Question Static IP Router Keeps disconnecting & reconnecting internet connection.

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

We have an internet connection where they gave us 5 static IPs to access the internet. Only pcs with those IPs are able to access the internet. Since we have more than 5 pcs, we set up a d link R03 router, gave it one of those IPs and use wired/wifi from the router. It works, but it keeps disconnecting and reconnecting the internet on all the connected devices. We are able to login to the router, while it disconnects, and we can see it says "Internet connected". Means there is connection to the router, but the internet can't be accessed. This only happens for a couple of minutes, but lots of times. The pcs all have auto ip addresses. Is there anything we are missing? Everything is fine when we use direct wired connection to the ISP modem (TEJAS TJ2100N-11G). I even tried changing to another R03 router. I am not a network specialist, just know how to set these up.

 

[lantis3]

All of the PCs and devices should be behind router unless you have servers that have to face the public. But even then, they also should be behind the router using port forwarding.

If the router does not have enough ports, you should add switches and connect them together, instead put PCs directly on the internet using give public IPs, which will be under attack from internet 24/7.

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

All of the PCs and devices should be behind router unless you have servers that have to face the public. But even then, they also should be behind the router using port forwarding.

If the router does not have enough ports, you should add switches and connect them together, instead put PCs directly on the internet using give public IPs, which will be under attack from internet 24/7.

Yes its ISP -> Router -> PCs. We also have another ISP's modem near the router. But it still gave us problem even after switching it off.

 

[lantis3]

How many PCs and devices behind the router? What's internet download speed? Anyone doing torrent downloading? Torrent will create a lot of connections and could make router unstable.

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

How many PCs and devices behind the router? What's internet download speed? Anyone doing torrent downloading? Torrent will create a lot of connections and could make router unstable.

6 PCs and some smartphones. Speed aboout 50 mbps. No torrent downloads. It even occurs when there is only 1 user. This issue only exists when using a router. If I connect ISP -> switch -> PCs, it works fine. But it can only get internet to 5 pcs

 

[manly]

That router model is garbage, D-Link should be ashamed of peddling it in 2024. Get something decent; it doesn't have to be expensive or fancy. WiFi 6 is fine nowadays.

As an aside, @lantis3 is right that all your devices should be "behind" the wireless router. Are you paying extra for 5 static IPs? If so, don't.

 

[mv2devnull]

wireless router

The R03 -- like many similar products -- has three distinct functions in it:
* WiFi Access Point (AP), that the WiFi clients talk with. An AP does essentially convert wireless traffic to wired traffic
* Switch that relays traffic between multiple clients within same subnet. Clients include the AP, router, and up to four wired devices (of which some can be physical network switches)
* Router that relays traffic between two subnets, the (home) "LAN" and (ISP) "WAN"

Is it the AP or the router that chokes in the R03? (If issue is with smartphone, then it could be either. If it is with wired client too, then at least the router function.)

On many consumer "WiFi routers" one can disable AP or router, so the device becomes just a router or AP, respectively. One could thus get a new router and continue to use the R03 as AP (if that part is not the issue).

they gave us 5 static IPs to access the internet. Only pcs with those IPs are able to access the internet.

Interesting. Ideally "they" should run a DHCP server that hands out those five addresses to DHCP clients that you connect. (The recommendation above was to connect only one -- the router.) While DHCP has "dynamic" in the name, it can be set to hand out predictable, "static" addresses.

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

We have 2 R03s. We tried it both. Still the same problem

That router model is garbage, D-Link should be ashamed of peddling it in 2024. Get something decent; it doesn't have to be expensive or fancy. WiFi 6 is fine nowadays.

As an aside, @lantis3 is right that all your devices should be "behind" the wireless router. Are you paying extra for 5 static IPs? If so, don't

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

The R03 -- like many similar products -- has three distinct functions in it:
* WiFi Access Point (AP), that the WiFi clients talk with. An AP does essentially convert wireless traffic to wired traffic
* Switch that relays traffic between multiple clients within same subnet. Clients include the AP, router, and up to four wired devices (of which some can be physical network switches)
* Router that relays traffic between two subnets, the (home) "LAN" and (ISP) "WAN"

Is it the AP or the router that chokes in the R03? (If issue is with smartphone, then it could be either. If it is with wired client too, then at least the router function.)

On many consumer "WiFi routers" one can disable AP or router, so the device becomes just a router or AP, respectively. One could thus get a new router and continue to use the R03 as AP (if that part is not the issue).


Interesting. Ideally "they" should run a DHCP server that hands out those five addresses to DHCP clients that you connect. (The recommendation above was to connect only one -- the router.) While DHCP has "dynamic" in the name, it can be set to hand out predictable, "static" addresses.

The ISP won't change anything. They say its the current agreement. They asked us to note down 5 IPs and we manually configured them in 5 pcs. It works fine. We have more than 5 pcs. Hence the router with one of the IPs.

