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Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)

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Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)

Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-01-16 17:05:52
Model: Deco M4  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 1.5.8 Build 20230619 Rel. 48552

Hi all,

 

I have problems with my DECO mesh system - it's going from time to time mad after internet outage. I tried it to solve via contacting the support (TKID231222021), but I get mostly only copy/paste advices from cookbook even if I asked to forward the issue to higher support level

 

I have some questions:

  • is there someone from higher support level who can go in touch with me to find the root cause? I'm a freelance IT admin and I suspect FW issue...
  • is there some manual how to obtain logs from DECO via CWMP as DECO doesn't support syslog servers (and after reboot is the log empty)?

 

So, now let's dive into my issue:

  • I have 3 DECO M4R v2 in a AP mode with ETH backhaul - one on each floor of my house
  • firmware is the latest version available (1.5.8 Build 20230619 Rel. 48552)
  • if the internet connection goes lost, the main DECO is going mad, LED is red and whole wireless network is down
  • I have setup ping monitoring using KUMA and I can see, that all three aren't pingable/connectable at random intervals after the outage till the main DECO isn't powercycled
  • while this, the DECOs aren't accessible via app nor web interface
  • The KUMA is also monitoring the 8.8.8.8 by ping (Google DNS) and I can see, that the main DECO goes mad right after the internet connection is lost
  • the situation goes back to normal when I power cycle the main DECO - there is no need to reboot all of them

additional observations:

  • it seems, that the problem (main DECO going mad) occurs only during night - in the last couple of weeks I got several outages from 2 minutes to 1 hour during daytime - and all was fine (my ISP A1 resets the xDSL line every 1-2 weeks and assigns new WAN IP address to the DSL router - their justification is to cleanup the DHCP pool laugh)
  • DECO M4 keeps logs only for a period of about 2-4 hours, so I can't analyse them after the night outages anymore in the morning.
  • my suspicion for some firmware issue is going stronger and stronger

 

/BR

ZoloN

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21 Reply
Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-01-17 07:23:16

  @ZoloN 

Hi,

When the ISP internet went lost, it is expected Deco M4 would turn solid red. But I wonder whether it will come back to solid white when the internet service is restored.

Have you checked the IP addresses on the mobile devices When Deco M4 was red? were they getting IP addresses from Deco or the main DSL modem router?

I sent you a beta firmware for Deco M4_v2 which has disabled "Smart DHCP" under Access Point. You could try to install the beta firmware first to see whether it helped or not.

Thank you very much and best regards.

 

 

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-01-17 20:10:44

  @David-TP 

The DECOs get semi-static IP from my router via DHCP lease, so there isn't any problem - I use it for some other devices too. All other devices have no problem with loosing internet connectivity. Please note that all three units are connected via ETH backhaul.

Currently I got some idea based on fact that the issue seems to occur only via night - I've disabled the status LEDs for night. Will try to reproduce the issue in next days(nights)

 

Regarding syslog - is there some possibly to collect the messages via some software?

 

/BR

ZoloN

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-12 09:51:43

  @David-TP 

Hi David,

 

here my newest observation:

when going mad - the log is full of

  • up/down events for eth0, eth0.1, eth0.2
  • daemon.warn awn[1453]: [awnd_update_lanip:1563]: get lan ip failed

and - what is the most important stuff:

  • user.notice smartip: [lan] start udhcpd
  • and the Main DECO provides random IP addresses to clients even if in AP-mode causing duplicate IP addresses on the network
    • daemon.err udhcpd[25383]: Sending OFFER of 192.168.33.1x

 

/BR

ZoloN

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-12 14:30:42 - last edited 2024-02-12 14:33:17

  @ZoloN 

 

Have you installed beta firmware TP-Link Support sent you? It is supposed to fix "the Main DECO provides random IP addresses to clients even if in AP-mode" and might also fix remaining issues that arise from this.

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-19 14:34:16

  @Alexandre. 

As an IT-Pro I would like try to find the root cause - installing beta firmware should be the last solution. IMHO my issue isn't in status "known issue", as when I tried to open a support ticket - outcome was they have suggested warranty replacement of devices...


  @David-TP 

unfortunately, I'm unable to get the logs from main DECO covering the outage time, therefore I ask again: is there any possibilty to forward the syslog messages automatically to a computer?

 

what I can now confirm - the scheduled turning off the LEDs is not causing the problem - I've turned the feature off - problem persists.....

