@TP-Link well thats still useless then given that everyone here needs to disable the DHCP in ROUTER mode because AP mode turns off a lot of useful functionality. 

tbh to all who are reading this, I don't think TPLink are a company to be taken seriously when it comes to anything slightly above 'networking for beginners' type of kit. 

they've promised features for years and keep dangling the carrot that they will do it, yet they then release newer hardware years down the line that still has those features missing. 

basic devices.  end of. 

I for one regret my purchase, but at the amount of money they cost me and the amount of money i'd have to outlay again for the equivalent, it's unfortunately not an option to rip and replace.  :(

Hello TP Link Support,

I think that since 2019 you had the time to update the firmware of all X Deco series in order to adapt dhcp settings as requested by many.
Unfortunately you don't.

I suggest to all Forum members to publish their feedback on social media and online stores where they bought their tp link equipment. This will certainly prevent all further TP link customers to eventually make a mistake.

This is not bashing. This is only to inform properly buyers that TP link makes good products but with terrible limitations and poor support feedback.

...

@bwbboot Yes this is poor design and should be enabled. If you are desperate for a workaround, reduce the Deco DHCP range to two address (might be able to do one), e.g. 192.168.1.253 - 192.168.1.254 and set these two as reserved for two devices you can use with these addresses. Then configure your second DHCP server and exclude the IP addresses you set above from the range.

Haven't tried it but should work.

@Jask 

That would be a good trick unfortuinately, if TP Link is not able to desable the dhcp, there were able to force a minimum of 20 adresses in dhcp scope.

That level of incompetence deserves an award.

Probably my last TP link product. I already convice 4 colleagues and friends to avoid their products. 

@Incal  well that's unfortunate. I'm going to get myself a ubiquiti edge router now and put this piece of junk deco into ap mode. 

@bwbboot too bad that @TP_LINK has ignored such an obvious request. Apparently all of us have been idiots thinking that TP-Link has a normal firmware for its shitty products.

P7 is a high-end product and should be able to support every possible configuration. Obviously lack of specifying this request makes your firmware designer a very bad choice that should have been fired long time ago.

All of us, who trusted Tp-Link are idiots because we thought that we will pay premium price for a prem9um product, which ends up to be a cheap crap that is only suitable for being selled at a xmas market for 10 euros.

This is what your customers think TP-Link and you have to act NOW... 
 

The ability to disable DHCP would likely solve a problem I'm having with my DECO M5 base unit. I use it in AP mode. However, whenever I reboot my router (that it is directly connected to), the Deco seems to jump to Router Mode (presumably because it no longer has a router behind it) and hence becomes a DHCP server. And not only for clients connected to the Deco network, but also to the clients connected to my router. presumably as the router powers up it allows its clients to see the Deco through its ethernet switch. Ultimately the router becomes fully functional and the Deco backs off to become an AP again, but not before it has wreaked havoc in competing with the router's DHCP server.

My work around is to disconnect the Deco before rebooting the router, but this is a pain. If I could disable the Deco's DHCP server I think all would be well.