TL-SG105E and TL-SG108E lose VLAN/IP configuration randomly

[elladan]

Model :

Hardware Version :

Firmware Version :

ISP : [/COLOR]

I'm using two TL-SG105E 2.0 switches and one TL-SG108E 2.0 switch.


They're all running 20160526 Rel.34615.


Periodically, two of these switches have reset themselves, losing their VLAN configuration and their own IPs. In one case the switch retained its user/pass, I don't remember the other case.


In the first case, the switch reset itself after I powered it off and on again. In the second case, it just randomly did this late at night while I was using it.


Either way, I was forced to hunt around subnets/vlans looking for the switch, until I found it squatting on IP 192.168.0.1.


Before you ask, I hit the "Save Config" button several times, and even rebooted these switches with the "Save Config" option checked in the past.

[absentrecall]

I just lost configuration data just like the poster above.

I have both TL-SG105E and TL-SG108E in my network. Both have 802.1Q VLAN configurations. After a sudden power loss (from a lightning storm), the switches powered back up without the 802.1Q VLAN configuration. Both switches did retain some configuration: login/password, and static IP address so there is some kind of persistent storage on the switches.

I was able to recover with backup configs but loss of configuration from a power cycle event is not acceptable. Is this a known issue? Is there a fix? Without a fix, these products might as well be just a dumb switch and cannot be used for anything that utilizes the 802.1Q VLAN features.

TL-SG105E: 1.0.2 Build 20160526 Rel.34540
TL-SG108E: 1.0.2 Build 20160526 Rel.34615

[alenv]

I bought the same "smart" switch (TL-SG105E) some days ago, and I have the same issue.

After the power lose the switch don't remember password.
Sometimes even don't remember configurations and VLANs.

Is this a dumb switch or what ???

Tnx in advance for answer !

[absentrecall]

On a hunch, I wanted to see if saving the switch configuration using the Easy Smart Configuration utility instead of the web GUI made any difference with VLAN config. loss issue. Surprisingly, it worked.

I installed the utility; pressed the save button; then pulled power from the switch. I left the power off for ~2 min. then restored power. This time, the switch powered back up with the VLAN configs intact. I repeated the power cycle test and the VLAN configs are still there.

Others having the same config loss problem, please give this a try and report back.

I am waiting for the next real power failure to see if this workaround truly works.

[R1D2]

Others having the same config loss problem, please give this a try and report back.

Yes, it's a bug in the firmware. The function "Save Config" works just one time after a reboot/power-cycle.

You can see this when clicking "Save Config": a message "Saving Configuration to FLASH" appears for a very short moment followed by "Save the configuration successfully".

Next time you click on "Save Config" only the latter message appears, but nothing is saved into flash memory. So, after a power failure all changes are lost even if you saved them.

Work-around until fixed: Do a prophylactic reboot or power-cycle before (or after) changing/saving settings and save the config only once after all settings you want to change have been changed.

This bug also appears in version 3 firmware, which is just a visual identity update (new TP-Link logo and design) and as such installs even on V2 hardware. Tested on a TL-SG108E V2. A very cheap way to make your switch a V3 switch:

[absentrecall]

@R1D2, thanks for the clear explanation of the bug and workaround.

I have not not rebooted since my last power cycle test and I don't remember if I had saved config more than one time since the last reboot. At least now, I can follow your workaround and (fingers crossed), know that I won't lose my config after the next power outage. If I had not seen this workaround, I would have returned these switches for refunds.

Does TP-Link tech support know about this issue? It seems like this issue will affect just about every switch owner at some point in time so it needs a proper firmware fix. Does TP-Link tech support monitor these forums? If so, is there a firmware update on the way with a proper fix?

[R1D2]

Does TP-Link tech support know about this issue? It seems like this issue will affect just about every switch owner at some point in time so it needs a proper firmware fix. Does TP-Link tech support monitor these forums? If so, is there a firmware update on the way with a proper fix?

Q1 re bug report: yes, I have informed TP-Link support and also sent a link to this thread.

Q2 re monitoring: can't definitely answer which groups are monitored by TP-Link tech support, but I think they will look at this specific thread.

Q3 re bug fix: I hope so!

