I have, to my sorry, had a Archer VR1600v rouyte installed as part of the switch toi NBN with TPG.
There a number of serious issues with this router. I don't mean my perticular example but the model (as configured by TPG) in general. Perfoamnce is abyssmal, the WEb interface is just crap. Never mind the restricted contents, but the repsonse time is so bad, I've at times spent over an hour just trying to log on. Some of these problems I've mentioned in previous posts. Needless to say they are not resolved. So this week a new wrinkle turns up. My router suddenly seems to be filtering DHCP traffic.
I should say DHCP on the router is disabled, I have a separate device that handles that task. Now suddenyl, most of my 5G devices can't connect to the network easily. That is they do eventully connect but it can take up to 10 minutes. Investifgating this was fun. The DHCP server logs indicate it received the DHCPREQUEST and responds with a DHCPOFFER. a few seconds later another DHCPREQUEST arrives from the same device and the server responds. Meantime the wifi device sits and waits. I have another access point on the network and if I connect using that the DHCP ip address assignment is instant. So it's not my server or my network. Today, the router finally gave me clue of sorts: the LEDs were only lit for DSL,Internet and Phone1. Yippee I thought, finally an indication as to whats wrong. Then I spent two hours on the chat line to a support person, who could not/would not identify if the LED display was an error code and hat it might indicate. She offered several options:
1. Reset the router. Wooppeee! I know this would work It has the last thousand times I've done it. I was hoping to get more help than that.
2. Contact TPlink support. Already did this. They say its' a custom router, they don't offer support.
3. Replace the router. This is my third VR1600v from TPG, same general issues.
4. Get my own router. Great! something I wanted to do from day 1. Now apparently its' OK by TPG if I do. However, I'll lose VOIP because they will not support another device connecting to their VOIP network. TPG refuses to support or even provide the configuration details so I can set a third party device up myself.
Whats the point of having trained tech support people if their only advice is going to be reboot/reset the router or replace it. Any buffoon off the street with 30 seocnds of telephone etiquette training could tell me that. Even I could have worked out that solution given time.
The support person I spoke to finally said TPG supprt went to the point where the wire connected to the router. Past that they can't help.
As if all that's not enough! Part of the process of diagnosing my problem, I noted the internet speed drop. At installation, it was 75/30 on a 100mb plan. That's sort of OK. I was warned that this would be the max because of distance from the node. Not happy but accepting. As well, at the time, I was told that if I went for a lower plan (say 50mb) then the achieved speed would be proportionately lower. Indicates this is a commercial decision not a technical limitation perhaps.
Now I find its 60/20 and when I enquired, I was told that "maybe there's more customers on the same line now". They've moderated their stance in that if I go for lower speed plan, say 50mb, I'm now told it should be achieved. TPG is maintaining their ISP prices while reducing their service because they have too many customers? Should they not be informing their existing customers that performance is being impacted and proactively offering more suitable/deliverable plans?
Running a business is tough enough without this sort of predation.
