@SDWAN-MAN 

"Router" and "AP" are a simplified way to describe the behaviour of such devices.

Using that simplified way, satellite Decos are always acting as AP.  Only the main Deco can act as a router or as an AP.

I prefer stating that the set of Deco jointly acts as one router or as one AP.

I'm trying to accomplish the same thing. I am currently using the mesh network now, but have run cable to my 2 other deco units. I would like to keep my current main Deco as the router, and the other two connect to the ethernet I ran to them from a switch. If I plug the cable into them, will they detect this and become APs? 

I was under the impression I could do this, my mesh network isn't working great. Any input is appreciated.

  @danno74 Just be sure that the connection between the main Deco and Internet does not go via the same switch.

  @yves_b  

My cable modem connects to my main deco, then I run a cable from the second port to the switch, and from the switch run the other cables. After having to reboot a couple things, it seems to be working well and the main deco can see all the clients on the network. 

SDWAN-MAN wrote

Setup:

 

Hub and spoke AKA "star" topology (Cisco switch in the middle) - wired backhaul.

Can the main Deco be in router mode while the spokes are in AP mode?

My broadband has a DSL box connected to a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 modem. Wireless is disabled on the Netgear R7000. I am just using wireless from the DECO. I have a DECO XE75 PRO connected to the Netgear modem via cable. Two other devices (computer and Xbox are also connected to the Netgear via cable) . I have two other DECO XE75 around the house.

I have a few questions, and apologise if these have been asked before/ answered on other threads or if I need to start a new thread. I was having problems nearly every day where our wireless network said "no internet access"..... To fix that I had to power off and restart the DSL box,The Netgear modem and the main DECO.

I have, on reading this article, now changed the DECO settings of the unit wired to the Netgear modem to AP.

My questions

1. Is this the correct setup for my network?

2. Are the 3 DECO units I have, in this setup, still classed as working in a "mesh".

3 Or should I have unplugged all wired connections from the Netgear modem apart from 1 to the main DECO, continued to disable WiFi on the NETGEAR and then "bridge" just 1 connection from the Netgear to the main DECO.

4. If option 3 is recommended should I wire the other 2 devices ((Computer and Xbox) into the ethernet ports of the main DECO, and let the main DECO unit assign IP addresses wireless and WiFi? And would that affect speeds to for example the wired Xbox?

5. Using this AP setup, do all the 3 DECO units acting as routers,use the 6GHz frequency at all. In this set up is the 6GHz frequency that the 3 units being optimised?

  @MC2024homeTP 

I do not know what triggers "no internet access".  Where was this displayed?

I wonder why you keep the Netgear router, instead of connecting the Deco to the DSL box.

In your initial setup, with the Deco in Router mode, what was providing the IP addresses to the computer and Xbox?  Was it the Deco or the Netgear router?

Answers to your questions:
 

1. It is a correct setup.

2. The 3 DECO units are working in a "mesh", independently of the operational mode, Router or AP.

3 That is an alternative, setting the Netgear in AP mode is also an option.

4. Not sure.

5. With Deco in AP mode, they will act as a mesh, and use the wifi frequencies exactly like in Router mode.  Not sure what you mean by "acting as routers".  As the IP addresses are distributed by the Netgear, the Deco do not have any remaining "router" role.

@yves_b

Thank you for talking time to reply. My previous set up had the Netgear giving IP address on as 192.168.1.** to the devices wired to it (Xbox PC and Deco in 'Router' mode). The deco then assigned addresses to wireless clients as 192.168.68.*** on a different subject. When checked on a phone it connected to the Deco network but under the WIFI symbol it said most mornings "limited internet access" or "no internet access" As for why I didn't connect the DSL box directly to the DECO the DSL box is an Openreach ( ECI Telecom LTD model NCA-ECI-CPE-MODEMS TYPE 18..... manufactured 12/2012..... (how the years fly!!!). And I think I tried direct connection but got nowhere, but when I have time I might try that again. Meantime Deco and Network seem to be ok with Deco in AP mode, but have 3 boxes plugged in.

yves_b wrote

  @MC2024homeTP 

I do not know what triggers "no internet access".  Where was this displayed?

I wonder why you keep the Netgear router, instead of connecting the Deco to the DSL box.

In your initial setup, with the Deco in Router mode, what was providing the IP addresses to the computer and Xbox?  Was it the Deco or the Netgear router?

 

Answers to your questions:
 

1. It is a correct setup.

2. The 3 DECO units are working in a "mesh", independently of the operational mode, Router or AP.

3 That is an alternative, setting the Netgear in AP mode is also an option.

4. Not sure.

5. With Deco in AP mode, they will act as a mesh, and use the wifi frequencies exactly like in Router mode.  Not sure what you mean by "acting as routers".  As the IP addresses are distributed by the Netgear, the Deco do not have any remaining "router" role.

  @yves_b 

I have connected the Deco directly to the DSL box, changed the DECO settings back to Router mode and changed sign on to PPPoE and used my  broadband login and password. This seems to be working.

I thought I had tried direct connection previously. No need for the Netgear router now.

I will see how this set up goes with my broadband setup (fibre to cabinet not full fibre broadband).

M