Radios will not connect to (Verizon)Wi-Fi

[pfcs49]

I was having problems with my four radios being intermittent on Wi-Fi and needing to be rebooted often, so I got the new latest Verizon router AND bought a new MacBook Pro laptop.
Now I cannot get any of them to even connect to the router despite both of my Touches Working just fine.

I have tried entering the password manually as well as the mating game (blue pushbutton on router) with no success.

I have three of them working by using ethernet cables, One directly to the router and two using relay/boosters cabled to the radios.

Previously I had not been able to revive Spotty when it failed to work a year ago, but that was resolved with a new MacBook Pro.

Sorry for the big picture but I don’t see how to reduce it.

I previously posted about this and other problems here:

https://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?109953-WiFi-connection-unstable-lost-on-three-Radios&p=1037331&viewfull=1#post1037331]

AND here:

https://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?115524-problem-finding-my-devices-on-MSB-com

I realized that MSB.com and LMS are discrete and that once Spotty was up on LMS, I could get all my favorites (radio stations) over there as well if I loaded them onto it, so the only problem now is that the Radios will not mate with the router using WiFi.

FYI, LMS is ver 8.2.0
MAC OS: 12.2.1 EN-utf8, MacBook Pro

Thank you!

[Redrum]

Nice summary or your progress/remaining issues!

Just to be clear:

your touches are also on wifi, and they connect to your mac running LMS without a problem?

Also, when you say your spotty problem is resolved, this means that spotty can play on your touches over wifi?

Finally, just curious, when you refer to your favorites (as radio stations) these have nothing to do with spotty, that is, they are just basic radio stations obtained either thought "radio" on squeezeboxes, Tune In, etc? Or (I know nothing about spotify) are they radio stations obtained through spotty?

Jim

[Redrum]

One more thing...

Phil, I reread your initial series of posts in the "wifi connection lost/unstable..." thread, and I noticed a post from @DoctorQuality (post #241) stating that wlanpoke solved his issues which were very similar to what you are experiencing (Radios would drop out, red icon, not reconnect, but a boom <in your case touch> is fine).

https://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?109953-WiFi-connection-unstable-lost-on-three-Radios&p=1037612&viewfull=1#post1037612

I then read on and saw that his suggestion was not addressed further, and perhaps you did not try it. I have not as well my radios behave, but if you read through the referenced thread:

https://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?114775-Simplified-instructions-for-Squeezebox-Radio-Wi-Fi-fix-(wlanpoke)

you will see it helped many people with similar problems.

From the info so far, it seems like your issues are isolated to the radios or how your wireless network is interfacing to the radios. This fix is specific to this problem. Its worth a try. Note that if you get stuck, you can always factory reset the radio (press and hold power until "goodbye", then press and hold '+' while press and hold power until splash screen appears)

Jim

[Apesbrain]

IIRC, there are features of the Verizon G3100 WIFI 6 gateway/modem that, if disabled, allow the Radios to connect via wireless. Hopefully, someone who has already dealt with this issue will reply with details.

You may find some hints in this thread:

https://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?112167-Wi-Fi-6

Workarounds you might consider:
- Connect the Radios via Powerline: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008F537KC/
- Use an external wireless adapter that has a modern feature set: http://www.vonets.com/productviews.asp?d_id=86

EDIT: Another option is to buy a cheap "old school" wifi router and wire it to your G3100. Connect the Radios to this new wifi network. You'll need to manage the setup between the two routers so they don't conflict on things like DHCP, but it can be done. Here's one:

https://www.amazon.com/Tenda-N301-Wireless-Router-300Mbps/dp/B0167N0B70/

On second thought, this probably won't work as simply the nearby presence of a WIFI 6 router seems to be a problem. Only an option, I suppose, if you can disable the WIFI 6 features of the G3100 and yet still are unable to connect to it.

[P Nelson]

A search for Verizon routers yielded the following link which shows a router that looks like your picture.

https://www.verizon.com/home/router/

The link says it is WiFi6 capable. That is BIG problem with the SB Radios, but does not impact the Touch. This is due to the two devices having different internal Wifi chips. The problem is Wifi6 causes some type of interference which causes the Radio's wifi to drop the connection.

If you can verify that the Verizon router does support Wifi6, I suggest the following:

1. Contact Verizon support to turn off WiFi 6; assuming that is possible. (I use an ASUS router and I turned off WiFi6 on the 2.4 Ghz band). Hopefully this will solve the problem.
2. If 1 above is not possible or does not to work. Then I suggest getting a device called a Wifi to ethernet bridge. When connected to the ethernet port, it will bypass the internal wifi in the Radio. Note, you have to manually switch to ethernet in the Radio, it is not automatic. I suggest a TP-link WR-802N nano router and select the Client mode. https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-netw...ter/tl-wr802n/ I am using one of these to solve a problem I have with a neighbor using WIfi6.
3. Use the powerline connection suggested by Apesbrain as an alternative to 2.


