@terziyski 

Change of plan

Decided the Decos are going back. Using them as APs brings its own issues as I want ask the SSIDs to be the same

As I need wired back haul, EasyMesh and at least two network sockets per  device, I'm looking at a couple of Archer Air R5s

 At least THEY support EasyMesh!!!

  @philgiom 

To find out which TP-Link router models support EasyMesh via Ethernet backhaul, I suggest you browse to this webpage https://www.tp-link.com/en/easymesh/product-list/#wi-fi-routers and select "Backhaul Connection" -> "Wired Backhaul*".

  @terziyski 

<sigh>
 

This is proving much harder than I thought. It seems there are NO modern equivalents to the OWA0131s I'm using now. My only concern being an inability to update their firmware

 To get anything similar (either from Tp-Link or anyone else) it looks like I'll end up getting a couple of routers and running them in AP mode

 Seems a waste of tech and 

terziyski wrote

  @philgiom 

 

Buying two devices from the list of routers that support an Easymesh ethernet backhaul, will do the job for you.

Using two of these as a satellites, wired to your BE400 as a main router, should suffice to cover a large area.

  @terziyski 

That's where I'm headed I think

 Just send stupid to have to hamstring a router to make it a mesh AP

terziyski wrote

  @philgiom 

 

Unless you find an updatet firmware for the two ISP Technicolor OWA0131, that's your best option.

Of course, if you're not so keen to have an Easymesh on all of them, you can still use them as they are.

You acatually would save your money if you manage to update the ISP's OWA0131 with the latest enduser firmware.

Check if this firmware repository can help you out - https://hack-technicolor.readthedocs.io/en/stable/Repository/

  @terziyski 

Thanks

I think mesh is the best way to get the same SSIDs avarywhere (and co-ordinate channels)

I know I could just make them dumb APs, but my expeience of roaming hasn't been great. Devices seem to hang on to a node until it becomes unusable - then they switch. Now (with our current mesh), devices switch as soon as a "new" node signal becomes clearer than the one theyre on