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Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address

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Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address

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Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address
Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address
2021-10-28 11:31:55 - last edited 2021-11-06 04:39:01
Model: Tapo C310  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 1.1.10

Hello, 

 

First, a bit of background ...

 

I have two C310 cameras and I have not hard-wired them, (I am using the wifi).

Because of walls and so on, I have two TP-Link AC750, one of them as the "Wireless Router" and the other as the "Range Extender".

 

When I am using my phone, I can 'find' the camera without any issues, I can also see the mac address without any problems.

 

I used that MAC address to set the "DHCP Address Reservation" on the main router.

The second router has the DHCP setting disabled and never assigns an address, it is setup as a "Range Extender"

 

But I see that the mac address is not always the same when the IP address is assigned, so the IP Address of my camera is not always the same.

 

So, I am curious ... 

 

  • Where do those MAC addresses come from?
  • Why is the MAC address different from what I see on my phone
  • How can I connect iSpy to my cameras if the IP Address changes all the time, is there an 'easier' way of doing it?

 

Currently I am using "http://aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd:2020/onvif/device_service" to connect to the camera, but, as the IP Address changes from time to time ... it often disconnects.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

 

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#1
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1 Accepted Solution
Re:Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address-Solution
2021-10-29 06:40:33 - last edited 2021-11-06 04:39:01

@Solla-topee many thanks for the feedback

 

The details of my AC750 are both the same 

Firmware version:0.9.1 4.16 v0001.0 Build 181127 Rel.56357n(4555)

Hardware version:Archer C20 v5 00000005

 

> the  extender will give out a virtual Mac address for the devices connected to it

 

Ah ... that must be it then, there is a big overlap between the two, so it is possible that the cameras swap from time to time.

Thanks for the link, it is a bit of a shame that it does not forward the MAC address.

 

> 1. Use different SSIDs for router and extender and connect cameras to main router *if extender alllow to use a different SSID

 

Not wild about that option, it kind of negates the value of having an extender.

And clearly the cameras choose to connect to one or the other router, that makes me think that there is a need for the extender.

 

> 2.  Connect the camera directly to the router through wired connection.

 

Not really an option either, the reason I bought the wireless version was exactly because I didn't want to run a network cable accross my yard.
I had power already ... 


> 3. Use second AC750 in AP mode wired to the main router. 

 

Interesting, I could do that, you mean run a cable between both routers? Will that ensure that the MAC address is kept?
Or are you saying that, as well as running in AP mode, I would then also need to enable DHCP on the extender, (and then set the same address reservasions).

 

I was planning on running a cable between the 2 anyway, so I am happy to do that as an option.

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#4
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Re:Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address
2021-10-28 15:21:35

It just happened again and I checked the Mac Address in the App, (Android TAPO app).

 

The MAC address in the App does not match what the router seems to think what the MAC address is.

 

So the router seems to get a different MAC address for some reason ... and because of that, the IP Address assigned is different.

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#2
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Re:Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address
2021-10-29 03:03:30 - last edited 2021-10-29 03:05:00

@FFMG 

Thank you for your feedback. May I know the model and hardware version of your AC750 device? 

Similar to range extender working a proxy between router and client, the  extender will give out a virtual Mac address for the devices connected to it, router will see the virtual Mac not the real one. Here is a thread discussing this on range extender proxy mode: 

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/235352

 

There are some suggestions that may help for your case 1. Use different SSIDs for router and extender and connect cameras to main router *if extender alllow to use a different SSID.2.  Connect the camera directly to the router through wired connection.  3. Use second AC750 in AP mode wired to the main router. 

 

 

 

>>Landscape Mode - Tapo App for Pad. >>Smart Action 2.0 Explore and meet the next level home automation. >>How to position my TP-Link camera for optimal performance.
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#3
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Re:Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address-Solution
2021-10-29 06:40:33 - last edited 2021-11-06 04:39:01

@Solla-topee many thanks for the feedback

 

The details of my AC750 are both the same 

Firmware version:0.9.1 4.16 v0001.0 Build 181127 Rel.56357n(4555)

Hardware version:Archer C20 v5 00000005

 

> the  extender will give out a virtual Mac address for the devices connected to it

 

Ah ... that must be it then, there is a big overlap between the two, so it is possible that the cameras swap from time to time.

Thanks for the link, it is a bit of a shame that it does not forward the MAC address.

 

> 1. Use different SSIDs for router and extender and connect cameras to main router *if extender alllow to use a different SSID

 

Not wild about that option, it kind of negates the value of having an extender.

And clearly the cameras choose to connect to one or the other router, that makes me think that there is a need for the extender.

 

> 2.  Connect the camera directly to the router through wired connection.

 

Not really an option either, the reason I bought the wireless version was exactly because I didn't want to run a network cable accross my yard.
I had power already ... 


> 3. Use second AC750 in AP mode wired to the main router. 

 

Interesting, I could do that, you mean run a cable between both routers? Will that ensure that the MAC address is kept?
Or are you saying that, as well as running in AP mode, I would then also need to enable DHCP on the extender, (and then set the same address reservasions).

 

I was planning on running a cable between the 2 anyway, so I am happy to do that as an option.

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#4
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Re:Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address
2021-11-05 06:51:29

@Solla-topee 

 

> 3. Use second AC750 in AP mode wired to the main router. 

 

Ok, I connected my second router in AP wired mode to the main router.

 

But this did not help, the MAC addresses are still wrong.

 

Am I supposed to do something else?

 

I have DHCP disabled, shall I enable it? (and set the same address reservation rules?) ... anything else I should be looking at?

 

Thanks

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#5
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Re:Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address
2021-11-05 07:35:31 - last edited 2021-11-05 07:40:20

Hello @FFMG 

Did you go to Operation Mode and change second router into Access Point Mode?

Do not need to manually change DHCP settings on router, just changing it in to AP mode Page 15 in UG here 

>>Landscape Mode - Tapo App for Pad. >>Smart Action 2.0 Explore and meet the next level home automation. >>How to position my TP-Link camera for optimal performance.
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#6
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Re:Camera MAC address not always the same ... cannot set permanent IP address
2021-11-06 04:38:50

@Solla-topee sorry about this, it was my mistake.

 

I had an old TP-Link router still connected in my daughters bedroom, I think she thought she was doing me a favour or something by connecting it.

 

As my SSID had not changed, it was obviously picking up some of the traffic, I was able to prove that by 'rebooting' it and that would force the cameras to find the other 2 routers and indeed using the correct Mac Address.

I have had it running for some time now, (and I rebooted each routers), and the cameras always use the correct Mac Address now.

 

The funny part is that, that router was an older model, further away from both cameras yet, for some reason, they would both pick that router from time to time.

But I cannot claim to understand why they would favour that old router rather than the newer and closer models.

 

As I do not need that old router, I disconnected it and everything now works as expected.

 

Thanks for all the help :)

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#7
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