BCD536HP WI-FI dropping issue - Possible 'solution'?? Something to ponder at least...

[centauri61032]

Hey all.

Just for background, I have a BCP536HP using the WI-FI dongle. It connects to my home network via a newer Netgear gigabit router, that is in the next room. (In other words, very good signal strength at the scanner.) I am also using ProScan on a Windows 10 PC. The PC is located in the same room as the scanner, and connects to the same Netgear router via WI-FI.

Ever since I bought the BCD536HP, I have had issues with ProScan losing the connection to the scanner. With advice from others, and with trial-and-error, I discovered the only reliable way to re-establish the connection was to power cycle the scanner. There was no need to do anything with ProScan. It would always automatically reconnect.

I have read on this forum (and others) that this problem is not unique to me. In fact, it seems to be a fairly common one. A few months ago, I only had to power cycle the scanner about once a week. But recently, I have had to power cycle the scanner daily or more in order to restore the connection. I figured there HAD to be a reason, for this, and decided to start trying things.

Initially, I tried making changes to the devices in my current setup. I tried different (older) versions of ProScan. I made sure the Uniden had the latest firmware. Made sure the router also had the latest firmware. I tried power clearing the router, restoring factory settings, etc. Basically, nothing helped.

Finally, I tried this....

I had another OLD router sitting on a shelf collecting dust. It is a Netgear model WNDR3800, and I don't even really know where I got it. (I think I picked it up at a thrift store for a few bucks.) I added this router to my network using a hardwired connection between it and the newer Netgear gigabit router mentioned above. Without going into details about my house wiring, just be aware that this placed the WNDR3800 in the basement of my house, all the way to the opposite end from the BCD536HP. In other words, about as poor a signal strength as I can possibly achieve in my house. (Although my phone was showing the strength to be about middle of the scale.)

Of course, this now created another subnet within my house, and a new set of IP addresses. So I reconfigured the WI-FI on the scanner to connect to this new network. And I also connected the ProScan PC to the same new network as the scanner. Since I have made this change, the connection has not failed once between the BCD536HP and ProScan in over 2 weeks now. I have also moved some of my other network attached items to the same subnet as the BCP, thinking I might find something that causes a conflict. But so far there have been no ill effects.

Clearly, this experiment is about as unscientific as it gets. It does NOT pinpoint the cause of my original problem, and it probably raises more questions that it answers. But regardless, my BCD536HP connection to ProScan has now been continuously solid for the longest period since I have owned the scanner. If you are also having similar issues with keeping your BCP536HP WI-FI connection active, maybe this will help you create a work-around too.

 

[n1chu]

Wondering if when you lost the connection on your new router you checked to see if there was connectivity to your WiFi provider... could it be just by coincidence your provider was experiencing difficulties at the same time you swapped out your router? Did you reconnect the new gear and see if the problem still persisted? Any attenuators in the mix? My WiFi connection was so hot they installed an inline attenuator (after trenching my lawn twice [I have underground services in my development] because they suspected a bad cable from the street to my house, when all the time it was only needing a cheap in-line attenuator). Which makes me wonder about the differing distances separating the routers from their connections.

 

[buddrousa]

It is well known that if you loose WIFI the 536 drops the connection and needs rebooted. As hard as it is for some to believe the HIGH END routers like the one listed above seem to have this problem the most. I use a MIKROTIK router and do not have this problem even with 6 536's running at the same time. Nice post thanks as this should help others not blame PROSCAN or the 536.

 

[hvytrucker]

Just a thought. Might it be better to assign a static ip to the 536's wifi dongle instead of depending on DHCP? For computers or other wireless paripherals they go sleep or power down and when they wake they usually try to reconnect using the same ip address. If another peripheral has joined the network during that time it might have been assigned the same ip # and might be conficting...

 

[centauri61032]

Wondering if when you lost the connection on your new router you checked to see if there was connectivity to your WiFi provider... could it be just by coincidence your provider was experiencing difficulties at the same time you swapped out your router? Did you reconnect the new gear and see if the problem still persisted? Any attenuators in the mix? My WiFi connection was so hot they installed an inline attenuator (after trenching my lawn twice [I have underground services in my development] because they suspected a bad cable from the street to my house, when all the time it was only needing a cheap in-line attenuator). Which makes me wonder about the differing distances separating the routers from their connections.

