@Davinci 

 

Some things are not clear:

 

1) Why do you introduce TP-Link 5-port switch: not enough ports on Hub, devices are away from Hub, etc.?

2) Other than WiFi signal, are you happy with Virgin Hub 3 performance?

 

My recommendation: keep Virgin Hub as a wired router managing your home network, add Deco in Access Point mode for WiFi coverage only, keep split SSID. 

 

 

Modified PLAN

 

- Remove the split SIDS / Factory reset of SuperHub 3 Turn off WiFi on SuperHub. No other changes will be necessary.

- Put superhub into router mode - definitely needed? If Superhub is all you have, it should already be in router mode. Did you mean "modem mode?" It would not be necessary to put Superhub in modem mode if following this plan.

- Connect my TPLink 5 port Gig switch ... (if necessary. If not, connect Main Deco directly to the Superhub Ethernet port)

- Using app run setup on first deco, do the updates and let it join my network..etc. This will be Main Deco. Using app, configure Main Deco to run in Access Point mode (Screenshot #1 below). 

Configure Main Network to use SSID/password of Superhub 5GHz network and set Main Network with 5GHz only. Configure Guest Network to use SSID/password of Superhub 2.4GHz network and set Guest Network with 2.4GHz only (See Screenshot #2 below).

Set up the other 2 at this time. These will be your Satellite Decos. During initial setup, place them in close proximity of Main Deco: in the same room, in plain view of each other.

- Place Decos around the house/loft

- Confgure my wireless devices to use the Deco Wifi SID - check which dont work Wireless devices should seamlessly reconnect to Deco mesh, which broadcasts same SSID/password/WiFi band as SuperHub before.

 

>I may be able to backhaul something from on eof the Decos if needed? 

 

Each Satellite Deco has two Ethernet ports. If they are connected wirelessly to Main Deco, you can use both ports to wire something to them. 

 

>Any placements tips - not close to do many walls, power..etc?

 

If you can wire Satellite Decos with Ethernet cable to your home network - do that. You'll have better speeds.

If they will run wirelessly, they will be just like WiFi range extenders conceptually. While it is hard to give recommendations on their placement without knowledge of your house layout, just google for "wifi range extender best placement" or "wifi range extender best location" or similar, and follow recommendations how they apply to your house, but with M5s.

 

Screenshot #1 - Deco in Access Point mode

 

 

 

Screenshot #2 - SSID split

 

@Davinci 

 

I have to use switch when superhub is in modem mode, only one Ethernet can be used - I have 4 devices I need to connected via Ethernet - unless there is a better way?

 

Cool - I will try that, the devices that can connect to the superhub are working fine.

 

Thank you Alex for th screenshots - I will try access point mode first but I wont be able to connect deco via ehternet which is the problem to get smart TV at back to work - I shall see how it is as I will need some speed at back - I may have misunderstood how mesh works.

 

Davinci wrote

@Davinci 

 

I have to use switch when superhub is in modem mode, only one Ethernet can be used - I have 4 devices I need to connected via Ethernet - unless there is a better way?

 

@Davinci 

 

It is possible you've made typo in your original plan, writing "Put superhub into router mode..." Router mode is what your Virgin Superhub runs now, and you can keep it that way (and should).

 

So, the overall plan:

 

1. Do not add TP-Link 5 port Gig switch to your network for the sake of Deco mesh deployment

2. Turn off WiFi in configuration settings of Virgin SuperHub, no other changes will be necessary. You'll have all four ports working, and Hub will continue managing IP addresses on your home network.

3. Connect first Deco via Ethernet to Virgin Superhub.

 

Then, proceed with configuration as I suggested. You'll be deploying Deco mesh in your house in Access Point mode.

 

After you've configured your Deco mesh, you can move your Main Deco to a different place if you want to. Main Deco, with mesh in Access Point mode, does not have to be wired directly to Superhub. It needs to be wired to your home network, so if you have for example Ethernet cable terminating in the middle of the house, Main Deco can be connected there.

 

 

Finally, if you need to undo Deco mesh deployment for whatever reason, with this plan all you have to do is power off Decos and turn on WiFi in Virgin Superhub settings.

 

 

>I wont be able to connect deco via ehternet which is the problem to get smart TV at back to work

 

It is OK, you only need to have Main Deco connected with Ethernet cable.

@Davinci 

 

Thank you, but in your set up wouldn't  have devices connecting between 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz randomly?

 

How does the deco know which to use for certain devices?

 

Matt

 

 

@Davinci Thank you for all your time and help.

 

That seem to of worked fine.

 

I like the slit on 2 different networks - the guest stuff doesnt need to talk to home, so all good!

 

 

@Davinci 

 

AccessPoint mode I am only getting half my bandwidth - in Router mode I am getting the full 220MB.

 

Reason?

@Davinci 

 

So I guess in router mode I can;t use my wired devices that are on the superhub (as the Deco has become the router?)

 

That was my whole reasoning of using a extra hub,.

 

Let me see if I can work out why the speed drop, but I may go baxck to router mode it AP is killing my throughput.

 

I am sat in the same spot from the dec Rotuer mode = 230MB, Access Point = 100MB

 

 

hmmmm

 

Davinci wrote

@Davinci 

 

AccessPoint mode I am only getting half my bandwidth - in Router mode I am getting the full 220MB.

 

@Davinci 

 

It is often other way around. What are you getting when running "Test Internet Speed" in Deco app? It is speedtest between Main Deco and Internet.

 

Doing test from my Windows 10 laptop - SpeedTest by Ookla