@bianello
I understand that you have two buildings (barndominiums) and are using a Deco Mesh system to extend your Starlink internet from one building to another via a TP-Link CPE710 point-to-point link. You are having trouble with DHCP and are unsure if you should set your Deco to Access Point (AP) mode, and how DHCP should be configured in this setup.
Here’s how you can proceed:
1. Deco in Router Mode:
• In Router mode, Deco acts as the DHCP server for your network. However, only one DHCP server should be active on your network to avoid conflicts.
• If you cannot set Starlink to bypass mode (which would disable its router and DHCP functions), then both Starlink and Deco will try to assign IP addresses, causing issues.
• In this case, do NOT use Deco in Router mode if Starlink is still providing DHCP.
2. Deco in Access Point (AP) Mode:
• Set your Deco to Access Point mode. In this mode, Deco will not run its own DHCP server and will rely on the main router (Starlink) to assign IP addresses to all devices on the network, including those connected via the CPE link.
• This is the recommended setup if you cannot enable bypass mode on Starlink.
3. DHCP on CPE710:
• The CPE710 should be set to 'Client' mode and should not have its own DHCP server enabled. It should simply bridge the connection from the main network to the remote Deco.
• All DHCP requests from the second building will be handled by the Starlink router in the first building.
4. Static IP:
• Setting static IPs is not necessary unless you have a specific need. For most setups, letting the main router (Starlink) handle DHCP is simplest and most reliable.
How to change Deco to AP mode:
• Open the Deco app.
• Go to MORE > Advanced > Operation Mode.
• Select Access Point mode.
For more details on DHCP settings in Deco, please refer to the FAQ: https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/2464/
Note: In Router mode, the DHCP server on Deco cannot be disabled. If you wish to use your own DHCP server (such as Starlink), you must switch Deco to Access Point mode.
If you need a step-by-step walkthrough or have further questions about your specific setup, feel free to ask!
