Every morning at same time, three devices lose communication though show online

[DixyBurger]

Hi everyone, I've recently moved back to Sky and been given the Sky Max SR217-02 router. The daily issue I have is where 3 devices can no longer communicate and the only way to get them back online is to reboot the router.

This is happening at more or less that same time just after 06:00. No other devices have this issue. The devices have one thing in common, that is they all run on the 2.4GHz network. Though I have other devices that are run on  2.4GHz but don't have the same disconnect issue. In particular I have a working smart thermostat that is identical to the one that keeps dropping.

I have, switched off the 5 GHz network - (unable to split the network) made no difference

i have moved the devices to the mesh that runs on a different SSIDs - made no difference

sky notes some did unspecified issue and made changes  - made no difference

i switched off eco mode on the SkyQ, remembering I had issues with another 2.4GHz network disconnecting at 05:00 when I was with Sky previously  - made no difference

I'm now at a loss as to do what next not to mention a little sleep deprived.

[DixyBurger]

I also gave those devices a reserved IP addresss - again made no difference. 

One idea I did have was to element the sky router and use as modem only. My deco mesh can act as the DHCP server though if not if this could even be worth looking at and not sure how to go about doing it, and if I'd lose important feature like defence and the Ethernet devices my not using the Sky router. 

[Chrisee]

@DixyBurger can you explain the set up you have in particular whether the problem devices are near Sky Q boxes. One possible explanation would be if a Sky Q box close by wakes up at 5.45am and starts broadcasting a 2.4GHz signal but you said you had switched the Q boxes away from eco mode. 

It is worth talking to Sky as there are multiple reports of issues where a Hub 6 (model number SR213) is used where there are several Q boxes and I believe Sky have switched some customers back to the older Hub 4 SR203 which maybe slower but played nicely with Sky Q.

[DixyBurger]

Thanks for replying @Chrisee   So here's my setup

sky router has several devices connected using Ethernet. All devices served using Ethernet play nicely. 
Specifically the Q box and both mini boxes are connected over power lines  and the Tp-link Deco transmitter is connected  directly with Ethernet. 
Two of the three devices are not directly close to either the Q box or the minis. 
The third (EV charger) is actually outside on the oppposite side of the wall to where the router and one of the mini boxes is. 

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@Chrisee wrote:

@DixyBurger can you explain the set up you have in particular whether the problem devices are near Sky Q boxes. One possible explanation would be if a Sky Q box close by wakes up at 5.45am and starts broadcasting a 2.4GHz signal but you said you had switched the Q boxes away from eco mode. 

It is worth talking to Sky as there are multiple reports of issues where a Hub 6 (model number SR213) is used where there are several Q boxes and I believe Sky have switched some customers back to the older Hub 4 SR203 which maybe slower but played nicely with Sky Q.

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[DixyBurger]

Last night I put the Deco into Access Point only mode.

I moved the thermostat from the Deco SSiDs to the router's. Leaving the other 3 devices on the Deco.

Again all three devices dropped off this morning from 06:00am.

On visual inspection the Deco Transmitter (Ethernet connected) also lost connection or at least was turning red to green to red. Until I rebooted the router. 

[Chrisee]

@DixyBurger that is quite confusing there is nothing scheduled to happen with the Sky hub around 6am and any overnight housekeeping will be completed well before then. Devices do have to renew their lease on IP addresses periodically but three devices should not be doing that at the same time. You mention a Deco set up try running the optimise routine in the app as that should steer the wifi frequencies apart. 

Check anything scheduled to start at that time in your home. @TimmyBGood and @jamesn123 any ideas?

[DixyBurger]

Good shout, just now re-optimised the Deco network. I've no knowing automations. I almost thought to ask if there is a router reboot automation I could use. 

[FLC]

You've potentially got three different systems fighting each other's WiFi. I'd be inclined to try sticking with just the Deco, so switch off WiFi completely on the Sky Hub & if possible, on the Q box(es). Then run the Deco's optimiser again. Although I find it isn't great at auto selection, but there's no manual control, so it is what it is.

If you still get issues, then download a WiFi analyser to check for competing signals from neighbours. That should show if anything is appearing at the time of the disconnections. But it will only show other WiFi networks, other sources of interferrence won't be shown. Microwave ovens are notorious for disrupting signal for example.

[DixyBurger]

I ordered an Ethernet-to-USB-C adaptor to connect to the router, without which I can't get the Wi-Fi back on. So for now the WI-FI will stay on. 

Latest changes:

kept deco as access mode only

enabled sky router's 5GHz network

re-tested to make sure deco network is still optimised.

• Ignored the 'if it ain't broken don't fix it' saying and moved the 'working' nest thermostat (the one that controls downstairs heating and crucially hot water!!!) from the Sky router SSIDs to the deco SSIDs, so now it's alongside the 'not working' thermostat, EV charger and home battery Wi-Fi dongle (the 3 problematic devices)
• Switched the main Sky Q box to use the deco SSIDs. So now sure it is definitely decoupled from the Sky router that was connected by Ethernet before. 
  Both mini boxes now show the Deco SSIDs as their network

Let's see what tomorrow 06:10 brings!

[jamesn123]

@DixyBurger 

If you havent already fixed it I would temporarily disconnect all powerline adapters as a test, these can sometimes be a huge headache when Sky Q is involved. 

[DixyBurger]

So there's been progress over the last 48 hours.

Now the thermostat and solar system battery stay online. They are not dropping at the same time. 
The EV charger I'm still unsure about when it actually drops as not easy to tell without going out-doors to do a visual inspection. 
So this sounds great right? Not quite. At around 6:30 I've found the Ethernet connected Deco keeps dropping internet connection, the Deco apps

shows this as does the visual inspection where the deco cycles from red to green to red and so forth.
Rebooting the Deco solves the issue and connectivity is stable all day and night with all devices reconnecting.

Given the Deco is hardwired to the Sky router I'm a little surprised to see disconnect cycles and at the same time since the last set of changes. 
if it happens tomorrow morning again then it's definitely a repeated pattern. 

I can't help think, once I can switch of the Wi-Fi on the Sky router all will play nicely. That adaptor can't arrive soon enough. 

[DixyBurger]

so yet again, at 6:30 or thereabouts the Deco fell into a cycle of connection for maybe 30/40 seconds before disconnection for up to a minute.  A reboot of the deco returned a stable connection. 

[FLC]

In the Deco app, under System, there is an option to schedule a reboot. That hasn't somehow become enabled?

[jamesn123]

@DixyBurger 

Have you had a replacement Sky hub yet?

[DixyBurger]

 No, sounds like I should ask for one?