Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
12

Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-07-04 22:29:38 - last edited 2022-01-10 07:45:33
Model: Deco M4  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 1.5

Hello TP-Link community,

After upgrading to 1.5 firmware, there is a huge performance hit, it became almost impossible to manage the Deco with Deco app, as it almost always unable to connect or looses connection just after getting connected (doesn't matter from what phone I try to access, and if I'm on the WLAN or from the MOBILE WAN).

The access thru the web browser to main Deco (192.168.68.1) became also almost impossible as it barely responds, and it takes me dozen of tries just to load the login page.

 

There was also hit on the internet performance - with 1.4.3 firmware I was hitting 570-580Mbps down and 75Mbps up (600/60 Fiber connection). After the upgrade to 1.5 I can get only 460-470Mbps down and 60-65 up.
=======================================

Tried resetting all 3 units and configuring them again about dozen of times, trying to find out some pattern of the issue. Also tried setting up different unit as the main Deco unit, with the same issues in the end.

There is a huge (!) problem if the unit is connected directly to the internet, just after the internet setup stage, the Deco app looses connection to the unit.

 

I was able to configure the Deco if I disconnect the WAN cable, and at the internet setup stage if I set static IP internet (with made up values, just to keep it offline).

In that way there was no problem to complete the initial setup and thereafter to access all the features thru the Deco app without loosing any connection in the Deco app.

Once I set the internet back to Dynamic IP, all the issues come back again. And I'm even not able to access the Deco thru the app to change any values as it always loses connection (and as mentioned, doesn't matter if I try to access from WLAN or MOBILE WAN).

As mentioned at the top, there is also an issue accessing the main Deco unit thru the web browser, it takes forever to load the login page and if I even able to login, it fails to load the main page thereafter.

 

Another time I was able to complete the initial setup is if it was configured only in Access Point mode, there also was no problem to access the Deco unit thru the Deco app.

Once I set it to Router mode, it just freaks out again.

 

EDIT #987324: The ONE AND ONLY way now to access the configuration thru the Deco app, is to disconnect the WAN cable from the main Deco unit, then and only then I'm able to access and change any of the configuration without any app connection issues. There is definitely something related to WAN that creates huge load on the main Deco unit so it becomes unusable with the Deco app.

 

=======================================

Before the upgrade to 1.5, there were none of the issues I'm experiencing now with the 1.4.3 firmware.

There is definitely some issue with the 1.5 firmware which maybe eats up the unit resources (cpu/ram) and causes these issues.  

So if 1.5 is non-downgradable, how do you solve my issue?

 

=======================================

Have to mention that I'm disappointed from the TP-LINK TECHNICAL SUPPORT email answer which just ignored from the issues and only referred me to the FAQ section of "resolving interned speed issues".

  5      
  5      
#1
Options
1 Accepted Solution
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.-Solution
2021-09-27 03:18:12 - last edited 2022-01-10 07:45:33

@DmitryS 

Hi, Thank you for the update.

I am afraid I could not give you an exact answer whether it is caused by the CPU of Deco M4.

So I have asked for the senior engineers for help and please check your email for further assistance.

 

Update:

For the unstable issue on the Deco M4, it is suggested to try the beta firmware on this link:

Wireless clients and Satellite Deco fail to connect to Main Deco under Spectrum / Starhub

Please leave me a private message whether the beta firmware is working or not.

Recommended Solution
  1  
  1  
#12
Options
13 Reply
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-07-05 12:02:16

@DmitryS 

Hi, could you please help me check the following information:

1.When you said it was impossible to manage the Deco via Deco APP, did you mean once you open the APP, it said we could not find the Deco?

--if yes, can I have some screenshots?

--How about the LED on the M4 when the problem started, solid white, or turning red?

2.Who is your internet service provider and may I know the model number of your ISP router?

3. Could you please also try to change the DNS server on the Deco to be 8.8.8.8/8.8.4.4 to have a look:

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1855/

Thank you and wait for your reply.

  0  
  0  
#2
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-07-05 13:03:27 - last edited 2021-07-05 13:14:17

@DmitryS 

 

1. I'm always getting into this situation in the Deco app.

The LEDs on Decos remain solid white.

 

2. My ISP is Partner Communication here in Israel. The only thing I can tell, is that after getting the fiber optic cable into the apartment, there is only media converter (D-Link DMC-G01LC), and main Deco unit is connected directly to the media convrter.

 

3. As a workaround to getting into Deco settings with the Deco app, I had to disconnect the WAN cable as I already mentioned in my first post.

