Deco mesh: some missing features

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Deco mesh: some missing features

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Deco mesh: some missing features
Deco mesh: some missing features
2023-01-26 16:19:28
Model: Deco X50  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

Hi am setting up a network on my new 3-floor building, as many people in the forum know from the threads I opened :)

I am a long-time fan of tplink products I have been using for more than a decade, from the firsts ADSL modems.

 

Deco Mesh is the right choice for a seamless connection in a large home; it was very simple to connect tye X50 and the M9 to my ISP router creating my home network, i also connected Alexa and my first IoT device.

 

Two things I really miss: web gui and VPN Server

The Mobile App is fine and useful, but I wonder why the web GUIs to the Deco units offer only a very limited set of the functions. I am used to the Archer Series routers, they offers a very rich Web UI; for simple configurations the mobile App is good, but for a complex setup with DHCP, NAT rules, a GUI on a screen, with a real keyboard and a mouse is better.

I really hope TP-LINK will release a new version of the firmware offering a more complete Web GUI.

 

VPN Server

Most of the TP-LINK Router I have installed have the VPN Server, it means that I can connect to my network remotely with OpenVPN for example. This is a feature the the "Basic users" don't need, the IoT based on cloud enable the connectivity to your devices everywhere; but in some special cases, like mine with a public IP provided by my ISP, I can have a mini server hosting my own applications to play with a sort of personal cloud; opening it as a virtual server is not safe, a VPN is the right choice.

I can re-use a dismissed TP-LINK router as a VPN Server configuring a multiple forwarding, but a VPN server available in the Deco unit would be better.

 

jupiter

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#1
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Re:Deco mesh: some missing features
2023-01-28 03:52:50

  @jupiter Hi, Thanks a lot for your support and confidence in uslaugh.

For the web UI,  We sincerely appreciate your advice but I am afraid Deco will still mainly focus on the APP optimization. We do plan to support the VPN server/client on Deco, and Deco X50/X55 already supports this feature on 1.2.0. 

In the meanwhile, we are also making a survey about VPN service on Deco and you are welcome to share more suggestions with us.

VPN Survey on Deco

Thank you again.

Best regards.

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Re:Deco mesh: some missing features
2023-01-31 16:24:23 - last edited 2023-01-31 17:05:31

  @David-TP The VPN Server on X50 is exactly what would make me happy, I have updated my X-50 after the setup few days ago, it have now 1.1.0 build 20221102 Rel 66085. Can I do a manual update using the file provided in https://static.tp-link.com/upload/beta/2023/202301/20230131/Deco_X50_230113.zip ?   

 

I see it is a beta, do you know the official GA release?

 

I replied to the survey, although at the moment I am more interested in hosting my own VPN.

 

Anyway, i understand that the efforts are devoted to the development of the App, but webGUI are useful for complex config; the technical architecture of the firmware would not require so many changes, the same APIs used by the App can be called by the javascript clienty of the WebGUI :)

 

 

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Re:Deco mesh: some missing features
2023-02-01 01:16:24

  @jupiter 

Hi, yes, the official 1.1.0 could be updated to 1.2.0 build 230113. With the latest news, the official 1.2.0 has finished the last round of tests. I think it will be released very soon.

 

So far, I am afraid Deco APP is still the main focus of the Deco management tool and no further optimized plan of web UI are got from the senior engineers yet.

Thank you very much.

Best regards.

 

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Re:Deco mesh: some missing features
2023-02-08 13:11:49

With the update 1.2 VPN is active and I managed to reach my network from outside using my public IP. Another feature i reqally miss is the backup/restore of the configuration. Adding DHCP configurations, CIDR, NAT, restoring them from scratch would be complex. TP-LINK routers and modems always have had a backup/restore function I have always found very useful. Now we are in the cloud era, so there are 2 possibilities:

 

1) Full backup with a .bin file of the complete network config

2) Backup in the TP-LINK cloud.

 

I really hope this will be added!

 

 

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