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TP-Link TD-W9980 WiFi not working properly
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Chris Green
May 5, 2017, 3:33:03 PM5/5/17
to
I have a new (to me) TP-Link TD-W9980 router connecting to my new
FTTC/VDSL service. It's basically working OK, most of my systems are
wired ethernet either direct to the TD-W9980 or via a switch. I'm
getting around 25Mb/s which is good compared with the 4Mb/s I used to
get with ADSL.
However I can't get the WiFi to work, at all. There's also my old
Draytek Vigor 2820n on the network providing WiFi at the other end of
the house and that works OK. I'm currently using my laptop connected
to the 2820n right across the house.
If I disconnect the laptop from the 2820n and connect instead to the
TD-W9980 it firstly takes a very long time to connect (the spinner
spins for ages) and then, when it's connected, it doesn't work,
there's no routing set up and the client doesn't have an IP address.
The only thing I can think that might be relevant to this is that the
router (neither the 2820n nor the TD-W9980) isn't providing DHCP or
DNS. There's a Raspberry Pi on the LAN running dnsmasq to provide DHCP
and local DNS. Would this 'confuse' the TD-W9980 but not the 2820n?
Does anyone have any idea how to get the WiFi working?
--
Chris Green
·
FTTC/VDSL service. It's basically working OK, most of my systems are
wired ethernet either direct to the TD-W9980 or via a switch. I'm
getting around 25Mb/s which is good compared with the 4Mb/s I used to
get with ADSL.
However I can't get the WiFi to work, at all. There's also my old
Draytek Vigor 2820n on the network providing WiFi at the other end of
the house and that works OK. I'm currently using my laptop connected
to the 2820n right across the house.
If I disconnect the laptop from the 2820n and connect instead to the
TD-W9980 it firstly takes a very long time to connect (the spinner
spins for ages) and then, when it's connected, it doesn't work,
there's no routing set up and the client doesn't have an IP address.
The only thing I can think that might be relevant to this is that the
router (neither the 2820n nor the TD-W9980) isn't providing DHCP or
DNS. There's a Raspberry Pi on the LAN running dnsmasq to provide DHCP
and local DNS. Would this 'confuse' the TD-W9980 but not the 2820n?
Does anyone have any idea how to get the WiFi working?
--
Chris Green
·
Graham J
May 5, 2017, 5:40:33 PM5/5/17
to
that the TP-Link is not providing DHCP or DNS. If you disconnect the
Raspberry Pi and enable DHCP and DNS on the TP-Link does the WiFi then work?
Does the TP-Link show that there are wireless clients connected? Or
perhaps a failure to authenticate? The TP-Link may be incompatible with
Vista or more recent MS operating systems
Routers in general (and the V2920n in particular) can provide DHCP Relay
- does the TP-Link?
Similarly the TP-Link should also provide DNS forwarding. I have noted
that on the Vigor routers they will provide forwarding for connected
clients, but internal facilities (such as DNS for Syslog or Mail Alert)
will use the ISP's DNS server to look up the SMTP server for email
reporting)
--
Graham J
PeeGee
May 6, 2017, 4:53:26 AM5/6/17
to
with setting this up. I sometimes add another access point (not a
router) without problems, though I have different SSIDs set up.
Perhaps a quick check of the MAC filtering/security settings will
trigger something in your mind? ISTR that they can cause a situation
similar to yours (but it was some time ago).
--
PeeGee
"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)
Chris Green
May 6, 2017, 1:48:04 PM5/6/17
to
Graham J <gra...@invalid.com> wrote:
> Chris Green wrote:
> > I have a new (to me) TP-Link TD-W9980 router connecting to my new
> > FTTC/VDSL service. It's basically working OK, most of my systems are
> > wired ethernet either direct to the TD-W9980 or via a switch. I'm
> > getting around 25Mb/s which is good compared with the 4Mb/s I used to
> > get with ADSL.
> >
> > However I can't get the WiFi to work, at all. There's also my old
> > Draytek Vigor 2820n on the network providing WiFi at the other end of
> > the house and that works OK. I'm currently using my laptop connected
> > to the 2820n right across the house.
