Hi, Review this post to fix M3W roaming: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/232148?replyId=511020

Yes. I have 3 X60's and 2 X20's (W3600), in AP mode, and I've enabled the Fast Roaming (just set up 2 days ago ... so we'll see).

Just a thought: for stationary devices, couldn't you just turn off the Mesh access for just those devices? Disclaimer: I haven't tried that yet... I'm waiting to see how 'stable' the connections are for my "fixed location" (e.g. "Smart Home") devices.

The roaming is literally that ... you are walking around with the device from one location to another. That's not typically real relevant to most gaming. It would be relevant if you are watching a video stream (move, Zoom-type session) and you are changing locations while doing so ( watch out that you don't trip on something...). Of course, also for WiFi phone & video chats while doing other things around the house.

@Kevin_Z I understand its the client's decision to roam, but in my case, 2 Decos work great an done of them, that is placed on a corner, always has clients roaming. But they roam when my Internet is running at 80Mbps and they end up in a Deco that has 0.0001 mpbs or no signal.

 

This does not make sense. Am I doing something wrong? Should I place yet another Deco? I've already replaced the Deco (M4) for a new one and it performs the same. The signal is great, yet my devices end up roaming to a Deco far away wiht no signal.

 

This happens to every device I use with that Deco. Laptops, desktops, cell phones, FireTV. Nothing stays connected. and I need them to roam (except for the FireTV). 

 

Is there something I can do?

Thanks, good story, and worked for me. Deco M9 Plus with firmware 1.4.3 202000921. When I lifted to this FW version, my IP cameras did not come online anymore. I disabled fast roaming, brought my cameras back online, used the app to disable MESH for my stationary ip-cameras, and then turned fast roaming on again. Works like a charm. And by the way, I disabled this fast roaming for all staionary devices in my house, only left it on for the devices which actually roam through the house: iPhones, Android phones, iPads and laptops. grtz John

@SparksNL Unfortunately, turning off mesh for these old cameras didn't work. So bummed. That would have been slick. I wonder what turning off mesh for a device does specifically/technically?  What does the router not do for that device?

 

I did come up with a work around. I hung a couple of wifi extenders off my mesh network....figuring they wouldn't pass along the 802.11r signal since the are not a mesh device. I had a couple leftover/unused from when I replaced them with my Deco system. I then connected the old cameras to the wifi extender hotspot and turned back on fast roaming. Bingo...everything works again. I made sure to forget the wifi extender hotspots on my phone so it wouldn't accidentally connect to the extender when i got near it. 

@Kevin_Z 

 

Thank you for the very clear explanation. Finally!

 

I see a lot of warning in the DECO M9+ log all related to "invalid beam" messages exchange with my laptop. I have fast roaming (BSST) switched on. It seems to be related but I have to dig into it further. But before I start digging can you help me with fast roaming on MS Windows 10? 

 

My laptop has a Intel dual AC 8265, supporting 802.11k/v/r. Also Windows 10 does. But it says "Windows 10 supports Fast BSS Transitions over networks using 802.1X as the authentication method. Pre-Shared Key (PSK) and Open Networks are currently not supported."

 

Now is my question to you (or another helpful wizard): What method does TP-lInk DECO M9 support? Is Windows 10 compatible with fast roaming? 

 

Note: I have downloaded the latest firmware over the air. 

 

Martin

 

 

 

 

@donatdodat Hi, I have the same system, (I am assuming you have Deco X60?) and have noticed the same issue on a few devices. But this is not TP-Link's fault really. I work in IT and I understand why. I will try and share some knowledge.

Basically TP-Link has created this product with Wifi 6 and the latest mesh technology. Your concern is that its TP-Link's fault that you paid for their product but you cannot leverage its full capabilites because of some older devices you have that do not support new standards. You want a solution where fast roaming somehow gets turned off or on for each device by the system; but that is something extremely complicated because there are so many variables that TP-Link does not control. No one, no vendor can do that. Fast roaming is either on or off. You can't have both. Unfortunately the answer for older tech that is not up to new standards - is that it forces us to the lowest common denominator in some situations/for some capabilities. We can choose to upgrade the tech and solve the problem, but that is on us.

