@TP-Link 

This is not a "very rare" case as you suggested.

I am having similar problems both with the initial device and its replacement I received for exchange for the old problematic one.

The replacement had this behavior out of the box! Behavior is the same. I am pretty sure this is a poor hardware problem.

I have had teamviewer sessions with both local TP-Link in Greece and abroad, the one abroad was 4 hours long.

They both cannot explain what is going on, not to mention that they behave as if they have never experienced this problem before,

however googling this problem returns many results.
First of all, my 5hgz access point disappears completely and sometimes it also affects the 2.4ghz access point.

It does not disappear for my desktop, it disappears for all devices within my house.

1 laptop with a built in wireless adapter, 3 smartphones, 1 tablet, 1 other desktop.

When I set the 5ghz band at non DFS channels like 36, 40, 44, 48 and 52 DFS the access point appears for instantly for 2-3 seconds

and then it completely disappears. After some minutes it repeats this, of course you cannot connect to this for a few seconds.

On channels DFS 56, 60, 64 my 5ghz access point appears normally, when pinging it it responds within 1-2m, after some time!

On channels DFS 100, 104, 108, 112 access point appears normally, when pinging it it responds within 1-2ms after some time. However a strange error message with no further information appears.

 

Error message screenshot here.
https://prnt.sc/pnsPPbvK8P8e

 

Ping screenshot here.

https://prnt.sc/Rup0K5IgDTnk

I wrote "after some time" because for a time that spans from a few minutes to a few hours (I have counted 14 hours max time until now), pinging the router returns a funny pattern of pings, every 3rd ping result is extremely bad.

 

Screenshot

https://prnt.sc/Ftv4uZrd2o8l

 

During this time, I get these hiccups at 2.4ghz also.

 

Screenshot

https://prnt.sc/EkXDwwddWdwS

 

My firmware version is the following, I was advised to downgrade from the latest one by your support in order to enter the teamviewer session.

 

Screenshot

https://prnt.sc/mtTe5UjQRzjZ

 

Now let me describe how this has evolved over time and what is the setting and behavior.

 

First device worked fine for 18 months. First problems appeared with 2.4 ghz, 8 clients total.

5ghz had no problem and only 1 device as client.

I did some reset to factory defaults, the device seemed to have skipped the problems.

About 6 months later, problems restart with 5ghz when there are max 3 clients, most of the time 1 client.

In order for me to see what the problem is, I tried downgrading, I tried resetting to factory defaults, reconfigure router.

I changed its place in the household, I changed cables, I tried a different wireless adapter for my PC.

Please note that no other electric or electronic device was added in my house after I purchased this device.

No furniture was moved, no house setting was altered.

 

I ask for a replacement which I receive after waiting for 7 days, which is awful when you think one of us needs internet to work at home.

New device comes out of the box and immediately I cannot find the 5ghz access point at channel 44.

Playing with the channels I get same results as the previous faulty device.

Same problems, same pinging behavior.

 

Again trying firmwares, moving it, different wireless adapters, changed my SSID names, made them hidden, changed width, nothing works.

I even moved the device next to the wireless adapter. The access point remains invisible for all devices in the house.

The maximum distance the clients have from the VR2800 is 4 meters, without obstacles!

The log file in the VR2800 reports no issue, no warning, no alert, no error.

 

I finally decided to bring down from my storage room my older TP-Link routers.

I previously owned a TD-W8980 and aTL-WDR4300. I hook them via ethernet, switch off the wireless in VR2800 and started playing with these

as wireless access points. No problem to set ANY channel at all. No problem with any band, no problem with pinging. They do not disappear,

they do not misbehave. We are talking about half price and 1/4 price products comparing to VR2800 here to have a perspective of the comparison between them.

To solve the problem, I purchased an extender RE305. It works fine until my 5ghz access point that it extends disappears!

When it disappears, the extender has nothing to extend and internet is not extended to the area it covers.

However, the extender's access points are there, they do not disappear. I can connect as a client but there is no internet

since the gateway's access point is down.

 

At this point I am certain the VR2800 has a serious hardware issue.

 

While with the technical support engineer, he ran 2 application to see how the 2 band wireless networks behave.

I also used them last 2 days to see the behavior. Netspot and inSSIDer.

First of all, it is clear I have no neighboring channels in the channels I choose.

My 2.4ghz is DBGK and my 5ghz is Defcon5.

 

Screenshot

https://prnt.sc/s-8tbW0zZjIL

 

In the beginning Netspot reports their status properly.

Channel 104, 5ghz.

 

Screenshot

https://prnt.sc/iOARbfuFinhk

 

But after a few seconds, it reports other data for the 5ghz access point.

 

Screenshot

https://prnt.sc/Rn8tgDpY0n9k

 

It now says channel 1, 2.4ghz and it stays there constantly.

 

I am 100% sure there is some problem with the specific model's hardware.

I initially purchased another model, I was upgraded to this one "for better" because the original model was not available.

It seems to me VR2800 has problems and TP-Link offloads this model "for better" but what in fact happens is getting rid of it.

 

In the discussion I had via email following the teamviewer session with your technical support engineer, I was told today that your RD department has no better debugging methods. This is disappointing. A premium device should come with premium support. Answers like "we have no better debugging" basically mean "we can't solve this problem". Not premium support, right? This does not solve the problems we are facing and it does not surely cover the time we lost or the expenses caused by your faulty devices.

A solution has to be offered.

 

1. Solve the problem

2. New replacement, if problems continue, then

3. Refund

Another option is to offer a new, possibly Wi-Fi 6 wireless router, to hook behind this VDSL router to act as a wireless router after I turn off the wireless radios on the VR2800.

I am not willing to stay one more week to 10 days without internet, as this is a VDSL router. Internet is needed for work in this house.

I will refuse to send the faulty for a replacement, a replacement will have to arrive first so that the faulty can be picked up.

In case the new one is also misbehaving, a refund is imminent as far as I am concerned.

In this case I will abandon TP-Link and opt for another brand.

 

The experience I have had so far with a premium VDSL router in my hands, is nothing but a disappointment.

I have been dealing with these issues last 9 months, with 2 different, same model devices.

I do not work for TP-Link, nor do I plan to. I have spent too much time dealing with these problems here.

I also have gone through a lot of unnecessary expenses because of this router.

Provide a fix or provide a solution. If you cannot provide any of the two, just let me know officially so I can ask for a refund.

 

Thanks.