TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted

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TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted

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TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-09-27 07:48:56
Model: TL-WPA4220  
Hardware Version: V4
Firmware Version: 4.0.3

Hi, 


we already had a TL-WPA4530KIT which works fine except for wifi range, so I bought a TL-WPA4220 to get better wifi upstairs. 

 

At first everything seemed ok, it's setup to clone the existing tp link kit ssid. Then the problems started, you can connect to it but there's no internet, but the main router is connect fine. 
 

things I've done. 
 

tried 3 different sockets around the house. 
set both kits to static ip addresses. 
turned off the the 2.4g wifi on the original kit to make sure it's not conflicting. 

the unit now disappears from wifi now after about a week, only a restart brings it back. 
 

so disappointed with this product, it just doesn't work. 
 

Any ideas anyone??

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#1
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16 Reply
Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-09-30 03:21:25

@BenSearson 

Good day.

Thank you very much for your time and patience.

Would the 2nd powerline lights always lit up even there is no internet connection?

If you take out of the TL-WPA4220, only leave the previous 4530kit, would the 4530 still work fine?

And if you use TL-WPA4220 to replace the extender TL-WPA4530(the original wireless extender in the powerline), would 4220 work with the master adapter to the router?

 

Thanks a lot.

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#2
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-09-30 05:24:03

@Solla-topee 

 

hi, when the 4220 unit Wi-Fi stops works, the unit looks fine, which is very confusing. 
 

I believe the original 4530 kit works fine regardless of the issue with the new 4220, but can't be sure as it's only used to run the tv. 
 

I saw on another thread that the 4220 had a dhcp server that you can't see? I assume that would be on the default 192.168.1.1 network? Does the 4530 kit have one as well, if so there would be 3 dhcp servers on the network. 
 

thanks

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#3
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-03 14:14:31

@BenSearson I've just spent nearly a month troubleshooting a similar setup.  I bought the TKIT pack which has two WPA4220 WiFi units in the box.  Like you, everything seemed fine at first but then I found that one of the WiFi units (and all its attached devices) would just drop off the network. No error condition, lights normal, no apparent problem, but only power cycling the unit would restore the connection.  I googled around a bit and found a statement from somebody claiming that if two WiFi routers with the same SSID are too close together then one one will stop broadcasting to eliminate the clash.  This of course flies in the face of the TP-Link's facility to auto clone your main router's WiFi but I decided to switch off the "WiFi move" option and manually configure each of the two WA4220's with different SSID's.   Again, everything seemed stable at first but after about a week the same thing happened.  On checking the event log on my broadband router it showed the IP addresses of the two WPA4220's regularly disconnecting and reconnecting every 40 seconds or so.  This seemed odd but having never studied the router's event log before I couldn't really tell if this was significant or not.  I googled some more and found that some owners of these devices had experienced similar problems due to the default powersave option. I downloaded the Powerline Utility app from the TP-Link website and used this to turn off the powersave feature.  Same problem returned about a week later.  I've now tried everything I can think of.  Different SSID's, static IP addresses, guest network on or off.  I've run out of ideas and reverted to some old Devolo AV-200 Powerline adapters connected to separate WiFi routers.  This setup is messy and takes up two A/C outlets per WiFi access point, which was the appeal of the WPA4220, but appears to be far more stable than the TP-Link combined Powerline + WiFi units.  The whole WPA4220 kit is back in its box and because it's taken so long to get to this point I'm now outside the Amazon returns period so it will stay there until either someone finds a permanent fix or I chuck it out.  I've bought a lot of TP-Link kit in the past but will think carefully before I buy any more.   Good luck and if you do happen to find a solution please let us know.

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#4
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-03 15:14:37

@MartinLandscape 

 

Hi, thanks for your reply, I think I've done very similar things, nothing worked. I have also contacted amazon and I'm returning the unit. In my view this should be a setup and forget type unit that I can add to original kit, which it clearly hasn't been for either of us. Just going to get an new wifi extender instead and put this whole thing behind me. 
 

thanks 

 

Ben

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#5
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-04 12:02:40 - last edited 2020-10-04 15:26:42

@BenSearson 

 

I had the same issue with Amazon and identical problems with the kit.I just wondered if you managed to get this resolved ?

