Pairing Amazon Echo Gen 4 as Stereo Pair with TP-Link Router Archer AX73 v1

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.

Pairing Amazon Echo Gen 4 as Stereo Pair with TP-Link Router Archer AX73 v1

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Pairing Amazon Echo Gen 4 as Stereo Pair with TP-Link Router Archer AX73 v1
Pairing Amazon Echo Gen 4 as Stereo Pair with TP-Link Router Archer AX73 v1
2022-07-14 20:55:19
Tags: #IoT
Model: Archer AX73  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.2.2 Build 20220317 rel.50456(4555)

Hi,

 

during Amazon Prime Day I bought 3 Amazon Echo's. Setup via Alexa App so far went well, they are connected to the router and seemed to work correct. Now the tricky part start. If I try to pair all 3 together into a stereo pair, the Alexa App disables the Echos after the first one is selected and says the following:

 

"Check network connection, Make sure your devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Guest networks are not recommended."

 

 

  • On the router Web frontend and Theter app they are all three shown as connected to my regular network
  • The Alexa App says that they are connected to the same wifi too

 

After many hours of working with the at least partially, crapy and slow Amazon support, I almost gave up. They promised that they escalate the case, but who knows what that means and when that happens.

 

They did the same kind of troubleshooting with me:

  • checked that they are all on the same network -> yes
  • checked that they are all updated -> all same current version
  • checked that the Alexa app is new installed and was reset too -> done
  • changed some account settings which required a router and echo reboot -> done

 

So, now after all the that, out of boredom I changed the echos to the guest network, which even the Support, Amazon Help-Pages and even the App suggested not to do. But they only work within the guest network?!

 

I've checked the settings of my regular network and guest network, as far as the web frontend allows it, and verified the applied settings via Wifiman App.

 

(I've fiddling around with the settings and rebooted the router and echos every time I changed a single setting - This is the last setup where I stopped after.)

 

For me it seems obvious that it's a Wifi related issue, so that's why I'm here with my issue. Can anyone please tell me how to make the regular network work the same way as the guest network does? The guest network serves a purpose here, and keeping them there isn't solving my issue.

 

  0      
  0      
#1
Options
3 Reply
Re:Pairing Amazon Echo Gen 4 as Stereo Pair with TP-Link Router Archer AX73 v1
2022-07-15 02:21:26

Hello @Sten87 

 

Thank you for reaching out to us and welcome to the TP-Link community.

 

This issue sounds weird, can you please change the wireless security settings on the Archer AX73 to WPA2-PSK, AES once again? You can go to Advanced > Wireless as follows:

 

Please check and ensure there are no other additional wireless settings on the AX73 that may block the communication, such as AP Isolation, please be sure that is disabled.

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
  4  
  4  
#2
Options
Re:Pairing Amazon Echo Gen 4 as Stereo Pair with TP-Link Router Archer AX73 v1
2022-07-20 11:54:21 - last edited 2022-07-20 12:01:18

 Hi @Kevin_Z 

 

thanks for your suggestion. Playing around and comparing the settings of my regular and guest network, I also stumbled across the advanced setting "AP Isolation" too. I've read the documentation about it and the "Allow guests to see each other", which sounds kinda similar to me. Maybe you could give a better description than the documentation?

 

  • AP Isolation

"This function isolates all connected wireless stations*1 so that wireless stations cannot access each other through WLAN."

Link: https://www.tp-link.com/us/user-guides/archer-ax73_v1/chapter-6-wireless-settings#ug-sub-title-4

 

*1 Wireless stations like different acces points/router or is it just another word for wireless clients?

 

  • Allow guests to see each other

"Tick this checkbox if you want to allow the wireless clients on your guest network to communicate with each other via methods such as network neighbors and Ping."

Link: https://www.tp-link.com/us/user-guides/archer-ax73_v1/chapter-7-guest-network#ug-sub-title-2

 

Nevertheless, the "Allow guests to see each other" is and was always disabled at my guest network as I don't want to allow my guests to see/control my Amazon appliances such as FireTV/Echo's nor my NAS services. Which makes me curious why the Echo's managed to talk to each other while being in the guest network right away?

 

On the other hand, disabling "AP Isolation" made the Echos work in my regular network too. Is there any way I can keep this function on but still get the Echos work as stero pair?

  0  
  0  
#3
Options
Re:Pairing Amazon Echo Gen 4 as Stereo Pair with TP-Link Router Archer AX73 v1
2022-07-22 11:34:58

@Sten87 

 

I believe you will get a better understanding by checking this article about AP Isolation.

 

So in your case, if you want to pair and use the Echos within the network, you need to disable AP Isolation.

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
  0  
  0  
#4
Options