New Release EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller
Exciting news!
We're thrilled to announce the rollout of new official firmware rolling out for multiple routers, including the BE, AX, and AC series, which introduces EasyMesh in AP Mode as a Controller. We invite you to upgrade and install this latest firmware version to try it out.
This Article Applies to:
Model & Hardware & Firmware | Update Date |
---|---|
Archer BE11000 Pro(US)_V1.6_1.1.0 Build 20240730 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer BE805_V1.0/V1.60_1.1.0 Build 20241025 (Pre-release firmware) | Dec 3, 2024 |
Archer BE800_V1_1.1.99 Build 20241126 (Pre-release firmware) | Nov 28, 2024 |
Archer BE700 Pro(US)_V1.6_1.1.0 Build 20240730 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer BE700_V1&V1.6_1.1.0 Build 20240926 and newer versions | Nov 18, 2024 |
Archer BE550 Pro_V1&V1.6_1.1.0 Build 20240730 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer BE3600_V1_1.1.0 Build 20240729 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer BE230_V1&V1.6_1.1.0 Build 20240729 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer AX55(EN)_V1_1.3.3 Build 20240628 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer AX55(US/CA/TW)_V1_1.3.2 Build 20240325 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer C80_V2.20/V2.26_1.14.0 Build 240617 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer C6_V4_1.14.0 Build 240617 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer C86_V1_1.14.0 Build 240617 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Archer A8_V2.20/V2.26_1.14.0 Build 240617 and newer versions | Sep 2, 2024 |
Moderator Note:
1. The availability of EasyMesh in AP Mode may vary by region even for the same model. Please check your local website for more information.
2. The above list might not include all models and hardware versions. It is recommended to keep watching the firmware releases for your router, as all the newly supported features will be listed in the patch notes if/when it is added to your version.
User Scenarios:
Some users would prefer to, or are limited by their devices to, have their main modem router acting as the gateway and DHCP server in the network, which requires using the TP-Link Wi-Fi router in AP (Access Point) Mode to avoid the double-NAT issue. However, they also wish to utilize the EasyMesh feature of the TP-Link Wi-Fi router to create a mesh network with other EasyMesh routers or extenders.
The topology is roughly as follows (Topo 1):
Or as this one (Topo 2):
Note: In this topo, both the EasyMesh Wi-Fi router and the satellite router/extender must support EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul.
You may also connect the EasyMesh Wi-Fi routers like below, it will also work (Topo 3):
Note: In this topo, the EasyMesh Wi-Fi router and the satellite router/extender must also support EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul.
Comment below if you have any feedback or run into any issues — we’re here to help.
Related Articles:
[Wi-Fi Routers] AP Mode supports EasyMesh
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abdulhadikh wrote
@Kevin_Z
Hi, I do have BE900 V1 and i think that tp-link will never add this feature to the router !
And i would like to know if i get the be550 pro and make it the main router in AP mode will that make the be900 and other old range ext that dont support easymesh in AP mode work to broadcast one wifi ?
In any of the three typical topologies, ensure that your main EasyMesh router supports EasyMesh when working in AP Mode. This allows it to establish a mesh network with other EasyMesh routers or extenders.
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t4n0n wrote
Will AP Controller support be coming to the AX53 v1 model?
If not, could I buy one of these models, such as the Archer C80, configure it as a AP Controller and then connect my AX53s via EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul as satellite EasyMesh extenders? I.e The AX53s don't also require AP Controller support to connect to a device acting as an AP Controller?
My network topology is equivalent to topology 3 in your original post i.e a Gateway router, with the wireless APs connected via an ethernet switch, on the same subnet.
@t4n0n It seems you're asking the same question as abdulhadikh did.
The answer is YES. You can set up an EasyMesh router that supports EasyMesh in AP mode as the main controller. After that, you can add other EasyMesh routers or extenders to the network. In this configuration, only the main controller needs to support EasyMesh and the other nodes do not require this support.
Please be aware that to establish EasyMesh via Ethernet Backhaul, ensure all EasyMesh nodes in the network support it. If they do not, you'll need to use wireless backhaul instead.
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Excuse me, When will it be released for Archer C80 (EU) V1 and Archer AX53 (EU) V1?
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Thanks for the reply
I would like to suggest to have a page for devices that will support new features like
1:Deco devices will support Easymesh
2:Easymesh devices will support 6Ghz
3:Easymesh devices will support MLO
4:Easymesh devices will support when in AP mode
5:Easymesh devices will support ethernet backhul
6:Router Will support Fing
Just like the page for the routers that show the devices will support easymesh and planned to support!
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Thank you very much for your suggestion.
We will try to provide a list of products that currently support some popular features you guys are interested in.
However, regarding future support of a feature, please note that while we aim to extend it to more of our products, these are subject to change. Our development roadmap is dynamic and influenced by factors like technological advancements, market demands, and customer feedback. As such, we cannot provide a definitive list of products that will support the feature in the future, as plans are inherently flexible and can be adjusted as needed.
If you require a feature and it's a must-have, please be sure you select those models that already support it rather than waiting for future availability in other devices.
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@Kevin_Z Just in case anyone is interested, I just purchased an Archer AX55 (hardware v1.0) to setup an EasyMesh AP (matching topology 3 in the OP) with two existing AX53s (both hardware v1.0) which I had and the process was fairly seamless.