Note 1: If WiFi6 is being used by your router, then the wlanpoke solution is likely not going to resolve the problem. While it seems to work when interference is caused by a neighbor's router, I doubt it will work when wifi6 is operating on your router. Installing wlanpoke also involves some technical skills and software to connect to the Radio and install and edit certain files.

Note2: Many people use an ethernet bridge made by Vonets. While it works, the instructions are sparse and there is no technical support to call to help setting it up. I had trouble setting it up and replaced it with the TPlink.

Good luck.

[pfcs49]

wireless is great for the Radios

Please understand, I can and have, gotten a network going by putting a repeater at two of the radios.
It picks up the WiFi from the central (Verizon) router, then sends it to the nearby radio through an ethernet cable.

I want to restore the wonderful portability my four Radios had before WiFi shit the bed!

[Apesbrain]

Some additional ideas here:

https://community.roku.com/t5/Network-Wireless-Wired-Connections/BOTH-Roku-TVs-will-no-longer-connect-to-Wifi-but-everything-else-in-the-house-will/td-p/701911/page/2#M16797

[Redrum]

@P Nelson and @AB;

it very well may be wifi 6 with the new router, but Phil had this same problem with his old old router (pre wifi6) and old mac. Take a look at the thread he referenced (I think you both participated), where he joined the "three radios lost connection" thread.

It think it's important to read the history because last time we threw allot of stuff at him and it might have made his head spin, and I think frustration set in. I can understand how this can happen on this forum sometimes Its also (as you know) difficult to diagnose over a message board.

This new thread is a continuation of trying to get his gear in order, alot has been fixed. It was put on pause while he was awaiting a new mac. Now he's back and everything is working except the radios on wifi. They work via ethernet and with repeaters as he stated.

I am not in the best position to help, as my radios work (and I have quite a few, maybe 8 ), but I have read that wlanpoke has help others with similar issues.

One desperation fall back is I am in NY and he is in NJ. I could send him a working radio to test and/or he could send me one of his to test here, but we would be spending $ with USPS/UPS/etc .

Jim

[P Nelson]

Please understand, I can and have, gotten a network going by putting a repeater at two of the radios.
It picks up the WiFi from the central (Verizon) router, then sends it to the nearby radio through an ethernet cable.

Can you post the make and model of the repeater you are using for the two Radios that work?

On the two Radios that work, please confirm that you have an ethernet cable connected from the repeater to the Radio. If yes, then the internal Wifi in the Radio has been bypassed, which is why those two Radios work, but the others do not work. I think that is solution 2 in my prior post.

[Redrum]

, then sends it to the nearby radio through an ethernet cable.

!

This post indicates it is Ethernet to the radio. He also previously indicated he wants to fix the radios. not add a dongle which is why I suggested reviewing the history.

Jim

[pfcs49]

Can you post the make and model of the repeater you are using for the two Radios that work?

On the two Radios that work, please confirm that you have an ethernet cable connected from the repeater to the Radio. If yes, then the internal Wifi in the Radio has been bypassed, which is why those two Radios work, but the others do not work. I think that is solution 2 in my prior post.

All four radios work on Ethernet.
It doesn't matter what "range booster" "repeater" you use, I think. They receive the wireless/wifi signal and rebroadcast it as well as having an ethernet port for hardwiring. I am using two different ones. They are less than twenty bucks each.
So two radios are on wired-repeaters, and one is hard-wired to the router.
The fourth radio gathers dust.

Clarification on wifi: when the problem started, suddenly the radios would lose connection w/wifi. They always? needed to be rebooted in order to work again and then within 24-36 hours would have lost connection again. A totally unacceptable situation!
Now, with the new router (and before the new desktop), the won't connect at all whether by entering the password after being found, or by the pairing button protocol.

[RobbH]

....
It doesn't matter what "range booster" "repeater" you use, I think.
....

Hi, Phil. People are trying to help you. Not because it's their job; it's not. They are just trying to help, because they enjoy their Squeezebox radios and want others to enjoy them too. If you want their help, you can help them by answering their questions, even when you think the answer doesn't matter. You may be absolutely right, and it will turn out that the answer doesn't matter, but it still might help them eliminate some of the possible problems they are considering.

I have a Radio, too, but it rarely gets used these days, so I'm no help at all. But I hope that, with knowledgeable help, you'll soon be able to enjoy your Radios again.

[Redrum]

A search for Verizon routers yielded the following link which shows a router that looks like your picture.

https://www.verizon.com/home/router/

The link says it is WiFi6 capable. That is BIG problem with the SB Radios, but does not impact the Touch. This is due to the two devices having different internal Wifi chips. The problem is Wifi6 causes some type of interference which causes the Radio's wifi to drop the connection.