The issue persists even if I connect the pcs to the LAN ports of the R03. I even disable the wifi. No use. When I login to the router while it disconnects the internet, it shows there is internet connection. But we don't get it.
Could it be a dns problem?

 

[manly]

We have 2 R03s. We tried it both. Still the same problem

Because it's a garbage product. I don't need to know exactly why it's failing; the obvious solution is to get anything halfway decent instead. It's actually ridiculous that D-Link is selling a WiFi 4 router TODAY in 2024. (The reviews on Amazon .in are bad.)

R03 - N300 Smart Router

Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) Technology with 300 Mbps speed 1x 10/100 Fast Ethernet WAN Port 4x 10/100 Fast Ethernet LAN Ports Dipole antenna for data transmission and improves range and performance Supports WPA,WPA2, and the latest WPA3 Wi-Fi Security Essential firewall that equips with...

www.dlink.com

WiFi 4 is a re-branding of 802.11n; that is ancient technology and back then, consumer networking equipment was "unreliable" compared to modern standards. D-Link is selling obsolete tech from ~ 2007, with Fast Ethernet ports from the 1990s.

If you want to waste your own time "troubleshooting" a junk product, that's up to you. Personally I wouldn't even buy a new WiFi 5 router at this point, but I understand there is still some market for a very low-end product.

WiFi products have gone up in price post-pandemic but you don't have to spend a lot of money. The last WiFi 6 router I bought was by Netgear, had OK reviews and IIRC cost about $30.

In theory, it takes very little computing power to run a basic wireless router. So who knows why this one is failing so miserably. Easy solution: get rid of it.

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

Because it's a garbage product. I don't need to know exactly why it's failing; the obvious solution is to get anything halfway decent instead. It's actually ridiculous that D-Link is selling a WiFi 4 router TODAY in 2024. (The reviews on Amazon .in are bad.)

R03 - N300 Smart Router

Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) Technology with 300 Mbps speed 1x 10/100 Fast Ethernet WAN Port 4x 10/100 Fast Ethernet LAN Ports Dipole antenna for data transmission and improves range and performance Supports WPA,WPA2, and the latest WPA3 Wi-Fi Security Essential firewall that equips with...

www.dlink.com

WiFi 4 is a re-branding of 802.11n; that is ancient technology and back then, consumer networking equipment was "unreliable" compared to modern standards. D-Link is selling obsolete tech from ~ 2007, with Fast Ethernet ports from the 1990s.

If you want to waste your own time "troubleshooting" a junk product, that's up to you. Personally I wouldn't even buy a new WiFi 5 router at this point, but I understand there is still some market for a very low-end product.

WiFi products have gone up in price post-pandemic but you don't have to spend a lot of money. The last WiFi 6 router I bought was by Netgear, had OK reviews and IIRC cost about $30.

In theory, it takes very little computing power to run a basic wireless router. So who knows why this one is failing so miserably. Easy solution: get rid of it.

I gave it to their service center, they said they had no issues with it. But their ISP was different. Not the one that gives us 5 static IPs. Maybe we should buy a new one.

 

[lantis3]

Post your R03 WAN connection config web page image. cover up the public IP address. Make sure you have correct netmask.

R03 LAN side should have DHCP (server) running.

Upload to imgur.com and share it here.

Client PCs behind/connected to router also should use DHCP. NOT using static public IP.

 

[mv2devnull]

The issue persists even if I connect the pcs to the LAN ports of the R03. I even disable the wifi. No use. When I login to the router while it disconnects the internet, it shows there is internet connection.

You can "login to router", so PC--router connection remains ok. The issue is thus on the router, ISP, between them, or beyond ISP. Not on WiFi.

Does the router have any means to test transfer of data with something outside? It is easy to show "connected" even when connection does not function properly.

We have 2 R03s. We tried it both

Did you try both simultaneously? You have more than one public IP, so you can connect both to ISP. When clients on one router hit the issue, do the clients on the other have it too? (If two pieces of garbage have synchronized problems, then the issue might not be them ...)

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

Post your R03 WAN connection config web page image. cover up the public IP address. Make sure you have correct netmask.

R03 LAN side should have DHCP (server) running.

Upload to imgur.com and share it here.

Client PCs behind/connected to router also should use DHCP. NOT using static public IP.

https://imgur.com/a/jl4oJWx

PCS have optain IP address automatically set in the adapter

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

You can "login to router", so PC--router connection remains ok. The issue is thus on the router, ISP, between them, or beyond ISP. Not on WiFi.

Does the router have any means to test transfer of data with something outside? It is easy to show "connected" even when connection does not function properly.


Did you try both simultaneously? You have more than one public IP, so you can connect both to ISP. When clients on one router hit the issue, do the clients on the other have it too? (If two pieces of garbage have synchronized problems, then the issue might not be them ...)

How do I test transfer?
Yes I tried both at the same time. They don't drop the connection at the same time.

 

[Garion]

One other possibility is that a device on the ISP network is trying to use the same IP address as your router. For example, if your ISP gave you five iP's - something like .101, .102, .103, .104 and .105. For the sake of example, if you choose .105 for your DLink router. Some other device might be trying to "take it" and have a conflict. Once that other device sees the conflict, it gives up.