My ISP (A1 xDLS) has regular approx 1-2 minutes long outages always around 3:00 a.m. - and those are causing a problem. if there is an outage durring day/afternoon/evening - absolutely no problem.... (has the FW problem with single digit hour / starting with zero?)

 

another question: on DE/AT sites is the latest FW still 1.5.8, but on global or UK 1.6.1 - dated 02.02.2024 - are the changes from mentioned beta indide? should I go for 1.6.1 or stick to regional one? (and is there newer beta as 1.5.4?)

 

 

/BR

ZoloN

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-19 14:51:11 - last edited 2024-02-19 15:01:53

ZoloN wrote

  @Alexandre. 

As an IT-Pro I would like try to find the root cause - installing beta firmware should be the last solution. IMHO my issue isn't in status "known issue", as when I tried to open a support ticket - outcome was they have suggested warranty replacement of devices...

 

  @ZoloN 

 

Well, then I can talk as an IT-Pro to an IT-Pro.

 

What you have might be related to Smart DHCP feature in AP mode: Main Deco will turn on its DHCP service when there is no DHCP server present.

 

That could happen when ISP router restarted or bounced. In most cases, Smart DHCP feature does not cause any harm: as soon as ISP router back online, Deco dhcp service turns off. IP addresses distributed by Main Deco are in IP range of ISP router and have very short Lease Time, under 2-3 minutes. Even if device managed to get IP address from Main Deco during ISP router downtime, it will promptly renew it very soon after ISP router is back and will get IP from the router.

 

The problem arises in cases when ISP router also has Smart DHCP feature: "do not start DHCP service if another DHCP server is already active." After ISP router comes back online, it realizes there is DHCP server (Main Deco) and won't start its own service. The havoc follows.

 

Beta firmware TP-Link Support suggested to install has option to turn Deco Smart DHCP service off, thus eliminating collision between ISP router and Main Deco.

 

GA firmware version 1.6 and up has option to turn Deco Smart DHCP service off through Deco app.

-----------------

 

To verify that Smart DHCP is the cause of the issue: power off ISP router for about 5 minutes, then power it on. If you observe networking problems after ISP router comes back- that must be it. Additional verification: on networking device (PC, smartphone, etc) renew its IP lease and after that check what does it report as DHCP server and default gateway. If you see IP address of Main Deco as DHCP server (and possibly as default gateway) - that is Smart DHCP in play, for sure.

 

To fix that issue when it happens, on Deco firmware 1.5: power off Main Deco and all Ethernet wired Satellite Deco. Satellite Deco using WiFi backhaul may stay on (or you could power them off also, just to be sure). Bounce ISP router (just in case). When ISP router is fully online - start Main Deco. When Main Deco is fully online - check DHCP and default gateway IP addresses on networking device. As long as you see ISP router IP address there - everything is recovered and you can now power on Satellite Deco.

 

Note that shutting down Satellite Decos on Ethernet backhaul is important step that should not be skipped.

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-19 16:38:51

  @Alexandre. 

thank for your description, was very helpful - mystery is most probably solved:

  • when there is a "real" intternet outage, all is fine - as internal DHCP is present
  • I've completely forgot, that approx. 1 year ago I've scheduled a weekly reboot of my router on monday at 3:00 a.m.

 

I'm going to intall the 1.6.1 FW and will see what happens. will report shorly

 

/BR

ZoloN

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-19 17:07:13

  @Alexandre. 

FW upgrade to 1.6.1 was successful. Unfortunately, I can't find the settings to turn off the Smart DHCP in App nor webUI...

 

/BR

ZoloN

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-19 17:18:12 - last edited 2024-02-19 17:19:37

  @ZoloN 

 

With GA firmware 1.6 this can be found under Advanced in Deco app:

 

 

It is possible that in beta firmware it is hardcoded. Try to reproduce the issue to check that. If Smart DHCP is now disabled, after you power off ISP router and renew IP lease on device connected to Deco mesh, that device should NOT report Main Deco IP as its DHCP server. Device will fail to obtain new IP address if Smart DHCP feature is turned off.

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Re:Deco M4R v2 going mad (red light after internet outage)
2024-02-19 18:04:44

  @Alexandre. 

 

In my Android App (version 3.7.5) I can see only following:

FW is 1.6.1 Build 20231227 Rel.80438

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