@ahambou wait telnet?  Where is this documented??

@Mrget 

Not documented.

You have to upgrade to the beta firmware 1.0.2 https://static.tp-link.com/2020/202003/20200324/P9_1.0.2.zip and refer to my post #21 for instructions how to disable the WiFi backhaul.

ahambou wrote

@Mrget 

 

Not documented.

 

You have to upgrade to the beta firmware 1.0.2 https://static.tp-link.com/2020/202003/20200324/P9_1.0.2.zip and refer to my post #21 for instructions how to disable the WiFi backhaul.

 

@ahambou thanks for investigating. I managed to update all my decos to the beta firmware-build and I am also able to telnet onto the decos as you described in post #21. However I am totally inexperienced and I do not know how to actually change the option enable on backhaul to zero once I am in the etc/config directory. Could you please elaborate further, what the exact order of text-based commands are, once I am on my deco with telnet via windows command prompt? Thank you! 

@trekmadone52sl 

yes if someone can please help with what commands to use. i can get into the telnet of the decor but everything I try I get /bin/ash permission denied! I also get ash: cant' open '

/etc/config/WiFi'

@ahambou 

Hi, about this change to /etc/config/wifi

I've upgraded to the beta config on my 3 P9s, and I can telnet to all three of them.

I can edit /etc/config/wifi, using vi, and save it, can confirm afterwards, using cat, that the change took, to the file. It looks like this (with some passwords removed)

config backhaul 'backhaul'
    option encryption '1'
    option enable '0'
    option hidessid '1'

I then reboot the P9, for it to take effect, and when it comes back up, the option enable has been changed back to '1'

Are you sure this actually works? 

I cannot get it to work, using the information so far provided on this forum. A reboot of the P9 reverts the config. I've modified all three, then rebooted them, they all reset to option enabled '1'

Can you perhaps share how you've got this to work?

@worldofchico 

Okay, what's working for me, is to telnet to all three routers, and modify /etc/config/wifi, as described above, eg to change the section where it says

config backhaul 'backhaul'
    option enable '0'

to 1, eg ; 

config backhaul 'backhaul'
    option encryption '1'
    option enable '1'

on all three of the P9 devices, then restart the networking stack on each of them, by running this (do this on the main router, at 192.168.68.1 first, and on the other 2 shortly afterwards) ; 

/etc/init.d/repacd restart &

This seems to work, and persist past a reboot. 

Just editing the file, then rebooting seemed to revert, to the original config, for me, for whatever reason. 

This hasn't actually with network speeds, in my own environment, but in the new app, on the beta version of the firmware, you can see (on the satellites) whether they're using wifi or PLC (powerline convertor) to connect to the other nodes, and which node they're connecting to, if you click on the "Internet" Globe icon on the main app page, then the individual satellites. 

They will either say "2.4GHz/5GHz PLC" or just "PLC" depending on what they're using, to join the mesh. 

I used vi to edit the /etc/config/wifi file, you can google how to use vi. Not sure if there are other text editors on these devices or not, but basically do this ;

vi /etc/config/wifi

scroll down to find the section that says ;

config backhaul 'backhaul'
<snip>
    option enable '1'
<snip>

and go to just before the number 1. 

Then type the letter i, for insert. Type 0. Then press ESCAPE to exit insert mode, move right with the arrow keys, to highlight the number 1, and press X to delete it

Then press ESCAPE, then the letters wq! and RETURN

Then do 

cat /etc/config/wifi 

and check the change you made is there

Then do 

/etc/init.d/network restart

to restart the network stack on the device

If that makes no sense, google how to use vi, to edit text files, on linux based machines ...

@worldofchico 

Have you tried changing the mode from Router to Access Point? Also after changing the config files run saveconfig command on each Deco before rebooting.

The WiFi backhaul was very unstable so i disabled on all of my Deco units (including the main deco). I am using only PLC backhaul and its 100% stable.

@worldofchico 

After changing the config file and before rebooting the units run saveconfig command and press enter.

This will save the configuration changes made.