A better network is faster, safer, and more enjoyable to use. Firewalla provides tools to monitor your network, identify issues, and achieve greater network performance. 

Firewalla Network Events provide a record of significant changes in the quality and availability of your network.

The Firewalla app shows a banner for important network connectivity events at the top of your screen. You can tap on this to the Network Performance view with Network Events. Other events can be accessed through Main Screen -> Settings -> Events.

 

In this article, we’ll guide you through troubleshooting some of the most common events. For a full list of events, click here. 

• Network Event Troubleshooting 
  • WAN Disconnected 
  • Ethernet Port Disconnected 
  • Port Speed Change
  • High Packet Loss/High Latency
  • Wi-Fi WAN Disconnects
  • Power Outage
• Full Network Event List

Check out our article on Network Performance and Quality Monitoring to learn more about improving your network quality.

 

Network Event Troubleshooting

WAN Disconnected

 

Firewalla defaults ICMP ping tests to your ISP's DNS servers and DNS requests to check DNS connectivity.

• Since ICMP ping packets are never guaranteed, this event may be false if your network is not down at the time of the event.
• If your network is down, as indicated, you can use the events to get information or talk to your ISP.

 

Step 0: Check ISP Outage

It is always best to start checking your ISP's status page to ensure there are no outages or maintenance.

Step 1: Check Physical Connection

A physical status change triggers a WAN disconnect event. You should see an Ethernet Disconnected event before or after the WAN Disconnected event. If so, follow the steps to debug an unstable physical connection.

Step 2: Check Event Detail

Ping and DNS tests are used for WAN Connectivity Tests. If any test fails, your WAN is considered disconnected. Tap on each event for more details. From the connectivity test history, you'll see which tests have failed and triggered the WAN Disconnected event. 

 

Step 3: Tune Test Targets

If your network was up and Firewalla said it was down, you may need to tune the test targets.

If the Ping test fails frequently:

Sometimes, the ISP or something upstream may block ICMP or filtering on specific destinations, which could trigger this problem. Try more different test targets, such as the WAN network gateway or the WAN network DNS server.

Tap Edit Test Targets from the Ping test failed or DNS test failed event you found in the last step. Or, go to the Network -> WAN Network detail page -> scroll down -> tap Test Target -> tap Edit to change Ping Test Targets.

Notes:

• Don't set the test count to less than 8.
• Don't set the success rate threshold too high.

 

If the DNS test fails frequently:

Check if the WAN's DNS server is running any DNS filtering. Try an unfiltered, reliable DNS servers. If you are using OpenDNS, add the test domain to the "Never Block" list. How to check OpenDNS Web Content Filtering.

Go to the Network -> WAN Network detail page, tap Edit, scroll down and edit Primary DNS Server and/or Secondary DNS Server, and tap Save to submit the change.

 

Step 4: Contact Your ISP

If the issue persists after trying the steps above, it may be a real internet problem. It's advisable to contact your ISP's technical support or if they have a system status page.

 

Ethernet Port Disconnected

This event almost always means a physical disconnection between Firewalla WAN and your modem/router.

 

Step 1: Check Physical Connection

Ensure that the Ethernet cable is securely plugged into your Firewalla box's port. Check for any physical damage to the cable and the ports they connect with.

Step 2: Check Your Modem

Check your modem and make sure it is not rebooting. A reboot on the modem side will cause the ethernet to go down on the firewall side as well. If this happens, you may need to contact your ISP.

Step 3: Try a Different Cable

Swap out the current Ethernet cable with a known working one to rule out the possibility of a faulty cable.

Step 4: Test on a Different Port

• If possible, connect your device to a different Firewalla Ethernet port to see if the issue persists. This can help identify a problem with a specific port.
• If it happens to a specific device, make sure the network driver is up to date. Outdated drivers can sometimes cause connectivity problems.
• When it only happens on a specific Firewall port, note down what you have tested and share the results with help@firewalla.com. 

