[SOLVED] TP-Link powerline adapter randomly drops connection

[ptferg1234]

I have been using a pair of TP-Link AV500 powerline adapters for a few years now to get ethernet to my PC. However, a few months ago, they dropped the connection entirely. Windows said I had a connection, but no internet. Normally unplugging and replugging an adaptor back into the wall outlet was enough to get internet back, but no matter what I did, it refused to connect again.

Eventually though, after trying new adapters and ethernet cords which also failed, the connection came back on my old setup and I didn't have any problems since.

Until recently when the same issue has now come back for no reason whatsoever.

Any feedback is appreciated, and no, I can't get a direct wired connection, this is the best I can do.

 

[velocityg4]

Have you run the tpPLC Utility? It'll tell you how strong the connection is between the two.

From my experience setting up in various houses. There is a huge difference in the reliability and range of those older units and the newer TP-Link AV1200, AV1300 and AV2000 series (not to be confused with the Zyxel of the same name). The 2x2 MIMO they use makes a difference.

 

[ptferg1234]

Updating didn't change anything. I'm really at a loss. This is so strange.

 

[kanewolf]

You need to do some basic troubleshooting. Can you ping your router when it says you have no internet? What are you using for your DNS? It may have nothing to do with the powerline adapters.

 

[ptferg1234]

I cannot ping my router. I'm using 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for my dns.

 

[kanewolf]

I cannot ping my router. I'm using 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for my dns.

OK. At the time when you can't ping your router, open a cmd.exe window and run ipconfig /all
That will help us understand the state of the network on the PC.

 

[ptferg1234]

OK, everything seemed fine on my wi-fi and ethernet adaptor, except my ethernet, had no DHCP enabled.

 

[kanewolf]

OK, everything seemed fine on my wi-fi and ethernet adaptor, except my ethernet, had no DHCP enabled.

Well that could be a problem. If you had a static IP address that got duplicated by the DHCP server, that would be bad. Generally DHCP should be eneabled and if you want to override the DNS, it is best to do that on the router.

 

[ptferg1234]

I found that I had DHCP disabled in windows after I enabled it my connection came back.