Question New Router not connecting with older technology.

[ericlp]

So my old router died. Figured it was time to get something faster anyway.

So looking on Amazon, I bought this router...

TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX21)

So, I set it up, and I have a nabaztag that I play around with still running on a old raspberry pi 2.

Anyway, I got everything connected... And my PC, Mac laptop, phone and Pi's all connected. I updated the rabbit to connect with WPA2. Other wise it's the old WEP key that non of the new routers support that anymore, unless you can run ddwrt but, can't run that on WIFI 6.

The thing is, the nabaztag will log into the guest network fine, and if I put the server in the DMZ, the rabbit will see it, but of course the server can not send anything to nabaz, as it's on the guest separated from local network. It would be awesome if I could put the server on the guest network and Pi and nabaz, could talk to each other...but no...can't have that...lol

Anyway... would anyone know or have any tips as the reason why the nabaz can't log into the local side of the router, yet, has no problem logging into the guest side? I find it really strange. Must be a setting someplace, I tried turning off all the junk in the firmware of the router... even tried disabling security on the local side, and even that didn't work. But will work on the guest side (security disabled)...

It's a strange one. Nabaztag, could log in to older linksys and older G Wifi TP-link routers no problem. I don't have an older router to play around with. But, I suppose, I could buy a 20 dollar one from amazon plug it into the LAN side (Cat 5) cable. to just host two devices (the rabbit and the Pi Server)... Make it so, only those two macs (Machine address) have internet access, and disable security on that router.

So, I guess I'm asking...anyone know a way to make the new router work with an older device?

And ... is it possible to just plug in an older router (that has internet access) I guess that would be an AP router?

Or do you think I should send back the Archer AX21, and get a different router... one that has better firmware to allow older devices to log in? I feel the Archer AX21 has something hard coded into the firmware that I can't turn off to allow the nabaz to log into it normally.


Thank you for any help...

 

[mpo]

Turn off Smart Connect. Instead, manually assign separate SSID names for the 2.4 and 5GHz bands (e.g., my_name_24 and my_name_5). To make troubleshooting easier give the two SSIDs different passwords.

Connect the nabaz to the 2.4GHz SSID.

 

[ericlp]

Turn off Smart Connect. Instead, manually assign separate SSID names for the 2.4 and 5GHz bands (e.g., my_name_24 and my_name_5). To make troubleshooting easier give the two SSIDs different passwords.

Connect the nabaz to the 2.4GHz SSID.

Did all that, disabled Smart connect. I pretty much unchecked every option in the settings and it won't connect.

I named the 2.4Ghz to SuperOne, 5Ghz to SuperFive and Guest to SuperG.

Nabaz, isn't capable of 5Ghz, so, it will only connect to 2.4 anyway...but, yeah, I assign it to 2.4. I made the passwords all the same, since... that wouldn't have any effect on the nabaz to connect.

I think I am screwed with this router... I think I'll have to return it to Amazon ... try a different flavor, or just buy a cheap-o 2.4Ghz G router to plug into this one. Ideally I'd rather have just 1 router.

Would be really nice if I could switch over to ddwrt on this router. but, as I said, WIFI 6 isn't licensed for that.

 

[JackMDS]

Try to search for the old Router, for similar on ebay etc.

If you find one that can connect to the rabbit, set it as an switch with an Access Point, and connect it to one of the ports of the new Router.

Using Wireless Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

 

[mpo]

Yeah, AC and AX routers aren't perfectly backwards compatible. My old Archer router had the following warning card in the box.

 

[bba-tcg]

You could give the guest network access to your regular network. Not sure of the terminology for the TP-Link. On my Asus router, it's "Access Intranet" set to enabled. I've also seen it labelled Network Isolation.

 

[Fallen Kell]

You could give the guest network access to your regular network. Not sure of the terminology for the TP-Link. On my Asus router, it's "Access Intranet" set to enabled. I've also seen it labelled Network Isolation.

To do that they would need access to be able to write and/or modify all the firewall rules and router rules. Most routers do not allow that level of access (only things like DD-WRT/OpenWRT/pfsense/opensense etc usually have that capability).

The reason the "guest network" works is that typically the guest network has no wireless network encryption configured.

 

[bba-tcg]

To do that they would need access to be able to write and/or modify all the firewall rules and router rules. Most routers do not allow that level of access (only things like DD-WRT/OpenWRT/pfsense/opensense etc usually have that capability).

The reason the "guest network" works is that typically the guest network has no wireless network encryption configured.

Every router I've ever seen/used allows this easily. Whether a network, guest or otherwise is configured for encryption is completely up to the person that configures it.

Edit: After rereading OP post, if the only way he can get it to connect to the guest network is with security disabled, I don't recommend granting the guest network local access.

 

[ericlp]

Just a little update note, I found an old thread an experimental firmware update to WPA2. While this worked in guest mode, it didn't work on the local side of login. I also should note, that router would say WPA2 (personal) on guest side ... where on the local side, there was no personal option for encryption. I also updated the firmware on the router that showed the options in the guest network.


Guest Permissions
Control the data that guests can access.

Allow guests to see each other & Allow guests to access your local network

So, that is what I was really looking for. So, in just pure luck I got this old device to connect to a wifi 6 router without having to create a huge security hole.

Thank you for your time you took to reply and help me out with this issue.