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Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable

Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable

Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-13 17:11:31
Tags: #Access Point Mode #Network Connectivity
Model: Archer A6  
Hardware Version: V4
Firmware Version: 1.13.2 Build 230824 Rel.75032n(5553)

 

I have my ISP modem HG8145V5 in my living room.

 

I have my Archer A6 in another room, that I've been using as an extender.

For some months now, I've used it in Router Mode and has given me no issues.

But I need all the devices in my network to reach each other, so 2 days ago I changed it to Access Point mode (it doesn't have Bridge mode).

 

I configured the 2.4 and the 5g wifi networks with the same credentials as the network on my modem, and devices can connect and see each other on the network.

 

DHCP is enabled on my HG8145V5 modem.

It is disabled (grayed-out) on my Archer A6 when in Access Point mode (I think this is expected for obvious reasons) .

 

However, the issue I've had since the 11th is that devices connected directly to the Archer A6 router suddenly lose internet access.

They seem to still be connected to the network, but they don't have Internet connectivity.

Some devices I have on it are a Desktop PC (ethernet), a laptop (wifi) and my phone (wifi). 

When checking the ipconfig on CMD, it showed an empty string on the Default Gateway space. 

 

When trying to use Windows assistant to fix it, it shows: 

"Ethernet doesn't have a valid IP config" 

 

The only way to restore this is to reboot the Archer A6, and devices will connect normally for some time until it happens again.

It doesn't occur at any specific interval, could be minutes or hours.  

 

The devices connected directly to the ISP modem are not affected, only those connected to the TP-Link.

 

I was suspecting a possible firmware issue so I updated into the latest one, but it persists. 

I decided to go back to Router Mode and the problem still occurred (it hadn't occurred in the past).

 

The Diagnostic log from the 11th shows the following: 

1 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [tmpd]register tmp app, type: 1

2 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [portal]portal init

3 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [lan]LAN: Set interface br-lan0 ip=192.168.100.38 netmask 255.255.255.0.

4 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [tmpd]register tmp app, type: 2

5 INFO 0days, 00:00:05, [tmpd]register tmp app, type: 4

6 INFO 0days, 00:00:21, [portal]portal not enabled

7 INFO 0days, 00:00:21, [portal]portal stop

8 INFO 0days, 00:00:21, [httpd]Http server start!

9 WARNING 0days, 00:00:23, [dhcps]IP(C0A86409) not in dhcp pool or equal to server ip, ignore!!!

10 ERROR 0days, 00:01:04, [inetd]INETD: select error, abort.

 

For reference, C0A86409 (192.168.100.9) is my PC's IP.

 

I found the following post in the forum:

https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/forum/topic/226700
 

Which suggests not using Access Point mode, but that workaround is not viable for me because as mentioned, I need all my devices to communicate directly with each other. 

 

Is there something you'd recommend to me?

As at this point I'm not sure if my Archer A6 could be faulty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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#1
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9 Reply
Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-13 19:32:03

  @henryzusa 

 

The post you're refering is pretty old and it's not relevant anymore.

Here's how to set the Archer A6 in AP mode (Case 1).

I would do the following:

Given the main router IP address is 192.168.x.1/24 set the A6 LAN IP to 192.168.x.254 (DHCP disabled).

Main router DHCP server pool 192.168.x.100 to 192.168.x.199.

Make sure that the only DHCP server in your network is your main router.

 

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#2
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-13 20:50:29

  @terziyski Thank you for the quick reply.

 

I've now set the Operation Mode to Access Point again. 

 

I have assigned a static IP address to the Archer A6 (192.168.100.38)

Disabled DHCP on it, saved and refresh.

Oddly, the DHCP enabled itself back upon refreshing, so I disabled it again. 

 

My Archer A6 config is as follows:

Static IP: 192.168.100.38

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 

Default Gateway: 192.168.100.1 (My ISP modem's address) 

 

Back to the ISP Modem, it has DHCP server enabled, with the following config:

LAN Host IP address: 192.168.100.1

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 

Start IP: 192.168.100.2 

End IP: 192.168.100.254 

Lease time: 3 days

Primary DNS Server: - 

Secondary DNS server: - 

 

 

At the moment it's working, however, it did yesterday too and suddenly it failed, so at this time there's no time to predict if it will fail as it's been doing so far. 