One small bother is that, currently, one of the satellite AX53s seems to want to connect to the mesh network via Wireless Backhaul, rather than the preferred Ethernet Backhaul (all APs are connected via a 24-port Gigabit switch). Fortunately, as this satellite is only serving a handful of relatively unimportant devices in a detached garage separate from the main house, this isn't that much of a problem for me.
Whilst trying to troubleshoot this, I found guidance on TP-Link's website which stated that when attempting to add a satellite router via Ethernet Backhaul, the satellite should be connected via its LAN ethernet port, rather than the WLAN one. Sadly, when trying this myself by removing the AX53 and re-adding it with the LAN port connected instead, I found it didn't make a difference and the satellite still connects via Wireless Backhaul. I may try rebooting it tomorrow to see if it makes a difference.
Funnily enough, the other AX53 which did correctly connect via Ethernet Backhaul was connected via its WLAN port - contrary to the guidance described above - however I will just accept that as a lucky coincidence!
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I just had a problem connecting 2 pieces of archer c6 v4 in the mode when the gateway was another router
Initially, the gateway was one archer c6 v4, the second was connected to it via easy mesh via an ethernet cable
there was a need to replace the gateway with another one.
on both archer c6 updated firmware to final release
Archer C6(RU)_V4_1.13.6 Build 240430
On the first router I turned off dhcp, gave it a different address, then connected the second archer via easy mesh
the connection did not work correctly, I saw on the gateway 2 IP addresses of the repeater router under one MAC address
he tried to connect to the main one via cable, then via wifi
as a result, I turned off easy mesh
Do I understand correctly that with the new beta firmware this problem will disappear?
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t4n0n wrote
@Kevin_Z Just in case anyone is interested, I just purchased an Archer AX55 (hardware v1.0) to setup an EasyMesh AP (matching topology 3 in the OP) with two existing AX53s (both hardware v1.0) which I had and the process was fairly seamless.
One small bother is that, currently, one of the satellite AX53s seems to want to connect to the mesh network via Wireless Backhaul, rather than the preferred Ethernet Backhaul (all APs are connected via a 24-port Gigabit switch). Fortunately, as this satellite is only serving a handful of relatively unimportant devices in a detached garage separate from the main house, this isn't that much of a problem for me.
Whilst trying to troubleshoot this, I found guidance on TP-Link's website which stated that when attempting to add a satellite router via Ethernet Backhaul, the satellite should be connected via its LAN ethernet port, rather than the WLAN one. Sadly, when trying this myself by removing the AX53 and re-adding it with the LAN port connected instead, I found it didn't make a difference and the satellite still connects via Wireless Backhaul. I may try rebooting it tomorrow to see if it makes a difference.
Funnily enough, the other AX53 which did correctly connect via Ethernet Backhaul was connected via its WLAN port - contrary to the guidance described above - however I will just accept that as a lucky coincidence!
You may try swapping the locations of the two AX53 units to determine if the issue is with a specific AX53, the cable, or the location itself.
You may also try different ports on the Gigabit switch.
Regarding the WAN or LAN port connections, you may find this notice:
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Godlike66 wrote
I just had a problem connecting 2 pieces of archer c6 v4 in the mode when the gateway was another router
Initially, the gateway was one archer c6 v4, the second was connected to it via easy mesh via an ethernet cable
there was a need to replace the gateway with another one.
on both archer c6 updated firmware to final release
Archer C6(RU)_V4_1.13.6 Build 240430
On the first router I turned off dhcp, gave it a different address, then connected the second archer via easy mesh
the connection did not work correctly, I saw on the gateway 2 IP addresses of the repeater router under one MAC address
he tried to connect to the main one via cable, then via wifi
as a result, I turned off easy mesh
Do I understand correctly that with the new beta firmware this problem will disappear?
Are both C6s connected to the gateway router via Ethernet cables? Similar to topo 3 in my original post here?
If that is the case, it's suggested to reset both of them to factory defaults, then configure the first C6 in AP Mode as outlined in Case 1 of this article. After that, connect the second C6's WAN port to one of the LAN ports on the first C6, check and verify that the EasyMesh Ethernet backhaul is established successfully.
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in general, when tp link archer does not act as a gateway and dhcp server, then everything becomes very, very bad with easy mesh
before beta firmware i just disabled dhcp on c6, put its ip in the same subnet as on gateway and tried to connect second c6 as repeater
in this situation, only the repeater started twitching convulsively, giving out 2 IP addresses on the gateway under one Mac, trying to connect either via Ethernet or WiFi
with beta firmware, when switching the first C6 to repeater mode (easy mesh controller), it is initially not visible in the list of clients of the dhcp server on the gateway.
in this case the whole network starts to glitch. if you disconnect the c6 controller from the gateway and connect the ethernet cable to the pc, it starts broadcasting a dhcp server in the same subnet that the main gateway broadcast its dhcp, however, if for example the gateway was 192.168.2.1 main, then on tp link for example 192.168.2.8 its own addressing will appear. although when entering c6 in repeater mode there are no dhcp functions.
Miracles, and nothing more)))
With great difficulty in one of the cases I managed to connect the repeater, but in the end they both turned off)
in general, the point is that everything works very poorly when the TP Link controller is not a gateway DHCP server.
I would like to simply disable dhcp on the controller, after giving it an IP address in the same subnet as the other default gateway. And then add the access points on the controller.
but alas, for now this theme only works adequately on deco
Of course, my experience is only valid for the Archer C6 V4, but I believe that other models will have similar problems.
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