fcchambers
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Airport Extreme Randomly Goes Unresponsive

My latest model Airport Extreme goes unresponsive on a random (and all too frequent) basis...

 

Clients still show connected, but have no internet access. iOS devices/mac can *usually* connect via the utility, bounce the router and all is well.

 

Sometimes it takes a very long time for the Airport to respond to the login and allow access. (Enter password and nothing happens for a period of time...)

 

I'm an IT guy, so I've done sufficient testing (checking connection directly at the Arris SURFboard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem) to be *reasonably* confident it's the Airport and not the modem or my ISP (Comcast).

 

There's typically  about 2 dozen devices connected (PCs, tablets, phones, Roku, PS4, etc...), however at any given moment only 6-8 are actually active.

 

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated...

Posted on Dec 20, 2015 7:33 PM

by LaPastenague,Solvedanswer
LaPastenague LaPastenague
Level 9 (52,645 points)
Wireless
A:
I'm an IT guy, so I've done sufficient testing (checking connection directly at the Arris SURFboard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem) to be *reasonably* confident it's the Airport and not the modem or my ISP (Comcast).

The bug in your case is the SB6141.

 

This is well known .. do a google search for that model (or any of the later SB series pure modems) and airport.

 

Time Capsule Intermittently Will Not Connect to the Cable Modem

 

The fault still escapes us.. (it is something more than DNS issue also mentioned above) although some people have had success with simply using a switch between the AE and SB6141 or using a cross-over cable deliberately set for 10/100 (ie do not use 4-5 or 7-8 pairs) crossover cables are still readily available or make your own up.

 

However with a fair number of cases reported back the above solutions work in a low enough proportion of cases that it's better to just commit yourself to a new router or the zoom modem as listed above.

 

Re: TC internet hangs on all devices every few minutes

 

As you can see a router.. pretty much any router that can take the WAN - LAN speed of your cable connection which means almost anything made in the last few years will work. I tend to recommend routers that are cheaper end but take a 3rd party firmware like gargoyle. So WR1043ND v2 (around US$42 on Amazon), they are very stable with this 3rd party and useful in having gigabit ports.. cheap end will work well but miss out on gigabit.

 

Then plug in the AE as WAP for the network.. it will still work fine, in bridge.. and you can use the wireless on the other router as guest if you need it.. because in bridge AE loses its guest ability.

Posted on Dec 21, 2015 12:08 PM

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fcchambers

Q: Airport Extreme Randomly Goes Unresponsive

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Carolyn Samit,Helpful

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Dec 20, 2015 7:56 PM in response to fcchambers
    Level 10 (122,392 points)
    Apple Music
    Dec 20, 2015 7:56 PM in response to fcchambers

    If you haven't tried as yet, reset the Extreme >  Resetting an AirPort base station FAQ

  • by fcchambers,

    fcchambers fcchambers Dec 20, 2015 7:56 PM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 20, 2015 7:56 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

    Oooo, good call! (I had done the unplug, re-plug) thing, but not the "official" reset process...

     

    I just did the "Hard" reset, if the problem persists I'll do the "Factory Default" rest...

     

    Thanks for the suggestion.

  • by NathonC,

    NathonC NathonC Dec 21, 2015 11:26 AM in response to fcchambers
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 21, 2015 11:26 AM in response to fcchambers

    If this happens again, take a look at this post Airport TC internal dns not responding and see if the airport's internal DNS server is still responding.

  • by fcchambers,

    fcchambers fcchambers Dec 21, 2015 11:31 AM in response to NathonC
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 21, 2015 11:31 AM in response to NathonC

    Soooo... If the internal DNS does turn out to be prone to hanging in my case, am I pretty much relegated to going router shopping?

  • by LaPastenague,Solvedanswer

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Dec 21, 2015 12:08 PM in response to fcchambers
    Level 9 (52,645 points)
    Wireless
    Dec 21, 2015 12:08 PM in response to fcchambers
    I'm an IT guy, so I've done sufficient testing (checking connection directly at the Arris SURFboard SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem) to be *reasonably* confident it's the Airport and not the modem or my ISP (Comcast).

    The bug in your case is the SB6141.

     

    This is well known .. do a google search for that model (or any of the later SB series pure modems) and airport.

     

    Time Capsule Intermittently Will Not Connect to the Cable Modem

     

    The fault still escapes us.. (it is something more than DNS issue also mentioned above) although some people have had success with simply using a switch between the AE and SB6141 or using a cross-over cable deliberately set for 10/100 (ie do not use 4-5 or 7-8 pairs) crossover cables are still readily available or make your own up.

     

    However with a fair number of cases reported back the above solutions work in a low enough proportion of cases that it's better to just commit yourself to a new router or the zoom modem as listed above.

     

    Re: TC internet hangs on all devices every few minutes

     

    As you can see a router.. pretty much any router that can take the WAN - LAN speed of your cable connection which means almost anything made in the last few years will work. I tend to recommend routers that are cheaper end but take a 3rd party firmware like gargoyle. So WR1043ND v2 (around US$42 on Amazon), they are very stable with this 3rd party and useful in having gigabit ports.. cheap end will work well but miss out on gigabit.

     

    Then plug in the AE as WAP for the network.. it will still work fine, in bridge.. and you can use the wireless on the other router as guest if you need it.. because in bridge AE loses its guest ability.

  • by fcchambers,

    fcchambers fcchambers Jan 2, 2016 10:32 PM in response to NathonC
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2016 10:32 PM in response to NathonC

    Well, swapped the Airport for a TP-Link Archer C9... The problem has vanished. Thanks for saving me hours banging my head against the Airport.

  • by fcchambers,

    fcchambers fcchambers Jan 2, 2016 10:33 PM in response to LaPastenague
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2016 10:33 PM in response to LaPastenague

    Well, swapped the Airport for a TP-Link Archer C9... The problem has vanished. Thanks for saving me hours banging my head against the Airport.