@Bama-2025
Thanks for reaching out. I understand that you want to add additional TP-Link routers in Access Point (AP) mode to your Deco Mesh system (with your main Deco XE75 Pro as the router), but you are experiencing network conflicts when connecting an AP router via your unmanaged switch.
When adding a non-Deco router in AP mode to your Deco Mesh network, it's important to ensure the following software adjustments on the AP router:
1. Set the router to Access Point (AP) mode:
• This disables its routing functions and allows it to simply extend your existing network.
2. Assign a Static IP Address to the AP Router:
• Yes, you should manually assign a static IP address to the AP router within the same subnet as your Deco main router, but outside the Deco's DHCP range. This prevents IP address conflicts and makes it easier to manage the AP router later.
• For example, if your Deco main router uses 192.168.68.1 and its DHCP range is 192.168.68.100-192.168.68.200, set the AP router's IP to something like 192.168.68.2.
3. Disable DHCP Server on the AP Router:
• Make sure the AP router's DHCP server is turned off. Only the main Deco router should handle DHCP to avoid conflicts.
4. Connect via LAN Port:
• When wiring the AP router to your switch, connect using one of its LAN ports (not the WAN/Internet port).
5. Wi-Fi Settings:
• You can set the same SSID and password as your Deco network for seamless roaming, or use a different SSID if you want to distinguish between networks.
Note: If you use Deco units as APs, you can switch their operation mode in the Deco app: Connect your phone to the Deco Wi-Fi, open the Deco app, and go to MORE > Advanced > Operation Mode to select Access Point mode. However, in AP mode, Deco features like Parental Controls, QoS, DHCP Server, IPTV, VLAN, and DDNS will not be available.
If you continue to have conflicts, double-check that only your main Deco is acting as the router and that all other devices (including your AP routers) have DHCP disabled and unique static IPs within the correct subnet.
