Wifi Connectivity Issues

Hey folks

I am looking for an in depth WiFi lesson here.

For about 4 years we had an old Linksys Wireless G 802.11G Wifi router. It was purchased used for 20 bucks. It works real well and we could connect very easily. The problem is we are needing to connect to the wifi from about 150' away and this router wasn't up to snuff. It also wouldn't handle being outside. Manual said it could handle 0*C....

Anyways we now have a TP Link AP 110 router which is rated for 200 Meters and uses PoE for its power. it is a router rated for being outside in all weather. Nice little compact unit. Its 802.11 B/G/N

The problem is I am having connection issues. It appears no one can connect until one person can connect. So once on person gets onto the wifi. Than everyone else can connect. So i can see the router and can see all of the info for it from my WIFI tab on my Macbook air. The problem is i just cannot log into it. It seems to take about 10-15 minutes for me to connect to it. I run wireless diagnostics on my computer and it still cannot connect. Currently it is setup with no security settings and no password. I live about a 5 minute walk from anybody. No worries of the neighbours peaking in... It would be pretty funny seeing them lurking in the forest trying to get a signal.


Anyways I reset my DHCP lease. I also try to forget the network. This seems to help sometimes. The problem is that this is an ongoing issue. Every night we shut off all of the power( Off grid) And in the morning when we try to connect again. The signal shows up but we cannot connect. We are within 20' of the router.

With my old router it took me 10 seconds to get onto the wifi network.....



I have tried channel 1,11. I am now going to try channel 6. I have now manually entered my IpV4 and set my IPv6 to Link Local only. Maybe this will help. I haven't tested this yet.




Anyone feel like helping me out? Anyone have any advice? My only other 2.4GHz signal is our wireless phone(landline) so fairly low interference.

Geez, I'm a more than a little bit worried. No security settings and no passwords? Is that for downstream connections or is it for your administrator functions for the router?

My understanding is that the home router is the sitting duck of the Internet. Easy prey for anyone on the planet, for whatever purposes they desire.

Pardon me if I have misunderstood.

Have you considered placing a second access point where you actually want to use the internet and running a cable to it?
Wifi signals are unpredictable and the results will vary with every parameter that changes... Device connecting, orientation, location, weather, foliage, ...

Few questions, then a couple ideas:

* I wasn't able to find the "TP Link AP 110 router" specifically.  Is this the new equipment that you have? https://www.tp-link.com/us/business-networking/omada-sdn-access-point/eap110-outdoor/
* What's your ISP?  Cable, DSL, fiber?
* What's your full setup? ISP modem => Old Linksys => EAP110?

* Hypothesis 1: IP assignment between the ISP and the EAP110.  You're connecting your modem directly to the EAP.  The EAP isn't a router itself, but an Access Point.  It does try to get an IP assigned from the modem, but doesn't work well.  I would put the old router between the modem and the EAP110 and see what happens.
* Hypothesis 2: Power issues.  Looking at the [documentation](https://static.tp-link.com/upload/manual/2022/202203/20220307/1910013169-EAP110_UG.pdf), when running on PoE, you need to run the EAP110 off of a PoE switch.  I'm guessing while the EAP does get some power from what it is currently hooked into, it isn't enough for stable operation.  Try connecting the EAP110 to a stable power source and see what happens.

Jim Spaulding wrote:Few questions, then a couple ideas:

* I wasn't able to find the "TP Link AP 110 router" specifically.  Is this the new equipment that you have? https://www.tp-link.com/us/business-networking/omada-sdn-access-point/eap110-outdoor/
* What's your ISP?  Cable, DSL, fiber?
* What's your full setup? ISP modem => Old Linksys => EAP110?

* Hypothesis 1: IP assignment between the ISP and the EAP110.  You're connecting your modem directly to the EAP.  The EAP isn't a router itself, but an Access Point.  It does try to get an IP assigned from the modem, but doesn't work well.  I would put the old router between the modem and the EAP110 and see what happens.
* Hypothesis 2: Power issues.  Looking at the [documentation](https://static.tp-link.com/upload/manual/2022/202203/20220307/1910013169-EAP110_UG.pdf), when running on PoE, you need to run the EAP110 off of a PoE switch.  I'm guessing while the EAP does get some power from what it is currently hooked into, it isn't enough for stable operation.  Try connecting the EAP110 to a stable power source and see what happens.

Yes that is the device. Eap110.

We have satellite internet (Xplornet)

Set up right now is ISP modem  - PoE injector - EAP 110.

The TP EAP110 setup comes with a PoE. It powers on just fine. This morning i was able to connect after getting rid of all of my saved Wifi Networks. I also reset the DHCP Lease Again.

I am wondering if i need to contact my ISP and see if they can send a different signal to my Access point.

Have you considered placing a second access point where you actually want to use the internet and running a cable to it?
Wifi signals are unpredictable and the results will vary with every parameter that changes... Device connecting, orientation, location, weather, foliage,  

I really wish this was an option. most of the cable run would be right through the driveway. All areas which would require digging up the compacted gravel.

The problem is once I am connected the wifi works fine. I just cannot connect to it instantly like the old router.

Geez, I'm a more than a little bit worried. No security settings and no passwords? Is that for downstream connections or is it for your administrator functions for the router?

My understanding is that the home router is the sitting duck of the Internet. Easy prey for anyone on the planet, for whatever purposes they desire.

Pardon me if I have misunderstood.

The router it self has a password. The wifi signal does not currently have one. Not until i can connect easily. As i do not want the security settings/password requirements getting in the way.

Ah! Got it.

Have you logged into the router as Administrator and updated the firmware? A lot of routers ship with buggy, half-finished operating software that causes glitches.

It sounds like you have an ADOA (almost dead on arrival) device. I do this sort of things for a living. My first guess is that the device is bad.

However, you can do some troubleshooting to try to confirm.

First, if you can, make sure you try multiple devices for each piece... to rule out a laptop or phone that might have a compatibility problem or being having issues itself.

Second... you can figure out if the length of time is caused by the DHCP server or the device itself. You mentioned trying to put in a static IP address (use IPV4... no need for IPV6 on a home network, and it makes it more complicated anyway). If you put in the static IP address, and it still takes forever to connect, then we are back to a bad device. They shouldn't take that long to connect. If it connects quickly, then the problem is probably with the DHCP server.

If I read you correctly, you currently do not have the old router plugged in at all? That is good. If it was still plugged in, but in the wrong place, there could be two DHCP servers trying to do their thing, and that can cause all sorts of delays and problems. I don't have as much experience with satellite Internet, but I've not been impressed with most of the default devices that come with ISP's. It could be having problems getting an IP address to that device when it is shut down every night. A lot of devices like this don't like being shut off and turned back on all the time. I know in an off-grid situation, you don't always have an option. Also, keep in mind, all electronics are very sensitive. While a lot of solar I have seen, has the right equipment to produce decent electricity for electronics, generators do not.

Try Hypothesis 1 from Jim. I think it would be really telling to confirm if the problem is a DHCP problem.

Lastly, after you do get connected... try turning your laptop/phone off, and then on again. See how fast it connects back after things were already up and running. Then try shutting the access point off and back on again and see how fast things connect again.

Really lastly... just checking, please don't take offense at this question, but how soon after you turn the power on, are you trying to connect? Some of these access points can take several minutes to "Start up" before they are ready for connections.

Let us know how the testing goes so we can offer next steps.

so the router started working just fine. I can now connect to the wifi after about 20 seconds. Sometimes it is 1 minute. Not sure what changed it. Maybe it was the weather... It appears to be working as it should. I didn't really change anything, just kept using it as it was all I had...