> >
> > If I disconnect the laptop from the 2820n and connect instead to the
> > TD-W9980 it firstly takes a very long time to connect (the spinner
> > spins for ages) and then, when it's connected, it doesn't work,
> > there's no routing set up and the client doesn't have an IP address.
> >
> > The only thing I can think that might be relevant to this is that the
> > router (neither the 2820n nor the TD-W9980) isn't providing DHCP or
> > DNS. There's a Raspberry Pi on the LAN running dnsmasq to provide DHCP
> > and local DNS. Would this 'confuse' the TD-W9980 but not the 2820n?
> >
> > Does anyone have any idea how to get the WiFi working?
> >
>
> It would not surprise me that the TP-Link WiFi cannot cope with the fact
> that the TP-Link is not providing DHCP or DNS. If you disconnect the
> Raspberry Pi and enable DHCP and DNS on the TP-Link does the WiFi then work?
>
Yes, I fear that this *might* be the problem, an absolute pain in the
> Chris Green wrote:
> > I have a new (to me) TP-Link TD-W9980 router connecting to my new
> > FTTC/VDSL service. It's basically working OK, most of my systems are
> > wired ethernet either direct to the TD-W9980 or via a switch. I'm
> > getting around 25Mb/s which is good compared with the 4Mb/s I used to
> > get with ADSL.
> >
> > However I can't get the WiFi to work, at all. There's also my old
> > Draytek Vigor 2820n on the network providing WiFi at the other end of
> > the house and that works OK. I'm currently using my laptop connected
> > to the 2820n right across the house.
> >
> > If I disconnect the laptop from the 2820n and connect instead to the
> > TD-W9980 it firstly takes a very long time to connect (the spinner
> > spins for ages) and then, when it's connected, it doesn't work,
> > there's no routing set up and the client doesn't have an IP address.
> >
> > The only thing I can think that might be relevant to this is that the
> > router (neither the 2820n nor the TD-W9980) isn't providing DHCP or
> > DNS. There's a Raspberry Pi on the LAN running dnsmasq to provide DHCP
> > and local DNS. Would this 'confuse' the TD-W9980 but not the 2820n?
> >
> > Does anyone have any idea how to get the WiFi working?
> >
>
> It would not surprise me that the TP-Link WiFi cannot cope with the fact
> that the TP-Link is not providing DHCP or DNS. If you disconnect the
> Raspberry Pi and enable DHCP and DNS on the TP-Link does the WiFi then work?
>
proverbials if it is.
> Does the TP-Link show that there are wireless clients connected? Or
> perhaps a failure to authenticate? The TP-Link may be incompatible with
> Vista or more recent MS operating systems
>
the same not working symptoms.
> Routers in general (and the V2920n in particular) can provide DHCP Relay
> - does the TP-Link?
>
> Similarly the TP-Link should also provide DNS forwarding. I have noted
> that on the Vigor routers they will provide forwarding for connected
> clients, but internal facilities (such as DNS for Syslog or Mail Alert)
> will use the ISP's DNS server to look up the SMTP server for email
> reporting)
>
Pi (running dnsmasq). I have a dozen or more systems on my LAN and it
would be a nightmare to maintain named access to them without a
DHCP/DNS server that can handle names for systems.
--
Chris Green
·
Chris Green
May 6, 2017, 1:48:05 PM5/6/17
to
PeeGee <trie...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> On 05/05/17 20:17, Chris Green wrote:
> > I have a new (to me) TP-Link TD-W9980 router connecting to my new
> > FTTC/VDSL service. It's basically working OK, most of my systems are
> > wired ethernet either direct to the TD-W9980 or via a switch. I'm
> > getting around 25Mb/s which is good compared with the 4Mb/s I used to
> > get with ADSL.
> >
> > However I can't get the WiFi to work, at all. There's also my old
> > Draytek Vigor 2820n on the network providing WiFi at the other end of
> > the house and that works OK. I'm currently using my laptop connected
> > to the 2820n right across the house.