 

Port Speed Change

By default, all Firewalla ports are auto-negotiable. Firewalla negotiates the port speed via the ethernet cable and the connected device. (Any of these three elements may cause the speed change.)

 

Step 1: Unplug and Plug Back in the Ethernet Cable

This action will trigger negotiations, and most of the time, it will get you back to the original speed. If not, please go to Step 2

Step 2: Always check the Ethernet Cable

Ensure that the Ethernet cable you are using is qualified for the expected speed. For example, you need CAT 5e or better for 1 Gbps and CAT 6 for 10 Gbps.

Step 3: Test with Another Device

Connect different devices to the same Firewalla port. If possible, put a switch in between. This can help determine the issue with the device or the network.

Step 4: Use a Different Port

If possible, try connecting to a different Firewalla ethernet port to see if it only happens on a specific Firewalla port.

Step 5: Disable STP

STP is enabled on Firewalla when devices are connected directly to a Firewalla with multiple ports bridged into a single LAN. This is to protect your network from a switching loop, but it could make some devices uncomfortable. Check How to disable Spanning Tree Protocol (STP).

Step 6: Disable Sleep/Power Saving Mode

Some devices, like Mac mini, will set the link speed to 10mbps when it goes to sleep or power saving mode.

Step 7: Update Network Drivers

Ensure that your network adapter drivers are up to date. 

 

High Packet Loss/High Latency

High packet loss and high latency won't bring your network down, but it could explain why sites are slow or can't load at all.

Step 0: Check If You're Experiencing Network Issues

Are you experiencing any network issues? You can run a simple speed test from your LAN or Firewalla to see if your speed test is normal or not.

• If you are having network issues, go to Step 1.
• If you are not having issues with your network, go to Step 4.

Step 1: Check For ISP Outage

Check your ISP's status page to see if they're performing maintenance or experiencing outages. 

• If your ISP is under maintenance or outage, you can wait for your ISP to be restored or contact your ISP to get an estimated resolution time.
• If your ISP is not under maintenance or outage and you're having network issues, go to Step 2.

Step 2: Check Physical Connections

If you are experiencing network issues, check your physical connections.

• Check the Ethernet cables used. Ensure they are properly connected or try a different one.
• Try rebooting your modem or router that Firewalla is connected to.

If you're still having network issues, go to Step 3.

Step 3: Contact Your ISP

If the issue persists after trying the steps above, it may be a real internet problem. Please contact your ISP's technical support.

Step 4: Tune Test Targets

If your speed test is normal and you are not experiencing any problems, tune the test targets.

• Tap the Internet Quality panel or the Test Options button if you are using a multi-wan setup.
• Tap Test Settings > Test Target. Wait until the latency tests are done, pick a test target with a lower latency, or enter an IP/domain manually based on your network environment. 

Sometimes the upstream network would have filtering on specific destinations. Not all IPs are pingable from your network. Try to use more popular public servers as your test target. 

 

Wi-Fi Disconnects

This is mainly for the Purple unit or box with Wi-Fi SD installed:

• Move the box closer to your AP.
• Try a different Wi-Fi Channel, 2.4G usually provides a more stable Wi-Fi signal.
• If you are using a hotspot, turn on Extend Compatibility/ Maximize Compatibility on your phone.

 

Power Outage

If your power was not down, please check these.

• Ensure the box uses the original power supply that came with the unit.
• If you use a third-party power supply, ensure it's in good condition and properly connected.
• Make sure the third-party power supply is compatible with your box. See the chart below for the power supply type:

Box	Power Supply
Gold/Gold Plus/Gold Pro	12V 3A
GSE/Purple/Purple SE	5V 3A
Red/Blue/Blue Plus	5V 3A

 

 

