Z3 Tablet 5GHZ Wifi issues Android 6.0.1

[paulojr]

Hi Sony dudes

 I have a new Z3 which has force updated itself to Android 6.0.1. (basically vanilla setup at the moment)

I have multiple dual band routers and have noticed even though it connects to the 5Ghz router(s) initially after some use if you go to change the connected router non of the 5Ghz routers are visible on the WIFI scan (even if its still connected to one of the 5Ghz routers)

If you then drop the wifi connection you won't get back onto the 5Ghz routers, only the 2.4Ghz ones.   

To fix it, rebooting the device seems to do the trick (for a little while until it happens again)

This looks like a firmware bug? Anyone else seeing it.  I don't know how many people would have multiple 5Ghz routers so might not have been seen my many.

Again as usual Australian sony support cannot help with this.   I'm going to try a firmware reset but its brand new so doubt that will have any impact.

Paul

[Lord_viridis]

Reset the firmware and report back, if possible do it through Xperia companion to make sure all the reset files are fresh too

[Didrik]

Hi @paulojr,

How often does this happen? Once a day, once an hour?

I'd suggest starting with a full Network reset. To perform a network reset, follow the steps below:

1. 1. From your Home screen, tap the Application screen icon. 
   2. Find and tap Settings > Backup & reset > Network settings reset.
   3. Find and tap RESET SETTINGS.

This will reset the following in your device:

• Allows background data sync
• Clears mobile data limits
• Deletes all Wi-Fi SSIDs
• Disconnects all tethered interfaces
• Forgets paired devices
• Removes all app data restrictions
• Sets network selection mode to automatic
• Sets preferred mobile network type to the best available
• Turns off Airplane mode
• Turns off Bluetooth
• Turns off data roaming
• Turns off mobile hotspot
• Turns off VPN
• Turns on mobile data
• Turns on Wi-Fi

Do you experience the same thing if you reboot your phone to safe mode?

If the above doesn't help I'd advise you to perform a software repair using Xperia Companion.

[paulojr]

I haven't tried safe mode, will look up the instructions and check that next. 

Xperia Companion is not working

Generates the dreaded UEInstallation WaitExit 103.  What that means?

Network reset I've just tried but has made the problem worse not better. Before I think it was taking a quarter hour maybe half hour before I noticed the issue. Now on reboot it won't show the additional routers. 

One very odd thing. It is showing one of them.  I suspect the one configured with Wireless N rather than Wireless AC. 

I will check and give more info. 

p.s. just for info I have a Z1 sitting right next to it able to acess all the routers.

Be good if to get around the UEInstallation WaitExit 103 error!

[Didrik]

Are the 2.4 GHz networks still showing up? Or are they not showing up now as well?

Regarding the error message in Xperia Companion, make sure that Xperia Companion is allowed by your Firewall/Antivirus. If possible, also try using another computer and/or network if you still cannot perform the software repair.

[paulojr]

Didrik

2.4Ghz has yet to give any problems though I rarely use them.

Any further suggestions. Safe mode has no improvements to the wifi issue.

Regarding 103 error, firewall is down and so is antivirus.  I do oddly get a prompt from UAC "sony moibile update engine setup" which is why I tried running it also in adminstrator mode but no improvement. Will need to get it working on the machine I have.

Anyway I have a litte more info

It seems to be possible to connect to 5Ghz routers with only Wireless N enabled.  Was able to hold a connection for hours on this. This gave me an idea and I have now discovered this

two routers are visible with mixed AC/N it seems to briefly see the 5ghz routers then the routes areno longer visible to the Z3. 

I have further refined this test and I think the problem is occuring when this more than one route with the SAME ac/n config. e.g. say router A is Mixed mode -N/AC and router B is Mixed mode -N/AC it cannot scan with both having been "registered". 

connect to one and the other will then be impossible to scan.  drop the connection on the first and both disappear as the scanning function cannot work.

In a single router setup, e.g. no neighbours with same config, I suspect it will connect to the 5Ghz channel be it AC or N.

[Didrik]

Hi again @paulojr,

Thank you for the update.

Regarding the error message in Xperia Companion I'd advise you to try using another computer. If you're on a machine running Windows you can also try repairing Xperia Companion in the Control panel by attempting to uninstall it, an option to repair Xperia Companion should appear.

I have reported this internally to be looked at. I cannot guarantee an update for this but I'll do what I can to forward it. I can understand the annoyance with the 5GHz band and I'm sorry for the inconvenience it may cause for you, unfortunately there is not much more I can do other than forwarding it for investigation.

[paulojr]

Hi Didrik

 Ok, in the interim I'll organise to send the device back to sony for replacement. Let me know if you have any update.

Paul

[paulojr]

Actually I'm unclear here if the Xperia Companion issue is being reported internally or the 5Ghz behaviour. Obviously hardware issues are not things you report internally they need solutions under the consumer law.  

Anyway running repair and reinstall did nothing to fix the xperia companion software and there is no useful logs I can see to indicate what the problem is. I've managed to run the companion on someone elses computer to run the "software repair" which ran a repair but otherwise did basically nothing useful to the tablet. 

Obvious the issue with xperia companion needs a proper permanent solution and at the very least better error reporting, I see other people have been forced to use other computers to do this too so obviously its an issue plaguing sony's companion software (which is used for more than repair) but using another persons PC every time it plays up is not a solution.  Hope you guys are seperately looking into this? Is so is there an internal ticket or something, I'd like to open a seperate thread on it.

Now with the Z3 tablet itself, before I send anything in for repair I'd like to know what sony's view is on the 5Ghz scan issue.  Is it known? Is it replicated? what version is it impacting? Is it a hardware fault?  Didrik I've messaged you seperately if you want to do some diagnositcs then I can post up finding here.

At the moment I am thinking its your software and the solution will be to roll back to an older version. If you guys can explain how to do that, but lets investigate rather than taking guesses.

Paul

[paulojr]

hey Sony reps keen for someone to take over. Didrik seems to have disappered and he's not responded to direct messages in 2 weeks. 

Last update I had was I've managed to do a firmware reset using another persons computer and also toggle on the old lollipop dhcp client but can still see this problem. 

Have you guys worked out if its a known issue with other Z3s?

I'm also keen to know how we roll back the forced update to a more stable version of the OS.