 

 

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#3
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-13 21:22:11 - last edited 2024-03-13 21:23:46
My Archer A6 config is as follows:

Static IP: 192.168.100.38

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 

Default Gateway: 192.168.100.1 (My ISP modem's address) 

 

Back to the ISP Modem, it has DHCP server enabled, with the following config:

LAN Host IP address: 192.168.100.1

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 

Start IP: 192.168.100.2 

End IP: 192.168.100.254 

Lease time: 3 days

Primary DNS Server: - 

Secondary DNS server: - 

  @henryzusa 

 

To set thigs optimally in your case:

Set Archer A6 with a Static IP: 192.168.100.254

Set your ISP Modem DHCP server pool:

Start IP: 192.168.100.2

End IP: 192.168.100.200

 

Thus the LAN IP address of your A6 would be outside the ISP modem DHCP pool.

Again make sure that A6 DHCP server is OFF.

The ethernet cable connection between ISP modem and A6 should be: ISP modem LAN port <=> A6 WAN (blue) port.

 

If this was helpful click once on the arrow pointing upward. If this solves your issue, click once the star to mark it as a "Recommended Solution".
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#4
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-14 01:51:26

  @terziyski 

 

 

Thanks again for the action plan.

 

I did that, and it still worked fine for some minutes until the issue reappeared. 

 

ISP modem is connected to my Archer's A6 blue port.

A6 is now configured with a static ip of 192.168.100.254 

I have another TP-Link (TL-WR840N) connected to the ISP's Modem also as Access Point mode but the issue was already occurring before I connected this one. Also, its devices aren't affected either. 

 

ISP Modem is the one in charge of DHCP.

 

I kept a ping -t for the Archer 6 and when the issue occurs it shows a timeout, followed by "Host unreachable". 

 

Latest System Log of the Archer A6 from a recent incident after setting the static IP: 

 

1 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [tmpd]register tmp app, type: 1

2 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [portal]portal init

3 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [lan]LAN: Set interface br-lan0 ip=192.168.100.254 netmask 255.255.255.0.

4 INFO 0days, 00:00:04, [tmpd]register tmp app, type: 2

5 INFO 0days, 00:00:05, [tmpd]register tmp app, type: 4

6 INFO 0days, 00:00:21, [portal]portal not enabled

7 INFO 0days, 00:00:21, [portal]portal stop

8 INFO 0days, 00:00:21, [httpd]Http server start!

9 ERROR 0days, 00:00:44, [inetd]INETD: select error, abort.

 

 

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#5
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-14 08:18:07

  @henryzusa 

 

Can you describe your network infrastructure (what type of devices do you have in your LAN) ?

How the WR840N is configured in AP mode - did you use the same guide (I posted) as for the A6.

The interesting log message from 11-th in your A6 is:

" 9 WARNING 0days, 00:00:23, [dhcps]IP(C0A86409) not in dhcp pool or equal to server ip, ignore!!! "

Have you made any changes on that day ? Re-configuring a device, introducing a new device in your LAN ?

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#6
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-14 18:18:27

  @terziyski 

 

Sure. 

 

My ISP modem is HG8145V5 (192.168.100.1).

 

It has 2 TV Decoders connected to it. 

One other cable goes to the upper floor to a LinkSys that has 3 cables connected: One for other TV decoder, one for the TL-WR840N and one for the Archer A6 (168.192.168.254)

 

The TL-WR840N (192.168.100.253) is in Access Point mode. I switched it to AP mode yesterday, and the issue with the Archer started 3 days ago so I don't think it's related.

Also, the devices connected to the TL-WR840N do not face the issue, nor the TV decoders or the Wifi devices connected to the ISP modem.

 

The Archer A6 devices are the only ones that are having problems. 

Among them, I have a Windows PC, a Xiaomi phone, a Nintendo Switch, PS5 and a small tp-link switch that has a Smart TV and a DVR. 

 

The whole reason I need my devices to be in a single network is because I need to watch the DVR cameras from a small monitor downstairs, hence the need to swap the Archer A6 from Router Mode to Access Point, so all devices can see each other under the same subnet. 

 

The devices from the Archer A6 suddenly lose internet access. They still show as connected to the network, but with no internet access.

If I check on Windows CMD, the Default Gateway space is blank, therefore, I cannot connect to neither the Archer nor the ISP Modem.

 

Only the devices connected to the Archer A6 face this problem, and the only workaround is to reboot it.

Everything else in the network works fine. 

 

Last night after my latest post I tried unplugging the small TP-Link Switch (TL-SF1005D), and plugged the DVR directly to one Archer's Ethernet port.

So far the issue hasn't reappeared, however, I can't be sure it won't occur again since sometimes it takes hours for the problem to reappear.

