Router Needs A Reset Daily?

Here's the deal. We own a really, really small business. We're in a strip store next to another really, really small business. Neither business needs internet access enough to justify the cost so we split the service. She has the router and modem in her office, while we connect via WiFi when we need it.

Usually I access it once or twice a day to check email or order something, but for the past couple of weeks I can't get on unless we restart the router. The problem isn't across all devices - just my older laptop running Windows 8.1 and my cell phone. My husband's phone can connect, no problem. And her (the other business owner) phone and tablet stay connected with no problems as well. (Her PC is hardwired.)

She has clients, so it's not always convenient for me just to barge in and reset the router. What could have changed to make this start happening?

 

Sounds like the router it self is being over worked.Is there router password protected.If it is not than their is a chance some one else could be using it for free.

 

We need more details on the type of router and modem.

 

I don't see how can it be the router being over worked when it only affects her PC and her cell phone and other devices connect and stay connected just fine.

Did they move the router at all - either further away, up or down on a shelf, or even rotate it 90°? If it has external antennas, were they moved? You might try moving them back.

Ethernet (wired) connected devices would have no effect on connecting via wireless.

If you stand next to the router with your cell, does it connect then?

Any new tenants in this strip mall who may have just installed their own wifi network? Were other electronics recently installed or placed nearby the router? How long does your computer stay connected after you reboot?

If you live in a crowded wifi neighborhood, you might have to change wifi channels to an unused one. This is not hard but takes some investigation with the use of a "packet sniffer" running an a wireless notebook or other wireless device. I use XIRRUS WiFi Inspector to see what wireless channels are in use and available. NirSoft's WifiInfoView is another good one. Also popular is inSSIDer.

Once you see what is in use, and what is available, the channel is easily changed in the router's admin menu. Nothing has to be done to any of the wireless devices. They will automatically switch to the different channel. Ethernet connected devices are not affected.

BTW and FYI, what you are doing (two different businesses sharing her connection - even if you split the bill) is likely illegal and in violation of her service contract. If the ISP finds out, they could terminate her service.

 

Depends on the modem and wifi.Or like i stated,If the modem is not pass worded some one else could be using it.You got to remember places like this in strip malls,Signals can get cross eyed.Or some one found an open wifi connection out side and is using it.

Yes it could just be the laptop it self.

It all so could be running HOT as well.

 

The first thing I would try:

On your laptop in question (running Windows 8.1), I would open 'device manager' and locate my wireless adapter under 'network adapters'.
Right click the adapter, and select 'update driver'.

Then I would go into 'network and internet settings', click on the 'change adapter options' link, locate your WiFi adapter and right click it again selecting 'disable'.
Wait a little, then right click it again and select 'enable'.

Check that your laptop sees the router from the taskbar internet icon (bottom right corner), and then try to connect from there?

If this helps we can move onto your phone

 

Thanks for stepping in with that clarification.

FTR, my concern was not between the two business owners. I would just bet $100 there is a term in the contract with the ISP banning this practice. The ISP is losing money after all as there is only one account. Local revenuers might have issues too as taxes are only being collected on one account.

But my immediate concern was this site helping with something that "might" be considered illegal. TimW cleared that.

So now my other concern is security - can you really trust with 100% confidence everyone on the other side of that barrier wall not attempt something malicious or mischievous with your data? Or that they simply fail to take the necessary precautions to keep that network (and your data and your networked devices) secure?

What if her son's friend comes over and connects to that network then does something illegal (like download child pornography! ) that attracts the attention of the authorities? Then she (the other business owner), unaware of that activity, denies all then points the finger at your business?

I think this is a bad idea on many fronts. I would recommend you terminate this agreement. Since you have a smart phone, you might consider using that for your Internet access. Most smart phones let you use the phone as a "hot spot" so others on your side of the wall can access the Internet "legally" through your phone.

Alternatively, you and your neighbor could legally join forces and one moves into the same address as the other and jointly, you two have the account.

Those are concerns - as I addressed later on in my post above. But they do NOT explain how only her PC and her cell are affected but other computers connect and stay connected with no problems.

