I don't belive it :)

It works, i got myself a new TP-link AX53, just set it up using the same SSID and password for the wireless network and everything, well almost everything connected right away. The Philips Hue bridge and the smart thermostat hub had to be turned off and back on again, but that was it. The only problem is that it don't seem to like the cable going from the modem to the router, it says it is not fast enough for optimum speed or something like that, I thought it was a cat5, I will have to check. Never had that from a router before.

I have still not gone through all the settings, but it can be via Alexa, for some reason and a app called Tether, but that requires a TP Link ID thing, not sure if I will bother with that
The only problem I am having at the moment is with the NAS, it doesn't like the fact that it is on a different IP address and for some reason won't accept my password to change it.

The router itself seems ok, The build is very shiny plastic and looks a bit cheap, nothing like the old TP-link router I have. The Mesh thing may be useful later on in the year, I can put something in the kitchen so I can get a decent signal outside, that is if the signal doesn't reach outside in the first place.

Cat 5 or Cat5e?

How about setting a MAC address-based DHCP reservation so it gets its old IP Address (but is still technically on DHCP)?

In reply to a post by broadband66:

Cat 5 or Cat5e?

Cat 5, but for the distance it should have been ok, but I have now changed it to the one that came in the box, but it is a little short, I will have a look later in my box of ethernet cables.

In reply to a post by haydnwalker:

How about setting a MAC address-based DHCP reservation so it gets its old IP Address (but is still technically on DHCP)?

I did not think of that, anyway I set the router to the same range as i used before and managed to get into the NAs, change the IP address and then put the router back to how it was, works fine now.
I forgot I set the NAS to use a fixed IP address, still strange why it would not accept my password and yet my Admin password works fine to get into the NAS UI.,
Anyway, all seems fine now, I am still shocked how easily it all worked.
There are a couple of devices on the DHCP client list that I am not sure of, like


F4B85EF050AA-mysimplelink

And there is another one with a slightly different name and a different IP address

Doing a search I found that they are ring doorbells, I don't have a ring doorbell, I have EZVIZ and that is accounted for.
I know my next door neighbours don't have them, Maybe the house across the road, but I be shocked if they can send a Wi-fi signal that far.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

There are a couple of devices on the DHCP client list that I am not sure of, like

F4B85EF050AA-mysimplelink

That's the Nest heatlink - the box that connects to the wiring centre of your boiler

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

That's the Nest heatlink - the box that connects to the wiring centre of your boiler

So someone must have a nest thermostat, or two houses must have it. I don't, I have a passiv living thermostat

I have found out why the router gives me a message about the Wan speed, the modem Ethernet port is only 100Mb/s, it is an old openreach FTTC modem, I suppose 100Mb/s is all it needs, but it is not a problem as it only gives me the message if I go into set up on the Wan.

All working fine, certainly different from my old TP link router. When I get the shelf up in the living room it can go on there, just need to get a new drill

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

That's the Nest heatlink - the box that connects to the wiring centre of your boiler

So someone must have a nest thermostat, or two houses must have it. I don't, I have a passiv living thermostat

I have found out why the router gives me a message about the Wan speed, the modem Ethernet port is only 100Mb/s, it is an old openreach FTTC modem, I suppose 100Mb/s is all it needs, but it is not a problem as it only gives me the message if I go into set up on the Wan.

All working fine, certainly different from my old TP link router. When I get the shelf up in the living room it can go on there, just need to get a new drill

Sorry Adrian. I led you astray. I checked my system again with a fresh (well not so much now at 1am) pair of eyes and it looks like those are Nest Smoke/CO detectors - at least that's what they are on my network...

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Sorry Adrian. I led you astray. I checked my system again with a fresh (well not so much now at 1am) pair of eyes and it looks like those are Nest Smoke/CO detectors - at least that's what they are on my network...

I would love to be led astray, might be some excitement in my life

Doing a search, it seems it could be anything, it is a chip that is used in a fair few IOT devices.
I thought Echo units used 5Ghz band, according to my router they are using 2.4, not a problem, just surprised, that means the only thing I have on 5Ghz is my phone. Makes me wonder why I bothered to buy a router with Wif-fi 6 on

i had a look for Mesh extenders, from TP link, some of them are more expensive than my router and take more energy than my router, very strange

I will check at some point to see if the wi-fi reaches out to the back yard, that is all I want so I can listen to music or audio books on my phone in the summer.

My 1st gen Amazon Echo is connected on 2.4Ghz but the current gen Echos are connected via 5Ghz so it may depend on how old your echo is?

Doing a search, it seems it could be anything, it is a chip that is used in a fair few IOT devices.

I think you might be right. The UniFi Network app on my phone tells me it’s a Texas Instruments chip, WiFi 4 @ 2.4 GHz.

Still loads of legacy IOT stuff that runs on good old 2.4G

If I had a mystery device connecting to my network I would power every Wi-Fi device off and see if it is still connected and then add each device back slowly until it reappears.

