Deco M9 select source signal

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Deco M9 select source signal

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Deco M9 select source signal
Deco M9 select source signal
2020-07-06 11:12:27 - last edited 2022-11-30 02:03:40
Model: Deco M9 Plus  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version: 1.4.0

I've just purchased two more M9's to go with the two i currently have and the one in my office is choosing to connect to the main device which is further awy than one in the middle it subsequently tells me i have a poor wifi connection. 

 

I thought the  whole point was it optimsed hte system and could tell me where to locate i don't see this happening at all.

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#1
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1 Accepted Solution
Re:Deco M9 select source signal-Solution
2021-01-25 11:30:47 - last edited 2022-11-30 02:03:20

Update:

Thanks for all your feedback.

Currently, the official firmware does not support manually choosing the signal source on the Deco system;

There is already a plan to add this feature along with the later firmware upgrade-[Deco] Manual Signal Source SelectionPlease keep attention to the official firmware upgrade.

The goods news is that there is a 1.6.0 beta firmware for Deco M9 plus for trial now and if you are interested, please refer to this link:

                                                                                                    Deco M9 Plus 1.6.0

 

 

 

And before the official firmware release,  we have a beta firmware for Deco M9 plus which could help satellite Deco to find the best uplink Deco and optimize its signal source.

So the beta firmware might improve the issue Deco is not getting signal source from the nearest Deco;

Deco M9 plus V1

https://static.tp-link.com/beta/2021/202102/20210207/Deco_M9Plus_v1_1.5.0_Network_Map_Optimization_Log.zip

Deco M9 plus V2

https://static.tp-link.com/beta/2021/202102/20210207/Deco_M9Plus_v2_1.5.0_Network_Map_Optimization_Log.zip

 

How to update the firmware: https://static.tp-link.com/2020/202012/20201207/Documentation for upgrading Deco system.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

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#11
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-09-10 00:17:21

@richgj  Hi there !

 

You could try what I did with my deco's M5.

 

See my post here: (https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/173748?replyId=488390).

 

And let us know if it worked...

 

Regards.

 

Rodrigo Zarth

 

 

 

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#2
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-09-19 20:47:28

@richgj 

 

Same problem here. Third unit connects to main unit althought it has a lot better signal from the second unit (they are in a line (main unit "1" --20m-- "2" unit---15m--- "3" unit).

We need a manual option to specify the chain. Like I want this unit to connect to this other unit. 

Also I amb experiencing issues with the second 5 Ghz connection ("the backhaul" triband device). Why it takes so long to be online? usually 5 to 10 minutes ?

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#3
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-09-21 07:48:59 - last edited 2021-06-07 01:57:03

Thanks to Rodrigo_Zarth's suggestions.

 

@Hylure  @richgj 

 

Normally, Deco will select the best source unit to connect automatically, and there is currently no option on the Deco app to force it to connect to a certain source unit. 

 

We actually have feedback this as a feature request to our developers and they will evaluate the feasibility to improve it.

 

Please wait patiently and keep an eye on your Deco app in case there are any updates.

 

Thanks a lot~

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#4
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-09-21 08:15:52

@TP-Link_Deco Thanks guys I gave up and replaced with Amazon Eero I'm now down to 4 devices  to provide perfect coverage as opposed to before when i was up to three M9's one M5 and a couple of M3W to get coverage.

 

Rich

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#5
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-09-21 09:16:52

@richgj 

 

Hello, thanks for getting back. It is great to hear that you have good performance with teh newly purchaded Amazon Eero system.

 

Good days.

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#6
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-10-31 10:55:23

I have the same issue. It doesn't make sense to me. It seems that "slave" Deco's try to prioritize on the base-station, and even with a low signal try to connect to it as their signal source, even though there is another Deco much closer with better signal strength.

Isn't this the idea of a mesh, to connect to the closest device in range, instead of trying to create a "star" network from the base?

 

Giving the user the option to override the found settings and manually select the signal source, and thus being able to define the optimal topology, would be the best solution.

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#7
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-11-04 15:44:46 - last edited 2020-11-04 22:24:25

@TP-Link_Deco 

 

After few experiments with satellite M5 Deco, I suspect I know where the issue might be. First, my network layout: M9 Plus Main Deco in the middle of the first floor, M9 Plus Satellite Deco in the middle of the second floor between bedrooms, both connect nicely with each other through wireless backhaul.

 

I have got new M5 that I plan to place in the basement, but not in a hurry so used it as a test unit.

 

I found the place on the second floor in the bedroom where the 5Ghz signal from Main Deco is the weakest, used WiFi analyzer on smartphone at that same place and this is what I've got:

 

 

 

Placed M5 there and turned it on, made it join the mesh, and it connected to Main Deco M9 - successfully. Logically, it should have connected to Satellite Deco M9, but it did not.

