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Solution Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server

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Solution Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server

SolutionPowerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-05-26 03:51:38 - last edited 2022-10-31 01:03:39
Tags: #Highlighted Thread #Official
Model: TL-WPA8630P KIT  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version:

This Article Applies to: 

TL-WPA7510, TL-WPA9610, TL-WPA8730/8630(P) V2, WPA4220 V3, etc.

 

Problem Description/ Phenomenon:

What is Smart DHCP, and How does Smart DHCP work? Visit TP-Link Smart DHCP Makes Network Configuration Simple.

Some users may find that after the power outage or router’s rebooting, even after router’s internet is back and up running, client devices still get IP address from powerline extender, and cannot connect to the internet.

Note: if router loses internet and then goes back afterwards, powerline extender will do a scan automatically, if it detects another DHCP Server is running, it will disable its own automatically (when powerline units remain paired), and the devices will get IP address from main router then access the internet through that.

 

Troubleshooting Suggestions:

1. Double check if the main router’s internet is actually back ON and working fine.

To confirm this, wire a computer or laptop to another LAN port of the router using an Ethernet cable, leave the main powerline adapter connected to the LAN port of the router as well, check if you can access the internet successfully on the computer or laptop. If yes, that means the router's DHCP server is up and running; If not, you will need to check what's wrong with the router after the reboot or power outage.

2. Make sure the powerline adapter and extender are still paired (house LEDs are ON), show us the IP address on the clients devices. Compare that when the internet is good and when it is not.

How to check the IP address on a computer: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/669/.


If your model is not listed or the issue persists,  please report back with the information below to help locate the issue. 

Or send a support email to TP-Link technical support with title ‘[Forum ID 265692] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server’ to get further assistance: 

1. How did you find out powerline device's DHCP server does not work properly? Did you often reboot main router or is there often power outage in your house?

2. Does router’s internet work fine at that moment?

3. LED status on both powerline units.

4. Brand and Model of router, the network topology, for example:

ISP modem --- Router Archer C7 --- PA8010 .... <powerline> ...WPA8630P --- Asus laptop model X.

5. Model & OS of devices that connected to wireless powerline unit.

6. Model number & firmware and hardware version of your powerline KIT, update the firmware if it is not the latest version:

How to update the firmware of the powerline adapter using the tpPLC Utility: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1091/

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#1
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1 Accepted Solution
Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server-Solution
2021-07-28 01:57:32 - last edited 2022-08-22 11:24:24

2022/08update

added more models that released official firmware 

  

Official firmware that Newly added DHCP server configuration function in firmware released around May- July in 2022.

You can turn off DHCP OFF with the official firmware below 

TL-WPA8631P_V3 

TL-WPA8630P_V2

TL-WPA8630P_V2.1 (V2.1 and V2 are different)
TL-WPA4220_V4  

TL-WPA8635P_V3_FR

TL-WPA8630_V2 (EU/UK)

TL-WPA4220_V5

TL-WPA7510 V2 (US)
TL-WPA7517_V1

TL-WPA7617_V1

 

Some new models or new version PLC will have DHCP OFF optional  in initial design, refer to device UG for more details.

 

Note: How to find the hardware version or country version on a TP-Link device?

Verify the country version EU/US/UK etc. and hardware version of your powerline extender as per the device sticker first,then download and install the official firmware

 

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2021/8/12: Old Beta

Here are the beta firmware to disable the Smart DHCP by setting up a static IP, please update and install it on your powerline extender if you experience an issue and require to disable the Smart DHCP, report back if it helps, which will help with the future design. If your model is not listed or the issue persists, please help confirm the detailed information requested above.

 

Beta Note:  please avoid powering off or unplug PLC while testing this beta firmware (after setting up static IP ),  or DHCP may start again

TL-WPA4220_V3,  TL-WPA7510_V2

EU version:

TL-WPA4220_V3: https://static.tp-link.com/2020/202012/20201224/Tl-WPA4220_V3(EU).zip

TL-WPA7510_V2: https://static.tp-link.com/2020/202012/20201224/TL-WPA7510_V2.zip

US version:

TL-WPA4220_V3: https://static.tp-link.com/beta/2021/202101/20210104/TL-WPA4220V3_beta.zip

 

Note: Verify the country code and hardware version of your powerline exender as per the device sticker first, then download and install the correct file.

 

After updating the beta firmware, please refer to the following suggestion to set up static IP address:

1. Manually configure the IP address on the powerline extender so you can login web page using the IP address after DHCP is OFF.

Connect to the powerline extender wirelessly. Visit http://tplinkplc.net, and log in with the username and password you set for the extender. Go to Device Settings > LAN Settings and choose static IP address.

