I cant connect tablet or phones to my router without rebooting the router

Hi everyone. I have a situation I just can't figure out. I am using the Comcast gateway router that they provided me. I have not changed very many settings on it. I have the firewall on low, using WPA/WPA2-PSK-TKIP/AES, and everything else is pretty much default.

The problem is this, I have a Samsung galaxy tab 3 7 inch, iPad mini, and two iPhones. Every day (sometimes multiple times per day) I have to reset my router for any of them to connect. I happens mostly on the Android device. While this is happening my windows 8 laptop and windows 7 desktop stay connected and can browse the net. The network shows up on all of the devices, but when I try to connect with the password I get some variation of "cannot connect to network." The only thing that happens on my PCs is that I cannot connect to the router's IP address with any credentials. When I reboot the router, all devices can connect and work fine and I can then connect to the router's ip address. It's weird and I'm not sure what to check next. Any suggestions?

 

Since you're using Comcast-provided equipment, it would be a good idea to give their tech support dept. a call about this issue.

I've seen a few cases in the past where ISP provided equipment needs tweaking to connect to all devices properly.

 

Comcast Tech support is worthless. Most likely the OP issue is the same as everyone else that has been having with the wifi on the provided gateway.

Too low powered, bad firmware. The other would be that the OP has their Gateway buried behind an entertainment center or desk.

 

I can give them a call. I just loathe talking to Comcast about anything other than how much I hate their customer service. When the tech came out to put in the new router (I had my own older one that was 9 years out of date) I asked for the router's IP address so I could look at the configuration. I was met with a blank stare followed by him saying "I have no idea what you are talking about." As for the location of the gateway, it is on the top of an entertainment center, in the open to avoid interference.

 

I would call in and have it placed into "Bridged" mode, and use your own Wireless Router. Smallnetbuilder.com is a good place to review.

 

ha ha I know your pain well - let me tell you I lived with very similar pain for much longer than I should have doing all sorts of useless troubleshooting. On the phone with service provider for hours (and they are a good one), line tests, various modems, interference testing, electrical current testing, software updates, setting fiddling and just general frustration.

Anything connecting via wireless for me would drop out and see network but not recognise it or would not see network even though it was there and working - from phones, ipads through to lap tops. It went from normal one day to a slowly increasing nightmare of hair pulling frustration.

Anyway, it boils down to this. Your equipment is outdated or no longer functioning. Go to a good retailer and buy the most powerful wireless router you can afford at a price that won't make you cry - for me I scrapped in at just under $300 but not one single reboot or lost connection or network issue in over 5 months after a year of agony.

There was an article I read that set me on this path. Basically a friend had suggested a range extender and this article said it likely would not solve problem if the router and modem weren't of decent quality and up to date to start off with - 95% of the time rectifying this will fix connection problems.

Anyway I do recommend this to you = ultimately if it doesn't work you can be a pain and return it.