Devices not connecting to Archer VR1600v

[dch53]

Hi.

We've had an Archer VR1600v since we connected to the NBN in 2019. Firmware is 0.1.0 0.9.1 v5006.0 Build 220518 Rel.32480n. I can't find a firmware update. We've also had a TP-Link WiFi extender the last 2 or 3 years.

We have 15 or so wireless devices and 4 Ethernet devices.

Recently we've been having trouble with either Ethernet or WiFi devices having no network access.

We're having to cycle the power on the router daily, sometimes more than once/day to resolve the problem.

The router system log is no help.

Any suggestions please? I'd prefer not to replace it.

Thanks.

[david64]

Hi @dch53 . Your build is about the latest.

What model is the extender?

When you restart the router, do all devices get connected?

Do they gradually drop off and not reconnect?

Are the wifi devices spread across router and extender and across both wifi bands?

[dch53]

Hi. Thanks for replying.

The extender is a tp-link AC1750.

When I restart the router, all connected devices reconnect.

As far as I'm aware, the problem only appears when a PC is turned on. For example, my wife just got home and when she turned her PC on it was disconnected again. Last night it was the home theatre computer.

The desktop computers, 4 of them, are all hard-wired. Now I think about, it's only the hard-wired PCs that are having the problem.

I've no idea whether wireless devices are spread across the modem and the extender. The extender is right next to the LG TV we used to have a lot of network issues with. I set up everything on the lower band but I sometimes find our phones on the 5G network so I must have set that up too.

**. My HiFi computer was complaining about an IP address conflict (probably my wife's computer) and I did an ipconfig /release. It's headless so now I can't get onto it of course. Out with the spare monitor, mouse and keyboard.

[david64]

@dch53 . Check the ethernet adaptor setup via Control Panel on each computer.

In TCP/IPv4 Properties, select Obtain IP and DNS addresses automatically.

On Alternate Configuration tab, select Automatic private IP address.

In the router config, go to Advanced, Network, LAN Settings.

Check IP Address Pool is still default 100-199. Is the lease time the default 1440?

Check the Client List on this router page. Use a tablet so you can shutdown the computers, then turn on separately and see the ip address each gets. Do    ipconfig/all     on each one and keep for reference.

When a computer refuses to connect, do the command again and compare.

You could also try doing address reservation in the router for the 4 computers.

Set them to  192.168.1.11, ....12, ...13, ...14.

[dch53]

Thanks for the directions.

I started all 4 computers this morning. The HiFi computer was in a Media Disconnected state. The only way to get it re-connected is to reboot the router.

I checked the ethernet adaptor setup on each of the 4 computers and all are setup for Automatic. The router IP Address Pool is still default 100-199 and the lease time is still the default 1440.

I'll follow the remainder of your instructions but it's looking like I'll have to go with address reservation.

I have to wonder why this problem has developed recently to become a daily occurrence. There haven't been any changes to what's on the network recently.

[dch53]

After my media disconnected HiFi computer had been on for a while, it came up with an IP Address conflict error. Checking the log indicated that the conflicting address is/was 192.168.1.142.

The router network map indicates no device with that IP address but I can ping it from my PC.

C:\Users\David>ping -a 192.168.1.142

Pinging 192-168-1-142.tpgi.com.au [192.168.1.142] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.142: bytes=32 time=112ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.142: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.142: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=255
Reply from 192.168.1.142: bytes=32 time=4ms TTL=255

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.142:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 112ms, Average = 32ms

If I do arp -a from my PC the list of IP addresses doesn't include 192.168.1.142.

C:\Users\David>arp -a

Interface: 192.168.1.171 --- 0x8
Internet Address Physical Address Type
192.168.1.1 68-ff-7b-d2-d6-79 dynamic
192.168.1.102 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.103 de-47-32-fa-72-9d dynamic
192.168.1.104 50-eb-f6-2c-90-ad dynamic
192.168.1.105 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.106 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.107 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.108 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.110 98-ed-5c-a2-c0-cf dynamic
192.168.1.111 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.112 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.113 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.114 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.115 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.117 fc-34-97-bb-27-8b dynamic
192.168.1.129 c6-94-80-74-5c-38 dynamic
192.168.1.130 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.131 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.137 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.138 b6-97-b7-97-9d-18 dynamic
192.168.1.139 0c-c4-7a-4c-b3-b1 dynamic
192.168.1.141 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.143 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.145 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.146 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.147 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.148 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.149 d8-47-32-fa-72-9c dynamic
192.168.1.255 ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff static
224.0.0.22 01-00-5e-00-00-16 static
224.0.0.251 01-00-5e-00-00-fb static
224.0.0.252 01-00-5e-00-00-fc static
239.255.255.250 01-00-5e-7f-ff-fa static
255.255.255.255 ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff static

[david64]

@dch53 . You can try factory reset on Archer. 

First find the interface with status Connected. (Advanced, Network, DSL or EWAN.) Click Modify icon. Do screenprint. If Archer doesn't auto configure, you'll need to do it.

Does Media Disconnected show on same device or different devices?

The Archer LAN port hardware may be beginning to fail. 

[david64]

@dch53 . What is the device with this mac address: d8-47-32-fa-72-9c

The arp table is full of entries with different ip addresses.

[david64]

@dch53 . Regarding the device on 142. If it is not in router map means the device has run out of lease time and has not renewed the lease, even though it is still active on network.

The erratic ping times indicate a wifi device.

Does the Archer System Log have anything interesting with DHCP messages?

[dch53]

The log doesn't mean much to me but I do see some "NAK"s in there. Looks like one is a request for an ip that is already reserved. I was only able to attach it as a png which isn't much use.

192.168.1.103

D8-47-32-FA-72-9C

has the name RE450. No idea what it is. To work out what some of the WiFi clients are I'd have to turn everything off and turn them back on one-by-one.

I'll follow the instructions for resetting the router to factory settings. I haven't changed any settings but it might help.