In reply to a post by dect:

If I had a mystery device connecting to my network I would power every Wi-Fi device off and see if it is still connected and then add each device back slowly until it reappears.

There’s something slightly quirky about these too as the MAC address they’re reporting internally is different to the MAC address they’re advertising with the router and getting sniffed by the UniFi cloud key device / app. I’ll need to have a better look.

In reply to a post by dect:

If I had a mystery device connecting to my network I would power every Wi-Fi device off and see if it is still connected and then add each device back slowly until it reappears.

I'd change my WiFi WPA passphrase. Some security teams advise changing this yearly anyway. Its one reason I'm avoiding WiFi smart home kit (e.g. smart power sockets/bulbs)....

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

I think you might be right. The UniFi Network app on my phone tells me it’s a Texas Instruments chip, WiFi 4 @ 2.4 GHz.

Still loads of legacy IOT stuff that runs on good old 2.4G

Most IOT, even new things, run at 2.4Ghz. Maybe the Wi-fi chips are cheaper, or they do it to make sure it is compatible with all routers. I got some window/door sensors and they are all 2.4Ghz, I really should have got Zigbee ones. A lot of them are made by chinese companies

In reply to a post by dect:

If I had a mystery device connecting to my network I would power every Wi-Fi device off and see if it is still connected and then add each device back slowly until it reappears.

It is strange, in the clients section on the network map they are not there and everything is accounted for. But if I go into the advance part and DCHP server they are there, or they were, seems to have gone now. The only things i can change on the DCHP server page is IP Address Pool, Address Lease Time, DNS servers and the gateway. The list of clients is just that, a list I can refresh.
It is the clients section on the network map that I can change stuff, but as I said they don't appear on that

In reply to a post by jchamier:

I'd change my WiFi WPA passphrase. Some security teams advise changing this yearly anyway. Its one reason I'm avoiding WiFi smart home kit (e.g. smart power sockets/bulbs)....

I don't think they are available, I think the router is just picking them up, just like your phone would pick up a Wi-Fi signal. The chances of anyone guessing my Wifi password is pretty slim and to be honest the majority of people around here their own broadband, while I am not sure about the Indians across the road, I don't think anyone close to me have the skills to crack a WPA2 never mind WPA3.

Changing the password every year would be a nightmare.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

There’s something slightly quirky about these too as the MAC address they’re reporting internally is different to the MAC address they’re advertising with the router and getting sniffed by the UniFi cloud key device / app. I’ll need to have a better look.

I have heard of that before, I know Mac address can be spoofed, but I don't see any reason why a IOT device would need to spoof the Mac address

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

I think you might be right. The UniFi Network app on my phone tells me it’s a Texas Instruments chip, WiFi 4 @ 2.4 GHz.

Still loads of legacy IOT stuff that runs on good old 2.4G

Most IOT, even new things, run at 2.4Ghz. Maybe the Wi-fi chips are cheaper, or they do it to make sure it is compatible with all routers. I got some window/door sensors and they are all 2.4Ghz, I really should have got Zigbee ones. A lot of them are made by chinese companies

As you say. 2.4 also has better range/penetration than 5 and the data throughput requirement on many IOT devices is pretty humble. So 2.4 fits the bill.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

There’s something slightly quirky about these too as the MAC address they’re reporting internally is different to the MAC address they’re advertising with the router and getting sniffed by the UniFi cloud key device / app. I’ll need to have a better look.

I have heard of that before, I know Mac address can be spoofed, but I don't see any reason why a IOT device would need to spoof the Mac address

It’s not spoofing per se and these devices aren’t clever enough (or have the need) for any MAC randomisation algorithms ala Apple. It’s not very high on my list of priorities as it works as intended.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

As you say. 2.4 also has better range/penetration than 5 and the data throughput requirement on many IOT devices is pretty humble. So 2.4 fits the bill.

That is true. 2.4 does have a better range which is why I preferred my old TP link router, looking at the clients list the one using the most data is my blink camera hub and that is 150Mb/s bother ways. The plugs are around 30 if that

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

It’s not spoofing per se and these devices aren’t clever enough (or have the need) for any MAC randomisation algorithms ala Apple. It’s not very high on my list of priorities as it works as intended.

Fair enough.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

I think the router is just picking them up, just like your phone would pick up a Wi-Fi signal.

I doubt they are transmitting their own Service Set Identifier (SSID) which is what your phone picks up from a router, unless this is some sort of strange "configuration mode" and they've been factory reset.

If you are getting them listed in your 'active device' list on the router then they have your WPA2/3 passphrase. (or you have another network, e.g. Guest, with no security).

In reply to a post by jchamier:

I doubt they are transmitting their own Service Set Identifier (SSID) which is what your phone picks up from a router, unless this is some sort of strange "configuration mode" and they've been factory reset.

If you are getting them listed in your 'active device' list on the router then they have your WPA2/3 passphrase. (or you have another network, e.g. Guest, with no security).

Well, they have vanished anyway, I have no idea why they were there but I doubt very much if someone had connected them to my router. Maybe just one of those strange things.