Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)

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Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)

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Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)
Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)
2019-10-16 19:19:29
Model: Deco M5  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version:

Hello, I think I may need help expanding my home network.

 

I have 2 storeys to cover, and I am in a country where the buildings are built with reinforced concrete, so the WiFi signal has a hard time passing through walls, and ISPs offer adsl/vdsl which means that all available adsl modem/routers have internal routing function that can’t be disabled.

 

My needs are a switch for 2 desktops, 2 game consoles, an ethernet printer, a NAS, a Smart TV, and as for wireless, I’d love to have internet available everywhere for my (family’s) 2 laptops, 3 phones, tablets, handheld game consoles and a wireless printer (not the same printer as the ethernet printer).

All rooms have an ethernet point, so in case of a Deco, I can set it up to utilize ethernet backhaul.

 

My Modem/Router is TP-Link TD-W8970 v3 (latest firmware) who’s routing capabilities aren’t great, and I’m thinking that a Deco M5 (the triple pack) would help a lot with my WiFi coverage. But since I can’t disable the routing function on the TD-W8970, I’ll have to disable the excellent routing capabilities of Deco M5 and set it up at AP mode. Or should I keep it at Router mode, even though my modem also has routing enabled?

 

Right now I’m using my TD-W8970’s WiFi for the 1st floor (I actually have stable connection in just one room), two no-name switches, and a D-Link Access Point for the 2nd floor (which freezes and requires rebooting frequently, so I want to get rid of it). My wirelessly connected devices on the 1st floor with the TD-W8970 lose connection and the ability to connect to the TD-W8970, and the only solution is to disable/re-enable the wifi on the TD-W8970 or reboot the TD-W8970. It’s not a single client’s problem, because it happens many times a day, and while this is happening, every wirelessly connected device loses internet connectivity at the same time (can’t open websites, can’t open 192.168.1.1, can’t ping anything, they don't get disconnected from the SSID but if I manually disconnect them they can't reconnect until I reboot the wifi function or the whole TD-W8970).

 

I’ve seen that there are some compatibility issues with TP-Link and D-Link products as well as with some routers, so I’ll remove my D-Link AP and change my no-name switches, that I intend to replace with the TL-SG108E.

I believe that my problem could be that I'm overloading the routing capabilities of the TD-W8970 with the 25-30 devices, or something that has to do with WiFi routing on that device. I don't use any torrent apps so I don't have hundreds of connections on any client, or millions of packets per second, I'm sure I'm not overloading any buffer memory on the modem. It would be ideal to have a modem with no router, so I could rely on Deco M5, but that's not possible with any modem sold in my country. They all have router included that can't be turned off.

I use address reservation on my devices and leave DHCP ON for my guests on a higher range of the IPs in order to avoid conflicts.

 

Please advice me with the best solution for a network with TD-W8970 v3, Deco M5 v1 (x3) (already ordered but not yet received) and TL-SG108E v4 (x2, one for 1st floor, one for 2nd) - not ordered yet.

A professional’s opinion is to get a Cisco modem and Unify APs and cloud key, but that’s overkill for a home network and over my budget, so I’m asking here.

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Re:Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)
2019-10-17 08:21:38

@topouzid 

 

Hello, thanks for your requesting.

 

First as far as I know, when ISP provides DSL connection, we can use a DSL modem router or DSL modem and a wireless router to provide internet; Back to your case, cause you have the Deco M5, to use the advanced feature and combined with the number of clients,  you can try to make the TD-W8970 work in bridge mode like a pure modem, and use one of the Deco M5 as the main router.

Note: The DSL modem router works in bridge mode by default; so you can hard reset it to do that. 

 

Meanwhile, what do you mean the internal routing feature? Like the ability to assign IP address and manage the whole network? 

 

For the compatibility issue, it is related to the D-Link switch, not access point which cannot forward packets based on IEEE 1905.1 protocol, causing all Deco units in a loop and become quite unstable. You can refer to Q4 of this link. https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/98898

 

For the difference between the router mode and AP mode, you can refer to https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2399/.

 

May it help and have a nice day. 

 

 

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Re:Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)
2019-10-17 14:10:27

@Kevin_Z If I have my TD-W8970 in DSL PPPoE mode, I'm able to provide my username and password and get connected to the internet, but if I set bridge mode, there is no username/address field in there, so I'm not getting connected to the internet. If I set it to bridge mode, will I be able to provide the username and password to the Deco? Isn't username/password and connection to the ISP a modem's job?

If that's the case, won't I lose the ability to use the USB Mass Storage on the TD-W8970, the connection to DynDNS.com service, or the ability to control the TD-W8970? As a bridge mode device, which port will function to connect to the deco, and what will be the IP address of the TD-W8970 if there is no Router enabled on the device?

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Re:Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)
2019-10-18 07:54:24

@topouzid 

 

Hello, thanks for your reply. 

 

The DSL modem router can work as a bridge, in this way, the function of the DSL modem is to synchronize the DSL connection, the PPPoE connection (username and password) can be filled on the Deco instead by choosing the connection type as PPPoE; 

 

While the DSL modem router does not support advanced features, like parental control, USB sharing or so. If you still want to use them, you can use it as the main router. 

 

For the Deco, you can configure them as the access point to avoid the double NAT issue. 

 

May it help. Good day. 

 

 

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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Re:Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)
2019-10-18 08:05:39 - last edited 2019-10-18 08:14:05

@Kevin_Z Thanks. Do the Deco devices offer unified seamless wifi connection (seamless roaming) when moving from one point to another, while the Decos work on AP mode?

 

Also, does the Mu-mimo work on Deco if I set them on AP mode, or does it have to be in Router mode? (This might be irrelevant, but I don't know exactly how it works).

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Re:Best setup for Deco M5 (x3) + TD-W8970 modem/router + TL-SG108E (x2)
2019-10-22 06:28:20

@topouzid 

 

The Deco supports mesh network in AP mode, and fast roaming. For the differences between router mode and AP Mode, you can read https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2399/.

 

Besides, Deco does not support Mu-mimo. 

 

Good day. 

 

Nice to Meet You in Our TP-Link Community. Check Out the Latest Posts: Connect TP-Link Archer BE550 to Germany's DS-Lite (Dual Stack Lite) Internet via WAN Archer GE550 - BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router EasyMesh Is Available When Wi-Fi Routers Work in AP Mode as A Controller. Archer AX55V2 Supports WireGuard VPN, EasyMesh Ethernet Backhaul, IoT Network, Speed Limit,and More If you found a post or response helpful, please click Helpful (arrow pointing upward icon). If you are the author of a topic, remember to mark a helpful reply as the "Recommended Solution" (star icon) so that others can benefit from it.
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