Broadband router regularly becoming inaccessible

[roadster]

The only thing I don't like is that TP-Link try to persuade you to use web/cloud based access for administration but if you insist on accessing settings locally it works fine.

192.168.1.1 FTW...

Being somewhat of an individualist I never use default IP ranges for my home network. But I do use ones that are not allocated for the www of course! When I accessed the router by address it used to prompt me for a TP-link web login at the first attempt but now it has stopped doing that and I go straight to the local login page.

[mangocrazy]

It's crazy when viewed from a logistics standpoint. My router is no more than 1 metre from my desktop PC, and yet TP Link want to make me do a round trip of God knows how many miles/kms to access something that I can reach out and touch.

Utterly bonkers.

[MrLongbeard]

How else will they intercept your traffic and sell the data?

[mangocrazy]

How else will they intercept your traffic and sell the data?

I never knew my router config data was so valuable...

[MrLongbeard]

How else will they intercept your traffic and sell the data?

I never knew my router config data was so valuable...

Config data, internet traffic, type of CPU or GPU you use, browser type etc etc etc all worth something to someone.

[mangocrazy]

How else will they intercept your traffic and sell the data?

I never knew my router config data was so valuable...

Config data, internet traffic, type of CPU or GPU you use, browser type etc etc etc all worth something to someone.

So are you saying that using a router's cloud config services then routes all my internet traffic through their cloud portal? And/or that TP-Link (in my case) is selling on my config data?

[MrLongbeard]

I never knew my router config data was so valuable...

Config data, internet traffic, type of CPU or GPU you use, browser type etc etc etc all worth something to someone.

So are you saying that using a router's cloud config services then routes all my internet traffic through their cloud portal? And/or that TP-Link (in my case) is selling on my config data?

I am not.
But it adds another step in the journey, another point of weakness, a unnecessary step, a step that costs them time and money, and I don't trust any company to give their time or money for free.

[mangocrazy]

Config data, internet traffic, type of CPU or GPU you use, browser type etc etc etc all worth something to someone.

So are you saying that using a router's cloud config services then routes all my internet traffic through their cloud portal? And/or that TP-Link (in my case) is selling on my config data?

I am not.
But it adds another step in the journey, another point of weakness, a unnecessary step, a step that costs them time and money, and I don't trust any company to give their time or money for free.

We are in entire agreement on this. Which is why I always use local config.

[mangocrazy]

The new TP-link modem/router has been in regular use for nearly a month now with no access issues, however Mrs Mango is now complaining that she doesn't have good signal strength everywhere in the house. I should have foreseen this...

The modem/router location is fixed as I CBA to rewire the house to put the router in a better place, so I'm thinking about repeaters/extenders. Are there any repeaters/extenders that allow you to connect back to my main router/switch via ethernet, then wifi extend the signal from that point? I've seen repeaters/extenders with ethernet ports but they mainly seem to be used to connect wired devices from the repeater/extender and not to use ethernet to receive the signal from the main router.

[ChrisW]

I've got a TP Link access point doing just that - I think it's a TL-WA801ND.

[v8-powered]

The new TP-link modem/router has been in regular use for nearly a month now with no access issues, however Mrs Mango is now complaining that she doesn't have good signal strength everywhere in the house. I should have foreseen this...

The modem/router location is fixed as I CBA to rewire the house to put the router in a better place, so I'm thinking about repeaters/extenders. Are there any repeaters/extenders that allow you to connect back to my main router/switch via ethernet, then wifi extend the signal from that point? I've seen repeaters/extenders with ethernet ports but they mainly seem to be used to connect wired devices from the repeater/extender and not to use ethernet to receive the signal from the main router.

Sounds like you need a couple of Mesh hubs - TP Link do some decent ones for not too much cash.

[Count Steer]

The new TP-link modem/router has been in regular use for nearly a month now with no access issues, however Mrs Mango is now complaining that she doesn't have good signal strength everywhere in the house. I should have foreseen this...

So it was OK, now it isn't? That's odd. Or is Mrs M now testing the signal in places she didn't go before?

[mangocrazy]

The new TP-link modem/router has been in regular use for nearly a month now with no access issues, however Mrs Mango is now complaining that she doesn't have good signal strength everywhere in the house. I should have foreseen this...

So it was OK, now it isn't? That's odd. Or is Mrs M now testing the signal in places she didn't go before?

I think it was always iffy, but now I've fixed the lock up problem she's found something new to complain about...

The router is in a 'boxed in' position which probably limits wi-fi dispersion, but I'm not moving it.

I use wired...

[Count Steer]

Ah. Well, I've used a TP-Link booster thing that I put on the bedroom window ledge and that gave a decent signal down the garden to the cabin. Wasn't expensive and v simple to set up.