Trouble with network... weak signal and dropped packets

bdare · Jun 18, 2019

Hello,

I hope someone can help me. I have a ticket that's been open with GHL for about a month (Ticket ID 1042).

Basically, I'm having a very hard time connecting to the controller via WiFi. The access point signal is very weak and does not stay up. When it is available it works great. I can use this as a work around, but clearly it's less than desirable to necessitate changing WiFi networks just to enable feed mode.

The client is where I'm having the most trouble. I can put the controller right next to my wifi router and it won't stay connected. Support is suggesting that there is interference from other devices causing the disruption. When I ping the controller while connected to the network I see up to 54% packet loss. I can ping ANY other device on my network and get ZERO loss. No other devices on my network have trouble connecting.

At this point I feel like I'm going back and forth with Matthias. He keeps suggesting there must be interference which is causing the problem. I had no problems in the beginning. This has only come up in the last month.

If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ben

reefwiser · Jun 18, 2019

What brand of WiFi router are you using? Is it a mesh router? Is the controller under the aquarium?
If so this can be a difficult spot for a WiFi signal.
This is a Profilux 4 I assume.

bdare · Jun 18, 2019

reefwiser said:
What brand of WiFi router are you using? Is it a mesh router? Is the controller under the aquarium?
If so this can be a difficult spot for a WiFi signal.
This is a Profilux 4 I assume.

Yes. Profilux 4e. I'm using an Netgear Orbi mesh WiFi.

With a network scanner running on my laptop next to the controller here is what the Profilux access point looks like. All those gaps are when the signal is undetectable.

I shoved the laptop running the scanner under the stand with the controller. Strong signal from my router, but the controller shows no connection.

reefwiser · Jun 18, 2019

Where is the closest mesh point to the Profilux? Those drops are are pretty wide. There is some kind of interference going on. Computers have much larger antenna than aquarium controllers.
Might need to add a mesh point in the stand to get the issue to go away. I had this happen with a Cannon Wifi printer had to put a mesh near it instead of another room. Do you have that many devices on your network.
That is quite a bit of traffic on there.

bdare · Jun 18, 2019

reefwiser said:
Where is the closest mesh point to the Profilux? Those drops are are pretty wide. There is some kind of interference going on. Computers have much larger antenna than aquarium controllers.
Might need to add a mesh point in the stand to get the issue to go away. I had this happen with a Cannon Wifi printer had to put a mesh near it instead of another room. Do you have that many devices on your network.
That is quite a bit of traffic on there.

Even when the controller is at my desk (troubleshooting) and right next to the router the results are the same... Also, the profilux signal should be a solid line. All those gaps are where the scanner can't see the profilux AP.

vangvace · Jun 18, 2019

Ben,

I don't own either, but I am a network guy by trade...

If you know how to, set your laptop's IP address to a static IP of 10.0.1.123, subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, default gateway of 10.0.1.150. Connect to the hopefully visible controller CCSD. Then ping and connect to 10.0.1.150 through the GCC software. If that works reliably throughout the house then continue below:

Are the Orbi and Profilux firmware up to date? Was there an update done about when the problem started?

Are your channels fixed or autoassigned by the Orbis?

Does the Orbi program tell you which Access Point the controller does connect to?

How full is the 2.4GHz spectrum near you? (I recommend an app called WiFiman by Ubiquiti to check. )

If I recall correctly, the controller is wireless G band only. I would test with your laptop again, but only using the same band. (Granted with different radios and antennas it might be a moot point, but it might also be something that AC works fine, but older standards do not)

As stupid as it might sound, antenna orientation might matter. Have you tried rotating the control 90 degrees so it is standing on its side?

kodo28 · Jun 19, 2019

I would try to set up static IP on your router for your PC and Profilux.
Latest Wifi firmware versions are coming pretty stable now. I do have my Profilux actually around 8-10 meters away of my router and no packet lost at all.
I do have a lot of equipments connected to my router but I try to keep the lowest number on the 2.4ghz band. Notebooks or phones are connected to the 5ghz.

Ditto · Jun 19, 2019

If you disable the local access point on the P4 does it stay connected? Or if you change the channel on the hotspot of the P4 does it help at all?

cperry7467 · Jun 19, 2019

I have a Linksys mesh and can see which clients are connected to which access point, does yours have that? I notice a lot of client devices don't pick the closest access point from time to time. Usually during first setup as I bring access points online or after a power outage and access points are rebooting. The client just associates with the first access point it finds so even though you have a access point right next to it it's probably associating with one far away. As a test unplug the other mesh access points except the one closest to see if this is happening.

bdare · Jun 20, 2019

Ditto said:
If you disable the local access point on the P4 does it stay connected? Or if you change the channel on the hotspot of the P4 does it help at all?

Great question. This is one of the things I've tried in the troubleshooting with GHL. I've tried with and without myGHL enabled as well as just enabling the Access point and client mode one at a time. Neither make any difference.

Ditto · Jun 20, 2019

What type of wireless router are you using?

bdare · Jun 20, 2019

Ditto said:
What type of wireless router are you using?

Netgear Orbi RBK50.
https://www.netgear.com/orbi/rbk50.aspx

Six (6) high performance internal antennas with high-powered ampliﬁers Implicit & Explicit Beamforming for 2.4GHz & 5GHz bands MU-MIMO capable for simultaneous data streaming to multiple devices Powerful Quad-Core 710MHz processor

2.4GHz (400Mbps†) + 5GHz (866Mbps†) for WiFi devices to connect to the Internet 5GHz (1733Mbps†) dedicated WiFi link for faster data connections between Orbi router and Orbi Satellite

ReeferMadness0347 · Jun 20, 2019

Can you take pictures of where devise is located under the tank and what’s around it. Seems to me like interference. Do you have anything pulsing like wave makers?

bdare · Jun 20, 2019

Here's a picture of the controller under the tank. 2 items I should note:
- I have a Sicce wireless enabled pump under the tank as well. It has no problem connecting to my network. I have no problem connecting to the pump from my phone via the LAN.
- When I've been working with GHL on troubleshooting I remove the controller from under the tank and put it on my desk which is no more than 10 feet from my access point where the problems persist.

cperry7467 · Jun 20, 2019

bdare said:
Here's a picture of the controller under the tank. 2 items I should note:
- I have a Sicce wireless enabled pump under the tank as well. It has no problem connecting to my network. I have no problem connecting to the pump from my phone via the LAN.
- When I've been working with GHL on troubleshooting I remove the controller from under the tank and put it on my desk which is no more than 10 feet from my access point where the problems persist.

You have MESH wireless which means you should have multiple access points. Do you just have the 1 or do you have other wireless access points plugged in throughout your house? For example I have my primary one in my family room but additional ones in my bedroom and basement.

cperry7467 · Jun 20, 2019

For example the link shows this picture, this is 2 access points.

bdare · Jun 20, 2019

Correct. I have one primary router and one "satellite" as Netgear calls it. One is downstairs and the other is upstairs in my home. On a WiFi scanner it shows up as 4 separate networks (2 x 2.4 and 2 x 5ghz), but only one SSID.