I’m using a TP-Link Deco X10 mesh system and have encountered an issue with the 5GHz band when wireless backhaul (wireless bridging) is involved.

My main Deco is connected to the second Deco via Ethernet, and in this setup, everything works normally — all devices can use the 5GHz band without any issues.

However, when I add a third Deco that connects wirelessly, the problem appears. The Deco units that use wireless backhaul cannot provide a usable 5GHz network to client

Only the main (wired) Deco continues to broadcast a normal, usable 5GHz network.

I also tested turning off the 2.4GHz band entirely, but even then, client devices still cannot connect to the Wi-Fi broadcasted by the two wirelessly-connected Deco units.

Even if I place the Deco units very close to each other, the two wireless-backhaul units still cannot provide a stable 5GHz network.

Before upgrading, I was using the Deco M5 and didn’t have this issue.

I’d like to check that:

1. Is it a known limitation that the Deco X10 dedicates the 5GHz band for backhaul when wireless bridging is enabled?

2. Does this behavior completely prevent client devices from connecting to 5GHz on the wirelessly-connected units, or should it only reduce available bandwidth?

3. Are there any settings or troubleshooting steps that can help maintain 5GHz connectivity on wireless-backhaul units?

I’m trying to figure out whether this is normal behavior for the Deco X10, or if there might be a configuration or hardware issue.