Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect
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@Gblenn said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
So basically what you are saying is that it's all wifi related? I so, that is where I would focus... Check you channel allocation across that AP's as discussed.
I don't think it's WiFi related. It happens on my hard wired PC as well... however that thing is ancient but it's my only one. I might plug in a laptop and hunker next to the rack for a half hour or so and double check that it's also present in wired connections. But I'm able to pull up, say, the UI for the pfsense or the unraid dockers without the delays and stream netflix. I don't know that much about networking but it almost seems specific to certain types of traffic like translating webpages. My IoT devices get kicked off every now and then but mostly work and I've never experienced a time i can remember when i couldn't stream Netflix for example...
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@RickyBaker
You have a loop in your network. We don't have enough information whether that's the symptom or the cause. As suggested, you need to deconstruct your network and figure out what is in place. Do you have an unmanaged switch in the mix - in your case a non Unifi switch. Ive seen cases where a cable was plugged into one switch port and the other end plugged into the same switch but different port (why? who knows...). Kea has nothing to do with Layer2 loops. Neither does Unbound.
In either case, the network is protecting itself. -
@Patch said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
You have a VPN. How is that segmented on your network?
Does this have the information you were asking about?
@michmoor said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
You have a loop in your network
yeah it really feels like this is right...
@michmoor said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
Do you have an unmanaged switch in the mix - in your case a non Unifi switch.
no, all unifi switches. 1 is daisy chained but it's unifi and i see it in the controller software. There are no more STP blocked ports since I unplugged that last AP and I still have no idea how that happened (the statically assigned IP seems find in the DHCP server but I haven't tried to plug it back in yet)...
Is there any way to track this down with Wireshark? I would imagine the broadcast storm mentioned earlier is easier to troubleshoot with wireshark but while it's running I was curious if something would help me track down this loop....
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@RickyBaker said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
There are no more STP blocked ports since I unplugged that last AP and I still have no idea how that happened (the statically assigned IP seems find in the DHCP server but I haven't tried to plug it back in yet)...
Are we still having the issue with the network when your parents come over after that change?
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@michmoor my parents left a long time ago so I haven't been testing with their devices. But yes the network is still bad.
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I believe you have two different issues. The most obvious as has been stated is a Layer 2 loop. You have something miswired/misrouted.
The problem with your parents' device is I belive a duplicate IP address. Could they maybe have had a statically assigned IP address in one of their devices that matched the IP address of a critical component in your local network such as perhaps one of the firewall interfaces? The symptoms you described at that time (way back up earlier in this thread) sure sounded like a duplicate IP address problem.
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Not sure what this means but I was just poking around pfsense and saw that the ipv6 Configuration type was set to Track Interface. Seeing as this was an issue when i was having a DNSResolver issue and that i'm not using ipv6 (intentionally at least) I turned it to none but got 2 errors about disabling DHCPv6 Server and Router Advertisement first. I really don't know what the second thing is or what disabling it will break but i'm desparate so I'm giving "None" a try....
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@RickyBaker said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
got 2 errors about disabling DHCPv6 Server and Router Advertisement first. I really don't know what the second thing is or what disabling it will break
If you have no IPv6 available from your ISP and you have not configured your WAN to use it, then it won't break anything. You can go to SERVICES > ROUTER ADVERISEMENT and set the RA daemon to "disabled" on all interfaces. Why did you turn this on in the first place?
If you are just browsing around in pfSense and randomly clicking stuff without knowing what it specifically does, then no wonder you are having issues
. You might benefit from a completely fresh green-field reinstall WITHOUT importing any old configuration. -
@bmeeks said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
You have something miswired/misrouted.
I agree, just having a hard time tracking this down...
@bmeeks said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
The problem with your parents' device is I belive a duplicate IP address. Could they maybe have had a statically assigned IP address in one of their devices that matched the IP address of a critical component in your local network such as perhaps one of the firewall interfaces?
I also can get behind this theory as well, especially the second part of it.
All their devices were configured to get an IP from the DHCP server (though were also originally configured to randomize the mac address, which i changed). Also I use 10.10.10.1/24 and there is no way they have a statically assigned address in that range. If i was using 192.168.1.1/24 sure i could believe it but just very unlikely anything is statically assigned to the 10.10.10.1 range. Though maybe it has something to do with their devices barfing at that subnet....
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@bmeeks said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
If you have no IPv6 available from your ISP and you have not configured your WAN to use it, then it won't break anything. You can go to SERVICES > ROUTER ADVERISEMENT and set the RA daemon to "disabled" on all interfaces. Why did you turn this on in the first place?
I have att fiber so I assume it's available but I don't intentionally use it. I do not remember ever turning this on.
