Hi @Solla-topee

Thanks for taking interest in my predicament :-)

Here is the info you requested:

- main router: THOMSON TG788vn v2, firmware version 10.5.2.S

- TL-WPA8630P hardware version 2.0 firmware 2.0.3 Build 20171018 Rel.36564

- The TL-WPA8630P *is* configured with a fixed IP and the main router's IP as default gateway

- I do not see any way to "configure the DHCP server on the TL-WPA8630P"

I just plugged the TL-WPA8630P into a live LAN with a main router uptime of 1 week. 

Below is the TL-WPA8630P log (please note line 1 stating "DHCP server started"):

If I power down and up the house mains, the TL-WPA8630P will reboot and start its DHCP router faster than the main router, which means that it will allocate IPs to a number of devices (Google Homes, Chromecast, lights, detectors and sensors, bridge boxes etc) which will not be able to reach the Internet even when the main router is up.

I absolutely need a fix for this: as mentioned, a TL-WPA8630P firmware upgrade with a possibility to disable the TL-WPA8630P DHCP server is IMO a must.

Looking forward to your answer (all the more so that I have purchased a number of TL-PA8010P units, which I cannot plug into the network because of this erratic behavior).

— diadeluz

@diadeluz I've seen exactly the same behaviour - I can see no reason for a TL-WPA8630 to run a dhcp server...especially when the addresses, routes and DNS info it dishes out is utter garbage.  I contacted TP-Link support a couple of years ago when I started seeing this behaviour, and they told me that there wasn't a DHCP server in the unit - despite there being concrete evidence of it being there...

There are two workarounds I know of:

a. don't use DHCP to get an address on the WPA8630 - set a static address.  This seems to turn off the allegendly-nonexistent DHCP server.

b. there's a build of openwrt which runs on most WPA8630v1 and v2 units - the v2 builds are only available in the snapshots at the moment

Jon

Hey @jonhedgerows, thanks for your feedback.
 

I've seen messages from a few years back demanding that TP-Link fix the issue, which I confirm is very real. However, since I'm seeing no progress today, I figured i'd give it another try…

Your workaround #a doesn't work for me: the WP8630P does have a fixed IP (set both in its configuration and in the main router): I after  power outages, I have many objects screaming they can't access the Internet (FGS even iPads connection details show a gateway IP pointing to the WP8630P!!)

I might end up trying your workaround #b, but then I hate missing out on potential future TP-Link f/w improvements… although if they don't care to fix this blatant bug, I guess hoping for improvements doesn't make much sense.

Another (much uglier) workaround could be to hook the WP8630P into a Wifi-controlled plug which the main router will power up only once it's allocated IPs throughout the LAN.

Come on, TP-Link, fix that kludgy firmware and, at the very least, allow us deactivate that rogue dhcp server that breaks up our networks!!!!!

— diadeluz

@Solla-topee Hi, Any new thoughts? Best.

Hi @Solla-topee.

Could you please let us know when TP-Link plans to update the WPA-8630P's firmware to allow users to disable its DHCP server?

This is now a major issue for me as I've discovered that that server kicks in once the WPA is connected to the LAN and receives IP address requests and provides unusable IP addresses to objects newly connected to the LAN.

My analysis of the issue is no longer restricted to the WPA DHCP server providing IP addresses before the main router's DHCP server is running. The WPA DHCP server does provide zombie IP addresses to objects seeking connection after the WPA was plugged in, even though the main router has been up all the time.

My test case is as follows:

- LAN is operational, all objects have an IP given by the main router DHCP

- The WPA (fixed IP, gateway address =main router IP) is then plugged into the LAN (Ethernet) as well as a TA-8010P sending out a 5GHz Wifi

- Any attempt to connect a new Amazon Echo 5 to that Wi-Fi ends up with a "canno( reach Internet" message and the Echo 5 connection log shows the Echo connection gateway is the WPA's fixed IP address!!

Please make sure the tech team develops a new firmware which allows us to disable the WPA's DHCP server.

Alternatively let me know how I can get a refund for the WPA kit plus a second TA-8010P. And feel free to recommend a brand that sells equivalent albeit fully functional devices.

Best.

— diadeluz