Changed to DNS as suggested to Google DNS, and just after plugging back the WAN cable, nothing changed, the problem is still there.

 

  0  
  0  
#3
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-07-06 02:16:13

@DmitryS 

Thank you very much.

And I have seen that your case has been forwarded to our senior engineers already.

Please feel free to update here if the issue was solved;

Thanks a lot.

  0  
  0  
#4
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-09-14 02:16:33 - last edited 2021-09-14 02:17:28

@TP-Link So I see that you have removed the 1.5 firmware update for the V2 from the website last month, as I assume I was right of it being full of issues.

Now I see that you introduced Deco M4 V3 with 1.51 firmware.

 

Bottom line - Deco M4 is VERY disappointing device.
After several months use, there is another very annoying issue. It fails big being a DHCP server on the home network. All of my computers and devices on my home network (PCs, Macs, Android phones and tablets) have issues getting IPV4 address AFTER RETURNING FROM SLEEP. I`m really frustrated.

  2  
  2  
#5
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-09-14 02:39:42

@DmitryS 

Hi, have you tried the beta firmware on this link:

[Solution] Wi-Fi speed drops down after updating Deco M4 to the latest 1.5.0 firmware 

 

The previous firmware has been cancelled for optimization and there would be a new firmware release very soon.

Please let me know whether the beta firmware could help with the current issue.

If not, I would be glad to forward your case to the senior engineers.

Thank you very much.

  0  
  0  
#6
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-09-14 10:38:31 - last edited 2021-09-14 21:28:07

@TP-Link Thanks. Seems like there is improvement on the DHCP, clients don`t stuck for minutes with APIPA after waking from sleep like it was before.
The rest of the issues are still there...

 

EDIT: it was false positive, there are still issues with getting network after waking computers from sleep, the computer may not get IPV4 address for 3 to 5 minutes.
It also doesn`t matter if it is wireless or wired client.

  0  
  0  
#7
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-09-21 08:45:39

@TP-Link 

 

are these issues even being examined?

  0  
  0  
#8
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-09-25 08:14:22

@TP-Link 

If I manually configure network settings on each device (static IP), there are no issues after waking up from sleep, so there is 100% problem with the Deco M4 dhcp service.

  2  
  2  
#9
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-09-26 08:28:01

@DmitryS 

Hi, Thank you for the update.

As for the DHCP server issue, I am sorry that we could not reproduce it on our side.

So we wish you could help me check the following information:

1. For the wireless devices, after returning from sleep mode, they failed to get connected to the Deco’s Wi-Fi, or the Wi-Fi could be connected but there Is no valid IP address?

2. Were you able to produce the same issue all the time?

3. I noticed that you were on the beta firmware already and did the beta firmware make any difference?

Moreover, May I know what are the devices that suffered from this issue?

Thank you very much.

  0  
  0  
#10
Options
Re:Deco M4R - very poor performance after 1.5 firmware update.
2021-09-26 18:43:44

@TP-Link 

 

1. Windows/MacOS computers are able to connect to WiFi after returning from sleep, but please, the problem is NOT the WiFi, as also wired clients have exactly the same issue waking from sleep. After waking from sleep I'm able to reach every other computer on my home network (wired or wireless) as they all have self assigned IPV6 address, but no ipv4 communication as they fail to renew the ipv4 address lease from M4 dhcp for very long minutes. In addition, the problem is that M4 has zero DHCP settings, nothing except the address range, and in Access Point mode there is only one additional option - turn the DHCP off. And that's it.
I can understand that you try to produce "dumb proof" device for casual, simple home users, but that is VERY limiting for advanced users, at least you could leave more options for the advanced users.

2. I can reproduce the problem every time, Wired OR Wireless, the problem is not the WiFi.
I think the source of every problems, including everything I mentioned earlier when I was posting my first post, is the high cpu usage of the M4.
I already mentioned that my ISP is 600/60 (DHCP, no dialer). Any time I was able to connect via the web interface (cause many times it just timesout), the cpu was almost always at constant 100% usage. Also, if I disconnect the WAN, I have no issues to connect via the web interface nor via the Deco app (WIFI).

What causes that cpu usage? Maybe M4 just can't cope with it? Maybe slower WAN speeds don't cause such high cpu usage and don't show any of the issues i'm suffering from?

3. I'm on the last beta you posted, it did absolutely no difference to anything I had before.

  2  
  2  
#11
Options

Information

Helpful: 5

Views: 4514

Replies: 13