AX1800 RAX10 Router - DHCP drops multiple times a day
Hi folks,
I'm having a strange problem with my LAN and I'm hoping you folks can help. I moved to a new city a month ago and several times a day all the devices on my network lose internet. I can't even reach the router by IP address. Router still shows a green light on the WAN indicator and the Nighthawk app's speed test still shows great results.
A few things to note:
- We're not using wifi (usually wifi is turned off)
- I'm using Spectrum internet and a coax/cable modem that they provided. We've had service techs come out to scan it multiple times. They didn't find any issues even when they scan during the issue.
- After the first time it happened, the service tech told us to replace our router because our old one might have broken during our move. So this router is a brand new one.
- I've tried setting a reserved ip address for some of our connected devices and that doesn't seem to have changed anything.
- I have an ethernet cable tester and have verified that all the wires between my computer and the router plugged in and in good working order.
- I've tried rebooting/factory resetting/disconnecting everything and bringing it all back up one at a time. Problem persists.
But here's the most puzzling part. When the internet goes out like this, I can usually bring it back for every device quickly by plugging my phone into an ethernet adapter connected to one of the network switches. The phone switches over to ethernet and all the devices come back online. When I check the router logs I see that most 3-5 of the 5 devices on the network were all assigned new ip addresses by DHCP when I plugged the phone in.
Re: AX1800 RAX10 Router - DHCP drops multiple times a day
What all is connected to the router?
What is the distance between the router and the ISP Modem?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too? Be sure your using a good quality LAN cable between the modem and router. CAT6 is recommended.
Re: AX1800 RAX10 Router - DHCP drops multiple times a day
Connected to the router:
Router
TP-Link network switch
Windows PC
another TPLink network switch
rasperry pi alarm clock
ethernet-usbc adapter (to plug in my phone)
another tplink network switch
PS5
tp link switch
Mac laptop (via docking station)
(i know its a lot of daisy chaining. I don't own the house so have to make the best of what I have to work with. I've also tried plugging the Mac directly into the router and the problem comes back after a few hours.)
Distance from router to modem: ~10 inches of wire (came with the router to connect the modem). Physical distance between the devices is ~8 inches.
Cables are all 5e or 5e riser. Noyafa cable tester confirms all cables are in working order.
Factory resets were run after leaving router and modem unplugged for 25 hours. After booting up the modem, I waited 10 minutes to make sure it was all ready, then booted the router, factory reset the router, then reconnected devices one at a time.
Traffic meter is off, enabled IPv6 based on a different thread. Will try disabling armor and running the setup wizard
Re: AX1800 RAX10 Router - DHCP drops multiple times a day
Did you have this same daisy chain switch configuration at your last location?
What are the model#s of these switches?
I'd trouble shoot this by taking out all switches or only leave one switch online behind the RAX router. Possible this daisy chain configuration could be causing the problem. Also would recommend changing brand switches to something NG. Anything could happen with other branded switches.
3-6 feet distance between the modem and router is recommended.
Re: AX1800 RAX10 Router - DHCP drops multiple times a day
My last location we were using Verizon fios. Same daisy chaining setup and roughly 6 years without any issues unexpected issues.
Switches 1, 3, & 4 are TL-SG105, Switch 2 is TL-SG108.
I ran the setup wizard and disabled armor. Things seem stable now but if I lose internet again today I'll try plugging directly into the router. Will post an update in a few days. Thanks for the help!
Thats the adapter I was using to connect my phone to ethernet, and I'd plug my phone into it to restore the network. I noticed that the ethernet lights on it were blinking like they were transmitting data even when there was no device plugged in to it. Once I removed it my network stabilized. Tested by plugging it back in, network was down within 20 minutes, came back up within 1 minute of removing it.
(Went through all the other steps of disabling armor, turning off IPv6, factory resets on modem and router, left everything unpowered for 25 hours... Problems persisted until I removed that device.)
Seems that its always transmitting something (though I don't know what) and in my house it will bring down the whole network if its powered with nothing plugged into it.
