Hi TP-Link world,

My new Deco mesh has disappointed me twice now. Firstly, during a power outage test, then during a network outage test. In both cases the network was split between ethernet connected hosts and WiFi connected hosts. Neither could talk to the other.

My setup:

• Study is a Deco X50-4G connected via HFC to Exetel NBN with a ALDI SIM card configured for backup.
• Family Room and Attic are Deco X55's Ethernet connected to Study
• Hallway is a Deco X55 wirelessly connected to Study

Power outage test:

I installed a UPS to protect Study, the NBN modem and all the equipment around it from power issues. I pulled the power to the house by switching the mains off outside and everything on the UPS remained powered and uninterrupted. The sattelite nodes where down but my phone was still connected to the Study WiFI. I could access the internet but not the servers in the study which were also on the UPS and connected via ethernet. The ethernet switch was UPS protected as well. Ping was failing on anything ethernet connected.

I determined that the issue was cause by the Deco mesh thinking the ethernet connected devices were connected to one of the sattelite nodes and losing them meant losing the servers too. I expected it would reorganise itself but it didn't. I did a bit of reading and realised the problem was possibly caused by using a single 16-port gigabit ethernet switch for the servers and the backhaul links between the Deco mesh nodes. To resolve it I brought in another switch just for the backhaul. Now, there is no way for the servers to access the Deco satellites or the WiFi hosts without traversing through the Deco master, Study. This isn't ideal for performance but seems to satisfy the Deco's issues.

Now the three ports on the back of the Study were:

1. NBN Modem
2. Backhaul switch (8 port gigabit ethernet) connected to Family Room and Attic
3. Internal switch (16 port gigabit ethernet) connected to all my servers, printers, etc. 

Network outage test:

I disconnected the NBN from the back of the Study X50-4G and watched it fail over to the SIM card. All was looking good until I realised the WiFi devices couldn't talk to the ethernet devices again. With the SIM card active the X50-4G doesn't seem to want to route packets across to the other side.

I chose this exact setup to give me SIM card backup for my entire network. But right now I have only got SIM card backup for my WiFi connected devices.

Can anyone tell me if this makes sense? Has anyone seen this before and found a workaround?