ZenWiFi ET9 - Device to Device Access when Connected via ethernet cable

[dfhusson]

I just purchased 3 ZenWiFi ET9 and set them up in a mesh configuration using ethernet cables as a backhaul.

I have mostly wireless devices on the network, with a handful of wired devices, in particular a NAS and Camera system.  When using a PC (wired via ethernet - tried 2, a Dell Desktop and MS Surface Pro) I can't access the NAS or Cameras but can via the Suface Pro with a wireless connect and my phone.  I can ping the router, but pinging either the camera or NAS returns an error.  I have dumped the ARP table, reset the Network to no avail.  It worked briefly once and I can surf the internet from the wired devices with no issues - which is how I am posting this chat.

Pinging 192.168.50.73 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.50.234: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 192.168.50.73:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 1, Lost = 3 (75% loss),

I tried contacting support, they told me to open an RMA to return the products as defective.

Any ideas?

[Aureliannn_ASUS]

Hi @dfhusson ,

Thank you for providing detailed information. 

To help us troubleshoot your network connection issue more accurately, we would like you to confirm the following:

1. Network connection check: Please double-check that both ends of the network cable are securely plugged into the computer and router, and check the network cable for any damage or bends. We recommend that you try replacing the network cable with a new one to rule out the possibility of a cable failure.
2. Network device check: Please ensure that your computer's network adapter and the router's LAN ports are working properly. You can try connecting your computer to other network devices or connecting other devices to your router to determine which device is causing the problem.
3. DHCP settings: Please ensure that your router's DHCP server is enabled and able to assign IP addresses to connected devices. You can find the relevant settings in your router's settings page.
4. Firewall settings: If you have installed third-party firewall software, please temporarily disable or adjust its settings to ensure that it does not block network traffic.
5. Firmware update: Please ensure that your router firmware is up to date. You can log into the router's management interface to update the firmware.
6. Factory reset: If none of the above methods solve the problem, we recommend that you try resetting the router to its factory settings. This will reset all of the router's settings, but please note that this operation will clear your previously configured passwords and other settings. You can refer to the following FAQ: [Wireless Router] When Standard Reset Isn’t Working: Hard Factory Reset - Models list | Official Sup...

Thank you.

[dfhusson · Accepted solution]

Good Morning,

Thank you for the reply.  I did try multiple cables and NICs and 2 different computers, both exhibited the same issue.  Could not ping or connect to Local ethernet lan devices, however I could surf the internet and access the router.  All my troubleshooting led to a ARP issue on the local machines.

Good news is, before committing to resetting my routers and mesh APs, I added a DNS server to my DHCP settings, refreshed my network settings on my PC and things started working.  Not sure why that fixed local network issues, but things are now working - both PCs via ethernet, maybe a bad route in the routing table, who knows.

Anyways, problem is resolved, still a mystery why.

[dfhusson]

There appears to be a bug, I made a change to some Guest Network settings and lost access between wired devices again.  I was able to resolve by making a change to the DHCP page (removed the second DNS server) and everything started working again.  Will do some more testing later, but I keep kicking my wife off the internet and she is supposed to be working.

[dfhusson]

Update, after making changes to my wireless settings I once again lost device to device access over ethernet connected devices.  Making a change to the DHCP DNS servers setting again restored access.  Changing the DHCP range did not restore access.

So for me this is a repeatable issue.  Hope to see a fix in the next firmware release.