Router stops accepting new wifi connections

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blackcap

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#318853 26-Feb-2025 20:28

I have a problem with where my ASUS RT-AX3000 router sometimes stops allowing any devices to connect via wifi, yet any devices already connected continue to work fine. For example, when I get home from work my phone will refuse to connect to wifi, but my TV and other devices still have internet access. It happens about once a week and a reboot fixes it until the next time.

There's a decent number of devices in the house, maybe around 50 connected on average. Is that too many for a consumer-grade router to handle? I wouldn't have thought so. Incidentally I had the same problem with the router that Spark supplied so I thought replacing it would help, but the problem still occurs.

Any ideas on what the problem could be, or how to troubleshoot?

MaxineN

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#3348209 26-Feb-2025 21:37

If you've replaced one piece of equipment and the fault still occurs, you need to continue investigating internally.

It's not the Asus router or Spark's SM3 by the face of it, but without knowing more... I don't think anyone else can say.

Please list/explain your network in full, IoT included.

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huckster

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#3348212 26-Feb-2025 22:02

What was the modem Spark supplied? If it was an older one (HG659 etc.) then it is quite possible it would have had a problem with 50+ devices.

Can you confirm what it was?

Tinkerisk

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#3348224 27-Feb-2025 00:41

blackcap:

Any ideas on what the problem could be, or how to troubleshoot?

Check whether the dynamical DHCP range is large enough to provide all your devices with an IP address. Shortening the lease time may also help.

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#3348226 27-Feb-2025 03:19

Specs say device limit for the ASUS RT-AX3000 is 64, so you may be getting close.

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raytaylor

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#3348602 28-Feb-2025 08:15

I couldnt see a limit on their specs page but a few reviews have put the limit at around 30. If thats the case its probably 32.

16x on 2ghz and 16x on 5ghz.

I normally design for a maximum of 16 per AP so i reckon its hitting some sort of limit - even if its 64 its possible that OP isnt aware of all the devices in the house.

I see this regularly where the wifi routers we issue to customers support up to 16 out of the box on each band, and we can turn up the limit but performance suffers so we try to encourage a second router to spread the load, and improve coverage.
When the customer calls up to say something isnt connecting, they always swear they dont have more than 16 or 32 devices in the house, yet when we generate the list they are always surprised.

So I reckon thats probably the issue.

Or the DHCP lease pool as someone suggested but less likely as usually most routers out of the box will be configured to run a .2 to .254 address range.

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MaxineN

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#3348618 28-Feb-2025 08:20

raytaylor:

I couldnt see a limit on their specs page but a few reviews have put the limit at around 30. If thats the case its probably 32.

16x on 2ghz and 16x on 5ghz.

I normally design for a maximum of 16 per AP so i reckon its hitting some sort of limit - even if its 64 its possible that OP isnt aware of all the devices in the house.

I see this regularly where the wifi routers we issue to customers support up to 16 out of the box on each band, and we can turn up the limit but performance suffers so we try to encourage a second router to spread the load, and improve coverage.
When the customer calls up to say something isnt connecting, they always swear they dont have more than 16 or 32 devices in the house, yet when we generate the list they are always surprised.

So I reckon thats probably the issue.

Or the DHCP lease pool as someone suggested but less likely as usually most routers out of the box will be configured to run a .2 to .254 address range.

I've got a AX3000. It can handle a lot of clients. Even the RT-AC56U can handle a fair amount of clients.

I don't think OP is hitting any limit, and until OP replies, let's not compare it to the common failure that is the HG659.

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#3348630 28-Feb-2025 09:00

MaxineN:

I've got a AX3000. It can handle a lot of clients. Even the RT-AC56U can handle a fair amount of clients.

I don't think OP is hitting any limit, and until OP replies, let's not compare it to the common failure that is the HG659.

well, OP seems to have disappeared from this thread. to be fair, a quick google does suggest that specific model gets into this strange behaviour and a lot of people have raised the possibility of hitting the maximum clients limit. i think there's a good chance the netizens are misinterpreting the spec "Maximum MAC Filters: 64" to be the maximum number of devices connected.

surely, if it was something like that it will be logged, right? haven't used asus routers for a really long time... is the system log easily accessible?

MaxineN

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#3348632 28-Feb-2025 09:06

nitro:

MaxineN:

I've got a AX3000. It can handle a lot of clients. Even the RT-AC56U can handle a fair amount of clients.

I don't think OP is hitting any limit, and until OP replies, let's not compare it to the common failure that is the HG659.

well, OP seems to have disappeared from this thread. to be fair, a quick google does suggest that specific model gets into this strange behaviour and a lot of people have raised the possibility of hitting the maximum clients limit. i think there's a good chance the netizens are misinterpreting the spec "Maximum MAC Filters: 64" to be the maximum number of devices connected.

surely, if it was something like that it will be logged, right? haven't used asus routers for a really long time... is the system log easily accessible?

System logs are very accessable, and if you give it Merlin... Even more tools and features.

From the OP:

There's a decent number of devices in the house, maybe around 50 connected on average.

Still a far cry from 64, so again, until we know more... And I'm not defending ASUS. If we read the thread this also happened with Spark's supplied RGW which would either be a sm1 or a sm3... God forbid it would be a hg659... OP would have been screaming at 15 devices on one band.

50 devices, is a lot.

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cddt

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#3348649 28-Feb-2025 09:34

If you have 50+ connected 802.11 devices, I think you need to consider either enterprise or "prosumer" gear.

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raytaylor

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#3348854 28-Feb-2025 23:08

cddt:

If you have 50+ connected 802.11 devices, I think you need to consider either enterprise or "prosumer" gear.

Agreed.

Even if those were spread across two channels, like 2.4ghz and 5ghz, the CSMA collision collapse would be crazy bad at 25 devices per channel.

At a minimum i'd have 3x access points in there.
It could even be like a typical situation we have for conference and auditorium wifi where we have multiple access points sitting next to each other on different channels to support many clients and spread the load.

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Tinkerisk

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#3348877 1-Mar-2025 05:20

Well, blackcap, if you need help and want to throw the problem out into the world, maybe you should post some feedback. This kind of ‘once and never again’ posting indicates that you want to solve your very own problems in the future by yourself. 😁

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#3348890 1-Mar-2025 08:25

Tinkerisk:

Well, blackcap, if you need help and want to throw the problem out into the world, maybe you should post some feedback. This kind of ‘once and never again’ posting indicates that you want to solve your very own problems in the future by yourself. 😁

This is happening a lot around these threads lately. Classic generational behaviour. “Ask around until you get an easy answer that you wanted to hear, but unfortunately ignore the too hard basket answers which require some work on their part which will ultimately probally resolve the issue/answer the question”.

edit: but we all understand life gets busy, so somtimes you just can get back to a forum page…..but still, people just disappear or forget to come back.