Set one deco to low preference?

Set one deco to low preference?

Set one deco to low preference?
Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-15 13:16:07
Model: Deco M5  
Hardware Version: V20
Firmware Version: Latest

Hi

 

I have one deco unit that has a poor connection to the rest of my network. Is there a way to stop devices connecting to this one unless it’s the only one available?  Usually two bars of signal from another deco would be better than three bars from this one.

 

This one is in my garage and so useful for when you're on the drive and for a camera, but when you're in the garden there are other Decos in the house that would provide a much better connection. The only options even remotely relevant to this are the "use mesh technology" and "fast roaming", but it's not clear either of these will do what I want.

 

Other mesh networks have this option, but Deco only seems to have it for Deco to Deco connections, and even that is to fix one connection, rather than to try to avoid a connection where possible..

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#1
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14 Reply
Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-15 14:22:32 - last edited 2025-06-15 14:22:44

  @SimonGA 

 

Here is another option for you to try: configure Main Network to broadcast on 5GHz only, enable IoT Network and have devices that can only use 2.4GHz connect to IoT Network.

 

5GHz travels much shorter distance than 2.4GHz, which means device (such as smartphone) will naturally jump to nearby Deco unit if it can only connect to Deco mesh by WiFi5 (5GHz).

 

Fast Roaming and Use Mesh technology settings should stay enabled. 

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-15 18:25:16

Thanks for the idea  @Alexandre. 
 

I don't have the IOT network option. I think I saw it previously, but I'm in wifi router mode now as have Starlink. Nonetheless I could do what you suggest with the guest network option. I suspect it won't help as the garage is the nearest deco when in the garden, it just has a really poor connection itself to any other Deco, and I don't really want to send ethernet all around.

 

The house deco's reach the garden - just - and so give far better bandwidth even though the signal is not as strong.  To be honest I'm surprised the Deco mesh algorythms don't account for this...

 

 

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-16 03:19:53

  @SimonGA 

Hi, can I have the firmware version of your Deco M5?

Have you tried to manually set the "Connection Preference" of Garden mobile devices to another satellite Deco, other than the Garage M5?

How to select a preferred signal source on the Deco App

 

Wait for your reply.

Best regards.

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-16 05:40:12

 Hi @David-TP !

 

the firmware version of the Garage M5 is 

 

1.7.8 Build 20240719 Rel. 70981

 

The rest of the network is X73 and X60.

 

i don't think it's possible to change the connection preferences of the mobile device? Only of the Decos themselves?

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-16 05:43:53

  @David-TP 

 

PS: I have tried changing the garage Deco to force it to connect to other decos, but that doesn't seem to help. The connections are all 1 bar.

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-16 08:38:02

  @SimonGA 

Thanks for the update.

Is your Deco X60_V2_1.5.3?

Deco M5 and Deco X73 with the latest firmware both support setting the connection preference for mobile devices. For Deco X60, it needs to be at least V3.0.

Best regards.

 

 

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-16 08:56:18

Hi  @David-TP 

 

Is there a way I can tell this from the app?  I can only see the firmware version of the X60s (1.3.0 Build 20240830 Rel. 50008) - apart from MAC etc - so I guess I need to wait until I'm back home this evening to check the hardware version?

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-16 09:53:29

  @SimonGA 

Hi, 1.3.0 Build 20240830 Rel. 50008 is the firmware version for V3/V3.2/4.2.

 

In this way, all your Deco units support "Connection Preference". I think you should be able to set the preferred Deco for mobile clients.

PS: Please make sure the firmware version of Deco X73 is at least 1.2.4 Build 20230601 Rel. 37750, and the latest version is 1.3.0 Build 20240830 Rel. 50008.

Apart from Deco M5. X60 and X73, are there any other models in the Mesh network?

Best regards.

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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-16 13:59:03

  @David-TP 

 

Hi David

 

Only X73, X60 and one M5

 

They are all on the latest firmware. The only option I get for connection preference is at the Deco level - I can set any Deco to use a specific Deco source - but I can't do that with clients.

 

Also with clients, I don't really want them to always use one Deco, only to avoid using one Decon if possible. However being able to set a preferred Deco would help in many cases...

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#10
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Re:Set one deco to low preference?
2025-06-17 01:37:13

  @SimonGA 

Hi, thank you very much for the update.

Could you please refer to this link to help me submit the Deco App log:

How to submit Deco APP log

(Please add the forum ID#825654 in the App Feedback.)

I think we might need further assistance from the engineers.

Thanks again.

Best regards.

 

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#11
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