Setting up a quasi-mesh

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Setting up a quasi-mesh

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Setting up a quasi-mesh
Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-23 12:12:32
Model: Deco M5  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

I am remote from my home site so  I cannot give the H/W version or F/W version - I don't think the info is necessarily relevant to this query.

Our new flat has loads of concrete walls so WiFi is erratic to say the best...

I originally bought a Deco M5 not realising it wasn't PoE enabled. 

Where I needed to install a booster had no handy power socket.

I then bought a ceiling mounted Omada AC1750 which is PoE enabled.

My ISP provides a router with WiFi.

The ISP router is located at the entry point (in the kitchen)

The Omada at the end of a long corridor - ceiling mounted and powered via Ethernet.

The Deco in the sitting room with its own power pack.

 

I have set up each point as a separate unit with the same SSID and Password.

This works for the Deco but the Omada (set up as standalone) does not pickup the signal - ie I get 5 bars in the kitchen and sitting room but only 1 or 2 bars down the corridor.

Running a WiFi test App shows very degraded performance in the zone covered by the Omada.

At the start the Omada worked well but now an iPhone simply doesn't log in to it.

 

What is best practice for this sort of layout please?  Jean

 

 

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#1
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-24 09:21:07 - last edited 2022-04-24 09:24:07

  @jeanrouge 

Hi, For the Omada ac1750, Do you mean EAP245?

is your current layout like:

f19471fd6c46466ca6e054458cfe2fa9

Or actually, you are using a POE switch to power on EAP245? If yes, may I know where this switch is connected?

Does Deco M5 work on wireless router mode or Access point mode?

Best regards.

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#2
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-24 16:16:44

  @David-TP 

 

910a5051ee0e43a19c7e731d52539458 The best I can do is to show you the layout (see uploaded sketch which is slightly truncated).  I set the SSIDs at the ISP Router to CHALKY and CHALKY-5 and used the same names and password for both the DECO and the OMADA.  The Deco I think is working because on testing the signal with a mobile App there is virtually no difference in speed from standing next to the ISP router and standing in the large room with the DECO - The walls between the ISP and the Deco are solid brick and mortar and before setting up the Deco the signal dropped to nothing.  Unfortunately I am not at the house at present (we are moving in soon) but I am pretty sure it is in Access point mode.  When I plugged it in (I had tested it elsewhere) I reset it and it found CHALKY and set itself up.  On the iPhone I have a full signal).  The Omada (EAP245) is on a separate cable (because it is PoE) and is hung from the false ceiling at the end of an 8m corridor.  It is supposed to cover the three rooms at the end.  Again the walls are brick and mortar.  When I move down the corridor and into the rooms the signal drops to just the "dot" on the iPhone even when standing beneath EAP245 and I get an erratic upload and download.  When setting up I elected to set it up as a standalone because of the separation of the cables (they run from the ISP through the wall into the false ceiling space, connect to the Omada and the remainder continue along a smaller conduit eventually serving the Deco.  The EAP245 recognised CHALKY and CHALKY-5  When we did the installation work it did not occur to me to daisy chain the Deco with the Omada - I probably ought to have done that but this is new technology for me.  In the past when I have set up access points I have given each one a different name ie: CHALKYA CHALKYB ....  and that has always worked.  When I first set it up it worked perfectly but now I suspect the iPhone is not sensing the stronger signal from the Omada and is still linking either to the Deco or the ISP router.  So I have probably created a hybrid mess!  And furthermore I don't really understand the concept of a controller.....  Any advice gratefully received.  Best Jean

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#3
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-25 09:51:06 - last edited 2022-04-25 09:56:42

  @jeanrouge Thank you very much for the update.

Since there is only one EAP245, it is unnecessary to install the Omada controller software and we could use the web UI management page.

How do I login to the web management page of the EAP Series products (Standalone mode)?

When Deco is on Access point mode, it works almost the same as EAP245 and it is ok to connect both M5 and EAP245 to the same network switch.

When using the same SSID on Deco and EAP, it would help reduce roaming time from one AP to the other but Deco Mesh and EAP Mesh still use different Mesh technologies.

TP-Link Omada Mesh VS Deco Mesh VS OneMesh™: What's the Difference?

 

For your current issue with EAP245, it is suggested to change the wireless channels on the EAP245, like

89340e67d0b34eec864b586b1a45037e

 

Best regards.

 

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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-25 15:33:52

  @jeanrouge 

Hello David Thanks for your advice.  Firstly apologies I made a mistake the unit is a EAP265 HD

 

On the Mobile App it reports it at IP 192.168.0.3 When I go to http://192.168.0.3 it asks for a username and password.  I tried admin admin but that didn't work although it did suggest a long and complex password (which didn't work either) and http://tplinkeap.net returned "site not found".  I reset the unit and went through the mobile app process

Channel Width gives "Auto" "20" and "40" - I set it to 20

Channel I left at "Auto"

Tx Power "High" (Custom gives a possible range 9 - 20)

There doesn't seem to be an option to change the IP on the Mobile App to a fixed value which I understood is "Best Practice". 

I am puzzled about the UI login though. 

