Trouble switching mobile device between two access points (TD-W8960N)

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Trouble switching mobile device between two access points (TD-W8960N)

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Trouble switching mobile device between two access points (TD-W8960N)
Trouble switching mobile device between two access points (TD-W8960N)
2020-04-10 07:57:54 - last edited 2020-04-10 08:03:21
Model: TD-W8961N  
Hardware Version: V7
Firmware Version: 1.1.0 Build 171106 Rel.72267

Hello,

 

In order to extend my WIFI coverage I have recently added a new Access Point to my installation.

 

As I had a spare TD-W8960N I decided to use it for this only purpose (I followed the guidelines of the page https://www.tp-link.com/it/support/faq/417/), gave him a static IP Address and disabled both IPv4 and IPv6 DHCP servers on it.

 

My network set-up is the following:

 

[Main Router] //TP-Link TL-R480T+ 
192.168.10.1
  |       
  ├── /* Ethernet devices */
  ├── Wireless Access Point #1 - 192.168.10.15 - SSID1 //TP-Link TL-WA901ND
  └── Wireless Access Point #2 - 192.168.10.10 - SSID2 //TP-Link TD-W8960N  <- New AP 
        |       
        └── /* Some devices connected with Ethernet cables - working fine */

 

Main Router is the one and only DHCP server, giving IP addresses between 192.168.10.20 and 192.168.10.200.

 

Everything seems to work fine except when one mobile device, connected to SSID1, tries to connect to SSID2.

Then strange things start to happens :

  • sometimes it works perfectly, the network changes and my mobile device can access internet
  • sometimes it works, but obtaining the address can take a couple minutes
  • sometimes it fails, my phone showing a "Failed to obtain IP Address" message, if it fails several times in a row, switching off and on the TD-W8960N seems to fix the problem

 

Also it's important to notice that when coming from SSID2 to SSID1 (managed by TL-WA901ND) it always works fine. 

 

What I have tried so far:

  • I have updated the main router DHCP configuration to give a static IP to the mobile device. This way it seems to never fail but most of the time it takes a couple minutes to obtain the IP address (which btw stays the same). 
  • I have updated my phone configuration to use a random MAC address when connecting to SSID2. This way it always work perfectly and I obtain an IP extremly fast, but I have the feeling that this not a clean solution.

 

My feeling is that there is somehow a problem in the way the TD-W8960N  handle the DHCP configuration coming from the main router but I can't find what has to be done to set it up correctly. 

 

Any clues will help.

 

Thanks

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Re:Trouble switching mobile device between two access points (TD-W8960N)
2020-04-10 16:17:12

@Davz 

 

What is the model of the phone and software version?

 

If you were to forget the network then connect over does it still happen? For example, connecting to the new AP, forget in the Wi-Fi settings the 901, now connect over, and vice versa, forget the new AP, then connect over. Mainly looking to see if having saved networks could be causing it.

 

Are you seeing this on other wireless devices to?

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#2
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Re:Trouble switching mobile device between two access points (TD-W8960N)
2020-04-11 11:00:52

@Tony 

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I did forget the twos WIFI Networks but it did'nt change the behaviour :

  • I tried to connect to SSID2, type in wifi password, it took a couple of minutes and I recovered my IP (the static one defined on the main router)
  • I tired to connect to SSID1, type in wifi password, it took only a few seconds and I recovered my IP (the static one defined on the main router)

 

I have exactly the same behaviour using the following devices :

  • Xiami Mi 9 phone / Android 10, main phone on which I do the tests. On this one I am able to use a random MAC Address when connecting on SSID2, when I do so I recover an IP a few seconds 
  • Samsung Galaxy A6+ / Android 9, same problem, haven't found how to use a random MAC address so could not test the workaround
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab A 2016 / Android 8.1, same problem
  • Ipad Pro / IoS 13.3.1 , same problem

 

 

 

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