Hello Teltonika Community,
First post on the ‘new’ boards and unfortunately it’s to seek assistance with my RUTX50, which until this last week has been absolutely rock solid…
TLDR: Updated RUTX50 to latest Device & Modem Firmware, Internet no longer stable, rolling back to know good configuration no longer works either, wondering if I’ve got a Firmware issue/corruption/bug, I think it’s DHCP related and have managed to work some temporary fixes that last between hours and a couple days, but have now reached the limits of my networking knowledge and need assistance. Nearest search result I’ve found with similar feel is for a TRB500: Firmware 07.08/07.09 - Passthrough issue not solved
I run the attached network configuration, with the RUTX50 setup in Passthrough with DCHP Disabled, supplying only Internet to my TP-Link Omada setup. The RUTX50 WAN is just a single Vodafone (UK) 5G Unlimited SIM, with the RUTX50 LAN powering the unit (PoE) and is connected to the WAN port of the TP Router.
I try to keep on top of firmware updates around my family downtime requirements (Home Office Working & Streaming/Gaming), and around 6 days ago I woke to find the internet had dropped out (TP-Link WiFi connections OK, but ‘Connected Without Internet’ at all devices). I logged into the RUTX50 via the browser and noticed a blue box informing me that a Modem Firmware update was in progress, and at the time I assumed this was automatically triggered by the FOTA settings I had. This being the first time I’ve seen this message I assumed that was the reason for the internet dropout and waited for it to complete. While waiting for assumed completion of the install, the message was replaced with another stating that a Modem Firmware update was now available. This puzzled me a bit so I checked the Firmware page and sure enough was informed that both a Device and Modem update were available. Unfortunately by this point I was running a little late for work and my Girlfriend needed the internet ‘fixing’ so she could work, so rather than install the new firmware, I rebooted the RUTX50 with a plan to update the firmware later, and this seemed to fix the issue.
At this point, my configuration is at:
- Firmware Version, Device: RUTX_R_00.07.07.3
- Firmware Version, Internal Modem: RG501QEUAAR12A08M4G_04.200.02.200
- Kernel Version: 5.10.210
Time then got away from me and we spent the weekend away at my parents, and when we returned on Sunday evening we found that the internet again had dropped out, so assuming a reboot would fix the issue, I took this opportunity of family downtime to update the firmware in the hope that everything would be rectified. I first installed the Modem Firmware from the server which seemed to complete successfully, followed by the Device firmware which also completed successfully, but still with no internet seen at the house (TP-Link WiFi connected, but ‘Connected Without Internet’). I then rebooted the RUTX50, but again no internet.
At this point, my configuration is at:
- Firmware Version, Device: RUTX_R_00.07.09.1
- Firmware Version, Internal Modem: RG501QEUAAR12A11M4G_04.200.02.200
- Kernel Version: 5.10.221
Starting to panic a little, I began checking the local Vodafone signal on my phone which is also a 5G SIM on the same plan, and everything is up and running. So next I disconnect the TP-Link equipment and connect a local PC to the LAN port of the RUTX50 directly, and connecting locally I also cannot get an internet connection. My next logical conclusion was to roll-back the firmware to the previously working version, so I downloaded the file from the Teltonika Wiki, got the green OK/checksums and rolled back the Device firmware. I selected to keep settings but received a warning that previous versions may not be compatible, but as I also had a backup configuration file (on 07.07.3) I proceeded.
Unfortunately, the firmware roll-back also seemed to factory reset the RUTX50, and upon completion I could not log in and had to revert to the default user and password printed on the base of the unit, and then go through the Setup Wizard. Once completed, I had internet again so as a quick check, I put the RUTX50 in Passthrough mode with DHCP Disabled and reconnected the RUTX50 LAN cable to my TP-Link Router WAN, but internet would not pass to my VLANs configured on the TP-Link Router. I could access internet on my main ‘VLAN 1’ network, but internet wasn’t available at any other VLAN. Confused I decided to restore my previous RUTX50 configuration backup file (from 07.07.3), which was essentially just Passthrough & DHCP Disabled again, but unfortunately nothing changed.