I thought that probably via the UI there might be updates to apply.

 

With the above settings I get 85M next to the Deco but only 40M equivalent next to the EAP265

 

I changed the Width to 40 but that made no noticeable difference.

 

Where should I look now

 

All the best, Jean

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#5
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-25 15:39:08
I couldn't see you text while replying - I changed Tx Power to 19 and there was a slight improvement to 45M equivalent (as reported by the test App)
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#6
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-27 17:04:45

  @jeanrouge Hello David - I haven't read anything from you but I am still stuck.

 

I loaded the controller software and managed to log in to the unit.

However I couldn't find the menu items you suggested.

I downloaded an alternative WiFi test App which pretty much reported the same.

I guess the simple answer is that I ought to have stayed in the same range of products (Deco or Omada).

I was expecting them to talk to each other but no. 

 

Ought I to simply give up and treat each unit Router, Deco and Omada as stand-alones with different credentials and allow the iPhone or whatever to log in ?

 

Best wishes

 

Jean

 

 

 

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#7
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-28 08:08:31

  @jeanrouge Hi David -

Success! I got to the place without distractions and worked through logically. 

Logged in to the Omada and found all the necessary settings options.

Most of the settings were alreay as you had recommended the only change being the Power setting from 20 to 19

I ran Ookla tests and they all reported between 75-85 once I got myself sorted out.

Thank you for your patience.

All the best,

Jean

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#8
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-28 10:08:43

  @jeanrouge 

Sorry for the delay.

There is some information for your reference:

1. If the EAP has been managed by the SDN controller before, the web UI login password will be the device account set on the controller.

 

2. For the speed issue here, I think your device might be connected to the 2.4ghz of EAP265 now.

I see you mentioned before, that you set up the same SSID on Deco and ISP router. Since Deco does not allow different SSIDs for 2.4ghz and 5ghz(unless you enable guest network), would you mind giving the same 5ghz SSID on EAP265HD, leaving the 2.4ghz SSID different, such as:

On ISP router: CHALKY for 2.4ghz and CHALKY-5 for 5ghz

Deco: CHALKY-5

EAP265HD: CHALKY for 2.4ghz and CHALKY-5 for 5ghz

So later you could change the CHALKY for 2.4ghz: channel width to be 40mhz, channel to be 11

CHALKY-5 for 5ghz: channel width to be 80mhz, channel 48 or 164.

 

So far that is what I can think about EAP265HD, and since there is another block, especially for business block and I have posted your issue here with some details, and asked my colleague for help.

Please also keep updated on this post for further assistance:

https://community.tp-link.com/en/business/forum/topic/546436

 

Thank you very much.

Best regards.

 

 

 

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#9
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Re:Setting up a quasi-mesh
2022-04-28 18:19:00

  @David-TP I didn't bother

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply.

It reads as if our mails crossed.

1. The unit was Brand New (bought from Amazon) but one never knows.

I solved the login issue by doing what the manual said - RTFM I think is the appropriate expression! 

- Reset unit

- Using laptop on WiFi (not ethernet) with the default SSID created by the reset

- I just used the iPhone EAP App to confirm the IP address (arp -a does not report the APs)

- This time admin / admin worked and I got in to the full range of options and settings

- the address with both https:// and http:// did not link up

- it was then easy to set your recommended settings - there were many others whose function I can only guess

- I set the SSID as you in fact suggest and then ran OOKLA tests in the three locations - all reported sensible speeds

I confirm that the ISP router is CHALKY203 and CHALKY203-5G

The EAP unit is identical CHALKY203 and CHALKY-5G

I was going to change Deco as you suggest but since, with every modif I am, I was taking OOKLA tests and since suddenly all seemd to click into place)

David-TP wrote

  @jeanrouge 

Sorry for the delay.

There is some information for your reference:

1. If the EAP has been managed by the SDN controller before, the web UI login password will be the device account set on the controller.

 

2. For the speed issue here, I think your device might be connected to the 2.4ghz of EAP265 now.

I see you mentioned before, that you set up the same SSID on Deco and ISP router. Since Deco does not allow different SSIDs for 2.4ghz and 5ghz(unless you enable guest network), would you mind giving the same 5ghz SSID on EAP265HD, leaving the 2.4ghz SSID different, such as:

On ISP router: CHALKY for 2.4ghz and CHALKY-5 for 5ghz

Deco: CHALKY-5

EAP265HD: CHALKY for 2.4ghz and CHALKY-5 for 5ghz

So later you could change the CHALKY for 2.4ghz: channel width to be 40mhz, channel to be 11

CHALKY-5 for 5ghz: channel width to be 80mhz, channel 48 or 164.

 

So far that is what I can think about EAP265HD, and since there is another block, especially for business block and I have posted your issue here with some details, and asked my colleague for help.

Please also keep updated on this post for further assistance:

https://community.tp-link.com/en/business/forum/topic/546436

 

Thank you very much.

Best regards.

 

 

 

I didn't try.  If you want me to try the experiment I will of course tomorrow when I am back on site.  (As well as modifying the channels).

 

Best wishes Jean

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#10
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