I have an in place Fritz Network consisting of three 7530 routers configured for Mesh. One box is the Mesh Master and also the Router. I can turn the Router part of the Fritz Mesh Master off to allow a different Router to be used. and so I would like to retain the rest of my Mesh unchanged and connect it to a new TP-Link EX230v which is my new router.

I thought this would be easy, but apparently not. I can get the Mesh up with the three boxes and the Mesh Master no longer connected to the internet with the Router function switched off. BUT I cannot get it to talk to the TP-Link box.

Now just to make this more weird. If I go back to how things were, have the Mesh up and running with the Mesh Master as the Router, then remove the Mesh Master and connect the TP-Link box to the network, all works as I would like, the Mesh holds up, all IP addresses seem to be retained and I have internet access through the TP-Link box. UNTIL I switch off one of the two remaining Fritz boxes. then it loses all its transient data and when I switch it back on nothing works. (I get that this is because it can't find the Mesh Master). But it seems strange to me that I can connect the TP-Link to the Mesh without the Mesh Master, but it won't connect with the Mesh Master even though its router function is switched off??

Any thoughts? All gratefully received.