings from the router.

On altering the DNS to manual on the iPhone and the laptop, even if using the IDNet DNS server address, the problem was solved. This suggests that some fault was occurring at IDNet causing the automatic obtaining of DNS settings to fail.

This is consistent with the fact that, in the thread Zap indicated, the problem first occurred in March in the late evening. That was the case with me too. I think there is some intermittent fault with the mechanism that allocates the DNS server automatically at IDNet.

I suppose another means to test that would be to return the iPhone and laptop to obtaining settings from the router, wait for the problem to recur and then set the router's DNS manually.

However, once things work, I prefer not to fiddle

Gary · Apr 02, 2014, 13:13:57

Quote from: armadillo on Apr 02, 2014, 12:20:14
Thanks Steve and Gary. That is useful advice re firmware. I think I will leave the firmware alone since the "problem" appears to be a DNS issue unrelated to the router.

Just to mention that routers are being attacked alot recently, keeping up to date with firmware which may contain security patches is probably more important now than before, always unless forums show issue, use the latest firmware on your router.

armadillo · Apr 02, 2014, 13:27:25

Thanks Gary. I would rather take the security risk.

Gary · Apr 02, 2014, 16:45:39

Quote from: armadillo on Apr 02, 2014, 13:27:25
Thanks Gary. I would rather take the security risk.

No need to, updating firmware is easy, the fact that many users of certain makes of routers have had their routers hijacked and DNS changed because of flaws in large scale DDos attacks on for instance IDNet a few months back and AAISP last week should mean keeping up is best. Just download the update upgrade and you are done pretty much. On your router just put your settings back in and away you go, I have quite a busy home network and it takes no more than twenty minutes round trip as I just photograph the pages with my phone for the settings i have changed. If you leave yours as default all you have to do is put the IDNet settings back in, it really is easy.

armadillo · Apr 02, 2014, 23:03:03

Thanks again Gary. The release notes for the firmware give no indication that any security vulnerabilities were found or fixed. I also consider that a new version is just as likely to introduce new vulnerabilities as to fix old ones. I am therefore not generally in favour of applying updates to firmwares or operating systems unless something has stopped working or is needed in order to get some new item to work. I know we do not agree on this aspect

Originally, before being pointed to the DNS settings, I thought the problem might have been firmware related. Now I know it wasn't, I am leaving the firmware alone.

Gary · Apr 03, 2014, 08:52:19

Quote from: armadillo on Apr 02, 2014, 23:03:03
Thanks again Gary. The release notes for the firmware give no indication that any security vulnerabilities were found or fixed. I also consider that a new version is just as likely to introduce new vulnerabilities as to fix old ones. I am therefore not generally in favour of applying updates to firmwares or operating systems unless something has stopped working or is needed in order to get some new item to work. I know we do not agree on this aspect Originally, before being pointed to the DNS settings, I thought the problem might have been firmware related. Now I know it wasn't, I am leaving the firmware alone.

Firmware updates fix bugs, and security, but thats is generally hidden so it cant be reverse engineered, if a system has a firmware update its because it needs it, the original firmware is generally the one with issues. I get you wont change that, but that would have meant if you had used certain brands of router like tp-link and zyxel, your router may well have been hacked and put youself and others at risk. This is an ongoing issue and many ISp's anre seeing DDoS attacks looking for dodgy firmware in routers, That's not great, and thats what firmware updates are for to operating systems, to add new features to cure bugs and to solve issues like the router ones, even EE's brightbox was hacked. Staying up to date with firmware is important.

I take it you wouldn't not apply patches to windows, or OS X or Linux or flash player etc. Routers and other device firmware updates are the same, and sometimes just as important.

Take care.

armadillo · Apr 03, 2014, 13:55:48

Quote from: Gary on Apr 03, 2014, 08:52:19
I take it you wouldn't not apply patches to windows, or OS X
Take care.

I don't apply Windows patches either, apart from service packs, and then only if the service pack is a requirement of some new software or hardware. I applied SP3 to Windows XP only because it was required by software that I need to use. I genuinely believe the patches cause more problems than they solve. The only Apple device I have is an iPhone and I apply iOS updates only after a delay. For a major update, I wait longer. I have not yet applied iOS 7.1. I will apply a firmware update only if there is evidence of a known security issue or to cure a problem which I am experiencing. So far, I have never had any problem on any device which has been addressed by a firmware update.

As I said, I know we don't agree on this