WLAN - Suddenly back to factory settings?

    • In this household, an Internet Box 4 with a PC and TV is connected to a power strip. If no one is there for a few days, you simply turn on the main switch. Some more will probably do that.

    Yesterday I came back to the apartment and turned on the main switch. Then the TV. This complained “No Internet connection” and the WLAN (I changed the SSID over a month ago) was not visible in the menu. The other devices didn’t see it either. But an InernetBox_XYZ and the 5 Ghz version.

    I then realized that it must be my Internet box because of the signal strength. And a look at the Kundencenter (the PC is connected via cable) confirmed this.

    Why the hell does the Internet Box simply change the WLAN back to the default value? It wasn’t me and the other person who had access to the Kundencenter certainly wasn’t either. This shouldn’t work at all if the modem is not online.

    Stupid coincidence, or do you have to shut down the Internet Box like a PC?

    Show original language (German)

      • 5018

      • Solutionselected by MirkoP

      First of all, yes. The Internet box is a small Linux PC. But you can’t shut it down like you would a PC. That’s why it works the way you do it.

      The WLAN data is always synchronized with the backend (Kundencenter). Therefore, “your” data should have been saved everywhere. Did you choose a very simple, weak password? SC may be in the process of increasing security requirements. But I don’t know.

      The bottom line is that I think it’s more of a one-off (IT) problem, as can happen from time to time. An explanation/resolution will hardly be possible unless an expert from Swisscom tries to reconstruct the whole thing, which would be a lot of effort with probably little benefit. If it happens again, Swisscom should investigate. Maybe there would be something wrong in your system.

    First of all, yes. The Internet box is a small Linux PC. But you can’t shut it down like you would a PC. That’s why it works the way you do it.

    The WLAN data is always synchronized with the backend (Kundencenter). Therefore, “your” data should have been saved everywhere. Did you choose a very simple, weak password? SC may be in the process of increasing security requirements. But I don’t know.

    The bottom line is that I think it’s more of a one-off (IT) problem, as can happen from time to time. An explanation/resolution will hardly be possible unless an expert from Swisscom tries to reconstruct the whole thing, which would be a lot of effort with probably little benefit. If it happens again, Swisscom should investigate. Maybe there would be something wrong in your system.

    Show original language (German)

    In my opinion, the password was long enough and also had numbers and special characters.

    I would welcome it if Swisscom intervened with weak passwords, but then a report would be very helpful 😊

    Then I assume it was just a one-time bug. Maybe others will get in touch now. If it happened again, I would probably write to Swisscom directly.

    Show original language (German)

    @digichr

    Is it correct that TV-Box is connected to the Internet box with its own WLAN?

    What can happen when the Internet box with WLAN is switched off for a long time is that the channels can change, but the password can no longer be correct, that’s really extraordinary. I’ve never seen this myself or with other users.

    Show original language (German)

    Installationen, Netzwerk, Internet, Computertechnik, OS Windows, Apple und Linux.

    @digichr

    Have you already backed up the data from the Internet box on the Swisscom server (Kundencenter), at least if you say that the Internet box only had the standard setting, a reset must have done something like that.

    Have you noticed a change in the firmware?

    Show original language (German)

    Installationen, Netzwerk, Internet, Computertechnik, OS Windows, Apple und Linux.

    • hed likes that.

    @digichr

    If it happens again, I would suggest actually doing a hard reset of the IB4 first, because then the backend server will re-provision the IB including the centrally stored WLAN credentials and that way you can differentiate whether the problem occurs in the backend or locally in the firmware on the IB.

    Show original language (German)

    Hobby-Nerd ohne wirtschaftliche Abhängigkeiten zur Swisscom

    • hed likes that.

    Thank you for your answers.

    What I discovered when I logged in. The IP was still the same. I changed the range to 192.168.xy and it was still there. So the box was not completely at factory settings.

    Firemware is 13.00.40, but I don’t remember what it was like before.