If this is the case, there are two things to try..

On one of the other ISP IP addresses (.101 - .104) get to a command prompt and enter "arp -a". This will show you all of the physical addresses associated with the IP addresses on that network. (If you don't see your DLINK router, try to ping it then hit the command again). If you can catch the problem "in the act" do another arp -a from that other machine again to see if that physical address changed. (It should NEVER change).

The other option is to switch your DLINK to another IP - i.e. give it .101 instead of .105. Make very, very sure that whatever device used to use .104 isn't doing so anymore.

Really, however, you got good advice above that I wholly agree with as a cybersecurity guy. You should never, ever have a machine using an ISP-assigned IP address. That leaves you wide open to the Internet and much (!!) more vulnerable to hacking. All of your PC's should be moved behind your dlink router. If your router is not performing well enough, replace it something better. ISP router -> Your router -> all of your devices. As a bonus, if your problem is being caused by IP conflicts this would fix it! I

- G

 

[FrankRunnerDrebin]

One other possibility is that a device on the ISP network is trying to use the same IP address as your router. For example, if your ISP gave you five iP's - something like .101, .102, .103, .104 and .105. For the sake of example, if you choose .105 for your DLink router. Some other device might be trying to "take it" and have a conflict. Once that other device sees the conflict, it gives up.

If this is the case, there are two things to try..

On one of the other ISP IP addresses (.101 - .104) get to a command prompt and enter "arp -a". This will show you all of the physical addresses associated with the IP addresses on that network. (If you don't see your DLINK router, try to ping it then hit the command again). If you can catch the problem "in the act" do another arp -a from that other machine again to see if that physical address changed. (It should NEVER change).

The other option is to switch your DLINK to another IP - i.e. give it .101 instead of .105. Make very, very sure that whatever device used to use .104 isn't doing so anymore.

Really, however, you got good advice above that I wholly agree with as a cybersecurity guy. You should never, ever have a machine using an ISP-assigned IP address. That leaves you wide open to the Internet and much (!!) more vulnerable to hacking. All of your PC's should be moved behind your dlink router. If your router is not performing well enough, replace it something better. ISP router -> Your router -> all of your devices. As a bonus, if your problem is being caused by IP conflicts this would fix it! I

- G

It happened the very first time we set up the router. Now we have every pc behind the router. They are assigned automatic addresses by the router. Like 192.168.0.12.. Still the problem exists

 

[lantis3]

Double check the IP range and netmask, gateway info that your ISP has given to you or I didn't see anything wrong.

---

As mentioned above, you shouldn't use that ancient/incompetent router nowadays. Any half decent gigabit wifi-5 (802.11 ac) router will be way better than that R03. Any business shouldn't use that router, it's really a shame in 2024. But you actually should buy wifi 6 / 6e router now.

 

[Tech Junky]

@FrankRunnerDrebin

If I'm the ISP and I give you x.x.x.1-5 /29 either .0 or .6 should be your gateway.

If you provide your own router then you assign one of the IPs and point it to .0/.6 for the GW and turn on NAT on the router so you can mux multiple clients through the single IP like you normally would at home. Assign a DNS either in the router or on the clients as shown in your pic 8.8.8.8/8.8.4.4 should work fine. Personally I use 1.1.1.1/9.9.9.9 and have them pushed from my DHCP server or bind them to pihole for filtering and assign the clients the pihole IP for DNS.

ISP - GW or if it's in bridge mode then it doesn't have an IP
^
Router - x.x.x.1/29 255.255.255.248 x.x.x.6
^
Clients get DHCP from router / NAT on
or
Static IP from your pool of IPs and NAT off on the router

Personally I run a full blown PC as a router and some other functions so, I have a bit more control and functionality than most off the shelf routers provide. Putting the WAN right on the edge in the PC reduces any bottlenecks for traffic. My AMD CPU puts anything to shame and even the first couple of iterations using Intel did as well.

I don't know why your ISP is handing out static IPs though as the trend is either DHCP or provide a CGNAT outbound and a RFC1918 on your CPE device. For instance my WWAN connection picks up a 192.0.0.2 and translates externally to 172.56.x.x and internally converts to IPv6 across their network. The nice thing about this setup is it's 5G aka 100% up as long as there is power, unlimited data monthly, and I can pop the sim card out and use my phone when away from the house w/ unlimited data/sms and 40GB/mo tethering all for under $40/mo.

 

[akugami]

One utility I like to use if you're using a Windows computer is PingInfoView which can help to see if if it's the the router that's bad or the Internet Modem.

I like to ping the router's IP address, another network device on the same router if possible, and of course an Internet address such as Google's DNS server (8.8.8.8). It's a quick down and dirty test that's super basic, but is surprisingly useful to give you an idea of where the problem may lie.

PingInfoView can ping multiple addresses, you can configure an interval between pings, and save the results to a log file.