Recommend a wireless access point or similar, wifi issues?

**dugimodo** · 30-07-2020, 05:18 PM

Just an update in case anyone is interested, I seem to have fixed the problem with a setting change.

After settling on the solution to get a powerline adapter with wifi built in I ran into some money issues and put the whole thing out of my mind.
However the lockups were becoming regular, pretty much once a day after work, so instead of just rebooting the router last time I started delving around the settings in the TP-Link router.

Feeling a little foolish now, especially if this stays stable but it's been over a week so far and all good.
What I found was DHCP relay was on, so I turned it off, and the network immediately sprang into life, no reset needed.

I'm not sure why it should cause issues, seems the purpose of it is to pass on DHCP requests etc between different subnets. It shouldn't mess up the network, but it does?
Anyway I only have the one subnet so no need for a relay. I don't know how it came to be on but it was.

**wainuitech** · 30-07-2020, 08:26 PM

I'm not sure why it should cause issues, seems the purpose of it is to pass on DHCP requests etc between different subnets. It shouldn't mess up the network, but it does?

The answer is actually in your original Post / Question.

ONT ---> Huawei Router ---> 8 port switch ----> Dlink Powerline adapters ---> TPlink VDSL router reconfigured to be an access point in the shed.

If you had different subnets -- BUT you dont the TPLink Router acting as a access point HAS to have the DHCP set to OFF. The Huawei Router, connected to the ONT is doing all the DHCP.

If the TPlink was on as well you basically have two devices trying to do the same job = Clashes -- ones going " not playing this silly game"

**dugimodo** · 31-07-2020, 10:37 AM

No it shouldn't if I understand it correctly, there are 3 settings - On, Off, Relay, the purpose of relay is not to hand out DHCP addresses on the same subnet so it shouldn't cause problems as far as I can tell. It's meant to relay DHCP requests between subnets, not act as a server itself. Anyway it was meant to be off, I'm not sure how it got set to relay and I have no need for that function. So now it's sorted.

But in all honesty my network skills are not great, one of my weaker areas with PCs, so it's entirely possible I just don't understand how it works.

**1101** · 31-07-2020, 12:13 PM

"TPlink VDSL router reconfigured to be an access point in the shed "

having 2 routers is asking for issues, eventually .
the 2nd one may one reset itself & you'll have 2 DHCP servers conflicting again .

Been there ,seen that

**dugimodo** · 31-07-2020, 12:32 PM

I understand that, but it's easily diagnosed and fixed if that happens. The option to use the router as an access point is a standard function available in the setup screen, and saved in the configuration. Under normal circumstances resetting it doesn't lose the configuration and wouldn't be an issue. And if it somehow "factory reset" itself and killed the network I would figure that out fairly easily just by disconnecting it.

I don't think it's "asking for issues" to use a standard feature of a router as intended by the manufacturer. Any network hardware has the potential to fail and cause problems, a dedicated wireless access point might be a bit more reliable than a router set as an access point but that's not automatically true of all routers and all access points.

But more importantly the router was free as I already have it so there's no harm setting it up and using it as long as it continues to work. Now that the DHCP is set off it might continue to work trouble free for years, or it might fail tomorrow and I'll replace it having lost nothing but a little time here and there. I've gotten really good at logging into the remote router and rebooting it.

**wainuitech** · 31-07-2020, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by dugimodo

No it shouldn't if I understand it correctly, there are 3 settings - On, Off, Relay, the purpose of relay is not to hand out DHCP addresses on the same subnet so it shouldn't cause problems as far as I can tell. It's meant to relay DHCP requests between subnets, not act as a server itself. Anyway it was meant to be off, I'm not sure how it got set to relay and I have no need for that function. So now it's sorted.

But in all honesty my network skills are not great, one of my weaker areas with PCs, so it's entirely possible I just don't understand how it works.

Going by your own wording the relay being on was causing the problem. If you set a relay, you have to set it to a different IP range (subnets) other wise if its the same then you have two devices trying to do the same job.

If you want to read how it actually works have a read -- https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/1630/

**linw** · 31-07-2020, 03:05 PM

Couldn't agree more with dugi re being told the sky will fall if you are stupid enough to use a router as an AP. Like him, been doing it for MANY years with absolutely no problems. And, quite rightly, IF it needs rebooting, the DHCP will still be off.

In this day and age we should be praised for helping to save the planet by keeping going devices out of the tip!

**John H** · 31-07-2020, 04:04 PM

Well, as I think I noted earlier in this thread, I had virtually the same set up as Dugi, even the same brands. Only difference was there was no switch in the set up. I used the router as an AP, and followed the instructions in setting it up, including turning off DHCP. I had the same problems as Dugi. How wonderful it is to be in our current house where we get a completely stable wifi over both stories of the house, and even outside in the campervan. Just the Enable installed fibre and ONT box, the Spark modem, and our computer, tablets, phones, printer, and TV! Bliss.

**dugimodo** · 31-07-2020, 04:21 PM

I' guess I'm just stuck on the "doing the same job" statement. It certainly seems like having relay set on caused the problem, not arguing there.
But even in the link you provided it still shows the DHCP server doing all the handing out of addresses and the relay passing those addresses between subnets. The relay does not act as a server, and therefore is not "doing the same job"
Whatever it is doing when there is no different subnets or static route setup etc does seem to cause trouble though.

Undeniably it was setup wrong, and now that it's corrected seems to be working. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

**wainuitech** · 31-07-2020, 06:05 PM

What I was meaning by Doing the same job is if you have two routers and both Have DHCP active and they are both the same, meaning the gateway is (example) 192.168.1.1 then on the same LAN they will clash as both are trying to the DHCP tasks, devices get IP's from two places and get in a total muddle.

This sometimes happens when Access points come with a default login the same as the routers, if you have two that are 192.168.1.1 type that in a browser then its pot luck as to which one will open, normally it will be the routers. That's why I have routers laying about that have gateways on 192.168.1.254 THEN attach the access point and go in and change the last Address to something else, for example my Ceiling mounted Access point in the lounge is 110. (default was 192.168.1.1 Same as the Routers)