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Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?

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Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?
Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?
2021-01-12 22:32:49 - last edited 2021-01-12 22:35:23
Model: Deco M4  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

I have a brand new set of 3x Deco M4 and after a whole day of trying to fit it in my network, I think it is time to give up and throw it in the trash.

 

Situation:

I have a house with 3 floors made of concrete. Wifi is not going through the floors at all. I have an existing network structure. On all floors there is a wired internet connection where a switch distributes it to all the wires devices on that floor. Everything that I can connect wired, is connected wired. So wireless is mostly for phones, tablets, e-readers, alexa, tasmota's and other devices that have no option to connect them wired. I also have several IoT devices for home automation. These IoT devices are all on fixed IP addresses for numorous reasons. My network runs on IP range 10.0.0.x. Changing the IP range is extremely time consuming because of the devices on fixed addresses, scripts depending on it and so on. I use a router after my modem to keep my network stable (same IP range) to be able to switch internet provider without problems.

 

What I was expecting from the Deco M4's:

I was planning to put one M4 on each floor and connect these via their ethernet port to my wired network.

To my opinion this is what most people expect. Connecting them wired also saves 50% of the wireless bandwidth. 

 

Image of the planned setup:

 

So what went wrong:

1) The ethernet backhaul does not seem to work in this way. If I want to connect the Deco #2 and #3 wired, it needs to connect to the ethernet port of Deco #1. This is impossible in my case because it requires pulling a 2nd cable to floor #2 and #3. Stupid, because ethernet is already available there.

2) The IP range of the wireless is changed and cannot run on the same range as the wired range (10.0.0.x). So that means most IoT devices do not work without a lott of hassle.

3) So then I though about setting the Deco's to Access Point mode. Then they are all on the same network! But when setting the Deco's to Access Point mode, the App tells me it cannot find the Deco's anymore. So I have no way to change their configuration (or change it back to router mode) and no way to check if the use the wired connection. I am not sure that problem #1 is solved by this, probably I still need to connect deco #2 and #3 to deco #1's ethernet port?

4) I'm not really sure what functionality I lose in AP mode but I am afraid that most handy features are simply not available. Something I dont like either (because I paid for them) but may be it is acceptable...

5) Wireless range of the deco's have a very hard time going through my concrete floors. So connecting them wired is a must. It's a pretty normal construction type in my country....

 

So my conclusion is that If I am not willing to pull extra cables for the deco's, it is not going to work. Right? Pulling extra cables is not possible, so I end up throwing the deco's in the garbage.... unless some brilliant mind here knows a way around it.

 

 

Note that problem #3: Deco's not found in App after switching to AP mode, is very anoying. I need to reset the devices and completely start over again!

 

When I started the setup, I thought that TP-Link really did very well to make it user friendly. But after a day of total frustration...... 

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Re:Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?
2021-01-13 09:00:57

@techy 

Hi,

Thank you very much for your feedback.

Please refer to the following information:

1. As for the Ethernet backhaul,  some switches could not forward the standard IEEE 1905.1 protocol, which is used for Ethernet backhaul,

So may I know the model number of your main router as well as the 3 switches？

 

2. For the IP issue,

First, please refer to this link to check the difference between the access point mode and wireless router mode：

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2423/

After switching to the access point mode, you should still be able to control on the APP.

If possible, could you please help me check the following information:

1. What are the LED status on the Deco, green or red?

2. If rebooting the Deco and connecting to the Deco’s Wi-Fi again, are you able to detect any Deco on the APP?

--if still not, could you please send me a private message about the MAC address on the main Deco, as well as your Deco account?

 

Thanks a lot and wait for your reply.

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#2
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Re:Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?
2021-01-13 10:11:20 - last edited 2021-01-13 10:11:43

@TP-Link I will check my switch brands in a few hours when I'm home again. But, in the mean time, can you help me figure out why the App cannot find the deco's after switching to AP mode? Even with only one deco, configured and working in router mode, after switching to AP mode, the App cannot find it. My phone is connected to it via Wifi though.... 

 

My current view point is that it should work in my intended use when I place them in AP mode. So one major problem remaining is that the App does not see the deco's once I do so. If that is solved, it is just a matter of living without the additional features of router mode.... (unless my switches cause problems with 1905.1 packages, to be checked later).

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#3
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Re:Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?
2021-01-13 17:08:50 - last edited 2021-01-13 17:18:45

@TP-Link I have identified all my switches. They happen to be all TP-Link ;-).

 

Anyhow:

Modem is a Fritzbox 7581.

0) Mainswitch on floor #1 is a TP-Link TL-SG1016D (16 port Gigabit switch)

From the mainswitch there are 3 other switches:

1) Floor #1 TP-Link TL-SC1008D (8 port Gigabit switch), this one has Deco #1 connected (to also have garden coverage).

2) Floor #2 TP-Link TL-SC1008D (8 port Gigabit switch), this one has Deco #2 connected

3) Floor #3 TP-Link SG105 (5 port Gigabit switch), this one has Deco #23 connected

 

Please let me know if any of these switches causes problems with the Deco's.

 

I have now completely made the setup again with all deco's chained behind Deco #1. Once setup completed I switched to AP mode. Then it seemed to work. So I moved all the Deco's to their intended locations. They start-up and then a red light, then a white light. My phone is not complaining. But the App still does not find the deco's. It says: deco not found, there is something wrong with the cloud service, try again. When I monitor the led on a deco, I see it changing from red-flashing to white and back continuesly. So something is wrong....

 

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#4
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Re:Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?
2021-01-14 17:20:59

 

techy wrote

I have now completely made the setup again with all deco's chained behind Deco #1. Once setup completed I switched to AP mode. 

 

 

If I were you, I would reset all the devices, start over with just 1, and set it up in AP mode.  Then, add each new node one at a time.

 

Your topology shows they have to be in AP mode.  Whatever you're doing and getting them configured in Router mode is completely incorrect for the toplogy you have.  Those settings will always be wrong.  My guess is that when you switch from Router to AP mode and the IP address changes, that's when you're having the app failure.  Solving that problem with an initial setup in AP mode will probably fix everything else.

 

You'll lose all the router only features, but they wouldn't work anyway because it's not the router on your network.

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#5
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Re:Do I need to throw my new Deco's in the trash?
2021-01-14 17:55:26

@techy 

 

What happens if you put the Deco on the left side of the first switch? 

Normally the Decos needs to be first in the chain. 

Then you can also set the FritzBox in bridge mode. 

 

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