diff --git a/homeassistant/components/device_tracker/actiontec.py b/homeassistant/components/device_tracker/actiontec.py
index 06956475ba0..634deb35eff 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/device_tracker/actiontec.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/device_tracker/actiontec.py
@@ -9,13 +9,17 @@ This device tracker needs telnet to be enabled on the router.
 Configuration:
 
 To use the Actiontec tracker you will need to add something like the
-following to your config/configuration.yaml
+following to your config/configuration.yaml.  If you experience disconnects
+you can modify the home_interval variable.
+
 
 device_tracker:
   platform: actiontec
   host: YOUR_ROUTER_IP
   username: YOUR_ADMIN_USERNAME
   password: YOUR_ADMIN_PASSWORD
+  # optional:
+  home_interval: 10
 
 Variables:
 
@@ -30,21 +34,30 @@ The username of an user with administrative privileges, usually 'admin'.
 password
 *Required
 The password for your given admin account.
+
+home_interval
+*Optional
+Number of minutes it will not scan devices that it found in previous results.
 """
 import logging
 from datetime import timedelta
+from collections import namedtuple
 import re
 import threading
 import telnetlib
 
+import homeassistant.util.dt as dt_util
 from homeassistant.const import CONF_HOST, CONF_USERNAME, CONF_PASSWORD
 from homeassistant.helpers import validate_config
-from homeassistant.util import Throttle
+from homeassistant.util import Throttle, convert
 from homeassistant.components.device_tracker import DOMAIN
 
 # Return cached results if last scan was less then this time ago
 MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_SCANS = timedelta(seconds=5)
 
+# interval in minutes to exclude devices from a scan while they are home
+CONF_HOME_INTERVAL = "home_interval"
+
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 _LEASES_REGEX = re.compile(
@@ -64,6 +77,8 @@ def get_scanner(hass, config):
 
     return scanner if scanner.success_init else None
 
+Device = namedtuple("Device", ["mac", "ip", "last_update"])
+
 
 class ActiontecDeviceScanner(object):
     """ This class queries a an actiontec router
@@ -74,6 +89,8 @@ class ActiontecDeviceScanner(object):
         self.host = config[CONF_HOST]
         self.username = config[CONF_USERNAME]
         self.password = config[CONF_PASSWORD]
+        minutes = convert(config.get(CONF_HOME_INTERVAL), int, 0)
+        self.home_interval = timedelta(minutes=minutes)
 
         self.lock = threading.Lock()
 
@@ -82,37 +99,56 @@ class ActiontecDeviceScanner(object):
         # Test the router is accessible
         data = self.get_actiontec_data()
         self.success_init = data is not None
+        _LOGGER.info("actiontec scanner initialized")
+        if self.home_interval:
+            _LOGGER.info("home_interval set to: %s" % self.home_interval)
 
     def scan_devices(self):
         """ Scans for new devices and return a
             list containing found device ids. """
 
         self._update_info()
-        return [client['mac'] for client in self.last_results]
+        return [client.mac for client in self.last_results]
 
     def get_device_name(self, device):
         """ Returns the name of the given device or None if we don't know. """
         if not self.last_results:
             return None
         for client in self.last_results:
-            if client['mac'] == device:
-                return client['ip']
+            if client.mac == device:
+                return client.ip
         return None
 
     @Throttle(MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_SCANS)
     def _update_info(self):
         """ Ensures the information from the Actiontec MI424WR router is up
             to date. Returns boolean if scanning successful. """
+        _LOGGER.info("Scanning")
         if not self.success_init:
             return False
 
         with self.lock:
-            # _LOGGER.info("Checking ARP")
-            data = self.get_actiontec_data()
-            if not data:
+            exclude_targets = set()
+            target_list = []
+            self.last_results = []
+            now = dt_util.now()
+            if self.home_interval:
+                for host in self.last_results:
+                    if host.last_update + self.home_interval > now:
+                        exclude_targets.add(host)
+                if len(exclude_targets) > 0:
+                    target_list = [t.ip for t in exclude_targets]
+
+            devices = self.get_actiontec_data()
+            if not devices:
                 return False
-            active_clients = [client for client in data.values()]
-            self.last_results = active_clients
+            for ip in target_list:
+                if ip in devices:
+                    devices.pop(ip)
+            for ip, data in devices.items():
+                device = Device(data['mac'], ip, now)
+                self.last_results.append(device)
+
             return True
 
     def get_actiontec_data(self):