[Panda]

Yes, it's a bug in the firmware. The function "Save Config" works just one time after a reboot/power-cycle.

You can see this when clicking "Save Config": a message "Saving Configuration to FLASH" appears for a very short moment followed by "Save the configuration successfully".

Next time you click on "Save Config" only the latter message appears, but nothing is saved into flash memory. So, after a power failure all changes are lost even if you saved them.

Work-around until fixed: Do a prophylactic reboot or power-cycle before (or after) changing/saving settings and save the config only once after all settings you want to change have been changed.

This bug also appears in version 3 firmware, which is just a visual identity update (new TP-Link logo and design) and as such installs even on V2 hardware. Tested on a TL-SG108E V2. A very cheap way to make your switch a V3 switch:

Attachment 4955

Hi R1D2, is this issue always happen when you reboot it? Why can't I find this problem?

[R1D2]

Hi R1D2, is this issue always happen when you reboot it?

Yes, this happens every time after a reboot on a TL-SG108E v2 and a TL-SG108PE v1.1. It does not happen on a TL-SG2008 v1, which uses a similar (Javascript-based) web UI.

Why can't I find this problem?

What hardware/firmware version do you have and what browser are you using?

[Panda]

I used V2 also I can upgrade it to V3. How did you do the test? I have tried to reboot the device by the GUI after configuretion saved, also unplug the power line. And I noticed the "Saving Configuration to FLASH" will show every time I save the configration.

[R1D2]

I used V2 also I can upgrade it to V3. How did you do the test? I have tried to reboot the device by the GUI after configuretion saved, also unplug the power line. And I noticed the "Saving Configuration to FLASH" will show every time I save the configration.

Yes, if you reboot between changes, either by unplugging or by using the web UI, the message Saving Configuration to FLASH will appear after saving the config. But without a reboot the message will not appear anymore after having saved the first change. Problem is that the doSaveConfig Javascript function isn't called anymore (tested using Javascript debugger in my browser).

Price for doing almost everything web UI-related in Javascript instead of in scripts running in the built-in web server of the switch is that one has to support a bunch of browsers with different JS implementations even in different versions of the same browser type. It is not easy to write JS, which runs in all notable browsers, especially if MS IE is used for development. There are similar JS-related bugs in other web UIs, for example in all EAP firmware versions, which are triggered in Safari browser running on a MacBook.

[Panda]

Yes, if you reboot between changes, either by unplugging or by using the web UI, the message Saving Configuration to FLASH will appear after saving the config. But without a reboot the message will not appear anymore after having saved the first change. Problem is that the doSaveConfig Javascript function isn't called anymore (tested using Javascript debugger in my browser).

Price for doing almost everything web UI-related in Javascript instead of in scripts running in the built-in web server of the switch is that one has to support a bunch of browsers with different JS implementations even in different versions of the same browser type. It is not easy to write JS, which runs in all notable browsers, especially if MS IE is used for development. There are similar JS-related bugs in other web UIs, for example in all EAP firmware versions, which are triggered in Safari browser running on a MacBook.

Thanks Bro. I have found it. It must be a BUG. Hope the TP-Link can get it fixed soon.

[Toffe]

Hey.

Paste the following in your URL bar to force it to save once more:

javascript:window.frames['mainFrame'].doSaving();

I've made that a bookmark for my router. Just a simple bug. Dont know if its fixed yet but this works

[Toffe]

Cant edit my main post since it does not exist but to use my tip you must be on the save-config page! Where it says sucessfully saved

[absentrecall]

Looks like TP-Link is leaving their customers to support their products instead of doing it themselves. I just checked: there is no firmware update to fix this issue as of 7/20/2017. It's been 4 months since this issue was first reported here and I found this problem reported in the Amazon reviews dated before that.

Thanks to Toffe and others who have chased down this issue. I have not tried the javascript workaround... I don't want to mess up what is working right now. I'll give it a try the next time I need to make a config change.

Since this issue came to light, I have seen several TP-Link smart home products that I have wanted to buy. But, seeing how TP-Link does not fix broken essential features on this product, I see no reason to buy more TP-Link products and have bought competitors' alternatives instead.