Access Point Temporarily Full: What it Means & How to Fix

If you’re having trouble connecting to a wireless access point, or it seems like the signal is weak, the access point may be temporarily full. This can happen if the AP is overloaded with too many clients or taking too long to process packets from existing clients. 

Depending on what type of access point you have, you have a few options to correct this memory error as you shall see below.

What Does it Mean When an Access Point is Temporarily Full?

This condition occurs when there are more devices on the network than there are access points to service them. An access point can be full in terms of bandwidth or capacity.

When it comes to bandwidth, the AP is either saturated with traffic or simply doesn’t have enough bandwidth available to handle more clients. When it comes to capacity, the AP has reached its limit on how many clients it can support at once.

How do I fix the router access point temporarily full error?

Before you start troubleshooting, follow these preliminary steps:

• Disconnect all your devices from the router and reconnect only the necessary ones.
• Check with your internet service provider (ISP) and verify they haven’t changed the IP address of your modem.
• Power cycle your router by unplugging it from the wall and waiting at least one minute before plugging it back in again.
• Check and perform a firmware update for your router and connect an Ethernet cable from your router directly to your device.

1. Raise the device limit

If too many devices are trying to access the same network, it’s easy for your access point to reach its capacity quickly. This is most common with older routers and modems because they typically only support a handful of clients.

The only downside is that if you don’t have a strong enough connection, adding more devices can significantly tank your Wi-Fi’s performance. It will be extremely hard to maintain a consistent connection, and you may keep getting your Wi-Fi is connected but not working error.

You may have to keep doing a factory reset for your router, but this is not feasible in the long run.

2. Change your router’s channel

1. Click on the Network icon on your taskbar, select your Wi-Fi connection, and click on Properties.
2. Now, scroll down and you should see the Network channel for your Wi-Fi connection.
3. Navigate to your browser and log into your router with the correct credentials. You can find that info on the router itself or on the manual of the router.
4. Go to the Wireless settings of your router and change the router channel to a different one from the default. If you’re using a dual-bound router, make this setting for both bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz).

New devices may flock to the only available channel if it is saturated and can’t accommodate more clients. This can easily cause an overlap and create a channel conflict.

3. Change your network band

1. Click on the Start Menu icon, type Device Manager in the search bar, and click Open.
2. Navigate to Network adapters and double-click to expand.
3. Right-click on your network adapter and select Properties.
4. Click on the Advanced tab and locate the Preferred Band.
5. In the Value drop-down menu, select Prefer 5GHz band or the 2.4GHz band then hit Enter.
6. Restart your PC.

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4. Set a static IP address

1. Start by finding your device’s IP address.
2. Press the Windows key and click on Settings.
3. Navigate to Network & internet.
4. Click on Wi-Fi and find your current connection.
5. Click on Edit IP settings and select Manual settings.
6. Toggle on the IPV4 button.
7. Set a static IP address as found in 1 above and click the Save button.

When you configure devices on your network to use specific IP addresses, they can always connect even in times of unexpected power outages.

5. Increase security

If you’re using an open network, the best way to block all outside traffic is to prevent clients from accessing the Internet. This can be done by adding a password, MAC filtering, and/or enabling encryption.

If that’s not enough, consider installing a firewall to block unauthorized access attempts.

How long should a wireless access point last?

The life expectancy of a wireless access point varies depending on several factors, including:

• Usage – Wireless access points that are frequently used by many people will have to be replaced more often than those that are used by only a few people.
• Manufacturer – Not all access points are created equal when it comes to their hardware quality. High-quality models can last up to 5 years, while lower-quality models may only last one year or less.
• Environment – APs exposed to dust and moisture will have shorter lifespans. Likewise, if you live in an area where there are frequent power outages, your APs will likely experience more sudden deaths.

Although being disconnected from the Internet is inconvenient, there are ways to work around it and get back on your computer.

Overall, this is nothing to worry too much about. It’s not the most common of errors, but many people might not realize this means there is a problem with the hub or the router rather than the connection.

And if the access points are proving to be a hard nut to crack, consider a Wi-Fi mesh. We’ve compared access points and a Wi-Fi mesh, so it’s up to you to choose your fighter.

Have you managed to fix this error? Let us know which solution worked best for you in the comment section below.