4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection

4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection

4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection
4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection
3 weeks ago - last edited 3 weeks ago
Model: TL-MR6400  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version:

Hello,

 

I have a TL-MR6400 WIFI router and have been successfully using it with an unlimited Smarty sim that provided me with 3g connectivity for at least 2 years, almost faultlessly. 

 

Connected wirelessly to the router are;

1 x Samsung Galaxy S20+ (3/4/5g & Volte compatible) on Lebara sim.

1 x Samsung S3 (might not be 4g/volte compatible) on Lebara sim.

1 × Sony smart TV

1 x Google Chrome

1 x Dell  XPS 15 7590 Windows 11 Pro laptop

 

Connected to the router wired are;

1 x Qnapp NAS storage

1 x Reolink CCTV camera

 

All the above were connecting perfectly to the 3g network via the router until a few days ago. Then Smarty/Three upgraded to 4g and all went to pot!

 

Initially I could connect for long periods of time (ONLY) on my laptop so as an emergency measure, I set up my laptop as a hotspot.

 

In the meantime, Smarty have been no help whatsoever and despite me providing loads of info all they could keep repeating was that there were lots of people currently connected to one mast so it was 'congestion'. They couldn't even give me a date, even approximate, as to when that would be resolved.

 

Now, I can connect via my laptop but the connection drops out after less than an hour and only a hard reset of the router will enable me to reconnect. 

 

I've searched and tried many 'fixes' but none are quite relevant to my specific problem. I've tried so many I can't remember what I've done now. 

 

The timing of it along with things I've read point to it being a Smarty issue but before I start looking for another provider I thought it best to check I don't have an issue with my router first. I'm inclined to think not as I'm still getting a connection on my Windows laptop but, really, I don't know. We did have a very bad electrical storm that knocked our power out with a bang for several hours, but that was approx 3 weeks ago now and it all came back on without problem when the power was restored. So could anyone please help me with this? I'm relatively proficient with all the above devices but admit to being a little overwhelmed in this case. 

 

Thanks for reading

 

Minskin

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#1
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Re:4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection
3 weeks ago

  @Minskin 

Hi,

 

Based on the timing of the issue you provided, it is possible that the problem was caused by the SIM upgrade.

You mentioned that you found related information, is it all about Smarty SIM card and TP-Link router?

 

If you want to test whether the router is functioning properly, I suggest using a different SIM card inserted into the router for testing.

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#2
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Re:4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection
3 weeks ago - last edited 3 weeks ago

Thank you @Sunshine 

 

I had tried reseating the Smarty sim in the rounter before but hadn't actually tried swapping it as I didn't have any data left on my phone sim. It renewed yesterday so I just tried it.

 

I noticed that before I did that while the Smarty sim was still in, the router reported that no sim was recognised. I swapped it for my Lebara (Vodafone) sim and it recognised it immediately. (Having said that, a restart of the router does allow the Smarty sim to be recognised again, albeit only for 10-20 mins.)

 

So, with the Lebara sim now working in the router, I can connect to the internet again with my Wndows laptop but I STILL can't get a wifi connection on my Samsung S20+ phone. (not trid any other devices yet)

 

That is the same problem I have been experiencing all along with the Smarty sim. The only difference being that the Smarty sim becomes 'unrecognisable' in the router. Only time will tell if the Lebara sim does the same thing.

 

I had read about Smarty purposefully dropping the connection due to incompatibility with several devices (mostly phones) that they would not be working on to allo a connection. It wasn't necessariy TP-Link routers.

 

 

Does that help at all?

 

I'm so confused!

 

Minskin

 

 

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#3
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Re:4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection
3 weeks ago

Hi  @Minskin ,

Thanks for your update. It's useful.

 

If it cannot work as well on the smart phone, please first contact Smarty SIM support for further help. 

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: 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 BE550 New Software Enhances System Stability and Optimizes MLO Network Stability. TL-WA3001 Supports EasyMesh, Speed Limit, Guest Network in AP Mode and/or Multi-SSID Mode. If you found the post or response helpful, please click Helpful. If an answer solves your problem, click "Recommended Solution" so that others can benefit from it.
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Re:4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection
a week ago

  @Sunshine 

 

Hi, thanks and apologies for the update.

 

I had already contacted Smarty before coming here, when these problems began and they are completely useless only repeating that it's "congestion" at the mast and that they can't give a date when it will be resolved. I'll be honest, I don't understand how my Windows laptop can connect consistently to the internet via the Smarty sim in the router and yet no other device can connect at all, some not even showing on the local network. Is it possible that the router is faulty, possibly damaged by the lightening and power outage? If so, is there a way to produce a n error log or to test it?

 

I say this as I also have another issue that I'd not got round to investigating beacuse of the connection issues. I have a Reolink CCTV camera connected to the network via a PoE switch. The camera appears to be functioning properly as it tracks and the floodlight comes on appropriately but I cannot get it to show on the network and therefore cannot control it via the app. I have tested it extensively; reformatting the on board memory card, swapping all cables including doing away with the PoE switch and plugging directly into the mains usng the original supplied cable but still it doesn't show.

 

I also have a NAS on the network and that shows up   just fine and I can control it via its app.

My Sony smart TV, 2 x Samsung phones and a Google Chrome do not show up either.

 

Do you have any suggestions where I should go from here?

 

Many thanks, Minskin

 

 

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#5
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Re:4g Smarty Ugrade Ruined My Internet Connection
Monday - last edited Monday

In addition to the above, I have some more odd symptoms.

 

My Reolink CCTV camera is attached by PoE LAN to the router. It shows up in the DHCP client list (when it's the only device connected via LAN) and appears to function correctly (the camera head tracks movement and the floodlight comes on appropriately) but it is not accessible via either the pc or mobile app. Very occasionally it does connect but it only lasts a minute or so then each subsequent attempt last less and less time until it doesn't connect at all.

 

I've noticed that the router appears to only allow 1 x LAN and 1 x WIFI connection at a time. It always defaults to my NAS connected via LAN and my laptop connected via WIFI, despite there being 2 x LAN devices attached and 3 WIFI devices attempting to connect at all times.

 

I'd really appreciate some help with this if there's anyone able to help? i work from home and it's really starting to cause me issues.

 

Many thanks, Minskin

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