> >
> > If I disconnect the laptop from the 2820n and connect instead to the
> > TD-W9980 it firstly takes a very long time to connect (the spinner
> > spins for ages) and then, when it's connected, it doesn't work,
> > there's no routing set up and the client doesn't have an IP address.
> >
> > The only thing I can think that might be relevant to this is that the
> > router (neither the 2820n nor the TD-W9980) isn't providing DHCP or
> > DNS. There's a Raspberry Pi on the LAN running dnsmasq to provide DHCP
> > and local DNS. Would this 'confuse' the TD-W9980 but not the 2820n?
> >
> > Does anyone have any idea how to get the WiFi working?
> >
>
> I have a TD-W9980 and a separate DNS/DHCP system and had no problems
> with setting this up. I sometimes add another access point (not a
> router) without problems, though I have different SSIDs set up.
>
My two routers (the TD-W9980 and the 2820n) have separate SSIDs and so
> On 05/05/17 20:17, Chris Green wrote:
> > I have a new (to me) TP-Link TD-W9980 router connecting to my new
> > FTTC/VDSL service. It's basically working OK, most of my systems are
> > wired ethernet either direct to the TD-W9980 or via a switch. I'm
> > getting around 25Mb/s which is good compared with the 4Mb/s I used to
> > get with ADSL.
> >
> > However I can't get the WiFi to work, at all. There's also my old
> > Draytek Vigor 2820n on the network providing WiFi at the other end of
> > the house and that works OK. I'm currently using my laptop connected
> > to the 2820n right across the house.
> >
> > If I disconnect the laptop from the 2820n and connect instead to the
> > TD-W9980 it firstly takes a very long time to connect (the spinner
> > spins for ages) and then, when it's connected, it doesn't work,
> > there's no routing set up and the client doesn't have an IP address.
> >
> > The only thing I can think that might be relevant to this is that the
> > router (neither the 2820n nor the TD-W9980) isn't providing DHCP or
> > DNS. There's a Raspberry Pi on the LAN running dnsmasq to provide DHCP
> > and local DNS. Would this 'confuse' the TD-W9980 but not the 2820n?
> >
> > Does anyone have any idea how to get the WiFi working?
> >
>
> I have a TD-W9980 and a separate DNS/DHCP system and had no problems
> with setting this up. I sometimes add another access point (not a
> router) without problems, though I have different SSIDs set up.
>
on. What are you using for the DNS/DHCP? Mine is dnsmasq on a
Raspberry Pi.
What settings do you have in your TD-W9980?
I just have DHCP turned to 'disable' and the default IP of
192.168.1.1, everything else is pretty standard. I am using the
firewall and port-forwarding.
> Perhaps a quick check of the MAC filtering/security settings will
> trigger something in your mind? ISTR that they can cause a situation
> similar to yours (but it was some time ago).
>
It acts as if the broadcast request for DHCP from a computer connected
by wireless isn't getting passed on to my DHCP/DNS server by the
TD-W9980. The client sits and tries to get an IP for a while but then
gives up with an authenticated connection but no IP.
--
Chris Green
·
PeeGee
May 7, 2017, 3:32:16 AM5/7/17
to
I don't recall why I didn't use dnsmasq. It draws about 15W idle and
controls automated backups etc as well. All "approved" systems are
issued static addresses (with two "guest" IPs for visitors, but guest
WiFi is off) and I use MAC filtering on the 9980. Nothing else is changed.
The 9980 has DHCP set to disable, but I always change the subnet address.
Graham J
May 7, 2017, 5:46:08 AM5/7/17
to
Chris Green wrote:
[snip]
>
>> Routers in general (and the V2920n in particular) can provide DHCP Relay
>> - does the TP-Link?
>>
> It has a DHCP Relay option to select - what is DHCP Relay?
It relays broadcast DHCP requests from one subnet to another. So not
useful in your case - my mistake.
Why not ignore the TP-Link and use a wireless access point connected by
wire to the LAN?
