Adding E4R and E4S to M4 twin pack causes instability

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Adding E4R and E4S to M4 twin pack causes instability

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Adding E4R and E4S to M4 twin pack causes instability
Adding E4R and E4S to M4 twin pack causes instability
2023-05-18 20:22:54
Model: Deco M4  
Hardware Version: V4
Firmware Version: 1.1.1 Build 20230201 Rel. 37427

Firstly, apologies for the length of this post.

 

I've had a pair of M4 Decos for 6 months, using them in AP mode connected to my BT Smart Hub, with Wi-Fi turned off on the hub. They've been working fine, one in the living room at the back of our 3 storey townhouse, with the other in my office, one floor up at the front of the house. The BT hub also had my Hue Bridge and alarm hub connected via Ethernet.

 

We've just had fibre installed, and the ONT is in the hall. This has meant moving the main node from the living room to the hall, where I only have two available sockets and room for just the ONT and one M4, now running in router mode.

 

I moved the satellite from my first floor office at the front of the house, to a full height built in cupboard on the landing where I keep my printer and other items. I then connected the Hue Bridge and alarm hub to it.

 

Knowing that the new locations would have an impact on range into our garden (where we've a Google Nest Mini in our garden room and a Tapo smart plug controlling some lights), I picked up what I thought was a bargain twin pack of an E4R and E4S on Amazon for £36. That they were designated Router and Satellite on opening surprised me, as my M4 twin pack aren't separated into router and satellite.

 

The E4s were Ver:3.0, (2-pack)(EU).

 

All were running latest firmware.

 

Almost immediately, the problems began. The app would report that some of the nodes were offline, and our several Amazon Echo devices kept dropping off the network.

 

This was happening fairly consistently.


Having removed the E4 pair from my network, the M4 setup is functioning well, after a fashion. Frustratingly, some devices still try and connect to the more distant node, but I realised that after removing the E4 pair, the app offered greater functionality - namely, the ability to set a connection preference. I've now set a specific target node for each of my Amazon Echos.

 

I've returned the E4 twin pack.

 

Unfortunately, now that I'm back to two nodes, I've had to move the first floor node back to the living room to get coverage in the garden (either the Deco range is poor, or the wireless radios in the Nest Mini and Tapo smart plug are poor).

 

This means that the top floor is now struggling, specifically the Roku connected to my TV.

 

So, after all that, a couple of questions.

 

1. Anyone else experienced similar problems with E4s?

 

2. How best to improve the coverage to the top floor?

 

I've considered replacing the 2x M4s with a three pack of S7s, but understand that the current S7 firmware doesn't allow connection preferences.

 

I've also considered something like an RE330 on the middle floor just to serve the upstairs Roku. I'm aware that it's an extender, and won't be part of the mesh, but that works, as I can give it its own SSID, just for the TV.

 

Or should I just buy one or two more M4s?

 

I'd welcome the Community's input.

 

Many thanks,

 

S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Re:Adding E4R and E4S to M4 twin pack causes instability
2023-05-19 00:41:57 - last edited 2023-05-19 00:42:47

  @Shrops 

 

I can't tell what went wrong with your E4s, they should have been good addition to M4 Deco mesh. I'll just focus on second part of your post: Deco mesh extension.

 

The point of WiFi mesh is to provide WiFi coverage by adding mesh units where they are needed. For that reason, I would recommend against range extenders. They are less expensive, that's true, but might cause regrets in a long run. 

 

If you need connection preference feature, you can (and should) only add Deco models that support this feature. Not all of them do, as you have found with E4. Adding just one unit that does not support connection preference feature to Deco mesh will turn that feature off for all Deco units.

 

Deco M4 is an obvious choice for expansion in your case, but be aware that only M4 with firmware V4 supports connection preference feature. There is also M4 with firmware V2, for example, which does not have this feature. Adding M4 V2 to your set of M4 V4 will turn connection preference feature off.

For that reason, if you could buy M4s from the store, you should. You can find version number on the box, on sticker with serial number and Deco model name. Check the box of M4s you have. You can inspect what you are buying in store before buying it.

If you can only get them online, buy from the place with return policy so that you can send them back unopened if they came with hardware version other than V4.

 

Another option to expand your Deco mesh is Deco M5. As far as I know, all M5 hardware versions got that feature, so M5 should be the safe bet. You can buy M5s in three, two and single unit sets.

 

If you are willing to spend a bit more and plan to buy pair of Deco units, consider M9 Plus. They are tri-band, support connection preference feature with recently released firmware, and work well together in pairs. Make one of them Main Deco, place second one where you need the best WiFi from Satellite Deco and place your M4s where you only need adequate WiFi coverage and speed.

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Re:Adding E4R and E4S to M4 twin pack causes instability
2023-05-19 08:47:30

  @Alexandre. 
 

Thank you for your comprehensive reply.

 

As you can tell, I'm rather new to Mesh.

 

When TP-Link advertise as all Deco units being compatible, you wouldn't expect to lose functionality when mixing models.

 

A couple of M4s added to my setup would be good, as long as I was able to obtain V4s. Are TP-Link still manufacturing V2, or is it the case that I simply risk vendors holding older stock?

 

The M5 or M9 plus look like good alternatives, with greater range.

 

I will have to consider my options.

 

Kind regards,

 

S.

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