Full Network Event List

Event Types	Event Description	Troubleshooting
WAN Disconnected	Your WAN has failed either a ping test or a DNS test. This typically means your WAN is not connected to the Internet.	If your WAN is disconnected, it often means your ISP is down. You may need to check with your ISP to resolve frequent or long outages. Also, please check your physical connections to ensure your ports and cables are where they should be. Troubleshooting Steps
WAN Restored	Your WAN has been reconnected after an outage.
Wi-Fi WAN Disconnected from SSID	This event appears if you're using your Firewalla Purple or Firewalla Gold + SD to configure a WAN connection using a Wi-Fi network and the connection is lost.	This often means the Wi-Fi network is down or the box is out of its range. Check that the Wi-Fi network is still operational and move the box closer to the Wi-Fi source. If you are using Gold + SD, try unplugging the SD, waiting a few seconds, and then plugging it back in. Troubleshooting Steps
Secondary WAN Disconnected	Your secondary WAN is not connected to the Internet.	As long as your primary WAN is up, you should still have Internet access even if your secondary WAN is down. You can troubleshoot this issue the same way you would troubleshoot your primary WAN going down.  Troubleshooting Steps
Secondary WAN is Standby	This event only appears if you have a multi-WAN configuration in failover mode. Your secondary WAN is connected to the Internet, but you are still connected to your primary WAN.	If you want to change your multi-WAN configuration mode or change which connection is your primary WAN, you can learn more here: Firewalla Feature: Multi-WAN.
Secondary WAN is Active	This event only appears if you have a multi-WAN configuration in failover mode. Your primary WAN is down, but you still have Internet access through your secondary WAN.	If you want to change your multi-WAN configuration mode or change which connection is your primary WAN, you can learn more here: Firewalla Feature: Multi-WAN.
Traffic is Distributed Between two WANs	This event only appears if you have a multi-WAN configuration in load balancing mode. Both your WANs are up and splitting traffic as expected.	If you want to change your multi-WAN configuration mode or how traffic is distributed between your WANs, you can learn more here: Firewalla Feature: Multi-WAN.
All Traffic Routes to WAN	This event only appears if you have a multi-WAN configuration in load balancing mode. One of your WANs is down, and traffic is being routed only to the WAN that is still up.	If you want to change your multi-WAN configuration mode or how traffic is distributed between your WANs, you can learn more here: Firewalla Feature: Multi-WAN.
Both WANs are Disconnected	This event only appears if you have a multi-WAN configuration. All of your WANs have failed either a ping test or a DNS test, meaning they are not connected to the Internet.	Both of your WANs failing is unusual and may have a specific local cause (such as a natural disaster near you or a physical disruption to your network setup). If not, you can troubleshoot each WAN as you would a single-WAN setup. Troubleshooting Steps
High Packet Loss	Packet loss is when data doesn't arrive at its destination. This can impact the speed and quality of real-time content, such as Zoom meetings, streaming videos, and VOIP calls.	A variety of factors can cause packet loss, including but not limited to weak signal strength, port/connection issues, system noise, interference, and an overburdened network.  Troubleshooting Steps
High Latency	Network latency is the time it takes for you to request and receive information. High latency can drastically affect your online meeting, phone, or real-time interactions.	Latency spikes also have a variety of potential causes, including distance, internet connection type, content type, Wi-Fi, and hardware. Please note that latency can only be eliminated partially due to the cumulative effects of distance and infrastructure equipment.  Troubleshooting Steps
Ethernet Port Disconnected	A previously filled Ethernet port has been disconnected.	If you weren't expecting this event, please check your physical networking setup to ensure all your connections are in place. Troubleshooting Steps
Ethernet Port Connected	A previously empty Ethernet port has been connected.
Port Speed Change	One or more of your Ethernet ports has changed speed.	Any number of factors can cause a port speed change. You may need to check with your ISP, inspect or upgrade your Ethernet cable, or restart your devices. Troubleshooting Steps
Power Outage	Your box has experienced a power outage.	This event is triggered any time there's a loss of power to the box. To prevent power outages from affecting your network, you can try connecting your box to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Troubleshooting Steps