At this point I was running out of networking knowledge and started stabbing in the dark… I put the Device firmware back to the latest (07.9.1) and configured Passthough & DHCP Disabled, same issue. Digging deeper into the settings I noticed that under Network > DHCP that the DHCPv4 Server (& DHCPv6 Server) were still running though, despite me setting Disable DHCP - ON in the ‘Interfaces: mob1s1a1’. This confused me, but I assumed that the master Disable DHCP in the WAN configuration would overside all other settings. I tried various other setting tweaks, too many to mention in full (eg. trying Bridge mode, NAT mode, DHCP On/Off, Factory Resets of ALL equipment TP-Link included, etc.) with no luck until I DID find a temporary solution!
With the RUTX50 on its default IP address of 192.168.1.1, and the TP-Link ER605 on its default of 192.168.0.1 (WAN Dynamic), I changed the Subnet mask of the RUTX50 LAN to 255.255.0.0, and everything sprang back into life, internet again at all devices and over all VLANs! So at 4am having spent 6hrs fault finding, I left this temporary setup in play and went to sleep thinking I’ll do some more reading and reconfigure a permanent solution in the morning!
Unfortunately though, my success only lasted about 12hrs, and 4pm on the dot the internet dropped out completely with my TP-Link router showing the error: “ER605 failed to obtain the IP Address because IP-Address/Gateway conflict with IP address of another LAN/WAN ports IP Address=192.168.0.181, Mask=255.255.0.0, Gateway=192.168.1.1)”. Again this is where my networking knowledge hits it’s limits, but this must have something to do with DHCP leasing, and my guess was that the RUTX50 and the ER605 were fighting for control.
The last step in my journey, and much appreciated if you’ve got this far, was to set the ER605 Router to a Static WAN on 192.168.1.2/30, and change the LAN port of the RUTX50 to 192.168.1.1/30, hopefully forcing the two devices to talk with no other options available. And a again some success, Internet returns to all devices and VLANs… but only for around 2 days because this morning I was back to no internet.
Frustratingly, I am now at the limit of my knowledge, but with “Something DHCP Related” being my thoughts. As such, before I left the house today I tried putting the RUTX50 back into NAT Mode (not Passthrough), and I’m back to having internet throughout the system… But I have no idea for how long and at now at the point where I need help.
So at present, my configuration is at:
- Firmware Version, Device: RUTX_R_00.07.09.1
- Firmware Version, Internal Modem: RG501QEUAAR12A11M4G_04.200.02.200
- Kernel Version: 5.10.221
I have tried:
1. Confirming that Vodafone signal is good to the property (via phone).
2. Return Device Firmware to a known working configuration, but now no longer working.
3. Tried factory default settings/addresses for basic system configuration and fault finding, some temporary success.
4. Cycling through the settings I’m brave enough to change, and finding some temporary success.
My gut is telling me I’ve got a DHCP Issue, so unless there’s something blatantly obvious in my story that a network expert can point out, my initial questions would be:
- When using mob1s2a1 for WAN, does ‘Passthrough’ and ‘DHCP Disable’ actually disable ALL DHCP, or does this have to also be turned off in the DHCP Server menus?
Teltonika Wiki Page: RUTX50_WAN#WAN
Teltonika Wiki Page: RUTX50_DHCP
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When reverting back to my last known working configuration of Device firmware and backup configuration file, the only difference was the Internal Modem Firmware which cannot be rolled back by the end user, so could this be a factor?
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Has anyone else chased a similar issue, with a similar/same firmware configuration, and had more success than me that they could share?
Thank you in advance if you managed to get through all that, I’m happy to supply any other information I can gather that may help, just point me in the right direction. I appreciate any and all help you could give me, as while I‘m currently up and running, I don’t know why it’s working and feel like I’ve just put a sticking plaster on a much more complex fault.
Kind Regards,
Leon.