Win 8 /Motorola gateway drops internet access frequently

[sleepless in CA]

I am running Win 8.0 with the StartIsBack overlay and a wireless Motorola SBG6580 Wireless Cable Modem Gateway. I am 12 feet from the gateway and usually have 4 bars in signal strength but as I use the internet I drop to 3 bars and my web pages don't update. Within 1 minute after that I get No Internet Access on my wireless. I disconnect and reconnect and everything is good again for about 3 to 5 minutes then it happens again. If I reboot the gateway all seems good for a longer time. My wife runs Win 7.0 and does not have any problems. I am running a secure WEP wireless. My next door neighbor has an unsecured Motorola SB6800 gateway that I can connect to and am not dropped ever. If I connect an Ethernet cable to the gateway it works great. I am betting this must be a config problem in my laptop (Dell inspiron X14) - anybody have any solution to this?

 

[broe23]

The SB6580 is notorious for wifi drops. You are better off getting a SB6141, a wired router like the TP-Link TL-R600VPN, and an Access Point. I use the Engenius ECB-350 with no issues.

When your provider loads their firmware on the SB6580. There is something in there that causes wifi to become very poor in stability.

 

[sleepless in CA]

But my wife has been running Windows 7 has never been dropped in 6 months so that is why I figure it's a Win8 issue.

 

[chev65]

But my wife has been running Windows 7 has never been dropped in 6 months so that is why I figure it's a Win8 issue.

The WEP security is a problem. The drivers for Windows 8 aren't made to work with this very outdated security.

Change the security on the router to WPA/2 personal with AES encryption which are what these drivers are made to work with.

If the router has a 802.11n Only setting change to that as well, this setting will get the most from the wireless N connection but wont' work with older Wireless G or below devices, usually not a problem anymore.

Besides changing out the router this is about all I can think of to fix this problem.

 

[sleepless in CA]

Made the changes suggested BUT got a warning that selecting WPA2 (Enterprise) will disable WPS. I replied OK to disable WPS but then got an error message when I hit "Apply" as follows: Radius Server IP address is invalid (set to 0.0.0.0) and would not set WPA2. Any idea what I should use for a Radius Server IP address?

 

[broe23]

Not WPA2 (Enterprise). WPA(tkip)/WPA2(aes). Enterprise uses a Radius server, which you do not have.

 

[sleepless in CA]

Only choice I have close to what you recommend is WPA2-PSK+WPA-PSK and AES + TKIP. I made the changes and will monitor my internet/wireless performance. I will follow up in a bit.

 

[sleepless in CA]

I still get dropped after about 5 minutes. When I installed my Gateway the app to manage it was a Motorola branded app but it's now ARRIS and that's about when my problems started. Is that a clue?

 

[broe23]

Delete any software you installed. You do not need it for connecting to the router through wifi. If it is just the Windows 8 machine. Next question is what WiFi card chipset is it using, what is the mfg & model of the computer. How far from the Gateway are you. What channel is the Gateway set at. Open a command Window and enter without the quotes "netsh wlan show all". That will show all Wireless Access Points and the power that the wireless adapter is using to connect to the Gateway.

As stated before. Too many people have been reporting too many issues with the SB6580. Wireless drop-outs, time outs, etc. That is why I brought it up at the beginning. Also yes, every wifi adapter is different from each other. One can have an antenna more sensitive then the next one.

 

[broe23]

I still get dropped after about 5 minutes. When I installed my Gateway the app to manage it was a Motorola branded app but it's now ARRIS and that's about when my problems started. Is that a clue?

Arris now owns the Motorola modem division, since Google bought the wireless side of the company. Pace bought the Cable Box side.

 

[sleepless in CA]

I viewed the Comcast forum on the web and found a long thread that complained about the software that ARRIS loaded on the Motorola cable modems - specifically my SB6580. Seems that starting mid February 2014 new software was up loaded to the gateway by Comcast or through Comcast that caused problems similar to mine. I now think ARRIS didn't quite get the software right when testing against Win 8. The Win 7 machine still works fine with the SB6580 using a wireless connection from the second floor to the first floor and about 100 feet of separation. I am going to wait for ARRIS to come out with a fix. Thanks to everyone who posted and offered suggestions.

 

[broe23]

The firmware on the Gateway & Modems have nothing to do with the OS that the end user is using. If you are having connection issues, due to placement of the Gateway. It has always been suggested to use Access Points, to help extend your footprint.

It is also noted if you look through the threads. That it has been beaten to death for users to quit getting all-in-one devices with providers.

The Firmware works fine in a Lab environment or in the office when tested, before being pushed out to the end users. Then we hear complaints about end users having issues. Majority of them is poor placement of the Gateway or A/P (buried behind a desk, stuck inside of a cabinet, the end user is more then 100' from the device out in their yard, wrong SSID being used, End user has lowered the power on the gateway, and/or not changed the channel to the less used channel in their area (Channels 1 & 5 are most likely to not have as many A/P's on them).

There are so many factors at work here. It is trying to get the end user with the issue, answer questions that are asked. Such as what shows when you open a command window and put in 'netsh wlan show all' for all of the A/P's around you. What channel are they on. What is the -dbm that is showing. Another is are you using the correct driver? Meaning not using a Microsoft Signed driver. The last is location, location, location.