TP Link Archer VR2100 and BT Broadband

[LeVzi]

BT Sent an engineer out today, who changed the BT Box for the more modern one, he said there was an error on the old one. 

But this hasn't changed a single thing with a third party router. 

The homehub still works fine, the TP Link VR2100 does not work at all. 

The next step is openreach to check the external line. 

TP Link support were really good , spent over an hour testing the routers with various settings, and nothing worked. 

[licquorice]

If the Home Hub works fine, the problem lies with the TP Link not the external line.

[LeVzi]

Normally i'd agree, but 3 TP Link routers with all the same problems ? That were working perfectly fine one minute then went bad the next, then the brand new one from the RMA has the problem from the start ? 

I don't think so. 

[licquorice]

Either there is a fundamental flaw with the design of the VR2100 or it is not being configured correctly. The problem is not the line.

[LeVzi]

Again, i'd agree ,but the router WAS working correctly, and nothing was changed within that timeframe. 

So again, it cannot be the router. Why would it be working perfectly alright, then just suddenly change ? 2 months working fine, then an issue that cannot be resolved.

The main box has been changed, so it has to be the line, or the VR2100 simply cannot work on a BT line, but even BT sell it, so none of this makes sense.

[licquorice]

But if the hub works fine, it can't be the line.

Can you try the TP Link at a different location, a friend's house?

[LeVzi]

Unfortunately not no, but as I have said, it was working fine, a VR900, now a VR2100 and a brand new VR2100 

The BT engineer cannot understand it, so Openreach are the next obvious issue. 

Could well be the line, as internal tech of different routers may be the reason the homehub handles the issues better than the TP Link.  

Anyway, the appointment is booked. 

[TimCurtis]

@LeVzi 

Must agree the others on here that the line is surely not the issue.

Have TP-Link released any new firmware recently that might account for the problem.

Also if you're using a wifi adapter is it possible to temporarily run a long ethernet cable and go wired to the TP-Link to see the effect?

[LeVzi]

The unit hasn't had any firmware updates (That I know of unless it does them in the background) , when I first plugged it in, I check for new firmware releases through the routers admin panel, it didn't need one. 

I don't have an ethernet port on my PC, its purely wifi. 

But again, I am using the same wifi adapter with the homehub with zero issues. 

The TP Link router worked for a few months with no issues. 

Nothing was changed, and it happened while I was using the router to game.

When the engineer came out today, he said there was an issue with the box, and changed it,  the homehub is now working as it was before, but the TP Link isn't. 

If I hadn't had full use of the TP Link router for a period of time, i'd agree, but this happened all of a sudden. Can only assume something happened inside the router, or the line simply doesn't work with TP Link VR2100's.  

TP Link have offered to upgrade my router to a DECO X50 free of charge, which I am tempted to take, but if that doesn't work either, I am really stuck. 

[LeVzi]

OK had a weird experience with the VR2100. 

I was just trying out different settings, enabled SRA and for a short time, it was perfect, the line was stable, speeds were fine, and the VR2100 was working as expected. 

THen all of a sudden, the problems come back. Could this be a noisey line causing this issue ? For some reason the SH2 is handling that better than the TP Link ? 

Also, there is something up with the SH2, you cannot change the 5ghz channel without it changing the wifi password to something unknown.