Zyxel EX3501-T0 WiFi 6 DHCP Issue with Superonline (Turkey) - "failed to read /etc/ethers" Error

Hello,

I am experiencing a persistent and critical issue with my Zyxel EX3501-T0 modem provided by Superonline (Turkey). The problem is that devices connected via WiFi 6 are frequently unable to receive an IP address via DHCP and are subsequently disconnected. I have already performed a factory reset, but the issue persists.

I have analyzed the modem's syslog and found the following recurring errors, which I believe are related to the problem:

• DHCP-related Error: daemon.err dnsmasq-dhcp: failed to read /etc/ethers: No such file or directory
  • dnsmasq-dhcp) cannot find or read a crucial system file (/etc/ethers) used for static IP assignments. This seems to be a core reason why IP assignment fails.
• Internet Connection Stability Issues: The logs also show frequent PPPoE connection terminations and re-establishments.
  • Sent PADT and Hangup (SIGHUP) followed by Connect: ppp1 <--> nas0_1 appear repeatedly, indicating the main internet connection is unstable.

I have performed the following troubleshooting steps without success:

• Rebooted the modem and the connected devices.
• Performed a factory reset on the modem.
• Checked for firmware updates via the modem's interface (none available).

The issue seems to be a firmware bug, as the factory reset did not fix the missing /etc/ethers file error. I suspect there might be a specific conflict with the WiFi 6 implementation or a more fundamental software issue affecting the DHCP service.

Has anyone else experienced this problem with the Zyxel EX3501-T0 modem? Are there any known firmware updates or workarounds for this specific issue? Any assistance or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.