2. Turn DHCP Server OFF (make sure your device that has updated to the latest official firmware)

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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-03 08:41:56

@Solla-topee I appreciate the explanation - it would have been great if this was documented sooner, as many people have fallen foul of this "feature".

 

As it stands, Smart DHCP is not reliable. It seems the PowerLine devices boot up and determine whether Smart DHCP should be on faster than TP-Link and other routers can start their own DHCP server and respond to requests, resulting in the PowerLine devices assigning incorrect network configuration to network clients after a power failure. Also, with multiple PowerLine devices on the network, this is further complicated.

 

It is no good having the Smart DHCP disabled after it has already assigned addresses to clients! They will not request connections again until restarted it manually told to.

 

If the Powerline adapter has a fixed IP address assigned, it would be better if the Smart DHCP function was disabled - the device could then be reached using the fixed IP address. Or allow users to disable this feature.

 

And maybe have a longer time to detect whether there is a DHCP server present on the network before enabling Smart DHCP.

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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-04 08:57:56

@dunxd 

 

Hello, thanks for your detailed explanation. If this Smart DHCP does cause issues, we hope you could help provide the information we asked here which will help the engineers to locate the issue faster.

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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-04 14:27:47
> If the Powerline adapter has a fixed IP address assigned, it would be better if the Smart DHCP function was disabled - the device could then be reached using the fixed IP address. Or allow users to disable this feature. We also need to be able to disable the Smart DHCP function, since it can cause only problems on networks which already have services such as DHCP.
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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-08 09:06:07 - last edited 2021-06-08 09:16:40

@AdamP Good day, 

If you are assigning IP address for power line extender, this does not conflict with smart dhcp, as when router is assigning ip address, smart dhcp should be off, and users could use the ‘assigned ip’ to login web page. 

The design of smart dhcp makes the Web login easier to some extent,  as some users may not know how to set up IP reservation on main router for the power line extender, or in more complicated way,  setting up a static IP on computer first then manually change the IP address of plc to the same subnet as router. 

We appreciated your feedback about the option to turn that off, we will record your suggestion for our team further evaluation. So far our team is trying to optimize this feature, if the smart DHCP is causing any trouble in the actual usage, please kindly provide the information as above to help us locate the issue, that will help expedite the process of the optimization. 

Thank you again for your feedback. 

 

 

 

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#5
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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-08 16:57:46
Perhaps the delay could be increased. If a WiFi router is restarted, it can take some minutes before it begins serving DHCP requests again. Either way, if a user has the option to disable the Smart DHCP feature, then your devices can continue to offer this as a feature to improve set-up experience, but within a managed network it can be disabled.
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#6
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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-08 23:23:15

@Solla-topee 

The main problem with that feature is that it exacerbates existing network problems. It makes no sense to activate a DHCP server the exact moment when the main router loses connection for a second. It only makes the disconnect worse, as now I have to wait several minutes until the powerline extender decides it can stop giving every device in the network useless IPs. If I really wanted to configure it just after the router malfunctions, I could afford to wait several minutes before the DHCP server starts. Perhaps giving it some delay could be the best solution here.

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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-11 06:33:30

@Gantolandon Good day, thank you for your advice on the DHCP design. 

PLC DHCP lease time is 120 secs, that means when main router's DHCP is up and running, devices like laptops & cell phone will use the IP obtained from the 'smart dhcp'  for no more than 120 secs before obtaining a new IP address from main router's DHCP server. Most of the time obtaining a new IP address from router is within 1-2 mins.

You may reboot main router for a test and check how long it will take to regain IP address from router directly? Through plc, if router is rebooted, how long devices could get the IP address assigned from main router? 

If devices take much longer time to regain Inte though plc, we'd like to have a specialist to follow up your case, please help provide the information above if possible. 

Thank you in advance. 

 

 

 

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#8
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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-17 11:07:03

@Solla-topee

Restarting the router took less than 2 minutes and didn't cause Smart DHCP to turn on. I'm at loss, because it appears to be turning on at random moments (the router is always working when that happens) and when it does, it takes it definitely more than 2 minutes to turn off. Once I waited for 5 minutes, before getting annoyed and restarting the device.

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#9
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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-18 09:21:43 - last edited 2021-06-18 09:39:54

@Gantolandon  Hello,  may I know the model and hardware version on the back of your powerline KIT? 

To locate and fix the problem, we would like to have a specialist looking into further via email with forum ID 265692. Please check your mailbox, thanks!

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#10
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Re:[Troubleshooting] Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server
2021-06-18 13:31:53

@Solla-topee 

 

The reply is in my e-mail, but just to be sure, I'll also put it here.

 

Hardware: TL-WPA8631P v3.0
Software: 3.0.0 Build 20200927 Rel.61199
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