FUTURE BUYERS BEWARE!!
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Fed up with this, we need to warn future buyers.
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If you are thinking of buying a TP-link mesh set (any model), please read this first before buying!!!
1) The mesh routers ONLY function completely when used in router mode. In Access Point (AP) mode there are the following limitations:
- IFTTT does not work at all.
- There are virtually no configuration options available. You cannot even change the wifi channel.
2) You cannot run your own DHCP server when in router mode. There is no way to switch off the internal DHCP router of the tplinks.
3) If you are running them in AP mode, tplink claims to switch off the DHCP server. This is NOT true. The DHCP is 'smart' and is switched on or off when the tplinks sees fit. This will even in AP mode cause problems on your local network causing machines to drop connections.
The problems mentioned above are serious design flaws and are not picked up by TPlink.
4) Newer models ( like the P9) suffer from incomplete firmware and missing app settings. It appears you, the buyer, is the fieldtester for TPlink.
5) There are numerous other unresolved problems, please check this forum.
If you also think TPlink needs to step up to our expectations , please +1 this thread so it will stay at the top of the list.
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Hello, the Deco supports IFTTT in router mode only, and the feature to customize wireless settings, including wireless channel/channel width has been forwarded to our product department, and there is a plan to optimize related mechanisms.
The Deco uses smart DHCP server and it is enabled by default when it works in router mode, while in AP mode, it will be switched off as long as it detects that there is another DHCP server, and it will be turned on when there is no other DHCP server existed so that the clients can manage it via the Deco app easily.
The feature to enable/disable DHCP server manually has been noticed and the product engineer will keep an eye on similar feedback and evaluate the feasibility.
The new firmware for Deco P9 is on its way, it is under testing now. It will be released once it passed all the tests.
We are sorry for the trouble caused here, but we always try our best to provide better products and customer services. For all of your requests, we do value them and have forwarded to our product department; while as you know, it takes time to add this new feature and release new firmware.
For now, you can order the Deco M9 plus V1 or Deco M5 which have more mature firmware to enjoy the mesh feature.
Thanks for your kindly understanding in advance. Good day.
Update: 2020/02/10
As for the new features, we have noted that and forwarded to our product department; We will keep an eye on it and will remind our engineer in time; As you know, more similar feedback we get, there will be higher possibility to make these features available with the firmware upgrade. On the other hand, it will take some time to add the new feature, round and round tests should be done before releasing the official firmware. The performance and stability of the device is more important.
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Kevin, why do you insist on marking any response as an accepted solution.
You did the same thing on the numerous threads related to the widespread Smart DHCP issue on this community forum.
It has been almost a year since the first reports of issues and a growing number of people have reported problems with the same issue. A response of "engineering is aware and will keep an eye on similar feedback and evaluate the feasibility" is simply not a solution. It's a "so what" statement. It tells the customers, that have experienced this issue, that you don't care even to provide a concrete answer on how this can be solved. Regardless of the fact they have spent money on the product.
The last firmware update for the M9 Plus v1 was from August 2019. We are in April 2020! No information on when, or what, is coming in terms of big fixes and feature improvements. Even worse for the poor folks who bought the v2 hardware.
I am joining others here in vowing not to purchase and TP-Link hardware going forward. The Deco range was such a promising product, let down by poor product management and communications with people having real technical issues. The fact there is a "Smart DHCP" feature, hidden and cannot be disabled, dishing out IP addresses most likely not compatible a network setup, says it all really about the lack of considered thinking that went into this product line.
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@realjax I can't agree with you more, especially on no. 4, except that I don't think P9 is so new now in their product line but is still sufferring from incomplete functionality when benchmarking with all other mesh network systems in the market nowadays.
realjax wrote
Fed up with this, we need to warn future buyers.
-----------------------------------------------------------
If you are thinking of buying a TP-link mesh set (any model), please read this first before buying!!!
1) The mesh routers ONLY function completely when used in router mode. In Access Point (AP) mode there are the following limitations:
- IFTTT does not work at all.
- There are virtually no configuration options available. You cannot even change the wifi channel.
