Ivy Virtual Router: Complete Setup Guide for Home and Small Business

Troubleshooting Common Ivy Virtual Router Problems (Quick Fixes)

1. No internet connection

• Check basics: Ensure the host machine running Ivy is powered, connected to the modem, and that the Ivy virtual router service is running.
• Restart services: Restart the Ivy virtual router process and the host network stack:
  1. Stop Ivy service.
  2. Restart network adapter on host.
  3. Start Ivy service.
• Verify WAN config: Confirm the virtual router’s WAN interface has a valid IP, gateway, and DNS. If using DHCP, try a static test IP from the modem’s subnet.
• Bypass test: Connect a device directly to the modem to confirm ISP connectivity.

2. Devices can’t see the virtual network (SSID not visible)

• Confirm SSID broadcast: Ensure SSID broadcast is enabled in Ivy settings.
• Radio/channel issues: Change wireless channel and 2.⁄₅ GHz settings to avoid interference; set regulatory domain correctly.
• Virtual NIC binding: Make sure the virtual Wi-Fi NIC is properly bound to the Ivy virtual router instance and enabled.
• Driver/compatibility: Update host wireless drivers and Ivy virtual adapter drivers.

3. Slow speeds or high latency

• Speed test baseline: Run a speed test on the host machine to determine if bottleneck is upstream.
• Bandwidth hogs: Check for heavy devices or services (cloud backups, streaming, downloads) and limit via QoS.
• Channel congestion: Switch channels or frequency band; prefer 5 GHz for short-range high speed.
• Resource limits: Ensure the host VM or machine running Ivy has sufficient CPU/RAM; increase allocated resources if needed.

4. DHCP issues (devices not receiving IPs)

• DHCP service check: Ensure Ivy’s DHCP server is active and scope has available addresses.
• IP conflicts: Clear static assignments that overlap DHCP range; reboot affected devices.
• Lease table: Inspect the lease table for stuck or stale entries; clear leases if necessary.
• Fallback test: Temporarily assign a static IP in the router’s subnet to verify connectivity.

5. DNS resolution failures

• DNS servers: Verify Ivy is configured with working DNS servers (ISP or public like 1.1.1.1 / 8.8.8.8).
• Forwarding rules: Check DNS forwarding and cache behavior; flush DNS cache on the host and clients.
• Hosts overrides: Ensure no incorrect host overrides or split-horizon rules are misconfigured.

6. VPN passthrough or tunneling problems

• Port/protocol allowlist: Ensure required ports/protocols (e.g., UDP ⁄₄₅₀₀ for IPsec) are allowed and not blocked by host firewall.
• MTU issues: Lower MTU on virtual interfaces if fragmentation or tunnel drops occur.
• Routing conflicts: Confirm VPN client routes do not conflict with virtual router subnets; adjust routing or NAT accordingly.

7. Frequent disconnects or flaky wireless

• Signal and interference: Move host or antenna, reduce interference sources (microwaves, Bluetooth).
• Power management: Disable wireless power-saving on host and clients.
• Firmware/drivers: Update Ivy and wireless adapter firmware/drivers.
• Client limits: Check maximum client count; offload or upgrade if overloaded.

8. Administration access problems (can’t reach web UI or API)

• Service status: Verify Ivy management service is running and listening on configured port.
• Firewall rules: Allow management port from your admin subnet or client IPs.
• Certs and HTTPS: If using HTTPS, ensure certificates are valid; fall back to HTTP temporarily if secure access blocks you.
• Local loopback test: Curl or browse to localhost on host machine to determine if the service is reachable locally.

Quick diagnostic checklist (use in order)

1. Reboot host machine and Ivy service.
2. Confirm ISP/modem connectivity with direct connection test.
3. Verify virtual WAN IP, gateway, and DNS.
4. Check wireless SSID broadcast and virtual NIC binding.
5. Inspect DHCP leases and client IPs.
6. Run host speed test and check for bandwidth hogs.
7. Update Ivy, host OS, and wireless drivers/firmware.

When to collect logs and what to include

• Time window of issue, affected client IPs/MACs, Ivy system logs (service, DHCP, DNS), host network interfaces status, NAT/routing tables, and a packet capture if possible (pcap). Provide these to support for faster resolution.

If you want, I can tailor this troubleshooting sequence to a specific operating system or provide commands for collecting logs—tell me whether your host is Linux, Windows, or macOS.