So again, I don't see how an "over worked router" will affect just those two devices and not any others. In terms of the work load, routers do not care which device is using the data. The exception there might be if the router's administrator (a human!) manually and intentionally set the priority of the connecting devices with that affected PC and that cell way down on the priority list. Rebooting the router would toss off everyone, including higher priority devices that are currently turned off or left the office - leaving room for her PC and cell to slip back in.

But before further speculation, we need the OP to return and address the concerns and questions already asked above.

 

Thanks so much to everybody who responded .

I am not worried about security, but thanks for asking. We are in a super small town in rural MI. There are only 8 wifi connections total in range here. Open WiFi is readily available from the pizza place up the block but security is the reason we have our own. I have more devices on my WiFi at home than we have here. She does a lot of out-patient work, so a lot of the time she isn't even here.

OK - there's a lot to go through here.

Yes, the router is password protected and it's a good strong password.

She did not move the router. I can't use my phone to check to see if proximity is the issue because I just reset the router and all my devices are happy again. Next time it's down (probably tomorrow) I will check that.

I already mentioned this above but we are not in a crowded wifi neighborhood in my opinion.

I am going to try resetting my drivers and such as requested, as well as getting the device make and models. I want to save this first in case I can't get back on.

 

Hmmmm - This failed.
https://i.imgur.com/iVRbYHq.png[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

 

Here is a link for a new driver.

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds040336

 

I installed the new driver but this morning I still had to reset. I never get randomly kicked off. As long as I am connected, I stay connected. I did not have time to tinker with the phone proximity test. First and foremost I forgot. Then one of her customers pulled in so I just hit reset and skedaddled.

I updated the driver, sort of. The installation hung but the history shows that it installed.

I have not tried disabling / enabling the adapter yet. After her customer leaves I will try that.

Just thinking out loud, but the common denominator here is old tech. My phone is a prepaid Motorola android running Android 4.4.4 . And my laptop is circa 2013, iirc. In comparison, my husband has a newer Galaxy.


But up until a couple weeks ago, this never happened.

 

Disable/enable is kinda like a hard reboot of your network card.
Sometimes it has worked wonders for me, when all else seems to fail.

Using the 'netsh' command in an elevated cmd prompt to do this helps, as your also able to reset your TCP/IP stack while your there which is also something worth a try.
To reset these 2 important networking registry keys;
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DHCP\Parameters
See Here!

To run netsh from an elevated cmd prompt and reboot your network card;
netsh interface show interface
netsh interface set interface "Interface Name" disable (sub 'Interface name' with your wifi card)
netsh interface set interface "Interface Name" enable

When a network 'glitch' occurs with older tech, sometimes the older software has more difficulty recovering to its previous state, while many newer devices cope better!

 

I have never heard of this laptop.???

Might want to recheck again.And it does not come up in my search results.

With older android phones,The best thing to do with these is do a hard reset.Here is info on how to do a hard factory reset.https://help.republicwireless.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006267107-Factory-Reset-KitKat-4-4-4-

Make sure you save all your phone numbers,pictures and what ever for this.Be for you do this.You can retrieve your phone numbers later.

1. Tap Apps.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Under Personal, select Backup & reset.
   Note: For a full reset, make sure the Back up my data and Automatic Restore checkboxes are unchecked.
4. Under Personal Data, select Factory data reset.
5. Tap Reset phone.

 

Sorry - I didn't mean to abandon the thread. I ended up deleting my driver and reinstalling it, which was a2 day adventure my itself. Thanks to Youtube I ended up in services.msc manually starting the device installer. The driver is reinstalled, but it didn't help.

The problem still remains. I brought my personal laptop in (Windows 10), added the network, typed in the password and got right on. Also hooked up an Xbox 360 I had here just to try a couple days ago, and it reconnects daily, no problems.

The phone I have is old. (Android 4.4.4). The laptop is older. (Toshiba Satellite 2013).

We've had this set up for a couple of years. Its just in the past couple of weeks that this started happening.

If I go into my phone and try to manually connect, it tells me there's an "authentication problem." If I reset the router, it automatically reconnects.

 

The router / modem is a Technicolor TC8715D Cable Modem Wireless Router . Provided by the cable provider.

 

If everything else connects fine, its not a router/gateway issue.

Any change after disabling and then re-enabling the lappy's NIC, after a TCP and Winsock reset? (google it)