 

To really truly fully take advantage of all of the features you paid for with your new router, you would need every device you have to be capable of wifi 6 standards. The problem with new standards is that they do create some disruption by making a lot of things obsolete (if you want the new capabilites).

 

How can you expect TP-Link to be accountable for upgrading everyone's devices that are old and don't have the new capabilities? Many devices don't have drivers that understand the new standard that supports fast roaming. TP-Link would have to go out and try and upgrade the drivers (and maybe the hardware too) on every device out there; devices they don't own or manage. Its not really feasible. 

Its like saying that you are paying for a new 4 inch water pipe into your house, and you are upset that it can't flow to full capacity inside the house - because the existing pipes in your house are all 1 inch pipes. The only way to get the full flow is to replace your 1 inch pipes inside the house with 4 inch pipes. There is no "software" solution, no magic wand that can turn 1 inch pipes all over your house into 4 inch pipes.  Its the same with all of these myriad devices. Of all kinds of makes and models and varying standards and capabilities. Some devices may not even have a physical specification that could handle capablities such as fast roaming. That is not TP-Link's fault, you cannot hold them accountable for legacy hardware/technology that they do not manage or control - that is up to us, the users, to upgrade to newer stuff if we want the fullest capabilities.

 

TP-Link have however made this mesh system backward compatible for the basic connections - so that it will work with older devices that are not wifi 6 capable; and that is necessary because there are very few wifi 6 capable devices out there in use right now.  That means you can connect and the device can do its thing, but that does not mean the device will suddenly magically have different hardware and more advanced capabiltiies than it had before.  You are limited by what your devices are capable of. This is something you may already know; you can google to learn more about wifi 6 if you need to.  

 

As time goes by more and more new devices will be wifi 6 and at some point more or less every wireless device will be wifi 6. But we are not there yet. So our wifi 6 Deco will work with our older devices, but can't in all cases work to the fullest extent of every advanced feature as its limited by what each of our devices can do.

 

For example, wifi 6 takes advantage of new/differnent frequencies for wireless transmission; but legacy devices are not equipped to work in those frequencies; so you won't get the benefit of that with older devices that simply cannot work in those new frequencies. Also wifi 6 can extend battery life of devices by using a different way of communicating that does not require so much constant use of the radio; but that advantage will only work with more modern devices that are wifi 6 capable. Something older and not wifi 6 will not get the battery life benefit. Again that is not TP-Link's fault - its not up to them to upgrade our other devices for us.

Basically, we cannot expect TP-Link to resolve legacy hardware issues - where the only real answer is to upgrade the hardware so that it has a more modern standard. 

 

But...what we HAVE paid for and gained is a mesh wifi system that is up to the most modern wifi standard and "future proofed" us for a while. And it is indeed backward compatible so that older devices will work; but it can't magically make those older devices more capable. As more and more devices are upgraded in our houses, we will have a wifi system ready to leverage them to the fullest. For example, new devices that are sold will soon all start supporting wifi 6....so as we upgrade things over time...get that newer smart phone, buy that newer smart speaker, etc....more and more things will be wifi 6 - and capable of taking advantage of all of the newest features. 

So if we have a lot of older tech, we may have to leave something like fast roaming turned off, until we have the right devices all capable of using it. But the good news is that our wifi is ready to give us those capablites when our devices can handle it.

donatdodat wrote

@Kevin_Z 

I would really appreciate if TP Link would fix the problem on Fast Roaming. Some of my devices can't connect to the router if it's enabled. However, fast roaming is also a feature that i paid for and it will be counter intuitive if i turn it off when my other devices benefits from it. I hope there will be an update in which I can turn on Fast Roaming AND my other devices can still connect with the router. Would that be possible?

 

 

@Kevin_Z Hi - ive just installed the M9 system (3 units) and it works like a dream - all using ethernet backhaul and set as AP mode.

 

Sorry for repeating a question if its been asked before, but I need to add one more deco node to it to finalize full house coverage.

 

I don't need another M9 as it'd be overkill for the space i need to cover.  I know the other Deco's play nicely together, but don't want to lose fast roaming, or Ethernet back haul.

 

Could you advise a lower spec / cheaper Deco that i could add that wont reduce functionality of the mesh?

 

Thanks!!