DNS fails after 30 hours & daily scheduled restart stopped working

[Tigger]

Hi, I became a new customer around the end of June 2024. I have Three Home Broadband with the supplied Three ZTE MC888 Router / Hub.

Since around 4 days after day one (back in late June), the DNS has stopped working and the Hub requires a restart to restore normal service. This was happening every 4 to 5 days afterwards too, so as a workaround, I set the restart scheduling to restart every 1 day at 0200 hours.

This was fine until about a month ago when I notice the Hub had done an automatic software / firmware update. Now software V1..0.0B09, firmware V1.0.0. Since this update, it’s got worse and no longer restarts everyday and the DNS stops working after around 30 hours. So a manual restart is now required daily.

If I manually set the DNS on my devices (e.g. 1.1.1.1 & 8.8.8.8) I can get Internet for a few more hours without a restart, however, within a few hours it slowdown substantially until it comes to a grinding halt with network errors. So this workaround doesn’t last long until a manual Hub restart is required again.

I read somewhere on this forum, setting the APN to ipv4 only (from ipv4 & ipv6) may help, however, I’ve tried this and it made no difference.

[JonathanB]

Hi Mark.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been experiencing these issues for so long now. If you can help us understand the issue a bit better, we'll do our best to help or point you in the direction of more support.

• How are you encountering these DNS errors, is this an error showing in browser? It sounds like you're describing issues with multiple devices, are you able to share the error message(s) you're seeing, and give us a little insight on what devices, apps, and browsers these are happening with?
• Have you been able to test if the issue happens with both wired and Wi-Fi connected devices?
• When you've tried factory resetting the router, has this had any impact on how often the errors occur?
• Are we showing we're aware of any issues on our Network Status Checker in your area?

Thanks,
Jonathan

[Tigger]

@JonathanB 

[PeteG]

Hello. 

That's strange. After changing the DNS to manual and setting the DNS yourself, what happens when it fails after that? Is it failing with the same manually set DNS? Or is it failing because it's went back to a different DNS? 

Pete. 

[Tigger]

P.S. it's failing with the same manually set DNS.

[Tigger]

@PeteG , the answer to your latest question is already in my first opening question, "within a few hours it slowdown substantially until it comes to a grinding halt with network errors.". In other words, no internet at all untill a reboot of the router. 

Why has no one sugested a single possible solution? Wht hasn't this issue and many other Three Customers issues I've seen on here been forwarded to the next level up?

Kind regards, Mark

[PeteG]

Sorry, I'm not sure my question was clear, as the highlighted section doesn't provide an answer for what I was asking. I was wondering if when the issue recurs, does the DNS remain as you set it, or is it defaulting back to the normal DNS settings on it's own? 

Pete. 

[Tigger]

Hi @PeteG 

You may wish read the last 2 or 3 post between @JonathanB and myself re. automatic daily rebooting and no DNS failures or total loss due to the 30 hour issue (which was 4 days before the autmatic update on the router).

Just so it's clear, there are no DNS settings on the MC888 router, so the DNS on the router is on 192.168.0.1.

The only adjustments I make are to manualy set the DNS on our iPhones, Galaxy A34's, laptops, Raspberry Pi's and Desktop PC's to Cloudflare and google DNS, so from the automatic dhcp setting of 192.168.01 to 1.1.1.1 & 8.8.8.8, And they stay like that. They do not default back. So when the DNS fails on the router, they will keep working for another 1 to 4 hours until I have to reboot the router, because all data from the internet then ceases. 

However, I have one device perminently set to automatic DNS (the routers 192.168.0.1) to montitor when the DNS on the router fails so I can manualy reboot it before a total loss of internet data. As you will see in the most recent posts between @JonathanB and myself, The DNS has not had the chance to fail, because it's now automaticly rebooting approx every 24 hours before the DNS fails at 30 to 24 hours. 

[PeteG]

Ah, I understand. Thanks for confirming. 

I'm not sure what would cause that to happen since the issue doesn't seem that wide spread. Since the issue is also failing with the DNS set manually on some devices, it would also suggest the cause is something else, I'm not sure what though. 

You mentioned earlier that you felt it might be related to the Hub, or software on board, and I think that could be likely in this case. If you haven't tried a factory reset already, I'd try that. If that still doesn't help, I'd recommend reaching out to the Home Broadband Support Team where they can run checks on the hub and on the local mast you're connected to. 

Fingers crossed they will be able to come up with a solution. 

Pete. 

[Tigger]

@PeteG 

Please see the MC888 Router Issues Timeline post I posted an hour ago. You will see it is a router issue / software issue.

I've done several factory resets and it makes no difference.

I have connatacted the broadband support team twice and the forst time they said do another factory reset and monitor.

The second time they tried putting me through to sales to get an upgraded router deal.