AP Changing Channels possibly disrupting a device?

[RumorConsumer]

Hey you bunch. Been away for a while but back with a new problem,

So I have a pair of KEF LSX speakers. They rule. And they do Airplay 2 and have a wifi chip built in. I have been experiencing wireless dropouts anywhere from a few times an hour to once every day or two. Often right in the middle of a song they just go dead and then iTunes cant find them anymore and dashboard reports they are disconnected. I have a pet theory that it happens each time the AutoRF changes channels. I am fairly certain a recent channel change happened a few moments before the cut out. Smoking gun but I cant be entirely sure. Im watching it like a hawk now. How likely do you think this is? I am going to start playing them now and keep an eye on when they conk out again if it coincides with a channel change on the AP. If it does, I will be one happy dude. Anybody else seen anything like that? 

Also, whats a good way to force a channel change?

[ww]

Normally the channel does not change when a client is connected. 

What does the dashboard wireless heath and event log say around the time it disconnects

[Bruce]

There is an exception to the channel change not occurring when a client is connected. If you are using one of the channels covered by the DFS regulations, and a DFS event occurs then the AP has to change channel immediately, which does disconnect clients.

If your setup is anywhere near an airport, weather radar, (or anywhere else that potentially uses radar) or if there are DFS events reported in the event log for the network, then it’s probably worth excluding the channels covered by DFS to see if that improves things.

[jmoake]

The DFS changes are only 5GHz,  2.4 shouldn't be affected.  are you connected on 5 or 2.4 GHz?

[RumorConsumer]

I believe what happens is that the device starts out on the 5 GHz, and then that channel changes it loses the connection and then drops down to 2.4 in an attempt to find a more stable connection. I limited the SSID that it’s on a 5 GHz only network. So now there’s nowhere to run! This particular access point is in a cabin with a bunch of other cabins within 100 feet to 150 feet. All of them need primo Wi-Fi and so every now and then it seems about once a day or so one of them might change channels to better occupy unused space.

[RumorConsumer]

Ok so I removed 2.4ghz from the SSID I have set up for the speakers. I factory reset them, got them on the 5ghz network, and within about 5 hours they cut out. I looked at dashboard and boom right there the channel had changed like 2 min before. Dashboard reports they disconnected for an unknown reason. So that is definitely the issue. All my other devices had no problems maintaining their sessions of various kinds, but the speakers went bananas and could not recover. That seems like shoddy coding on the speaker/wifi chip/firmware vendor to not be able to recover from a channel change during normal operation. Thoughts?

[cmr]

@RumorConsumer I'd just fix the channels on the APs and then the issue goes away.

[RumorConsumer]

I have a bunch of APs in a couple hundred feet radius. I have tried to fix the channel on one or two before and the AutoRF doesnt always seem to work well unless theyre all set a particular way - fixed or dynamic. Maybe you have thoughts on that. All or nothing it seems. I realize it shouldn't be that way but thats been my experience. I can hardwire it without too too much trouble so I think I will probably opt for that in the end. 

[RumorConsumer]

also

it is against my principles to hobble working technology to meet the needs of badly made technology unless there are no other options. it just bothers me. so ill wire it before anything else.

[jmoake]

so depending on the bands your 5GHz is using it might be changing because of other non WiFi reasons like radar and such.  what about trying to fix the speakers on 2.4 that doesn't have to change due to outside infuencers?

[RumorConsumer]

No DFS events in the logs.

I was able to catch it in the act. The speakers went dead and looking at the log, the channel changed to get better reception less than 30 seconds before. The log shows the speakers dissociate while every other device doesnt even bat an eye. Some report dissociation and then less than 2 seconds later reassociate. I bought this:

https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/tl-wr902ac/

And set it up in client mode as a simple wireless bridge. The speakers have an RJ45 on them for hardwired connections. I factory reset the speakers and told them not to connect to my wireless network. They connected via this TP Link device smooth as butter and have been happily listening to music for days with not a single drop out with a few channel changes. To me, this pretty conclusively points the finger at the speaker's wireless implementation. That they hit an unrecoverable crashed state (they must be power cycled to come back online) is an indicator that the driver or whatever governs their operation is not familiar with the circumstance where a channel changes. Computers need to know what to expect or they dont work right. That all sound about right to you guys? 

[RumorConsumer]

Oh my channels change somewhat regularly because I have a number of cabins near each other and apparently they’re trying to find the best channels. I don’t notice it regularly but looking at the log for this particular access point I can see that the channel has changed several times in the past few days. I have about four other devices connected at any given moment and they all seem to be able to roll with the punches of the channel changes without much trouble. The thing that I have noticed about the speaker system is that they buffer for about 30 seconds. This has me wonder if the access point thinks that it can change channels and not affect anything and then when the speakers look back for their next chunk of data they fall off because the channel is different.

[KarstenI]

As mentioned, Channel Change should be reported in the dashboard. What I would do: Take a WLAN Scanner like WinFi, Wifi Scanner (both Windows) or Wifi Explorer (Mac) and look if there are free or lightly loaded Channels in your area.

Then configure the AP statically to that channel and look if the dropouts still happen.

[RumorConsumer]

I just got off the phone with a semi knowledgeable employee from the speaker company. He was nice but networking isn't his forte. He sent me a set of instructions which should inform you about the level of sophistication these people understand their hardware at. This is what you call the shotgun approach...

3) Using Your LSX
a) Download the KEF Control App and KEF Stream App to the device you plan to control the speakers from
b) Open the KEF Control App and add new speaker, follow the on-screen prompts to get them onboarded onto your home network
i) Router Settings that should be adjusted before hand: Ensure that the 2.4 and 5.0ghz network bands are separated - You may need to contact your ISP for help in splitting the network. You want to place both the phone and the speakers on the 5.0ghz network band. You will also need to change the channel of the 5.0ghz network for Auto to 36, 40, or 44. Again, you ISP should be able to help with this adjustment
ii) Disable IPV6 if enabled in Router Settings as well if able
iii) The device you are using to on-board the speakers to the network should only know the password to the band you are on-boarding to. Please forget other passwords of bands in range.
iiii) Please verify your network password as the KEF Control App will not notify you if the password is connected
iv) It is recommended you apply a static IP to the LS50W for stability purposes if not already auto assigned
v) We also recommend you use Google's Public DNS Settings, found [HERE](https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using)

This is for home network environments and may not be compatible with the Enterprise that you have.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you and regards,

[RumorConsumer]

Next question. Does anybody have a favorite Wireless to ethernet bridge device? I am gonna try and sidestep this whole issue and spoof a wired connection. Id love something 5ghz compatible. Like an Airport Express that can enter bridge mode.