 

The only device I had configured with Static IP was the DVR, with IP 192.168.100.35 

I also tried deleting that config, but it still happened.

 

Currently the only static IPs I have configured are Archer A6 (192.168.100.254) and TL-WR840N (192.168.100.253). 

Which are both outside of the DHCP ranges of the ISP modem (192.168.100.2 to 192.168.100.200)

 

Each time the problem occurs, I see the following in the Archer's logs: 

ERROR 0days, 00:00:44, [inetd]INETD: select error, abort.

 

From what I've found, it seems it's the device's Internet Network Daemon crashing.

I don't know what could be causing this. 

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#7
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-14 18:42:24 - last edited 2024-03-14 21:44:40

henryzusa wrote

  @terziyski 

 

One other cable goes to the upper floor to a LinkSys that has 3 cables connected: One for other TV decoder, one for the TL-WR840N and one for the Archer A6 (168.192.168.254)

 

Hope that Archer A6 (168.192.168.254) is a typo.

Is this LinkSys a network switch ?

If YES, replace the cables on the LinkSys where the Archer A6 and WR840 are connected just for a test.

 

The Archer A6 devices are the only ones that are having problems. 

Among them, I have a Windows PC, a Xiaomi phone, a Nintendo Switch, PS5 and a small tp-link switch that has a Smart TV and a DVR.

 

Keep TP-Link switch disconnected to check if there's any difference.

 

The only device I had configured with Static IP was the DVR, with IP 192.168.100.35 

I also tried deleting that config, but it still happened.

 

If you can't set its IP as static outside the ISP modem DHCP pool, leave it as it is.

 

Each time the problem occurs, I see the following in the Archer's logs: 

ERROR 0days, 00:00:44, [inetd]INETD: select error, abort.

 

From what I've found, it seems it's the device's Internet Network Daemon crashing.

I don't know what could be causing this. 

 

That seems correct, but the root cause in still unknown.

  @henryzusa 

 

Check my answers inline.

 

Update:

This seems to be an ongoing issue - check this thread.

As part of the test - reset the Archer A6 to its factory defaults and re-configure from scratch - check if there's any improvement.

If this was helpful click once on the arrow pointing upward. If this solves your issue, click once the star to mark it as a "Recommended Solution".
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#8
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-15 03:06:28

  @terziyski 

 

Thanks for the response.

 

I see from the threads that it's happened to multiple people too.

I tried the factory reset yesterday and it was the same, worked fine for a few hours then issue came back.

 

About the Linksys, it would honestly be difficult to change the cables since those are the ones that go through the walls between floor 1 and 2.

Those are the ones my ISP technicians left during installation. I honestly don't think it's related since it never gave me any issue until I changed the Archer's mode from Router to Acess Point.

 

 

The problem has happened only once today. 

I thought that maybe having unplugged the TP-Link Switch disconnected would make a difference, but it only made it less frequent. 

It occurred again around 1 hour ago.

 

In some threads with similar errors I noticed that one of the LEDs in the Archer turn orange or turn off, however, in my case all of them remain green. 

  @terziyski 

 

Thanks for the response.

 

I see from the threads that it's happened to multiple people too.

I tried the factory reset yesterday and it was the same, worked fine for a few hours then issue came back.

 

About the Linksys, it would honestly be difficult to change the cables since those are the ones that go through the walls between floor 1 and 2.

Those are the ones my ISP technicians left during installation. I honestly don't think it's related since it never gave me any issue until I changed the Archer's mode from Router to Acess Point.

 

 

The problem has happened only twicetoday. 

I thought that maybe having unplugged the TP-Link Switch disconnected would make a difference, but it only made it less frequent. 

It occurred again around 1 hour ago. And just now that I was writing this reply it happened again. 

 

In some threads with similar errors I noticed that one of the LEDs in the Archer turn orange or turn off, however, in my case all of them remain green. 

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#9
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Re:Archer A6 Access Point mode unstable
2024-03-15 04:25:01 - last edited 2024-03-15 10:46:02

  @henryzusa 

 

I've meant to swap the ports on the linksys switch where WR840 and Archer A6 cables are connected to exclude a potential linksys switch port issue.

Let's hope a new FW release will be released to resolve the following issue - details.

Although that this doesn't seem related to your current issue you can try the Workaround 1 and check if there's any difference.

If this was helpful click once on the arrow pointing upward. If this solves your issue, click once the star to mark it as a "Recommended Solution".
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#10
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