I shut down all the Deco nodes which clears out the app and moved the main node to the wiring closet to test solo. It worked just fine, so I moved that node up to the main floor, and then started up the basement node, which seemed to work fine as well. I purchased an ethernet cable tracer so I can finally document where all the wires are coming from. I'm hoping that will let me understand where the continued instability is and fix it.

  @T_R_K Sorry to read of your issues trying to upgrade the backhaul/Ethernet switches...

 

The Version # should be on the Serial # labels on the bottom of the units, a capital V and numbers.  I "traced" your firmware details to V1.60, (and possibly V1.0).  Typically all whole number versions share the same firmware so 1.60 and 1.0 do....

 

I hope you find the issue(s) with the wiring/switches quickly...

  @jzchen To answer your question, yes, I found the issue (I'm using unmanaged switches).   I had two connecting wires between two switches, and the network settled down yesterday morning, so I had a loop in the network.   

 

So I began to rebuild the Deco network by first putting the "main" node up with nothing else running and it ran very nicely.  After a few hours I decided to be bold and rebuild the enter Deco network.  Unfortunately, after about 4 hours the Decos all became unstable, although the network itself is stable.   So I removed all of the nodes except the main node, and it is still rubber banding up and down.  I think I'll try to remove he main node and start the network fresh later today.

Let me know if you have any ideas.

 

I have a hunch when you first attach a node it immediately uses WiFi to connect to the main node, and it's inconsistent (from my viewpoint) when it switches over to ethernet and that contributes to the instability.   And the app is an awful way to manage them since when it works, it works fine, but when the Decos are not working so great, the only thing the app tells you is "I can't connect".   

  @T_R_K 

 

I have a  question. About options in the app.

 

I use my Deco 6e as an access point (essentially letting the ISP's router hand out IP addresses, not the Deco).   But yet even when I do that, the app defaults to "Smart DHCP".   I turned it off, but I'm not sure what Smart DHCP does in Access Point mode.   Can someone explain please?  

  @T_R_K 

 

 

There were two main issues that were driving the network stability and I had to sort them one by one (and keep in mind this is a flat network with unmanaged switches)

 

1) Most obvious one was I had accidentally created a loop between the two core switches, which was creating broadcast storms (I know better, but with so many wires....)

2) The second was a bit more insidious. In the basement my Sonos soundbar was not working, and when I pulled the ethernet cable out and tried to put it back in (it is tight against the wall) it only went about 1/2 way in, which apparently was creating another broadcast storm.  Once I pushed the ethernet cable in, the network settled down in less than 60 seconds.

 

I have to admit though getting the Decos set up with way more difficult than it needs to be.  Setting up the main node was easy, and I let the network settle for a day with just that node.   Today though I wanted to put the other two nodes in and so the upstairs node would not allow me to reset it.   I could hold the button for a minute and it would just immediately go green, but it wasn't actually working.   I left it alone for 5 minutes and it finally started flashing Red, and then I could reset it.   But the fun wasn't over.   Once it recognized the new Deco, and I renamed it, it rebooted, and when it came back it went from yellow to no light at all.  So I had to pull the plug and reboot it, which led to the same thing.   Eventually the green light came on, and all was well.

 

The Deco app never recognized the new Deco so there is some part of that app that is broken.  Eventually it recognized it 10 minutes later.

 

The basement Deco did roughly the same dance.  Except that it was actually functioning with no light on at all.   Eventually it came on.   Leaving me curious what that reset actually does.  It certainly doesn't reset it;  it seems to be a software reset, not a hardware reset.

 

Right now the system is humming along getting 600 Mb/s up and down.

 

I have one more node to set up, but it's an older Deco that I use in the garage.  I'm going to wait for a day to see if this configuration is stable.