[SOLVED] Problems with several TPLINK TL-WR941ND

[GuilleX]

Hi guys,

This problem is driving me MAD. Recently one of my clients bought 3 brand new TPLINK TL-WR941ND with 3 antennas. Configuration went smoothly and everything seemed to work just fine... but...

The day after they started to show some stupid behaviour. Windows sees the network, but when it tries to connect to it it just says it can't do it and prompts me with troubleshoot. If i - by the hand of some god - can access the network, it works for like 2 minutes and then the client just disconnects himself and shows a red cross where the wifi signal strength should be.

I configured pretty much nothing of these routers, just the SSID and Security and maybe some other things.

What in all the hells is happening?

 

[JustInspired]

So three routers. All exhibit the same issues.
Are these all in the same location? Are they being used as wireless access points (I.E. no routing)?
Do all wifi devices have issues connecting to them?
Have you checked for firmware updates?

We use a lot of TPLink routers as WAPs but always with DD-WRT firmware.

 

[Theo]

I had an issue like this with a TPLINK network adapter the next day and it turns out there was a more updated driver on their web site that fixed the issue.

 

[4ycr]

When you say maybe some other things?
Did you set static IP's for at least two of these so they don't conflict?
Did you disable DHCP on at least two of these?
How are they connected? If connecting using WIFI did you change the channel and spread them out to stop interference?

I need more info on how these are connected and set up

 

[GuilleX]

So three routers. All exhibit the same issues.
Are these all in the same location? Are they being used as wireless access points (I.E. no routing)?
Do all wifi devices have issues connecting to them?
Have you checked for firmware updates?

We use a lot of TPLink routers as WAPs but always with DD-WRT firmware.

Not all in the same location, two share a switch and a modem, the other one is in another network entirely. They all are provide dhcp to their clients and get IP over wan from a dhcp.
Yes all of them have the same issues.
No, I haven't checked the firmware, I will.

Should I seriously consider dd-wrt? I'm kind of a newbie but I know my way around.

 

[GuilleX]

When you say maybe some other things?
Did you set static IP's for at least two of these so they don't conflict?
Did you disable DHCP on at least two of these?
How are they connected? If connecting using WIFI did you change the channel and spread them out to stop interference?

I need more info on how these are connected and set up

UPnP deactivated as far I could remember.
They get dinamic IP on wan, and serve dhcp to their own separated LANs.
They don't share the same space, but I still separated all channels.

I will try to reset them and use them as default as I can, and check the firmware too.

Thanks

 

[GuilleX]

Still having problems. Did a reset to the routers and we are still having the same issue. The only configuration i did was:

- Changed the hostname
- Changed the SSID and wireless type (B/G, not N)
- Changed the WEP2/AES key
- Changed the time zone (i live in Argentina)
- Changed the Region (sames as above)
- Changed the default user and password

The client notebook (W7 Pro) sometimes shows the network with the signal, and sometime just shows a red cross where the signal should be. Other notebooks do the same thing.

This is driving me nuts.

 

[techyguy717]

I have encountered many of these EXACT models that overheat or just clunk out every few days.

Did you check for updated firmware?

FIXES 90% of the time.
1) Make sure they are not sitting in enclosed area or located around another heat source.
2) Use cheap $5 Power Timer to turn off routers for 1 hour, in very early morning, before work.

 

[GuilleX]

I have encountered many of these EXACT models that overheat or just clunk out every few days.

Did you check for updated firmware?

FIXES 90% of the time.
1) Make sure they are not sitting in enclosed area or located around another heat source.
2) Use cheap $5 Power Timer to turn off routers for 1 hour, in very early morning, before work.

You won't believe this. Router is "Ver 5.1", tp-link homepage doesn't have firmware updates for 5.1, just for 5. For what i've googled, the aren't the same chipset.

I'm thinking maybe i should install DD-WRT and see where it goes.

Heres the link: http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr941nd

 

[GuilleX]

Hi!

Ended up upgrading the firmware to Open-WRT, DD-WRT doesn't support the chipset. To make sure i don't brick the thing i had to disassemble it, but everything went smoothly and i learned a lot.

I - somewhat - documented the procedure in here (link in spanish): http://babysysadmin.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/mi-odisea-con-los-tp-link-tl-wr941nd-v5-1/

Thank you all for your help and suggestions

 

[Markverhyden]

1. Has the problem been solved?

2. How are the computers connecting? Is this only a wireless issue?

3. Did the sites previously have working wireless connections?

4. Have you done a scan with something like inSSIDer? I've had sites where there were too many different AP's broadcasting on the same channel which caused problems. http://www.metageek.net/docs/wireless-networking-tools/

5. Have you looked at what the router and computer logs report?

 

[GuilleX]

1. Has the problem been solved?

2. How are the computers connecting? Is this only a wireless issue?

3. Did the sites previously have working wireless connections?

4. Have you done a scan with something like inSSIDer? I've had sites where there were too many different AP's broadcasting on the same channel which caused problems. http://www.metageek.net/docs/wireless-networking-tools/

5. Have you looked at what the router and computer logs report?

1 - So far so good, we've entered on vacations so not many people will be using the routers for about 2 weeks.

2 - Only wireless

3 - Yes. Kind of. They had even worse routers before, bounded to hang up. You know the drill...

4 - I'v done a scan with WiFi Analyzer (for Android). Moved them out of conflicting channels but the previous problem persisted.

5 - No i haven't. Where i could find these kind of logs? Computers are Windows 7 and router had the original firmware installed.

I solved the problem by installing Open-WRT as i stated in the previous post, but i still have one of the three routers with the stock firmware so maybe we could do some debugging, i just don't know where or what to look for.

 

[Markverhyden]

1 - So far so good, we've entered on vacations so not many people will be using the routers for about 2 weeks.

2 - Only wireless

3 - Yes. Kind of. They had even worse routers before, bounded to hang up. You know the drill...

4 - I'v done a scan with WiFi Analyzer (for Android). Moved them out of conflicting channels but the previous problem persisted.

5 - No i haven't. Where i could find these kind of logs? Computers are Windows 7 and router had the original firmware installed.

I solved the problem by installing Open-WRT as i stated in the previous post, but i still have one of the three routers with the stock firmware so maybe we could do some debugging, i just don't know where or what to look for.

Also forgot to ask. Did you try to get some help from TPLink?

As far as the logs. Not sure about what TPLink does for logging. But it's been my experience that many retail level routers have very poor logging facilities. As far as OS logs. Check the link below for more information.

http://superuser.com/questions/334483/where-are-windows-7-wireless-connection-event-logs