Is there a beta firmware I can substitute for 1.1.3 so I can disable the WiFi backhaul, or a way to do it on 1.1.3?

@FlawlessSoul 

Found a more recent version of the beta firmware on the post below:

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/243210

@EMerks 

Bumping this thread, because I have also just fixed the P9 PLC back-haul issue as discussed previously and thought I would give a one-stop shop guide on how to do it.

Download the following beta firmware which allows the telnet connection to the routers, this is the latest release I could find:

https://static.tp-link.com/beta/2021/202101/20210118/Deco_P9_1.1.3_20210115_debug.zip

Install the firmware onto your routers following the TP-link instructions (local upgrade via browser page)

Install the SSH explorer software (for Windows), this can be used for free for a 30-day trial period

http://www.sshexplorer.com/

You are ready to begin! (note I did this with the P9s in router mode, but from other posts it seems like it works in AP mode as well)

Create a new connection in SSH explorer (the PC you are using needs to be connected to the Deco network):

• Connection name - Anything you want (e.g. Deco)
• Host URL - Local IP of the primary Deco (can be found in the app or via the browser page when doing the firmware update)
• Protocol - Telnet
• Authen type - Password
• Login/password - Blank

Note, the setting only has to be changed in the primary router, and it will automatically update the other two upon rebooting

Run the connection, leave login/password blank in the pop-up and the command line for the Deco should appear

In the view tab at the top, click file view and a bar should appear on the LHS, if its empty hit the small refresh icon and the filing system for the Deco will appear

Go into etc, then config, then right click on the wifi file and click edit file in Vi

The file will open in the command line, navigate the file using the Vi navigation keys ( guide here - https://staff.washington.edu/rells/R110/) down to the

config backhaul 'backhaul' section, navigate to the 1 of option enable '1', hit r to enter text edit replace mode, replace the 1 with 0, press esc to get out of text edit, type :wq and then enter to save and get back to command mode, and then in the command line type saveconfig, hit enter, the command line will move to the next line without an error and you should be set.

Now reboot the primary router, either via the app or by just unplugging and replugging it into the wall. When it reboots you should see you lose connection to all of the slave P9s you have attached (I assume this happens because of the settings between them being different at that moment). Now go and reboot those by unplugging them from the wall and replugging them in, when they restart you should see they appear in the app as connected, and now the only connection type you should see is PLC, my app no longer shows the wireless backhaul status like it did before even when PLC was working.

And that's it, I'm a novice and I sorted this out in about half and hour end to end, my Decos are 100% stable and I'm a happy camper! Just be careful in using the command line and Vi, it's a little confusing but if you feel you've messed up just close the connection without saving anything and start again. If you do save something that kills the Deco just reset it and start from scratch.

@FrankSobotka Hi!
Tnx for your message it really helps me!


May be u investigate abuos Deco settings more? I Try use another settings in /etc/config/wifi like a set channel and so on but it's does not work as I expected))) Something I do wrong(((

For several days I have been testing Deco P9 with the latest official software (1.1.3_201228), previously I had problems with Wifi fast roaming (802.11r) on Devolo Magic 2 Wifi devices (in my opinion it does not work), my VoIP connections (Wifi Calling, Whatsapp etc.) were dropping when moving from room to room (smartphone with 802.11k/v/r), Wifi Calling (VoWifi) on Deco P9 are a lot more stable (does not break VoIP calls), but I also lack the possibility of manual selection of PLC and / or Wifi backhaul, 
 

@TP-Link 

the option to choose the signal source is in the ASUS ZenWiFi AX Hybrid XP4 .... TP-Link, please do this with the Deco P9 software

  @Kevin_Z it has been nearly three years since you promised the new firmware update. What is the latest news on this?

And we're still waiting...

  @ctsinc I had previously 2 yrs or so ago really struggled to get powerline working on these P9s. Eventually I settled on using Solwise powerline adapters plugged into the P9 to work as backhaul, which was ok but not amazing particularly on the upstairs node ( I had originally set up the P9s with no solwise plugs in, so it wasn't down to interference).

 I recently changed broadband providers and as part of setting everything up, I removed all my Solwise powerline adapters. To my surprise, (as far as I'm aware the P9s have always been on version 1.13 firmware), the P9s not only seem to be working on powerline now, but they are blazingly fast.

I've moved to 250Mb fibre and I can get the full 250 from any device hard wired into any of the P9s and between 200 and 250 on WiFi on any node. The only thing I'm conscious changed on the tplink side is the app itself seems to have had an update. Really pleased these are finally working as advertised now (took them long enough though). Anyone else found things have improved recently? 

I noticed that the problem to prefer Wi-Fi than Powerline is present only in AP configuration mode. On ROUTER mode it seem to not be present and connection go via Powerline as default. Can be helpful? Have you ever done this test?