>
>> Similarly the TP-Link should also provide DNS forwarding.
[snip]
> Yes, but then I lose all my local DNS. This is why I use the Raspberry
> Pi (running dnsmasq). I have a dozen or more systems on my LAN and it
> would be a nightmare to maintain named access to them without a
> DHCP/DNS server that can handle names for systems.
I'm sure that's not right. If you configure your Pi as the target for
the forwarding on the TP-Link, then all requests will be sent directly
to the Pi where they will be resolved as you require. The TP-Link might
still send unresolved requests directly to the ISP's DNS server but that
isn't your problem.
--
Graham J
[snip]
>
>> Routers in general (and the V2920n in particular) can provide DHCP Relay
>> - does the TP-Link?
>>
> It has a DHCP Relay option to select - what is DHCP Relay?
useful in your case - my mistake.
Why not ignore the TP-Link and use a wireless access point connected by
wire to the LAN?
>
>> Similarly the TP-Link should also provide DNS forwarding.
> Yes, but then I lose all my local DNS. This is why I use the Raspberry
> Pi (running dnsmasq). I have a dozen or more systems on my LAN and it
> would be a nightmare to maintain named access to them without a
> DHCP/DNS server that can handle names for systems.
the forwarding on the TP-Link, then all requests will be sent directly
to the Pi where they will be resolved as you require. The TP-Link might
still send unresolved requests directly to the ISP's DNS server but that
isn't your problem.
--
Graham J
Chris Green
May 7, 2017, 5:48:05 AM5/7/17
to
PeeGee <trie...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > It acts as if the broadcast request for DHCP from a computer connected
> > by wireless isn't getting passed on to my DHCP/DNS server by the
> > TD-W9980. The client sits and tries to get an IP for a while but then
> > gives up with an authenticated connection but no IP.
> >
>
> I have an Acer Revo 70 running Mint 17 with bind9 and isc-dhcp-server -
> I don't recall why I didn't use dnsmasq. It draws about 15W idle and
> controls automated backups etc as well. All "approved" systems are
> issued static addresses (with two "guest" IPs for visitors, but guest
> WiFi is off) and I use MAC filtering on the 9980. Nothing else is changed.
>
> The 9980 has DHCP set to disable, but I always change the subnet address.
>
I'm using the default 192.168.1.x but I can't see how that would
> > It acts as if the broadcast request for DHCP from a computer connected
> > by wireless isn't getting passed on to my DHCP/DNS server by the
> > TD-W9980. The client sits and tries to get an IP for a while but then
> > gives up with an authenticated connection but no IP.
> >
>
> I have an Acer Revo 70 running Mint 17 with bind9 and isc-dhcp-server -
> I don't recall why I didn't use dnsmasq. It draws about 15W idle and
> controls automated backups etc as well. All "approved" systems are
> issued static addresses (with two "guest" IPs for visitors, but guest
> WiFi is off) and I use MAC filtering on the 9980. Nothing else is changed.
>
> The 9980 has DHCP set to disable, but I always change the subnet address.
>
affect things (we're very rural so I'm not *too* paranoid about
security). Do the "approved" systems connect via WiFi and how are the
'static' addresses assigned? I.e. do they really have static
addresses configured in them or are they assigned by the DHCP server
using the MAC address? I'm just expecting all WiFi connected systems
to get whatever IP the DHCP server gives them.
It sounds like it *should* work and that some change in configuration
may kick it into action, I'll keep playing.
--
Chris Green
·
PeeGee
May 8, 2017, 5:05:22 AM5/8/17
to
and wireless. I also group the address into categories, because it
provides a quick check on data passing through the router by category
... and I can!
Chris Green
May 8, 2017, 7:16:04 AM5/8/17
to
was preventing DHCP requests getting to (or replies getting from) the
DHCP server.
After some mucking about with the firewall settings I have got it to
work. Firewall 'on', default to 'allow everything', add the specific
'allowed' ports and IPs that I want and have a final rule to block
everything else incoming. Now the WiFi clients can get their IPs.
--
Chris Green
·
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