[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?

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[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?

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[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-11-29 18:23:42
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Hello TP-Link!

I was wondering if I as an end-user and customer could please make a suggest a new feature/function for your TP-Link Deco M5 WiFi system? That is, I currently already own a (3-pack) set of TP-Link Deco M5 devices but I am missing a feature/function that I would like to request you consider for future firmware upgrades.

Can you please add the ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with future Deco M5 firmware?

My point is; I have a other router and only want to use my three TP-Link Deco M5 devices in “Access Point” mode (sometimes also called “Bridge mode”) for wireless access to my LAN but to one of the downside/limitation to the “Access Point” mode on the TP-Link Deco M5 WiFi system does then not allow me use utilize the wireless backhaul mesh ability, which is the main point of mesh capable wireless access points like the TP-Link Deco M5 WiFi system.

When you today switch the TP-Link Deco M5 WiFi system to “Access Point” mode it means that you have to physically connect a wired LAN-cable (RJ-45 UTP) to each of the TP-Link Deco M5 devices to use as a Ethernet backhaul, instead of being able to utilize a wireless backhaul mesh, and to me this is a huge limitation in the currect firmware.

So my suggestion and feature request to you for future firmware updates to your TP-Link Deco M5 WiFi system is that you allow users to still use utilize the wireless backhaul mesh ability in “Access Point” mode, so we that way do not have to physically connect a LAN-cable (RJ-45 UTP) to each of the TP-Link Deco M5 devices for wired backhaul.

I always want to have the option to use either Wireless Backhaul or Ethernet Backhaul when in enabling “Access Point” mode on the TP-Link Deco M5 WiFi system. These two functions that are Wireless Backhaul and Access Point mode should not be mutually exclusive, I want to use both functions at the same time.


This has to be a software limitation right that could be solved with a firmware update, right?

Regards / Andreas Setterlind
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17 Reply
Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-11-30 15:32:16
Hi Gamester17, I think you are getting feed with false info.
The Deco can, in fact, utilize wireless backhaul when its operating under "AP" mode.
Read this FAQ here please: http://www.tp-link.com/en/faq-1842.html
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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-11-30 20:51:01

tamer.willson wrote

Hi Gamester17, I think you are getting feed with false info.
The Deco can, in fact, utilize wireless backhaul when its operating under "AP" mode.
Read this FAQ here please: http://www.tp-link.com/en/faq-1842.html
Can it do with all Deco devices in Access Point mode with WiFi Mesh enabled, meaning no Deco device is acting as a router so you don't get double-NAT when using all Doco devices as only as Mesh Access Points with a third-party router ? Here is a picture what I want:



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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-01 08:57:05
That setup is the second image on the FAQ. Just not oriented into a triangle. So yes.
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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-01 19:53:52
I am doing this right now in star mode eg Decos plugged into my Hub / Switch


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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-04 17:03:26

dtnewport wrote

That setup is the second image on the FAQ. Just not oriented into a triangle. So yes.
That picture in the FAQ with all the AP in a line shows what is called a "Bus-network" (a Liniar bus network to be exact), not a Mesh-network. To show a Mesh-network with three nodes you would have to draw a triangle like my picture, with each node talking to each other. So either just the picture in the FAQ is wrong or the Deco do not work in a true Mesh-network when all nodes are in AP-mode.

TP-Link needs to get their network topology terminology correct in their FAQs, and have correctly corresponding pictures showing the right type of network topology. Bus-network, Star-network, and Mesh-network are not the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_topology





My question is still if it will really work in Mesh-network with all nodes including the first in AP mode? I do not want it to works as a Bus-network or Star-network. Bus-networks and Star-networks is not the same as a Mesh-network. I want all Deco nodes to be in AP-mode and still work as a proper wireless Mesh-network without having a Ethernet (wired) backhaul.

I am doing this right now in star mode eg Decos plugged into my Hub / Switch
Sorry but you misundertod. I want it do act as a Mesh-network, not a Star-network. I know they support working in a Star-network, but that is not a want and they are not the same.
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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-05 09:05:44



The Deco works like above, the only difference is that there's no wireless link between the two satellite Decos.
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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-05 18:37:48

matt wrote




The Deco works like above, the only difference is that there's no wireless link between the two satellite Decos.
That is exactly what I thought. So the Docos are then not in a Mesh-network but instead a Star-network when all nodes are put into Access-Point mode. Again, a Star-network is not the same as a Mesh-network.

That means that my original feature request here stands. I would like all nodes to be in a (real) Mesh-network when all nodes are put into Access-Point mode, and not just a Star-network.

The sattelite Decos needs to be able talk to each other too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh_networking

They needs to have the capability to act as in a fully connected mesh topology ...




...even if they in a real world scenario might only make up a partially connected mesh topology depending on your house layout



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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-06 08:17:30
I see what you mean. Thank you for the clarification. I'm wondering, though, what your concern is. Wouldn't the configuration Matt posted be essentially the same as the mesh network? From my understanding, the nodes use ART http://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/deco/#feature to choose the best means of connecting to the node directly connected to the router. This would give the user the best connection whether Node 2 and Node 3 are talking to each other or Node 1. If the concern is connection speed, then what does it matter that the nodes are not interacting as in the mesh topology you describe? Device usage wouldn't result in any difference, right? (I'm honestly curious, not trying to be a smart-ass.)

Edit: Perhaps the ART function does not work in AP mode?
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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-07 07:05:37
I could be wrong, but the diagram on http://www.tp-link.com/en/faq-1842.html does show that the AP talk with each other via WiFi Backhaul. And not only with the first one.



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Re:[FEATURE REQUEST] Ability to use Wireless Backhaul in Access Point mode with Deco M5?
2017-12-07 13:09:32

hansremmerswaal wrote

I could be wrong, but the diagram on http://www.tp-link.com/en/faq-1842.html does show that the AP talk with each other via WiFi Backhaul. And not only with the first one.


My point exactly. I think the point Gamester was trying to make was that they only talk to one other node and not both other nodes at the same time, but as I said, I fail to see cause for concern. In either setup, a difference in usage should not be noticeable.
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