    I didn’t save to Kundencenter beforehand.

    But if it happens again, I’ll try a hard reset.

    Show original language (German)

    @digichr

    Saving the config file locally is always better than saving it to Kundencenter.

    This means you can then play it back really reliably.

    It is important to keep in mind that almost all of the important settings of the Internet box (e.g. the WLAN credentials) are not part of the secured config file, but are part of the server-based provisioning concept in the Swisscom backend.

    What can be backed up and “restored” in the config file is not all of the IB settings, but only individual local user-specific additions, such as device names, static IP assignments, local SIP credentials, etc.

    Because these “additional” settings, which are not absolutely necessary for operation, are not part of the server provisioning, they are actually lost during a reset and then it is of course practical if you can reset them in a second step after the hard reset if necessary locally stored backup can be restored to the IB.

    Show original language (German)

    Hobby-Nerd ohne wirtschaftliche Abhängigkeiten zur Swisscom

    @digichr

    As additional information, here is a link to the list of detailed IB settings that can be individually secured by saving/restoring a config file:

    [https://community.swisscom.ch/t5/Archiv-Internet/Restore-Intenetbox-3/m-p/604475#M87470](https://community.swisscom.ch/t5/Archiv-Internet/Restore-Intenetbox- 3/m-p/604475#M87470)

    Show original language (German)

    Hobby-Nerd ohne wirtschaftliche Abhängigkeiten zur Swisscom

    9 months later

    I also do this with the main switch. Since saving electricity is popular, I have connected all devices to a power strip with a switch, which I turn off every night. Now it has happened for the second time today that there is a completely new SSID on the box and of course a new password. I found the password on myswisscom.
    Maybe there is some kind of counter that resets the box after too many resets? I haven’t found an answer yet…I’m now trying to change the name manually and strengthen the password, maybe that will help.

    Show original language (German)

    No, there is no counter that resets the box after power interruptions. I’ve also never experienced the password changing on its own. Strange… maybe you can change the password for your Swisscom account (the one you need to access Kundencenter).

    Saving electricity using a switched power strip is a good thing, but I would make an exception for the router for various reasons. You can configure the WLAN to be switched off overnight, which also saves a little bit of energy.

    Show original language (German)

    Have you tried turning it off and on again?

    @pitbs

    I’m also an “electricity saving fanatic”, but you should only switch off the IB when you’re away for a long time. Every disconnection from the network is detected by the system as a line fault and if you are unlucky, the speed will be massively reduced (automatic stabilization of the line).

    Show original language (German)

    I would like to quote the following statement from @Roger G elsewhere:

    Switching the router off/on is registered as a resync, but that’s enough to report a dying gasp to the router (“I’ll be gone then”). We don’t count that as one of the metrics. It’s different if you unplug the DSL cable. The router can no longer report anything and there is the same resync, which we count. So to put it bluntly, pulling the DSL cable several times a day provokes stabilization.

    Therefore, switching on/off, whether by pulling the plug or using a switch, should have no impact on line stability. However, it is of course not recommended.

    Show original language (German)

    Have you tried turning it off and on again?

    Maybe additionally:

    DSL cable interrupts when router is switched on = not good

    Disconnecting the 230V mains with the router switched on = not good

    Disconnect the 230V mains with the router switched off = good

    Turn off the power switch on the router = good

    True or false @Roger G?

    Show original language (German)

    ….keep on rockin' 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

    @POGO 1104

    What do you mean by a switched off router? You can only turn it off by disconnecting the power supply. Or is there a difference between using a power strip or the router’s power button to disconnect the power?

    Show original language (German)

    @hed wrote:

    @POGO 1104

    ….Or is there a difference between using a power strip or the router’s power switch to disconnect the power?

    Afaik yes.

    One case is recognized by the DSLAM/MCan as a normal shutdown, the other case is not -> line stabilization….

    But @Roger G can certainly clarify this….

    Show original language (German)

    ….keep on rockin' 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