Question Unexplained loss of my WiFi settings on the modem ?

[Petros_K]

I turn my WiFi on and off at my modem because I don't use it frequently. Of course, it's set up with an SSID, a custom password, and usually it's disabled. Today, when I tried to turn it on I noticed it had lost all the settings. Plus, when I tried to turn it on after reapplying the settings I could no longer turn it on and the settings would go back to default. I had to do a factory reset in order to get it to work again. Does this happen if my ISP updates the firmware? Does it indicate someone managed to get into my modem? Never had my WiFi settings lost and unable to restore.

 

[helpstar]

Which modem are you using?

It can happen during a firmware update, the settings go back to the factory default values.

 

[Petros_K]

Thanks. That's what I thought, but it only affected WiFi and no other settings.

Modem is a Zyxel C1100Z. It does a 40 mbps connection speed on VDSL2 fine for me.

 

[bill001g]

The ISP does not tend to update DSL modems, they do update cable modems.

Although it is uncommon sometime if there is a major firmware update they recommend you reset the device to factory. I doubt the ISP would do that kind of update even if they could. More likely the router had a bug and crashed.
If you go to the vendor of the modem web site you can check the firmware versions against what is loaded. If it hasn't been updated in years then it is unlikely there was any update pushed.

Most routers by default can not be accessed via the internet. Some have a feature you can turn on that allows it but it it not really recommended. It is not likely someone is going to hack a home router. It is not worth the effort since you have nothing they likely really want to steal. Your PC and other devices are likely all using HTTPS to encrypt all web traffic so even if someone compromised the router and could capture your data it is all encrypted.

 

[BFG-9000]

I have personally seen Centurylink DSL push progressively less feature-rich firmware to a Technicolor modem/router/AP.

Over the years it got pushed new, more limited firmware that no longer allowed changing beacon interval, range or packet size, and even removed IPv6 capability (I had set it up with that and later found the entire IPv6 section removed). Each time it kept the SSID and password, but re-enabled WEP-TKIP (!) and uPnP again after I had disabled those. I thought it best to disable the built-in wifi entirely and use a separate AP for security reasons, and so far that has been respected as it has stayed off. Who knows, if I ever tried to re-enable it again it may have the same problem you experienced.

The moral is, you have no control over any part of a modem/router combo device as at any time the ISP can push whatever settings and features they like to it.