TP-Link IoT Network
TP-Link
The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) describes a network of everything that is connected to the Internet, from something as small as a toy or sensor, to as big as a train.
While IoT devices were a new concept just a few years ago, the concept of IoT has spread to almost every aspect of our lives, from medical services to smart home devices, even to agricultural industries across the world. Advancements in Technologies such as cloud computing, big data management, machine learning, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and mobile technologies have allowed IoT devices to offer better privacy, increased stability, and streamlined user experiences.
Why are IoT Networks Important?
IoT devices, since they are connected to the internet, are capable of communicating with devices across the entire network and with outside services, such as the TP-Link Cloud for both Kasa and Tapo devices. Connecting these devices to the internet, not only provides increased control and functionality, but the anonymous data collected can be used to optimize connections, communicate statistics (energy monitoring), or even create alerts/notifications. In industrial applications, IoT devices allow companies to better monitor, track, and predict changes that may occur on a larger scale, such as how the agricultural industry can even track the detailed humidity, solid moisture, and temperature across their property in order to provide the best growing conditions for their crops.
IoT devices, while providing invaluable experiences to our lives and smart homes, can also use a significant amount of bandwidth or crowd your home network. By placing all these devices on a separate network, you are freeing up your network for the devices where you want the best connection, such as your phone or streaming device.
Automation Efficiency
If you have ever attempted to create automation with your Smart Devices on a congested network, you will know that the overall performance, speed, and reliability at which the Automation is performed can be heavily affected or varying. By placing your Smart Devices on a designated IoT network, you can be sure that your devices can effectively communicate with each other to provide the best connections possible. This will also create additional bandwidth on your main wireless network that your streaming devices and phones can now take advantage of.
Simplified Setup
IoT networks can also simplify the setup process for your smart devices as a separate and easier-to-input password can be used to connect the devices. IoT networks also provide methods for changing the bands and security used by these devices; meaning that if your device only connects via a 2.4 GHz connection, the 5 GHz bands can be disabled for the IoT network, allowing your other devices to keep their high-speed connection from the main network.
Furthermore, if you would like to use the newest security protocols but are limited by your smart device's compatibility, the encryption method of the IoT network can be different from the method used on the main network to connect your devices.
How is TP-Link Embracing IoT Networks?
With the recent firmware release, IoT Networking is already beginning to roll out to multiple Archer routers and Deco products.
You could refer to the following IOT-supported list:
Important! This supported list might not be regularly updated. If your device is not yet supported, keep an eye out for New Beta Firmware on the official TP-Link forums, or the new firmware updates on your model’s support page.
| Archer Routers( All With the latest firmware) | Deco Whole Home Mesh( All With the latest firmware) |
| Archer C6_V4 Archer C80_V1 Archer C80_V2.2 Archer BE900 Archer BE805 Archer BE800 Archer GE800 Archer BE550 |
Deco M5_V1/V2/V3/V3.2 Deco X20/Deco X25_V2 Deco X50/Deco X55_V1/V1.2 Deco X60 V3 Deco X68 V1/V2 Deco X73 V1 Deco X75 V1/V2 Deco X90_V1 Deco XE75_V1/V2 Deco XE75 Pro_V1/V2 Deco X50-POE_V1 Deco XE200 Deco BE85 Deco BE95 |
How to configure the IoT Network?
On Archer Routers:
On Deco:
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What’s the benefit of having a separate IoT network?
It helps with your own personal management by knowing that all smart devices are on one network, and everything else on the main network.
Some legacy devices that don’t support the latest WPA3 encryption standards or 5GHz could still connect to Home Wi-Fi without interfering with the wireless settings on the main network.
2. Should I use the guest network for IoT devices?
The big drawback of a Guest Network is that devices on it can’t see or connect to other devices. For smart home products, they always need to integrate with other devices like turning on/off lights/switches via Google Assistant or live view cameras from Alexa Echo Show. While for the IoT network, the devices on it communicate freely with each other. Since the IoT Network could also communicate with devices on the main network, it would be great when you have the Phillip Hue Bridge or Other Smart Hubs wired to the main network for better stability and connection speed.
If you have any better ideas for optimizing the IoT Network to make it more intelligent and useful or want to know something more about it, please feel free to leave your comments below or start a feature request here.
Comment
Could we have a script or function that would move all of the IOT devices over as a batch?
Before I go whole hog, manually switching all of my IOT devices to the new IOT network, would there be a problem with devices such as cameras? Mine need to communicate freely with AWS servers. I'd love to get them off of Guest, but not if they're going to get hung up.
I have set up my IoT network and switched everything across but I have two hard wired IoT devices. How do I move those to operate on the IoT network?
This current option offers essentially no security from IoT devices interacting with main network devices. If that cheap Tuya light switch I bought off ebay decides to start hitting my Network Attached Storage because it has a modified malicious firmware, I have no ability to stop it which is sort of the point of a separate IoT network.
This is what we really need, which is the ability for IoT devices to behave similarly to the Guest network mode, but without the ability to communicate amongst one another. Main, IoT, and Guest can all reach the internet, but only specific devices manually configured to be "Shared" can communicate with either IoT or Guest **from** Main. This allows printers, smart TVs, Home Assistant OS, etc to function properly while maintaining security so that IoT Device 1 (a Light Switch) can't reach IoT Device 2 (a 3D Printer) for example on its own network.
Is it know in which (beta) firmware version for the M9 plus V2 this will become available and when?
Where do people draw the line on which devices to move to this separated network? Given everything pretty much connects to the internet these days. Just basic devices like smart plugs? PlayStation? iPhone?
Stop leading ppl that don't know any better down the wrong path TPLink!!!
The IoT Network is useless feature. Seriously get some proper network segmentation from the main network or don't offer anything at all.
Your offering an option which doesn't solve the issue. @Smisc is right, a true IoT network is for devices that need to talk out to the Internet and nothing else. They should be isolated from talking to each other.
on my AX75E in the guest network setting, there is the option to allow or not for the guest to see/talk to each other
@SmiscSmisc would disabeling the function to see each other on guest network serve the purpose as described in your image to put all IOT devices ?
Weird thing in my opinion is that the IOT option is available in cheap C80 but not higher end ones like the AX75E
Still not available for X50-4G. It's really unfair rollout looking at how users are being ignored.