It is MY router. Not the providers. The provider should not come into play here. My internal network will still work within my house, even if my provider is completely down. I did try to ping the Uniden from the PC when the connection was dead. But would get no ping response until rebooting the Uniden.

 

[centauri61032]

Just a thought. Might it be better to assign a static ip to the 536's wifi dongle instead of depending on DHCP? For computers or other wireless paripherals they go sleep or power down and when they wake they usually try to reconnect using the same ip address. If another peripheral has joined the network during that time it might have been assigned the same ip # and might be conficting...

Already doing this. The static IP was assigned from day-1 to prevent any issues with IP address changing and ProScan not seeing it. As I said, no ProScan changes were needed to reconnect. Which includes reconfiguring the IP.
As buddrosa has said, I suspect the issue is that my original gigabit router is 'too good' for the Uniden. But there are too many other possible variables to say for sure.

 

[buddrousa]

All of my 536's are static also.

 

[nessnet]

Already doing this. The static IP was assigned from day-1 to prevent any issues with IP address changing and ProScan not seeing it. As I said, no ProScan changes were needed to reconnect. Which includes reconfiguring the IP.
As buddrosa has said, I suspect the issue is that my original gigabit router is 'too good' for the Uniden. But there are too many other possible variables to say for sure.

I was thinking DHCP / static, but it's been answered.
How long is the DHCP lease time set for in the router?
Also, on the PC, do you have the wifi card on any power save settings?

 

[Enjoi19]

Just to toss this aspect into the arena of ideas - If you're using a router that does 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, if they are both on the same SSID, perhaps the dongle only supports 2.4Ghz and is running into issues picking the correct network.

 

[centauri61032]

Just to toss this aspect into the arena of ideas - If you're using a router that does 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, if they are both on the same SSID, perhaps the dongle only supports 2.4Ghz and is running into issues picking the correct network.

I hadn't thought of that. But it's not in my case. It is dual speed. But I have different SSID's for each.

 

[centauri61032]

I was thinking DHCP / static, but it's been answered.
How long is the DHCP lease time set for in the router?
Also, on the PC, do you have the wifi card on any power save settings?

DHCP lease doesn't expire. And the PC does not have any power save settings. The PC also does security cameras, which have no connection issues with the computer.

 

[buddrousa]

Is the PC running as the Video Server or is it running as a Video Viewing Station?

 

[centauri61032]

Is the PC running as the Video Server or is it running as a Video Viewing Station?

Only as a viewer station.

 

[buddrousa]

Then it should not be flooded with data if several cameras see motion at the same time.

 

[Ubbe]

The Uniden WiFi dongle isn't the most advanced device that might have problems with high speed routers and beamforming features and similar modern things. Download the WiFi Analyzer Android app by Kevin Yuan, or any other app that shows WiFi channel use, and check that you do not have any neigbouring channels that interfere.

On 2.4GHz a channels bandwidth are +/-3ch wide so you should only use ch1, ch6 and ch11 or 12 to not get interferenceis. If someone too close to you are using ch2 while you use ch1 it will interfere with bit errors and drop outs and slow speed.

Check you WiFi enviroment with that app and select the same ch as your nearest neighbour if you cannot find a ch that are 3 ch free in both directions from other WiFi networks. WiFi nets handshake with each other if they are on the same channel to divide the 54 subchannels between the networks. If one WiFi transmitter are one ch off it cannot handshake with the result of interference and drop outs.

I got 13 cameras on the same WiFi channel that continously sends a video stream and then the PC application have the motion detection to alarm and record if anything happens. It's a maximum of 1MB from a 1080 HD camera so nowhere near the maximum capacity on the WiFi channel.

/Ubbe

 

[centauri61032]

Then it should not be flooded with data if several cameras see motion at the same time.

It's just residential also. Very little data, and even less recording.