Is there a hidden DHCP Server in Powerline adapters?
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I've been having some problems with DHCP on my network. My router (TP-Link Archer VR600) is set to be the DHCP server. It should be the only DHCP server on the network.
However, from time to time clients get the wrong IP address and aren't able to access the internet. When this happens Windows is reporting the IP address one of my TP-Link WPA7510 devices as the DHCP server it is getting network configuration from. On the logs for that WPA7510, I can see "DHCP server started" and "DHCP server stopped" messages.
There is no interface to enable or disable a DHCP server on the PowerLine equipment, nor is it an advertised feature, so what is going on? I have enabled the PowerLine devices to get an IP address using DHCP. Is it possible that this is inadvertantly enabling a DHCP server on the PowerLine device?
This is the UK variant of the WPA8630P.
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@TP-Link Where is the UK V5 firmware that fixes this issue?
So far, via DM, your tech support have suggested:
1) I install a version of the firmware that is already on your website, is already installed on my WPA4220, and therefore has the same broken DHCP server behaviour
2) I install a newer version of the firmware but appears to be for a US version of the device. Can you confirm a) This firmware will work on my UK adapter and b) will actually fix the problem?
I have unplugged the device for now as there is seemingly no way to stop it breaking my network at random during the day.
I will be leaving 0 star reviews anywhere I see this product for sale and warning potential purchasers not to buy it due to this issue.
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@Solla-topee Your other forum post is not a "solution" to the issue. The solution is to be able to disable the DHCP server. On my network there are *no* circumstances where I would *ever* want a powerline adapter to be the DHCP server and gateway to the internet. I suspect most other people would be in a similar situation.
There is the issue that the powerline adapter boots quicker than my router on power outage and therefore starts its DHCP server first = lots of restarts of all the devices that have been given bogus IP addresses by the WPA4220. However the biggest issue is that at random during the day, even though my router (with its DHCP server) is switched on and functioning, the powerline starts dishing out IP addresses to devices, which then can no longer access the internet.
I have older WPA4220 hardware that I've been running for years that doesn't have this issue - it's arisen as I foolishly bought 2 new WPA4220 adapters to extend my network with. What a mistake.
You've had a year (or more) to sort this out - what's the matter with you???
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@Dcrh111 Hello,
WPA4220 V5 does not have a beta firmware to turn off dhcp yet, and the beta firmware on this thread is more like a temporary solution. Our seniors are trying to locate the cause of the issue and fix it.
The phenomenon you mentioned is a bit different from other cases in this thread + old version WPA4220 does not have the same issue, it may be not an issue on dhcp.
We would like to have a specialist look into this further via email and hope you could help confirm the details so that our senior could help with the debug.
Please check your mailbox later, and let us know if the issue is resolved. Thank you!
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@Solla-topee It is definitely a DHCP issue. I can see that when this issue occurs, the affected devices have suddenly decided to use the powerline adapter as the default gateway. This would only happen if the powerline adapter had responded to a DHCP request.
I can't have a device on my network that (at random, or whenever I need to reboot my main router, or if the powerline network itself goes down for any reason) decides to run a DHCP server and give out incorrect information to other devices on my network, so for now the adapter is unplugged.
The V1 WPA4220 adapters that I have on my network do not behave like this - all the adapters are configured with static IPs which should stop any DHCP client/server functionality on the device. You just need to do the same for the V5 hardware.
I have responded to your DM support request and I hope that your engineers will provide a mechanism for disabling this behaviour.
You can see on this forum how much disruption it is causing to your customers.
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@Solla-topee many thanks for the explanation, but alas it does not seem that it solves a problem. I have both WPA4220 and WPA7517 and both these are troublesome. WPA4220 runs currently your beta software (from the pinned post in this thread) - but it still occasionally starts its DHCP server and what's worse - the firmware seems to be quite unstable, from time to time entire device becomes unresponsive. The WPA7517 runs stock firmware will with all problems described herein (race condition after power outage is one problem, but more annoying is the situation when powerline connectivity drops momentarily due to some interference in the network - even if this takes couple of seconds "smart" DHCP is started - and restoring sanity to entire network is a hassle). Nb. stock WPA7517 firmware is also not that very stable, regardless of DHCP problems :( So - any possibility of further investigation?
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@Gawron Good day,
From your description, its looks like powerline units lost pair due to poor powerline environment or interference in the powerline.
If powerline units lost pair , the extender has no way to detect the router or dhcp server and will start to assign IP address.
To sort it out, please test 2 powerline units at a time, and put that 2 powerline units in the same room and see if you could get stable Internet connection when they work in the same room. At the same time, we will have a specialist to follow up your case via email, please check your inbox later.
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@TP-Link Is there any news on the firmware for the TL-WPA8630P v3 EU beta firmware for this ?
Could you send the link to me if it exists ?
Thanks in advance !
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Sorry to tell you TL-WPA8630P V3 does not have a beta firmware to turn off DHCP yet, if you met similar problem, can you help provide the information mentioned in the thread below so that we could escalate your case to the seniors, thank you:
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I updated to the recommended beta firmware and use the static IP mode. However, the DHCP server is still starting and stopping which can be seen from the log messages.
Configuration:
AVM FRITZ!Box 7590 (Router&ISP modem) -- LAN -- TL-PA4010 EU 3.0 -- Powerline -- TL-WPA4220(EU) Ver. 4.0 (4.0.3 Build 20190419 Rel.41345) -- LAN -- Notebook (Windows 10)
Side Information:
AVM FRITZ!Box 7590 loses DSL synchronization on an irregular time basis. The logs report that the loss of the synchronization was probably caused by Powerline Adapters.
Since I am working from Home Office I would be very glad for any help to permanently solve this issue. An option to manually turn off DHCP / smartDHCP functionality completely and permanently would already be fine!
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@Mattac Hello,
Probably the cause and effect are reversed here, to test if powerline units affects the modem, you could unplug powerline unit and see if Modem could work stable. Can you help check if your devices work like below (normal DHCP behavior on the powerline units )
Cause: Modem DSL synchronization failed and Modem loses Internet
Effect : PLC could not detect modem and turn on its own DHCP
Cause2: Modem's is back online
Effect2: PLC obtain IP address from router and turn off its own DHCP
Can you help check when Modem is back, how about the Leds on plc and can plc units get Internet in a short time.
We would like to follow up your case and see there is a way to turn off DHCP or make the DHCP works in the normal way. Please check your mailbox, thank you.
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