If you can verify that the Verizon router does support Wifi6, I suggest the following:

1. Contact Verizon support to turn off WiFi 6; assuming that is possible. (I use an ASUS router and I turned off WiFi6 on the 2.4 Ghz band). Hopefully this will solve the problem.
2. If 1 above is not possible or does not to work. Then I suggest getting a device called a Wifi to ethernet bridge. When connected to the ethernet port, it will bypass the internal wifi in the Radio. Note, you have to manually switch to ethernet in the Radio, it is not automatic. I suggest a TP-link WR-802N nano router and select the Client mode. https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-netw...ter/tl-wr802n/ I am using one of these to solve a problem I have with a neighbor using WIfi6.
3. Use the powerline connection suggested by Apesbrain as an alternative to 2.


Note 1: If WiFi6 is being used by your router, then the wlanpoke solution is likely not going to resolve the problem. While it seems to work when interference is caused by a neighbor's router, I doubt it will work when wifi6 is operating on your router. Installing wlanpoke also involves some technical skills and software to connect to the Radio and install and edit certain files.

Note2: Many people use an ethernet bridge made by Vonets. While it works, the instructions are sparse and there is no technical support to call to help setting it up. I had trouble setting it up and replaced it with the TPlink.

Good luck.

Phil;

Earlier @P Nelson suggested that "WiFi 6" is a problem for the radios. It could be your router is using it, or it could be that a close neighbor's router is using it. When I suggested wlanpoke in my previous post, it's because this helps address the problem with wifi6. Here is the explanation of what wlanpoke does https://forums.slimdevices.com/showt...=1#post1032068

Also, if you might find solace in reading other's frustration: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/ze...ogitech.67859/

I have a couple simple ideas:

First, are you in a rural or urban environment? In other words, do you have neighbors? If you do have other networks in close proximity, it could be their router that is causing the drops. I use an android app called "wifi analyzer" to see relative signal strength of networks at various positions (where you have the radios placed). Maybe someone can recommend an apple app.

Second, I know nothing about macs, but if you have LMS on a mac laptop (mac book?), take the laptop and the radio to a friends house, log into their network and see how things go.

You could also follow @P Nelson's advice to contact Verizon about wifi 6.

You could also try the wlanpoke, it has helped others

@Robb is right, if you want to try to get this working, you have to take the time to try out our suggestions and answer our questions. No hurry though, take your time, we'll be here.

A final thought is I have a radio that I could send you to try, but I will bet that it is a waste of time and postage. Since you have 4, including the one in storage that have the same problem, it's probably your network compatibility.

Jim

[P Nelson]

All four radios work on Ethernet.
It doesn't matter what "range booster" "repeater" you use, I think. They receive the wireless/wifi signal and rebroadcast it as well as having an ethernet port for hardwiring. I am using two different ones. They are less than twenty bucks each.
So two radios are on wired-repeaters, and one is hard-wired to the router.
The fourth radio gathers dust.

If the two repeaters are working with sucess with two of the Radios, then I suggest getting another one for the fourth Radio. You know how to set it up and it is working. Before getting another device, I recommend testing the fourth Radio you are having problems with by swapping it for one that is working with the repeater. Don't forget the Radios do not automatically switch to ethernet when you connect a cable.

Changing network settings on the Verizon router may not be successful if a neighbor's router is using Wifi6. Installing wlanpoke requires more technical skill, and it will not eliminate possible interference. Either of those options will require more effort and frustration.

[andybflo]

As an employee of the big red checkmark company above (I'm in Corp Finance, not remotely close to Tech Support), you have a few issues on your WiFi for that router.

It's one of a handful of things, they'll all require you to do some Googling. Keep in mind, you're trying to mate a relatively new Actiontec product with a 10+ year old wireless chipset. We've had a lot of changes in the past few years.

The biggest two I've found in new equipment is 802.11R and WPA3/WPA2 hybrid network security. I'm not sure where Actiontec buried each setting, but a quick Google search should find both for you. 802.11R could be labeled as Fast Handoff/Fast Roaming, it pre-fetches data as you move between nodes, and handles moving/offloading between WAPs in a theoretically faster manner than without it. I've got a relatively robust Ubiquiti network running around here, and I've shut it off. No performance delta across multiple buildings in my home and inside/outside. I'm sure if I were in say an arena, with hundreds of APs it might help, but with a residential network that is heavily used, it offered no noticable performance gain for the headaches it caused.

My Boom and Radios (which you have) stopped connecting; the Wifi chipset in there (An Atheros AR2413A/AR5005G/AR5BMB5 Mini PCI) can be had with firmware that supports 802.11R, but bluntly, it isn't worth it. Ask how I know...

Here are a few breadcrumbs for you, Google around, it should get you the info you need:

https://forums.verizon.com/t5/Fios-Internet/Printer-Gives-an-Authentication-Error-when-SON-is-Active/td-p/902850

If I were you, I'd switch you r network security to WPA2/PSK, from WPA3/WPA2, and turn off Fast Roaming/802.11R. The re-enable each one, one at a time, until the radios break again. You've found your problem.

Actiontec also has really robust logging inside the router; poke around in there and read them. It will tell you precisely when/where the unit is having issues handshaking with the Radio and Boom. My issues have never been with WiFi6, it's always fallen back to a the aforementioned protocols above.


Good luck.