 

Connection didn't stay good for long: LED started to go Red, Yellow, Red - all symptoms of unhealthy situation. The M5 device is not defective - after tests I took it to the basement where it will belong, wired with Ethernet and it runs fine.

 

So, I am assuming the logic with which new (or restarted) Deco joins existent Deco mesh is:

 

IF Signal to Main Deco is good (above threshold) 

THEN Always Connect to Main Deco

ELSE look for other Decos to connect to

 

Same goes for backhaul connectivity

 

IF Signal to Main Deco is good (above threshold) 

THEN keep LED Green 

ELSE switch LED to Red and do something (reboot, restart?)

 

This works fine with single band, and is solid logic, because with good signal you really want Satellite Decos hook to Main Deco only. I suspect the logic was copied from when WiFi networking did only run on 2.4GHz, or used just single band for backhaul.

 

The problem: there are two WiFi bands M5 and M9 work with, and one (5Ghz) could often be way weaker than another, especially in houses with walls and ceilings between devices.

 

So, if Satellite Deco device decision to connect to only considers 2.4GHz band, it'll choose Main Deco in very many cases, because Decos provide really good 2.4GHz coverage.

Meanwhile, if backhaul needs both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to operate, that will keep randomly failing because 5 GHz will be weak, or backhaul will be slow because it'll stick with 2.4GHz.

 

Problem manifestation conditions:

 

Must have more than 2 Decos in mesh. 

Out of all Decos, more than one satellite Deco must be not ethernet cable wired. I.e., two or more satellite Decos use WiFi backhaul.

Main Deco is not located in between other Decos. 

 

Which means, not every Deco mesh user will experience that issue. For example, I used to have 2-Deco layout, no problem for me. Now I have 3-Deco layout, but one device is wired so I won't see that problem. 

 

Potential Solutions: 

 

1. Allowing user select default Deco to which Satellite Deco will connect is great configuration option, but this must be buried in Advanced settings, because it could easy create a bigger mess with more support requests. This also might need longer time to implement, because it requires change in UI and in code logic in multiple places

 

2. TP-Link Support, would you please pass request to developers to review how selection by new (or restarted) dual-band Deco to which Deco to connect in existent Deco mesh is performed. For Decos operating on dual band, signal strength of both bands must be good (above their thresholds) to use Main Deco. This might be an easy code modification, if flagged as bugfix it might be implemented and deployed sooner than option for manual Deco selection.

 

Request for more info:

 

TP-Link Support, you keep saying "the signal strength the satellite Deco obtained from the main Deco is good enough, or it does not reach the threshold value" . Please ask your developers what the threshold is for each of two bands, and share the value(s) with us. There is enough technologically smart people in these forums to check if Decos follow that threshold trigger and, perhaps, people can find better spot for their Decos if they know what the threshold is and for which band. 

 

I also do suspect that threshold will be just for 2.4GHz, because  -82 dBm on 5GHz seem to be quite weak to consider it acceptable, yet my M5 selects Main Deco to connect to.

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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-11-04 19:21:02 - last edited 2020-11-04 19:26:49

Wow, amazing write up and solid deduction! Tnx! sounds totally logical, seems to be what is happening indeed. It's more like a star or "hub and spoke" topology in it's preference, than to a mesh, as it seems to prioritise the main deco and/or wired deco's over wireless deco's. Which seems to be conflicting with the idea of a "smart mesh".

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#9
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal
2020-12-19 02:33:49

@TP-Link_Deco 

 

When is this being resolved? This is a fundamental flaw and there doesn't seem to be any urgency to resolve the issue. Existing customers should at least be given an explanation about why this can't be implemented or why it is taking so long

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#10
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Re:Deco M9 select source signal-Solution
2021-01-25 11:30:47 - last edited 2022-11-30 02:03:20

Update:

Thanks for all your feedback.

Currently, the official firmware does not support manually choosing the signal source on the Deco system;

There is already a plan to add this feature along with the later firmware upgrade-[Deco] Manual Signal Source SelectionPlease keep attention to the official firmware upgrade.

The goods news is that there is a 1.6.0 beta firmware for Deco M9 plus for trial now and if you are interested, please refer to this link:

                                                                                                    Deco M9 Plus 1.6.0

 

 

 

And before the official firmware release,  we have a beta firmware for Deco M9 plus which could help satellite Deco to find the best uplink Deco and optimize its signal source.

So the beta firmware might improve the issue Deco is not getting signal source from the nearest Deco;

Deco M9 plus V1

https://static.tp-link.com/beta/2021/202102/20210207/Deco_M9Plus_v1_1.5.0_Network_Map_Optimization_Log.zip

Deco M9 plus V2

https://static.tp-link.com/beta/2021/202102/20210207/Deco_M9Plus_v2_1.5.0_Network_Map_Optimization_Log.zip

 

How to update the firmware: https://static.tp-link.com/2020/202012/20201207/Documentation for upgrading Deco system.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

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