X50 Mesh - Constant dropdown connection (Daily)

X50 Mesh - Constant dropdown connection (Daily)

X50 Mesh - Constant dropdown connection (Daily)
X50 Mesh - Constant dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 10:59:19 - last edited 2024-07-09 14:53:26
Model: Deco X50  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.4.1 Build 20231122 Rel. 40485

Hello,

 

I have a X50-5G working as the Main Modem/Router.

After solving the problem of it dropping down the connection every-single-day: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/624266?replyId=1365394 - weeks without losing connection (except the scheduled reboot); I bought a pack of 3x Deco X50 Mesh.

 

That's when the dropdowns started again; once, twice, sometimes even more times a day - not ideal when you have cameras and a smart home.

 

A side note for the software team: the log that you access through the WebUI of the router, frankly doesn't make much sense. What's the point of resenting the log (even the debug) every time the router reboots? Beyond seeing the chaos of the daemon's errors and warnings I don't see much sense in it.

 

Anyway...

 

I have two of the X50 connected, via a switch, using ethernet cables throughout the house, and the last one using wireless connection (the signal is "Strong" and it connects directly to the Main device). All of the X50 have a static ip so there's no conflict with DHCP.

 

Like I mentioned, the debug-logs don't help at all. But I suspect that the X50 mesh, which is connected via wireless, sometimes tries to act as the Main Device - causing the connection of the Internet to go down; as it obviously can't work as a modem.

 

Behaviour from 05/07-07/07:

 

Note: the dropdown at 4am and up at 4:02am is the scheduled reboot.

 

I've simply turned it off, a few days back, and not once has the network went down.

A good experiment would be to use one of the other X50 mesh devices as the connecting point with that one and see the behaviour - unfortunately they are quite far away to try it in a methodic way.

I will try to connect it with an ethernet cable - not ideal, having a cable travelling inside the house. But the main point is: what's the point of a mesh if you can't even use one of the devices with a wireless connection?

 

Is this problem documented? Is it being addressed?

_____________________________________________________________________

Devices:

 

Main Device
X50-5G(1.0)
1.1.5 Build 20240419 Rel. 73943
-
mesh 1
X50(1.0)
1.4.1 Build 20231122 Rel. 40485
-
mesh 2
X50(1.0)
1.4.1 Build 20231122 Rel. 40485
-
mesh 3
X50(1.0)
1.4.1 Build 20231122 Rel. 40485

 

edit: typo

  1      
  1      
#1
Options
14 Reply
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 13:59:07

  @Osz 

 

I did not know it is possible to configure Satellite Deco with static IP addresses using Deco app. Can you explain how did you do this in Deco app?

  0  
  0  
#2
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 14:17:02

  @Alexandre. 

 

In Deco's app > More > Advanced > Address Reservation.

 

There, select the "+" and choose to make the reservation by "Select from Client" (devices already seen by the router) or "Custom" by mac adress.

_______________________

 

I image you could also use an external DHCP manager such as pi-hole.

  0  
  0  
#3
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 14:25:42

  @Osz 

 

I know that part, but Satellite Deco are usually not shown in the list of clients when you get there.

 

Also, you can't use external DHCP server, because it should not be possible to turn off DHCP on X50-5G working as the Main Modem/Router. 

 

Have you configured X50s as Satellite Deco for X50-5G, or do they run as their own Deco mesh? Can you share screenshots of "Show List" and "Show Map" in your Deco app, with X50-5G and with all X50s powered on?

 

Examples of screenshots:

 

 

 

  0  
  0  
#4
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 14:45:12

  @Alexandre. 

 

That's why you use the "Custom" option. 

You have to check the mac address of the satellites, before, then add those values and specify the static ip address you want.

Mine, for instance, were defined as 192.168.X.245 - ...246 - ...247.

 

About the external DHCP manager; even if you can't turn off the TP-Link's native DHCP, maybe you could limit the pool - I don't know, I haven't tried it. 

 

 

  0  
  0  
#5
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 14:54:20

  @Osz 

 

This is creative, but it could be the cause of the issue. Originally, one couldn't choose "Custom" option and won't see Satellite Deco in the list of connected clients. I wonder if you exposed some sort of collision between old software code in Deco and newer "Custom" option.

 

I would suggest to undo these static IP configuration settings for Satellite Decos. They should be getting IP addresses from Main Deco dynamically.

 

Also, if you have devices (such as PC, etc.) in your home network with static IP configured on them, undo that, too. Use Address Reservation in Deco app (you know where to find it:) to assign static IP to devices on the network.

  0  
  0  
#6
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 15:13:12

  @Alexandre. 

 

Unfortunately it does the same; in fact, the reason I decided to assign a static ip for those satellites was because I was trying to pinpoint where the problem was with the constant dropdowns.

If anything it was even more chaotic before. =T

 

Yes, I already let the router reserve the ip address of all devices - not the devices themselves.

I made that change when I bought the X50-5G, as my old router had some limits about the number of devices it could define and reserve the ip address. 

  0  
  0  
#7
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-09 15:42:28

  @Osz 

 

This is as far as I can assist, maybe someone else has more ideas and join this conversation.

 

As you can see from screenshots I provided, which are from my Deco app, my Deco mesh setup is very similar to yours: two Satellites connect by Ethernet to switch, one Satellite connects by WiFi to Main Deco.

There is nothing special about such Deco mesh setup, it should be stable. It is for me, for about 3 years already, that's why I do keep my Deco mesh. 

  0  
  0  
#8
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-10 06:08:27

  @Alexandre. 

Hi

 

It is recommended that you go to Deco APP > more > System > Update Deco to upgrade X50.
How far is X50 from main Deco? What are the obstacles between the two? If this wirelessly connected Deco is closer to other Decos, you could try connection preference:
https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3480/

  0  
  0  
#9
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-10 07:47:51

  @Joseph-TP 

 

Did you mean to reply to me?

 

According to the app all my devices are up-to-date.

 

It's about 2.5-3m/8.2-9.8f from the Main Device (X50-5G), with a double brick wall in between and a door always open. Like I mentioned before, in those circumstances - connected via wireless - the signal is always strong.

 

Like I also said before, the other satellite devices are far away from that X50 - previous tests I did showed that the signal was weak.

_________________________

 

After one of the drop-downs, I was able to connect to the WebUI and noticed that that device was autonomously set as the main device - even when in the app it showed that the main device was the X50-5G. Still, that seemed to prevail as I was able to ping the devices on my network but had no Internet connection.

_________________________

 

After turning it off, 07/07 - until now -, I can now confirm that there has been no connection drops.

  0  
  0  
#10
Options
Re:X50 Mesh - Constante dropdown connection (Daily)
2024-07-10 08:22:26

  @Osz 

Hi

 

Yes, your are correct, I replied to you before.
Deco X50(EU)_V1_1.5.1_240417 should be the latest firmware. It is recommended that you refer to method 2 of the link below to upgrade:
https://www.tp-link.com/support/download/deco-x50/v1/#Firmware
https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1599/

 

Could you please share a screenshot of the Web UI showing that the X50 is main Deco?

  0  
  0  
#11
Options