Odd Wireless issue -- Slow dhcp assign over 5Ghz band only

This is an odd one. Any ideas just throw them out there. I'm gonna try the final hardware bit tomorrow when I get a chance to stop at Staples but here is the issue.

Whenever my laptop attempts to connect to my Linksys E4200 over 5Ghz band it takes up to 5 minutes to obtain an ip address. This only happens the first time it connects though. Followup release/renew and reboots do not reproduce it. It only happens when I connect to the network after connecting elsewhere. Heck I can connect on the 2.4Ghz band and switch right over and its fine (network names split up). So far I have done the following.

* Changed the internal adapter to a different (but compatible) card. In my case I used an Intel Ultimate-N 6300 card as a test to see if it would change anything -- Result: Same issue present.
* Used an external Linksys Dualband N600 adapter and also have the same issue with that.
* Attempted both IPv4 and IPv6 stack resets as well as a Winsock reset with no change.

-- The issue only affects 5Ghz. It does NOT affect the 2.4Ghz band and isn't related to the 40Mhz wide that the 5Ghz band uses. I setup the 2.4Ghz band to use 40Mhz and it worked fine connecting at 300Mbit.

The laptop did connect to another router using 5Ghz properly but I'm planning on stopping by Staples and picking up a dual-band router tomorrow to see if it works. I'll be returning the adapter I got there to put some money toward the replacement router.

If you have anything I can do on the software side let me know.

 

if you have tried different adapters and they all seem to have the same issue, then its probably the router...and staples isn't a great place to get a router cause the prices aren't great

 

Well the idea is if it doesn't fix it they have a very lax return policy and it will be easy to get a full refund there. Much easier than Walmart next door. Also their router prices were actually matching Walmart and they had a cheaper dualband adapter.

btw I did a test with a clean Windows 8 VM but it doesn't seem to lend itself to diagnosing the issue very well by acting like everything was ok. I'm gonna see if I can get it to reproduce locally again... XD

 

I was having the exact same issue with my Netgear R6300...then I noticed there was a firmware update and it seems to have fixed the problem and is working fine now.

 

Yea well I'm already running the newest firmware for my router. Are you confirming that it is indeed a router issue?

 

in my case it was the issue. So if Staples has a relaxed return policy i would try replacing it and see if that fixes the issue

 

Try changing your Wi-Fi encryption algorithm. WEP doesn't play well with 5Ghz. Try WPA2.

 

XD Umm... If it was WEP I would never get Wireless-N in the first place as at that point the router would only allow Wireless G. I know my stuff here.

Encryption: WPA/WPA2 Mixed-mode (I have stuff that doesn't support WPA2)
Key type: AES+TKIP (TKIP is fallback...)
Key length: 11 chars.

 

Try going with AES only, if you can. TKIP always gave me headaches when setting up wireless-n with printers that would only go wireless-g.

 

Checked. No difference. I went as far as WPA2 only w/ only AES and there was no real difference there.

As it stands it hooks up fine to the 2.4Ghz radio even on the configuration I mentioned earlier and isn't a violation of the Wireless-N spec.

EDIT: Actually I don't even have an option to change to TKIP in the current version of the firmware...

 

It also might be an issue with Windows 7's network identifier (the one that does home, work, or public network). It sometimes takes a while if it doesn't save the wireless network correctly.

 

:embarrassed: I guess I should of mentioned I'm running Windows 8 Pro. Sorry about that. *notes to add to signature*

 

Hmm. Not sure why then. I still think it will be the network identifier, but I am not sure how Windows 8 handles that now. I know it was a major PITA in Windows 7 as the identifier would hang up and not allow internet pass-thru.

 

That's not it because it happens even when the network is known (it doesn't come back when it reconnects again). Basically I'm fine connecting to the network until I change to another network (eg my work connection) then come back home and try to use the internet. At that point it will hang again for a bit on the 5Ghz band.

 

And your work is only 2.4GHz, yes? It may be your router having trouble with the dchp assignment then. I had that issue with D-Link and Linksys, but that was way way back when Wireless N was just released.

 

Yes. Both networks on different subnets as I've seen that issue too.

 

Could try setting a static IP for just the laptop and seeing if that fixes the issue.

 

Which is the different subnet? The work or the home router? Here's one thing to try next time it happens. If it hangs up on the dchp assign again, open a command prompt and type ipconfig/release. One the command prompt comes back up again, type ipconfig/renew. This releases and renews the dns server. If it still hangs up with the dchp assign after that, you've most definitely got an issue with the router. If it goes thru, then it's something on your system which is causing the problem.

 

I'll give that a shot.

They are both on different subnets from each other. My router uses 192.168.20.x right now. I already did the release/renew bit and it takes so long it fails on the first try and sometimes a second as well.

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Really does sound like your router is having issues with the 5GHz bandwidth. How far away from the router does your R4 sit?

 

Lol... During testing right next to each other (3ft ethernet line was enough to reach). During normal use usually in the same room. I'm gonna pickup a dual-band router in the AM.

 

I though you had a dual band router, the E4200? That's a new enough Linksys where it shouldn't have this sort of issue. The Linksys ones I had trouble with were all +4 years old. If you do end up going with a different router, go with a Netgear. I have their WNDR3700 and I have had no issues other than it not working when the power's out.

 

It is a dualband router. It's an E4200 which broadcasts both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz at the same time. My laptop always connects on 5Ghz if available though so I'm getting the delay.

 

And you've tested it with both the Killer Wireless 1103 and Intel 6300 cards, yes? I could see MAYBE one of those cards being glitchy. But not both, and especially not exhibiting the same problem.

PS: there's also a http://forum.notebookreview.com/networking-wireless/ sub-forum you can post to (or maybe have this thread moved). Someone there might have a better answer, so maybe you won't have to return the Linksys router.

 

Yes. Both of those adapters + a Linksys AE2500 external adapter. All of them exhibited the same issue. As it stands I won't be returning my router because I've had it for a couple of years (at least) so it's getting a replacement router now. XD

 

Just tried it and that also works around it so it is strictly slow DHCP assignment.

 

Definitely sounds like a router problem then. Short term fix would probably be to leave your ip static till you get your new router.

 

Nay. No need to do that. Going either tonight or tomorrow for sure. Staples said that I can do an "exchange" and swap the adapter for a new router instead

Gonna get a Netgear R6300.

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