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My Fritz!Box 7270 (German company AVM) router is acting up very strangely. This happens with all connected Wifi devices.

For some time it even disappeared from some PCs Wifi access point tables! Sometimes I can't connect, Windows 7 says for example "could not connect to network X".

When it works, the connection is, again sometimes, very jittery or even breaking up.

When increasing the range I have to be connected already or I won't be able to connect. This is normal though, since it goes through like 3 walls this way.

This is a ping test to the router IP from a mediocre range (does not change even when being almost next to the box):

Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=181ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=6ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=577ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=5ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=150ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=639ms TTL=64
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=141ms TTL=64
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=120ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=105ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=90ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=50ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=111ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=61ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=350ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1021ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=618ms TTL=64
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1216ms TTL=64

As you can see, the connection is very jittery. Sometimes it works very well:

Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=7ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=4ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=4ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.254: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64

This last test was done through one wall.

I don't know what I can do about this. I installed a new firmware on the router and it seemed to solve the problems at first. Then I got the jittery connection again. It didn't temporarily break up completely, yet, though.

This whole thing is almost not diagnosable... Anybody has any more ideas? I played around with all the Wifi settings, turning off Wireless N, etc. Even going insecure for a few minutes to test it, nothing.

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  • Could something new nearby be creating interference in the WiFi frequencies? Something with a motor, or a microwave that was moved, or has someone nearby installed a new wireless network?
    – Fred
    Jun 21, 2011 at 19:51

2 Answers 2

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Personally, I'd approach it like this:

  1. Open up casing, if any components are visibly busted, replace unit.

  2. Experiment with a single client connected, test stability.

  3. Experiment with different channels.

  4. Try to turn off possible sources of interference.

I've had a lot of pain over little D-Link (et al) devices for wifi & routing.. I'm unfamiliar with your device, but if none of the above shed some light, I'd suggest you confirm that it's a particularly good router. Cause if it's a cheap one, then you really could be wasting your time.

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  • It's not really "cheap". It costs 170 Euro, that's more than 220 Dollars. With a single client it still does the same often. I changed channels a few times and it always brought a short term relivement. Possible sources of interference? I don't know...
    – sinni800
    Jun 21, 2011 at 23:00
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Replacement of the router did the trick... It was actually defective.

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