@BrianThoms It looks like you can have a non-working system ALL the time or only when the WAN is down. Not much of a choice is it?

  @TP-Link since yesterday I lost all connection to wired devices connected via tp-link switch to deco x50-PoE (3-pack) used in router setup. I've been trying for hours rebooting, reconfigurating and reconnecting/changing cables. Sometimes the wired devices pop up for a short while and move about between access points, but no connection is made. My whole smart home setup is useless this way. Can anyone please help with how to solve this? I'm only getting more frustrated by reading this thread and by what appears this issue isn't taken seriously by TP-link.

  @Jord_S I get that quite frequently. Do you use ethernet backhaul? For me I think it's due to a network loop, some of my devices should use ethernet backhaul, but occasionally a unit at the furthest point to the base unit decides to wifi connect to the base unit via wifi, that messes up the units in between and kills the internet connection.

I switch off the one causing trouble, reboot the whole mesh, wait a while, restart the troublesome unit.

It's really not ideal!

  @Diabl0 sadly an extra router doesn't help. The tplink decos seem to need the cloud service - not just an ip address. 
 

I have added an extra router and my system still fails if the isp has a issue. I am replacing all my tplink stuff with open source based routers and access points. 

Sadly a quick solution is to replace the tplink devices with ones that do not need an active cloud connection. Tplink haven’t listened to users concerns on this issue for over 4 years now.

  @Mark-R it is pretty poor, especially as these issues don't immediately present themselves (so cant easily return the kit). With the potential US ban (which will no doubt cascade to elsewhere if it goes through) replacing the kit might be the easiest option. Shame as the kit options tick a lot of boxes for solid build houses (powerline, outdoor, ethernet backhaul)...

  @C0deape I agree - which was why I chose the products in the first place. They perform well (or rather fast!) and are easy to manage, but this one issues is a complete showstopper for anyone with non-cloud dependent home automation! In my case as well as the lightweight stuff like plex, I also have my heating and some lighting depended on a functional wifi network. This behaviour renders TPlink products inconcievable in this context - and the companies lack of awareness and support is a complete deal breaker for me.

sadly, I then feel guilty even trying to sell the devices second hand - making the 5 decos I have worthless :( I so wish we could get some response from the company (mind you - maybe that's part of what the US authorities are complaining about!). I even tried emailing the UK MD and got not even an acknowledgment of the message.

Well, I just learned about this the tough way, when my fiber went down and my entire home automation and NAS stopped working. I mean, how is this even some decision that was made consciously? I bought this (quite expensive to be honest) solution to not have to put yet another router and benefit from simplicity it brings, but having my LAN torn down when there is internet outage is unacceptable. I'm really surprised I didn't realize this earlier, but this week I had multiple outages and started wondering - how the hell is my local network not available as well? 

  @noizex I agree. I can't work out how anyone in the company thinks this is correct behaviour for a router function. 
 

and the companies lack of response has removed tplink from consideration for any future purchase or recommendations by me. 
 

and that they publish such incorrect descriptions of how their own products actually work - and then ignore active, but 4 years running discussions like this one is incredible (and not in a good way). 
 

I've bitten the bullet and gone open source for my systems as finding non-cloud dependent commercial products seems hard! And I don't fancy throwing money at others just to find issues and a lack of support once it's too late - like I did wi the tplink. 

  @Mark-R Hi Mark.  Can I ask which open source you went with?  I moved from TP-Link (waste of time and money) to Orbi for network and ring for camera.  I'm not happy with either cloud/subscription model. I'm keen to look at open source instead.  mozzie4 at gmail dot com  Thanks