@bmeeks said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
then no wonder you are having issues .
these are desperate times. I do NOT do this normally.
@bmeeks said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
You might benefit from a completely fresh green-field reinstall WITHOUT importing any old configuration.
This is getting closer and closer to possible. I simply don't know what to do and REALLY don't want to reattach all my hundreds of devices again....
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@RickyBaker said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
there is no way they have a statically assigned address in that range.
That's a pretty bold statement to make unless you actually verified it on each of their devices. The symptoms you described at that time certainly seemed like a duplicate IP problem.
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@RickyBaker said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
I do not remember ever turning this on.
It is not enabled out-of-the-box with any pfSense installation. It had to be enabled by you or another admin.
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@bmeeks well fair. They'll be back at the beginning of May so I can double confirm but i'm 99% sure. In the meantime i'd love to be able to actually USE my internet, aka fix it before they show up
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@RickyBaker said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
I simply don't know what to do and REALLY don't want to reattach all my hundreds of devices again....
If you have DHCP configured as you describe, there is nothing to "attach". Simply put them on the wire and let them acquire an IP address from DHCP. I suspect you need to greatly simplify this network of yours. It seems you are trying to be too clever by half and clicking/configuring yourself into non-functionality ...
Keep it simple.
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@bmeeks said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
Simply put them on the wire and let them acquire an IP address from DHCP.
what do you mean put them on the wire? I would be recreating all the assignments and interfaces/rules. I'm sure I'd do something wrong. But good point, if I leave the SSID the same all the Wifi devices should reconnect eventually....
And you are certainly right about the cleverness. I don't know how to fix it so yeah. it's too clever for me....
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@bmeeks said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
@RickyBaker said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
I do not remember ever turning this on.
It is not enabled out-of-the-box with any pfSense installation. It had to be enabled by you or another admin.
Not in my case. I've seen this enabled by default in recent version of pfSense CE. YMMV, but in any case, as long as OP is not using IPv6 on WAN, there's no reason he can't turn it off.
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I agree with those that say it sounds like a network loop. I'm not sure the Unifi controller will really tell you precisely where the loop is, though it will tell you ports its disabling, which might give you a place to start.
If I were troubleshooting this, I'd do two things.
- I would disable mesh functions in the wifi completely.
- I would pull all wiring and reconnect one step at a time. Connect first switch to router, attach wired systems that typically attach to first switch, and test. If all is well, connect second downlink switch, reattach all its clients, and test again. Once all switches are connected, start reconnecting wireless APs and testing as you go. Continue until everything is working, or until something goes sideways.
As far as network loops, since you are serving multiple floors, I'd make sure there's not something strange going on like a cat6 cable connecting two wall jacks.
Might be worth checking the wiring
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@bp81 well thanks for the suggested steps. One question though. If my non POE switch is what's connected to the pfsense, I would in a sense be testing as many non-wifi devices as possible first? without any APs/WiFi? Then plug in the POE switch and plug one AP at a time in? then other POE devices?
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@RickyBaker said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
@Patch said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
You have a VPN. How is that segmented on your network?
Does this have the information you were asking about?
Repeating the question does not provide an answer.
The reason for VPN segmentation information is I believe it can cause asymmetric routing if not configured appropriately.
But I still recommend you find your fault by drastically simplify your network then progressively rebuilding it.
Your network verbal description suggests you have some network complexity, so for others to help a network diagram is required. Drawing one would probably also result in you identifying the problem.
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@Patch said in Network becomes totally unusable when my parents connect:
Repeating the question does not provide an answer.
I'm very sorry my screenshot doesn't seem to have loaded:
Yes I'm in front of my rack right now trying to troubleshoot. First I did a speed test on the Wifi and then hardwired to the nonPOE switch and the diffferences were drastic. Perhaps the poor internet I experienced on the hardwired PC was actually due to it being ancient and not the internet. I wouldn't say my laptop directly connected is the snappiest internet experience i've ever had but it's def usable.
So sorry for the red herring. I unplugged everything then slowly started plugging things back in and the previously blocked AP again was blocked due to STP. I even changed the Static IP it's assigned an still blocked. HOWEVER when I switched the port it was plugged into it grabbed a signal and was not blocked. Albeit at a FE speed and not the GbE speeds I was expecting (and a warning about Poor Ethernet Link Speeds)
I even switched the static IP back to what it was before and it still connected without being blocked. It is only when it's plugged into port 48. i even copied the settings from the port that did work to the one that didn't and still it was blocked by STP. I don't even know if this is the issue, seems like that cable could stand to be reterminated but since I still had issues with it completely unplugged I'm guessing that's not gonna solve my problem. At least I have it actually narrowed down to the WiFi specifically now..
