After a nightly router reboot, all Kasa switches/plugs do not consistently reconnect to the router.

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After a nightly router reboot, all Kasa switches/plugs do not consistently reconnect to the router.

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
After a nightly router reboot, all Kasa switches/plugs do not consistently reconnect to the router.
After a nightly router reboot, all Kasa switches/plugs do not consistently reconnect to the router.
2021-01-20 10:19:36

Problem:  My smart switches/plugs (TP-Link Kasa) won’t consistently connect (they only reconnect about half the time) to my Tenda 1200 AC10U router after a scheduled nightly maintenance reboot.  I have found that if I unplug the router for 10 minutes (2 or 3 minutes doesn’t work) and restart the devices, all connect normally and function normally until the next reboot.  When failure to connect occurs, all the smart devices fail to connect.  Currently, I have just disabled the nightly reboot.

 

I am using 32 smart devices – all light switches and plugs and all on the 2.4GHZ band.   I have no video or other high bandwidth devices connected to the 2.4GHZ band.  There is no less than 2 bars of signal strength on my iPhone at the switch locations furthest from the router – even the switches in the same room as the router won’t reconnect.  All other internet connections in my home are either wired or on the 5GHZ band and they do reconnect normally after the reboot - except for an Echo Dot (5GHZ).   I have to manually reset the Echo Dot although the Echo Studio (5GHZ) always reconnects.

 

 I have the 2.4GHZ band on channel 11 and the 5GHZ band on channel 153.  Most router settings are default.  My Tenda firmware version is V15.03.06.49_multi.  All switches and plugs have been updated to the latest firmware.  I do not know if the problem is with the smart switches/plugs or the router and both TP-Link and Tenda support was emailed.  I will update if and when I hear back.  Can anyone offer any advice? 

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

 

 

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Re:After a nightly router reboot, all Kasa switches/plugs do not consistently reconnect to the router.
2021-01-26 15:51:11

@wbob 

 

I would probably try taking half or maybe 10 of the devices and moving them over to the guest 2.4G network (different SSID/password). Reboot the router and see if the devices are then able to connect. 

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Re:After a nightly router reboot, all Kasa switches/plugs do not consistently reconnect to the router.
2021-01-26 17:11:57 - last edited 2021-01-26 17:16:22

@Tony Thanks for the reply!  I have already decided to try your suggestion with a slightly different approach - also by reducing the device load on the processing power of the main router (MR).  I purchased a new TP-Link Archer A5 1200 for under $30.00 and, just yesterday, set it up as a wireless access point (AP) connected to the MR via two power line adapters.  I know that there are people that do not like these adapters, but I have been using them for years and I get bandwidth better than the wireless signal near the router - including enough to watch 8K TV (that's another fantasy).  The wireless AP is using a different SSID, password, and channel (to not overlap on the 2.4 GHZ band) than my MR.  This also has allowed me to identfy 12 smart switches/plugs that have the weakest radio signals and place the AP at a location that will now provide all 32 of my devices with a radio signal no less than -55 db.  Keeping the SSID/Password of the AP different than the MR also ensures that these 12 devices will not "roam" back to the MR.  Note: My home is 3,750 sq. ft. and three floors.  While I have measured the signal strength and determined the best location for the AP, I next need to "reset" the 12 smart switches/plugs with the new SSID/Password.  Besides the 12, there are other smart devices that can move from the MR to the AP and further ease the load on the MR.  I will have to experiment.

 

The added bonus is that I now have a great wireless signal throughout my house including the two areas that were deficient - a home theatre room (because of four rooms [walls] between the theatre room and MR as well as a distance of about 70 feet) and the garage.  A mesh sytem would probably provide better, or at less  more seamless, roaming than the AP.  However, the only roaming I do is with my iPhone and, so far, it seems to change routers with little problem.  Note: The home theatre room was my first successful utilization of power line adapters to the TV via  wired connection and speed tests show only a loss of 1 Mbps compared to the bandwidth I am paying my ISP for. 

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