Devices not showing in Hub Manager (Hub6)

[Technophobe99]

Hi

None of the devices that are connected via TP-Link power line adapters to my Home Hub 6 show up in the list of devices in Hub Manager. They have been given IP Addresses by the hub and all work, the problem is I want to set "Always use this IP Address" against one as it occasionally flips its IP Address by DHCP which causes a lot of complications with Home Assistant.

Any ideas apart from setting the address to Static in the device, which is rather problematical.

TIA

[naylor2006]

I dont think ive ever seen the Hub 6 so I dont know what its internal software looks like generally but are you sure its the hub giving the devices beyond the TP Link Powerline IP addresses, ive seen the odd phenomenon before where the Powerline adapter has given out its own IP addresses which would explain your issue but is a bit of a stab in the dark.

What model powerline adapter do you have?

Can you see the IP addresses at all in the hub 6 that have been allocated?

[Technophobe99]

Hi

Thanks for the response. The Powerlines are 2x  TP- WPA4220. I, sort of assumed the ip addresses had been allocated by the Hub as multiple DHCP Servers on one network could conceivably get a trifle confusing.  The only devices that are showing on the Hub are the two PLs, a Sky Mini box that is on one of the ethernet ports and all the devices that are in range of the hubs 'native' wifi, which is phones, laptops, etc. Anything ethernet connected, or via extended wifi to the PLs do not show but all devices work, The major problem I have is that I have an inverter in the garage that is way out of range of the hubs wifi and that I monitor with Home Assistant. It keeps getting allocated different IP addresses which is a big problem with HA as I have to keep changing the in-bed address. I have hopefully resolved this by cobbling up a long RJ11 extension, and temporarily siting the Hub close to the garage. Eventually it picked up the Inverter in Hub Manager so I was able to set "Always use this IP address" for the device. Thanks again for your response

[naylor2006]

Sounds like a suitable workaround, get an ip allocated then move it back to the power line.

You can have two different DHCP servers so long as you have two different subnets, I have two, one for my normal network and one for the EETV.

Whatever tech the power lines are using isn’t working like a normal network device I guess, if you can’t run internal Ethernet in your house you may find MESH is better than power line.

[WSH]

The big problem with two DHCPs is that they don’t coordinate, so you end up in a situation where one DHCP issues a particular address to a device and then the other DHCP gives out the same address to another device.  The resultant effect tends to vary but it is always problematical.

The easiest way to use two DHCPs within the same subnet is as a “Split Scope”.  That is, for example, one DHCP issues the range 1 – 100 and the other issues the range 101 – 200 etc.

[Technophobe99]

Hi

I have been running a program called WNetWatcher which shows all devices connected to your local network. It identified that devices connected to the powerlines had been already allocated ip addresses and, the proof of the pudding. I could ping them and they worked, just they didn't show up on BT Hub Manager. I have only one subnet, I can't imagine the PLs are that clever to allocate ip addresses but will do some research and have a look at MESH now the dust has settled. Interestingly, this morning my laptop would not connect to wifi, although everything else in the house was working, including two other laptops. System Restore and all other attempts failed to get it going until I rebooted the hub! Have you seen WSH's comment on DHCP? Regards Alan

PS some TP Links do indeed have a Smart DHCP function, see Powerline Extender Acting as the DHCP server - Home Network Community (tp-link.com)  Beware of anything that says it is smart has always been my philosophy. 

[naylor2006]

Yeah, they do have some 'Smart' DHCP functionality, which is what I was getting at and was curious. Although its rare you could have two DHCP servers running on the same subnet without a split scope just no conflicts have happened yet.....

If the BT Hub is giving devices IP's I cant understand why they wouldnt turn up within its own DHCP table, even if it cant discover their host name, at least a MAC.

You didnt ask for my opinion...but Powerline Adapters are really not the way to go most of the time, they rely on near perfect conditions and never get anywhere near their quoted speed. MESH isnt wonderful either, ethernet will always been the best way to connect wired devices and then ethernet hooked up WIFI access points to provide WIFI coverage. Understanding that is not always easy then i've found MESH to be more reliable than Powerline time after time.

[Technophobe99]

'Tis curiouser and curiouser! I asked the Hub to 'always use this address' when I rigged up the extension but that would all be for nothing if it's not allocating addresses to these devices and the Powerline is. Now the Hub is back in it's normal home, the Inverter (DataLogger) in the Garage, which was the main concern, does not show up in the Hub Manager list. The proof of another pudding will be that if the ip address of that device flips again at least I will know what device is the culprit. I don't think wired ethernet to the garage is an option at this point but will check out MESH. Thanks for the advice.

[naylor2006]

Surely given its a garage and you dont have to the same tidy job you would inside, are you sure you cant get ethernet there?

When all else fails I usually get the long drillbit out and drill from inside to outside, then run a nice white UV protected (my house is white render) ethernet cable around to where it needs to go and then back in through the exterior wall.

For many years I battled MESH to cover my 30's house, you know the ones, full of concrete and giant chimneys causing dead spots for WIFI....and your internal wiring can likely forget even the worst case of Powerlines. Got myself a big old missionary bit from Amazon and went to work, out through the wall where the router is, up into the attic, switch in there and then provided drops to the rest of the house.

[Technophobe99]

Certainly worth a try if it continues to play up. Will still need to put some sort of wifi repeater in the garage on the end of ther ethernet run as the dongle on the Inverter is wifi only. Thanks for the suggestion and I already have a long masonry drill bit!