RE450 is broadcasting TKIP instead of AES. Roaming issues
My main router (Netgear R7000P) is set to use only WPA2-PSK (AES), both on 2,4 GHz and 5 GHz. However, I'm experiencing roaming and disconnection issues when my devices do a handover to the RE 450 extended network. It seems that it is happening because RE 450 is also broadcasting the lower security protocol and encryption WPA-PSK (TKIP). Sometimes, my device shows me that the signal strength is good but there is no internet connection. My iPhone Xr (running iOS14) says "weak security", right next to the wifi network name.
I was wondering if the TP-Link engineers could provide a new firmware that could allow the customer to set the wireless security for the extended network only to WPA2_PSK (AES), or at least give the chance to choose what security protocol and encryption the RE 450 extended network should use.
Could you help me? Thanks. AlexCouto
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Hi!
Thank you very much for your time and patience.
Sorry for all your concern.
We do care about this issue as well and have paid high attention to this issue.
Since we have tested on our side, the range extenders would follow the encryption method of the main routers, so could you please tell me the hardware and firmware version of the extender, as well as the model number of the home router for further assistance?
Sorry for the inconvenience again.
Thank you very much for your cooperation and support.
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Thank you.
I own:
Firmware Version: |
3.14.2 Build 160329 Rel.51554n
|
Hardware Version: |
RE200 v1 00000000
|
The router is not a TP-Link product but one of the latest Fritz boxes and it is set up to strongest encryption.
This doesn't explain the reason of the alert we see. This means that something is still negotiated in TKIP (and as you said before, this is by design to allow connectivity for old devices supporting TKIP only).
If you can suggest a safe sniffing app for iPhone that shows which protocols are active on the WiFi I'm happy to send you a screenshot.
Because, to be completely honest, I still have concerns.
KR
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@Solla-topee I can tell you with great certainty that the repeater IS NOT following the same security. I have the Ubiquiti Access Point and it is configured to ONLY ALLOW WPA2-AES connections. This AP cannot connect using TKIP. If the repeater would only connect using TKIP I would not have any internet connection at all through the repeater because the Ubiquiti AP would refuse the connection.
- The RE450 connected with my Ubiquiti AP using WPA2-AES.
- The RE450 re-broadcasted the signal as WPA-TKIP ONLY.
This jargon about the repeater re-broadcasting with the same security means you're not doing a good job testing or you're using a router that somehow triggers the RE450 to behave.
WiFi security is a huge issue. It's very serious. People can have their bank accounts compromised. TP-Link needs to fix this. No one here is using TKIP. It is your RE450 and RE220 repeater using TKIP and your customers have no way to turn it off.
I got rid of mine but I feel bad for the people who are stuck with this faulty device and technical support denying there is anything wrong. This many people are not crazy.
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Hi @Solla-topee, thanks for promising to address this issue.
I have also confirmed that your statement that the wifi extender follows the encryption setting of the host-network is NOT TRUE. The host-network is configured to use WPA2 AES but the extended network is using TKIP. Can send you screenshots if you so require.
Extender:
TP-Link: RE450 v3.0
Firmware: 1.0.1 Build 20190124 Rel. 56886
Host router: Huawei HG8145V5
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This thread (to which you replied) confirms that regardless of the latest answers that were provided the extenders still broadcast in TKIP mode:
https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/192784
An update from your side is needed by yesterday
KR
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@DISC-part.3 Can you explain what you mean by "After initializing, I reset on the web browser"?
Did you perform a factory reset of the device and then re-configured it using the web browser, and you've confirmed this time it uses AES and not TKIP?
Update
I tried it anyway because I'm desperate to resolve the issue. It didn't work. The host network uses AES and the extended network is re-broadcasting using TKIP.
We need this fixed right away.
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@DISC-part.3 Thanks for working with me on this. I'm also using a Macbook Pro. I configured the exnteder using Firefox, but the browser shoukdn't matter.
I see the following:
Host Network:
Extended Network
Can you check using WiFi Explorer Pro and confirm if you see AES, or AES+TKIP?
If you see AES+TKIP, then it means you still have a problem. If you see AES on the extended network, then you somehow solved the problem, and we will be extremely thankful if you can help us figure out what you did differently to get rid of the issue.
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Happy for you but i still do not understand how a simple factory reset can fix this if no settings was changed and no option can be modified on the repater settings (for this an updated firmware would be needed) :(
Which firmware version are you using?
Do you see any option on your web interface or can you post any screenshot?
Also this thread seems to confirm that repeaters do still broadcast using TKIP:
https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/192784
KR
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@hugo11 I would say someone is either pulling our legs or we all have/had defective RE450 units and only one person it seems has one that works properly. Mine was brand new and it was factory reset multiple times before I found this forum. Each and every time it broadcasted using TKIP so definitely NOT - a factory reset will not fix this issue.
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