2) You cannot run your own DHCP server when in router mode. There is no way to switch off the internal DHCP router of the tplinks.
3) If you are running them in AP mode, tplink claims to switch off the DHCP server. This is NOT true. The DHCP is 'smart' and is switched on or ff when the tplinks see fit. This will even in AP mode cause problems on your local network causing machines to drop connections.
The problems mentioned above are serious design flaws that ar not picked up by TPlink.
4) Newer models ( like the P9) suffer from incomplete firmware and missing app settings. It appears you, the buyer, is the fieldtester for TPlink.
5) There are numerous other unresolved problems, please check this forum.
If you also think TPlink needs to step up our expectations , please +1 this thread so it will stay at the top of the list.
- Copy Link
- Report Inappropriate Content
Hello, the Deco supports IFTTT in router mode only, and the feature to customize wireless settings, including wireless channel/channel width has been forwarded to our product department, and there is a plan to optimize related mechanisms.
The Deco uses smart DHCP server and it is enabled by default when it works in router mode, while in AP mode, it will be switched off as long as it detects that there is another DHCP server, and it will be turned on when there is no other DHCP server existed so that the clients can manage it via the Deco app easily.
The feature to enable/disable DHCP server manually has been noticed and the product engineer will keep an eye on similar feedback and evaluate the feasibility.
The new firmware for Deco P9 is on its way, it is under testing now. It will be released once it passed all the tests.
We are sorry for the trouble caused here, but we always try our best to provide better products and customer services. For all of your requests, we do value them and have forwarded to our product department; while as you know, it takes time to add this new feature and release new firmware.
For now, you can order the Deco M9 plus V1 or Deco M5 which have more mature firmware to enjoy the mesh feature.
Thanks for your kindly understanding in advance. Good day.
Update: 2020/02/10
As for the new features, we have noted that and forwarded to our product department; We will keep an eye on it and will remind our engineer in time; As you know, more similar feedback we get, there will be higher possibility to make these features available with the firmware upgrade. On the other hand, it will take some time to add the new feature, round and round tests should be done before releasing the official firmware. The performance and stability of the device is more important.
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Great post and important points people should be aware of.
The glacial speed of dealing with technical issues should also be a factor buyers consider.
The "Smart DHCP" is totally undocumented and can ONLY cause issues on a network if it kicks in and starts handing out IP addresses to devices. There are many threads on this issue dating back to May 2019. Only now the option to disable this feature has made it to product management as a request, with no idea if or when it might be implemented. In the meantime, it is causing mayhem on networks using AP mode.
Really such a shame, as the product itself looks to be really capable. I wish I had purchased just 1 of these for testing, instead of the 6 devices I am now stuck with.
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@whitehatone
To be honest, you are going to have to create your own support thread and post more information.
Just writing you have a problem, please fix it, isn't going to get you help.
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The p9 should not have been sold with the firmware and app configuration options so limited.
We are the alpha testers.
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I have to agree with everyone in this thread.
This product has a lot of issues not limited to the following:
- "smart" DHCP is a disaster and needs an option to turn off completely.
- P9 lacks a lot of features.
- Guest network VLAN tagging in AP mode
- If Ethernet backhaul is used, would be nice to have a link quality test for latency and speed.
- Same for powerline ethernet!
How about some roadmap for the firmware?
When is it going to be released, what features will it add, which bugs will it fix etc. etc. ?
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Impossibility to manually select the channel and width on 2.4Ghz.
We have overcrowded 2.4Ghz and huge interferences and a lot of (freshly new) devices only support 2.4Ghz. Speed is horrible with the deco's (pair of M4R v1), even sitting next to the main router (with my old wr1043nd I got, 1m from the router, 30Mbps easily, now, I struggle to get 5Mbs at 1m form the main deco, and all because i cannot manually choose the channel and swith the width from 40Mhz to 20Mhz!). A thread from June mentions such was requested to development and planned for a future release, but 7 months later and we are all waiting. Just open ssh and/or telnet port by default, provide a how-to on how to accomplish that because I know that this is possible.
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I like that idea!
But, I don't think the typical consumer should have to hack their router for basic configuration options.
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