@mulat 

mulat wrote

Hello

 

I bought Archer AX73 tody, I'm very surprised how DHCP reservation works.

TP-Link's DHCP Reservation block works just like other Vendor's router's I've used (NetGear, ASUS, LinkSys).

DHCP is a 'block' of IP Addresses specifically devoted to specific devices (MAC Address) so they get the SAME IP Address every time. You can assign only a single block of contigeous IP Addresses the this, not 2.

The un-assigned block of IP Addresses are available for the DHCP Server to hand out to other devices as needed.

Please see this FAQ, https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/187/

From that page:

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When you specify a reserved IP address for a PC in the LAN, the PC will always receive the same IP address each time when it connects the DHCP server. If there are some PCs in the LAN require permanent IP addresses, please configure Address Reservation on the router for the purpose.

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mulat wrote

PS. I have workaround but it's quite annoying. Need to change pool for full range 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.254, assign IP and change pool back to 192.168.0.150-192.168.0.200.

Your workaround isn't. You will soon discover you might wind up with COLLISIONS.

Let me explain:

• You assigned PC # 1 to 192.168.0.10
• You assigned PC # 2 to 192.168.0.20

OK, your 'pool' you have set to " 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.254 ".

Guess what, the DHCP server has no more unassigned IP Addresses to give out. So if you booted your LAN system and you had a 3rd device, wired or wireless, that 3rd device will not get an IP Address.

Now since you changed it back to " 192.168.0.150-192.168.0.200 " you effectively wiped out the Reserved List. If it DIDN'T and it did give PC #1 IP address 192.168.0.10, there is a good chance that at some point one of two things will happen:

1. If PC #1 comes on-line AFTER other devices did and got IP Addresses, and assuming that PC would get 191.168.0.10, if another device was already assigned that IP Address (it IS in the DHCP pool to give out), that device that had it will be disconnected from the LAN.
2.  If PC #1 comes on-line BEFORE other device did and got IP Adress 192.168.0.10, eventually if you have enough devices, the DHCP Server will assign that IP Address to another device and knock PC #1 off the LAN.

It might work for you now, it appears the DHCP server on my TP-Link router hands out IP Address in no specific order so a collision may never happen or happen much later.

I'd suggest set the RESERVED POOL to 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.49 and let the DHCP service have address 192.168.0.50 to 192.168.0.253 to hand out.

@IrvSp 

I understand how DHCP works. 50 addresses for dynamic assignment will be fine for my network as most of my devices are statically assigned, amount of free IP's is not a problem.

For me it looks like some bug in frontend which is preventing static assignment if we will chose address outside the pool. Previously I was using ASUS router and it was normal, to assign static IP outside the DHCP range.

As you suggested I should use "RESERVED POOL to 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.49", but I can't use different IP than in "IP Address Pool". Please look at the below screenshot.

192.168.0.222 is outside the DHCP pool and I'm not able to use it.

@mulat 

I can't determine why ASUS works like this, I know my old ASUS RT-N56U required a pool and it had to be in it, as did my other routers. However, it seems ASUS is now using a WRT GUI, and my old RT-N56U is listed as working the way you want (https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1000906/).

Check this link, https://www.coolblue.nl/en/advice/assign-fixed-ip-address-router.html

Lists some vendors, how they handle fixed IP Addresses, and for TP-LINK it is clear (no specific router model listed),

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5. Under the heading 'Address Reservation', you'll find the 'Add' option. Select this. Three input fields will appear. In the first field, enter the MAC address you just wrote down. You can choose the IP address yourself, but it must belong to the IP address pool that you'll find at the top of the page. Enter something in the description that helps identify the device. After filling it out, press 'Save'.

==============

Don't like the way it works, use the forum for suggestions on routers, https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/forum/231

@mulat 

I do not have similar problems.

First, I can COPY using my browser from the list of devices the MAC Address. All I need did is look at the list of existing addresses and copy and paste the MAC Address of the device I want to set a Reserved IP Address for (Archer A20):

No problems at all.

I tried to find the AX73's Emulator and see how you would do it? Seems it is NOT a US available Router, at least it isn't in the Support page for the US. I did find it for sale in Europe though and did locate the Emulator.

In this model, it appears to be even easier? Select show connected devices, select one, and it fills it in.

Emulator @ https://emulator.tp-link.com/Archer_AX73v1_US_simulator/index.html#networkMap

Seems VERY easy to me, set the pool for reserved, click on ADD, then show the list, select the device, it is filled in for you and you set the IP Address and press DONE. No copy and paste required, it does it:

Seems to be a non-US router though, U.K. or Austrailia? I do see this is a fairly recent router, maybe 2, 3 months since release? Maybe the US has released it yet? Emulator is on a US site, but I couldn't find it via search, did reach it on the US site via a sales page for it under Support.

As far as costs go, this is not an expensive router compared to others. The Archer line itself is a 'low cost' line. Check out the cost of the AX11000, https://www.microcenter.com/product/617619/AX11000_Wi-Fi_6_Tri-Band_Gigabit_MU-MIMO_Router (quite possible it might compare in cost in other currancies though to the AX73).