Hello TP-Link Community,

I am experiencing a persistent and unusual issue with my Deco X50 mesh system and would appreciate any insights or help from the support team.

Hardware & Network Setup:

• Model: Deco X50 (2-Unit System)

• Firmware Version: 1.2.10 Build 20241105 Rel. 40010

• Operation Mode: Router Mode (Connected directly to the ISP modem)

• Network Layout: 1 Main Deco + 2 Satellite Nodes in a corporate office.

• Client Load: Approximately 50-60 devices (a mix of Windows laptops, MacBooks, mobile devices, etc.)

Detailed Problem Description: The network is generally stable for most devices, including all MacBooks and mobile phones. However, 1-2 specific Windows laptops experience intermittent but severe packet loss, making the internet connection unusable for them.

The key symptom is this: When the packet loss begins, the affected Windows laptop completely disappears from the client list in the Deco app. The laptop itself still shows it is connected to the Wi-Fi and has a valid IP address. After a few seconds of packet loss, the device reappears in the app, and the connection stabilizes. This cycle repeats, making consistent work impossible.

Exhaustive Troubleshooting Steps Performed: I have performed extensive troubleshooting to isolate the cause, but the problem persists. Here is everything I have tried:

1. Network & IP Configuration:

• Confirmed the Deco system is correctly in Router Mode.

• Checked for IP conflicts by pinging the laptop's IP address when it was offline; no conflicts were found.

• Rebooted the entire network, including the main Deco and all satellite units.

2. Client-Side (Windows Laptop):

• Updated the laptop's Wi-Fi drivers to the latest available version.

• Disabled the Power Management setting ("Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power") for the Wi-Fi adapter.

3. Deco App Settings & Features:

• Address Reservation: I set a static IP reservation for the affected laptop's MAC address. This did not fix the issue; the device still disappears from the client list and loses packets.

• Mesh Technology: I disabled the "Mesh Technology" toggle for the affected laptop, forcing it to connect to a single Deco unit. The issue persisted.

• Fast Roaming (802.11r): I disabled Fast Roaming. The issue persisted.

• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): I disabled the Wi-Fi 6 standard on the 5GHz band to force clients to use Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). The issue persisted.

• HomeShield Security: I temporarily disabled all active security features (Intrusion Prevention, etc.). The issue persisted.

4. Hardware Isolation:

• I physically swapped the main Deco unit with one of the satellite units to rule out a single faulty piece of hardware. The problem continued, suggesting it is not an issue with one specific unit.

Conclusion: After this level of troubleshooting, the evidence strongly points to a firmware bug in how the Deco X50 platform manages the connection state of certain Windows clients. The failure of Address Reservation to keep the device stable is particularly telling.

Has anyone else experienced this "disappearing client" issue? Is this a known bug, and is there a beta firmware available that might address this problem?

Thank you for your time and assistance.