Deco M3W Beamforming and Mesh Technology

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Deco M3W Beamforming and Mesh Technology

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Deco M3W Beamforming and Mesh Technology
Deco M3W Beamforming and Mesh Technology
2021-04-22 10:39:17 - last edited 2021-04-27 10:17:00
Model: Deco M3W  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: M3W(EU)_V1_1.0.6_20201013

I have a place in my house, my garage, where the coverage from my Deco network is weak (2x M5 + 2x M4).

 

I wanted to extend it and as the plugs are in a odd spot and I do not have an ethernet backhaul there anyway I bought a Deco M3W.

 

After connecting it to the network the coverage was fixed but I noticed that the other Decos lost capabilities like Beamforming, Fast roaming and even the ability to see which devices are connected to which Deco in the Deco App.

 

TL;DR I added the M3W and lost important features from the M5 and M4.

 

I want to know if there is anything in roadmap to sort this:

  • either adding this to the M3W
  • or just being able to use them for the rest of the network even if the M3W won't support it and will always be a weak link.

 

I can live with the M3W being worse than the other meshes, but not the fact that it deteriorates the performance from the other mesh satellites just by existing.

 

If there's nothing planned to address it I may keep it otherwise I will have to send it back to Amazon and consider other options.

 

Edit: Edited the subject after the reply from @TP-Link

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#1
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1 Accepted Solution
Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Mesh Technology-Solution
2021-04-27 10:16:50 - last edited 2021-04-27 10:17:00

@TP-Link  got me in contact with their Senior support engineer who gave me the following feedback:

 

  • Fast Roaming works normally.
    • Correct.
  • Mesh Technology toggles disappear and it’s forcefully enabled on all devices
    • Correct. With M3W added into network, mesh tech will be enabled automatically for all the client devices.
  • Beamforming toggle disappears as the M3W doesn’t support it, but the devices that do, will use it if it was set to enabled
    • Correct, if you enable the Beamforming before you add the M3W, after it added, Beaforming is still working even though you cannot find the option in Advanced menu.

 

 

For me the issue can be closed and thanks again @TP-Link for the feedback.

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#9
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Fast roaming
2021-04-23 03:44:05

@sp33dyy00 

Hi, the Deco M3W supported fast roaming and beamforming as well;

As for the ability to see which devices are connected to which Deco, it is not supported yet but it would not affect other Deco units in the mesh;

So may I know how did you find that fast roaming and beamforming were not supported?

Thank you very much.

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#2
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Fast roaming
2021-04-23 06:55:53

@TP-Link First and foremost, thanks for your reply.

 

You are right, Fast roaming is still available on the settings, I confused it with the "Mesh Technology" (Seamless roaming) which does vanish.

 

I took a few screenshots from the Android App as it's probably easier to explain:

 

Mesh Topology without the M3W:

 

 

Settings page without the M3W with Beam Forming and Fast Roaming:

 

 

Device without the M3W with Mesh Technology:

 

 

 

Mesh Topology with the M3W:

 

 

Settings page with the M3W with Fast Roaming but without Beam Forming:

 

 

Device with the M3W without Mesh Technology:

 

 

So wrapping it all up, "Fast roaming"  is still available but "Beamforming" and "Mesh Technology" disappear from the app.

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#3
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Fast roaming
2021-04-23 07:37:30

@sp33dyy00 

Thank you very much and I have reported to the senior engineers for further assistance.

For the Mesh technology, the option would disappear once Deco M3W joined in the Mesh but the Mesh feature is enabled by default and could not be disabled;

As for the fast roaming, they are testing now and once there is any update, I would come back as soon as possible.

 

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#4
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Fast roaming
2021-04-23 07:41:30

@TP-Link Thank you for the quick reply


TP-Link wrote

@sp33dyy00 

Thank you very much and I have reported to the senior engineers for further assistance.

For the Mesh technology, the option would disappear once Deco M3W joined in the Mesh but the Mesh feature is enabled by default and could not be disabled;

As for the fast roaming, they are testing now and once there is any update, I would come back as soon as possible.

 

 

Just to make sure, what about the beamforming or they will also be testing that?

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#5
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Fast roaming
2021-04-25 10:54:40

@sp33dyy00 

Hi, I have tested on my side and the fast roaming should still be there;

Could you please go to Deco APP>overview>settings on the top left>help>contact us>suggestions and send us the APP system log;

By the way, if possible, could you please go to http://tplinkdeco.net and save a picture of the Deco network map here?

Thank you.

 

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#6
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Fast roaming
2021-04-26 09:48:21

 

TP-Link wrote

@sp33dyy00 

Hi, I have tested on my side and the fast roaming should still be there;

Could you please go to Deco APP>overview>settings on the top left>help>contact us>suggestions and send us the APP system log;

By the way, if possible, could you please go to http://tplinkdeco.net and save a picture of the Deco network map here?

Thank you.

 

@TP-Link As i said in the reply #3 in this thread, I made a mistake pointing describing it as "Fast Roaming".

 

The ones that disappear are "Mesh Technology" and "Beamforming". Fast roaming is indeed present.

 

Here is the network map you requested:

 

 

I have sent the app log as you requested, it was sent from this account and has the link to this forum entry in the description.

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#7
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Fast roaming
2021-04-26 11:15:06

@sp33dyy00 

Sorry and it might be my fault blush.

Both fast roaming and beamforming are supposed to be here; only Mesh technology would disappear;

Thank you.

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#8
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Re:Deco M3W Beamforming and Mesh Technology-Solution
2021-04-27 10:16:50 - last edited 2021-04-27 10:17:00

@TP-Link  got me in contact with their Senior support engineer who gave me the following feedback:

 

  • Fast Roaming works normally.
    • Correct.
  • Mesh Technology toggles disappear and it’s forcefully enabled on all devices
    • Correct. With M3W added into network, mesh tech will be enabled automatically for all the client devices.
  • Beamforming toggle disappears as the M3W doesn’t support it, but the devices that do, will use it if it was set to enabled
    • Correct, if you enable the Beamforming before you add the M3W, after it added, Beaforming is still working even though you cannot find the option in Advanced menu.

 

 

For me the issue can be closed and thanks again @TP-Link for the feedback.

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#9
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