This network name already exists

This network name already exists

This network name already exists
This network name already exists
2024-07-29 18:22:19 - last edited 2024-08-15 21:09:46
Model: Deco XE75 Pro  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version: 1.2.10 Build 20240325 Rel. 57182

First, sorry for a long post but I wanted to give everyone all teh information I can upfront to limit back and forth.

 

Background:

I have searched the forum for references to this error, but the few posts I find seem to relate to 6ghz SSID being assigned the same or different SSID name compared to main network 2.4/5ghz SSID. That is not my issue - that I am aware of...

 

I am attempting to change the name of the primary network SSID (2.4/5ghz) - currently called "X" [using the Deco app (v3.7.74) in IOS (v17.5.1)]

  • My 6ghz is turned off on the main network
  • I have the IOT network turned on with SSID called "Y"
  • I turned on the Guest Network using a SSID called "Z"
  • Connected devices to Guest Network to test network access to main network
  • Reconnected cleint devices back to "X" and forgot network "Z" on those devices
  • Renamed Guest Network to "A"
  • Tried to rename main network to "Z" (old name used when I tested Guest - but no longer assigned anywhere)
  • Received Error: "This network name already exists"

 

I have tried:

Turning off the Guest Network completely

Rebooting main device (router) and all satellite network devices

Updating firmware (with reboot afterwards)

 

I have not:

Totally removed ALL devices in mesh network and deleted the network - then rebuild everything. I am trying to avoid this, and I am not confident this will even work as expected.

 

I am able to:

assign SSID = "Z" back the Guest Network (now called "A") - I can switch between "A" and "Z" at will on the Guest Network.

 

It is almost like there is some type of cache it the app, on the devices or online (in my TP-Link profile) and that cache is checked and will not allow any network name that EVER existed on one network type (Main, Guest, IOT) to be used on a different one, It does not appear to check it is ACTUALLY assigned anywhere - just that it was "this one time at router testing camp". This seems like it should be a simple thing to accomplish (and has been on other devices in the past), but this has already consumed WAY too much time.

 

Can anyone provide any other troubleshooting steps or guidance - other than remove the entire network and start over? And if I really do have to start over, is anyone certain that this cache of "previously used network names in all of earth's history" is not in my cloud account or something such that it will still fail if I go through all the pain of setting up the network all over - with IP reservations, etc?

 

Thank you in advance for any help / suggestions.

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#1
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1 Accepted Solution
Re:This network name already exists-Solution
2024-08-15 21:09:43 - last edited 2024-08-15 21:09:46

For future reference to anyone that finds this. I only way I got this to work was to completely remove all Deco devices and delete the current main, guest and IOT networks. After that, I was able to perform a clean setup and use the network names as I desired.

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Re:This network name already exists
2024-08-14 13:13:41

  @TigerSC95 

 

Have you had any luck resolving this?  I am trying to migrate from eero to deco while keeping the same SSID but I keep getting this error message and I do not want to reset wifi on every device on the network.  It looks like the easiest solution may be to avoid deco and upgrade my eeros.

 

Thanks!

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Re:This network name already exists
2024-08-14 13:30:32

  @RickNH 

 

Sorry, no I have not heard any feedback on other options. I am planning to reset the entire network this weekend just to see if I can get the SSID naming right.

 

In terms of eero vs Deco, I am not sure which Deco devices you are using, but my 5400 mesh network is better than the eero Pro system it replaced. But that is expected since there Decos are 5+ years newer. I was having a lot of trouble getting maximum throughput from my eeros even when hardwired. No changes other than eero to Deco and my bandwidth tripled and I am able to max out my broadband connection. But the NEW eero devices might be the same or better - YMMV.

 

I will post here next week to advise if resetting the entire Deco network is effective or not.

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Re:This network name already exists
2024-08-14 13:42:51

  @RickNH For this I suggest powering down the Eeros, then changing to the same SSID, then power back on the Eeros.

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Re:This network name already exists
2024-08-14 13:43:41

  @TigerSC95 Have you tried on a web browser to log into the WebGUI, then try there?

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#5
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Re:This network name already exists
2024-08-14 13:52:33

  @jzchen 

Yes, I logged into the Web UI. However, I did not see a way to change the SSID via the Web UI. The Web UI  seems to be nothing more than a read only view of the status and a way to update/reboot the devices. If you can point me to the way to change teh SSID via the Web UI, I will be happy to try it now.

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#6
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Re:This network name already exists
2024-08-15 01:59:44 - last edited 2024-08-15 02:02:56

  @RickNH  @TigerSC95 The app allowed me to change the SSID to what I wanted after the initial setup forced me to use a unique SSID...

 

Alternatively I believe in the past I changed the old network SSID to something different, ie SSID_, then changed/set the TP-Link SSID to the target SSID.

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#7
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Re:This network name already exists-Solution
2024-08-15 21:09:43 - last edited 2024-08-15 21:09:46

For future reference to anyone that finds this. I only way I got this to work was to completely remove all Deco devices and delete the current main, guest and IOT networks. After that, I was able to perform a clean setup and use the network names as I desired.

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