THG3000 issues

[M11k]

Hi I'm trying to help my parents out. In short I set their network up as follows. They have the TH3000 router with FTTP, this leads to a 8 port switch, to another 8 port switch, to a TP link WiFi ext in AP mode.

There's a crossover ethernet cable between the two switches.

The TP WiFi ext has DHCP switched to off, so only the router assigns the IP addresses. There's 7 IP camera 4 direct to NVR 3 via network through WAN to a switch. All CCTV IP addresses are statice and below 192.168.1.30. The DHCP range in the router has been set to 30 to 200 to avoid conflict.

Yet still the WiFi ext refuses to let some devices connect 'sometimes' and the UI on the router, takes minutes to load pages. Something is wrong, I am suspicious the router can't handle the load, hence the slow UI, and rejected connections on the WiFi ext.

Any suggestions? Replacement router?

Thanks for any support.

[Cynric]

@M11k  Why do you have a crossover cable, it shouldn't be needed?

Try going to the DHCP settings and change the timeout, I'm wondering if you are running out of IP address tokens. 

Can you reduce the number of switches and/or look at the topology as you may have a race condition if you have somehow got feedback between the routers.

[M11k]

Thanks I know the crossover is old school, but it's only between two switches, and seems to cause no issues. In fact solved some when I put it on so probably not the most modern of switches.

I see what your saying about the number of IP addresses but it only happens when connecting to the AP ext not the main router. 

[Cynric]

@M11k  How many devices? How frequently does this happen? Oh yes, these devices, do some have randomised MAC addresses? I'm wondering if the AP address table is full of stale MAC addresses. Can you get logs out of the AP and Router to see if anything shows?

[M11k]

Sorry I'm back at home now ill have a look when I'm next there. the new router hasnt been installed too long.

Seems very random, almost feels like it keeps trying and the router is too busy to give up an IP address. I know that a strange comment but when trying to access the UI each page takes minutes to come up. It seems to be struggling with something it's thinking hard about lol. 

There's a lot of devices connected 30-40

Thanks 

[Cynric]

@M11k Oh wow! So if any can be given a static address that's going to help. Mobile devices, like my Android phone, give a new MAC address every time they re-connect to the WiFi. If they are popping in and out a lot then my idea about the table behind the association between IP and MAC could be a candidate.

The THG3000 is ok but can be pushed too hard if the LAN is very busy. It's more of an average domestic router. So what about getting the AP to manage a block of address in its zone. I can't think that the devices would sulk moving between the router and AP radio signal.