 

Amazon exchanged it after I pointed out there is a 3yr warrant plastered all over the box. You have to push them HOWEVER the second kit started doing the self same thing and I was having to turn the WiFi unit off and back on at the plug. The network was still functioning BUT not internet traffic between the two mains units.

 

I have been advised to update the firmware but that is great as I have downloaded the firmware program and well nothing. The update procedure on the FAQ just doesn't work so I guess its back to Amazon again and buy something else that does work.

 

I am back to using my using my Tpnet mains extender and separate WiFi extender but wanted a combined unit :(

 

 

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#6
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-04 17:30:06

The only fix is to downgrade firmware from v4.0.3 Build 20190326 Rel.43406 to v4.0.2 Build 20180308 Rel.37064. It's a common problem reported many times before on this forum and TP-Link have failed to acknowledge the fault or do anything about it. As they've now moved on to version 5 hardware, it seems unlikely that any more firmware will be released for hardware version 4.

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#7
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-04 17:36:21

@Paul_a_uk 

 

hi, looks like a few of us have the same issues. My 4220 unit is going back to Amazon for a refund. I'll get a wifi extender instead.
 

The existing 4530 kit works a treat, never had an issue with that. 
 

thanks for getting in touch. 
 

Ben

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#8
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-09 11:15:49

@videodrome 

Thanks for the tip on downgrading the firmware.  It sounds like others may have tried this unsuccessfully but I'm going to give it a go anyway. Cheers.

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#9
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-10 08:47:11 - last edited 2020-10-11 05:33:52

We bought a single TL-WPA4220 v4 (UK) with v4.0.3 fw, from Amazon and encountered the problem where after a week, the wifi signal from the 4220 totally disappeared even though the wifi LED was still lit up. Unfortunately, I forgot to check whether the ethernet ports were still working. Turning the 4220 off and on restored wifi.

 

I notice the 4220 appears to renew its DHCP lease every few minutes too.

 

I tried to use the TPlink utility to look at turning off Power Save, but there is no Power Save tab in Advanced settings??

 

 

Yesterday, I found and installed the older 4.0.2 firmware.

 

I just saw your comment: "I googled around a bit and found a statement from somebody claiming that if two WiFi routers with the same SSID are too close together then one one will stop broadcasting to eliminate the clash."

 

Our wifi router and an older WPA281 v3 do broadcast same SSID as the 4220, but all three use different wifi channels (1, 6 and 11).  They are also separated by two internal brick walls from the 4220. 

 

It'll take a week or more to know whether the 4.0.2 firmware has resolved the original wifi issue.

 

 

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#10
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Re: TP-Link TL-WPA4220 Network dropping out and wifi disappearing until restarted
2020-10-10 16:04:40

@bob888 

I think the "same SSIDs clashing" theory that I stumbled upon was probably wrong anyway. I'm sure the WiFi standard deals with that by using different channels just as you describe. I only mentioned it as it was something I had tried and discounted.

 

Your missing power save option does seem very odd.  I've just fired mine up and it definitely appears when accessing the TL-PA4010 "master" ethernet powerline unit:

 

What version of the TP-Link PLC Utility are you running?   

I have V1.1.2742.5  (note that I am using a Mac though so versions may differ for Windows).


As for the units frequently renewing DHCP lease, I set my units to fixed IP addresses when I first started troubleshooting things because I read some reports of them having some sort of "smart DHCP" function whereby they will assign themselves an address and run their own DHCP server if no DHCP server is detected on the network and this apparently often leads to IP clashes.   

However, changing mine to fixed IPs made no difference, hence I'm now on the downgraded firmware route.

 

I've downgraded both my WPA4220's to firmware version 4.0.2 Build 20180308 Rel.37064 and will now monitor them. 

I need to give it at least a week because the problem seemed to take that long to manifest itself when this all started.

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#11
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