Asus XT8 DHCP issue with Windows clients

[ppw7216]

I have had an Asus XT8 AI mesh in my summer house which worked well for more than year.

I have used both a fibre terminal (ONT) and a TP-Link Archer MR600 LTE router as WAN connections (but not simultaneously). My network configuration is shown below.

I have run the system in Wireless Router / AiMesh Router Mode.
Now, at the end of the last season, I added a TP-Link WA850RE Range Extender (2.4 GHz-only). I had trouble to install it and followed the recommendation in the manual to use different SSIDs for the 2.4 GHz network and the 5 GHz network. Immediately after, I noted that some the Win11 laptops started to show the Connected, no internet symbol. IOS and Android devices had no issues. As we were packing up, I decided to resolve the issue next we returned which happened to be this Easter. I did factory reset on all the 3 XT8 nodes and set up the network again, upgraded to latest FW etc but the issue with Win11 laptops persisted. I have tired ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew, ipconfig /flushdns, network reset, rebooted laptop, rebooted the XT8 system but nothing worked. Looking at ipconfig /all, it seems as the laptop does not receive a valid IP v4-address (which should have been in the range 192.168.50.xxx) and there is no DHCP server address.

I did found out that if made any configuration change in the DHCP menu in through the ASUS Web UI, for example enabling/disabling Manual Assignment or changing the IP Pool Ending Address from 192.168.50.254 to 192.168.50.253 resolved the issue for the rest day (but next day was back to no internet ...).

The above screenshot was during the no internet connection, the next screenshot is following a config change in the DHCP - internet works. I have now an IPv4-address in the valid range and a DHCP-server address. Again, no issues with Android, IOS and various IoT devices. They all worked, it is only the Win11 laptops that have the issue. I also verified that I have the same issue regardless of the internet connection (ONT or the TP-LINK LTE router). When using the TP-LINK LTE Router, I also tried to set up the AiMesh system in AP mode but no change.

Any clues or suggestions are very welcome.
Could the addition of the TP-Link Extender cause this issue?

 

[glens]

Have you "forgotten" (or whatever term MS uses) the network connection on the Windows boxes, then "set them up" again?

 

[ppw7216]

Have you "forgotten" (or whatever term MS uses) the network connection on the Windows boxes, then "set them up" again?

Yes, but it didn't resolve anything.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Have you completely powered off the WA850RE and gone back to using a single SSID for your network? In other words, the state you were in just prior to the problem occurring.

 

[Tech9]

WA850RE

This little $15 thingy has WebUI with crazy for a simple repeater options including DHCP server. I would double check what's going on there as well.

 

[sfx2000]

Now, at the end of the last season, I added a TP-Link WA850RE Range Extender (2.4 GHz-only). I had trouble to install it and followed the recommendation in the manual to use different SSIDs for the 2.4 GHz network and the 5 GHz network. Immediately after, I noted that some the Win11 laptops started to show the Connected, no internet symbol.

Sounds like one should unplug the Range Extender...

 

[ppw7216]

This little $15 thingy has WebUI with crazy for a simple repeater options including DHCP server. I would double check what's going on there as well.

Yes, I should have checked that. It might very well be the RE850 causing the issues. I am unfortunately 350 miles away now but will surely try this next time I am there. The reason why I added the extender in the first place is that a I have Wi-Fi connected fan controller in my greywater sewage system and it is out of range from the AiMesh network. I will now try with an Asus AiMesh extender or just another regular AiMesh node. The only issue is that the extender needs to be placed outdoors to reach the fan controller.

 

[Tech9]

The only issue is that the extender needs to be placed outdoors to reach the fan controller.

TL-WA850RE is cheap, but not an outdoor device either.