Losing ethernet backhaul
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I've three x50poe units. Main unit in router mode (with Virgin Media in modem mode).
Main unit connects to a switch and the other two decos ethernet connected to the switch.
All seems ok, network map shows all units connected by wire and speeds are fine.
However, quite often either one of the satellite units seems to lose the ethernet link and only connects via WiFi. One of the units is quite remote so connection is quite slow. Rebooting all the units seems to get everything back to wired mode
These 'wired to wireless' drops seem totally random, often overnight when there's very little activity.
Any thoughts?
Cheers.
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Thank you.
So, this is what happens in this test:
1. Both Satellites originally use Ethernet backhaul and report as connected to Main Deco.
2. You unplug Ethernet cable between Main Deco and switch. Switch loses Ethernet connection to Main Deco.
3. Deco mesh elects one of Satellites to connect to Main Deco. That Satellite switches to WiFi backhaul. This is undocumented Deco mesh resilliency feature in works.
4. All Internet traffic of hardwired to switch devices goes now through the switch to Satellite Deco wirelessly connected to main Deco.
5. Summerhouse Satellite Deco, the one that still uses Ethernet backhaul, is now connected to Bedroom (WiFi backhaul) Satellite Deco. It is because Summerhouse Satellite Deco can't connect to Main Deco by Ethernet but can still connect by Ethernet backhaul to Bedroom Deco.
6. When you power off Bedroom Deco, Deco mesh elects remaining Summerhouse Satellite Deco to connect through WiFi to Main Deco and all Internet traffic that passes through the switch goes to Summerhouse Satellite Deco and from it, over WiFi backhaul, to Main Deco.
Which brings me to problem description: there is an issue with Ethernet cable between the switch and Main Deco. You'll need to focus your investigation and troubleshooting at that Ethernet cable.
It is also possible that after you unplugged and plugged Ethernet cable back, the issue would go away. If not, wait when it appears again and check Deco mesh "List Map". If it is the same as in your test when Ethernet cable was unplugged, that proves my theory.
If you are still not convinced, wait till issue happens again - and during it power off both Satellite Decos without touching any Ethernet cables and switch. According to my theory, during the issue there is no physical Ethernet link between the switch and Main Deco - which means, after you powered off both Satellites everything which is hardwired to the switch will lose its Internet connection. That would be easy to check if you have something other that Deco hardwired to the switch.
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Hi, Have you tried to replace the Ethernet cables in case any of them are aging?
May I know the model number of the network switch here？
Some switches might have bad support of the Ethernet Backhaul, such as Q5 & Q6 on General questions about Ethernet Backhaul feature on your Deco.
Wait for your reply.
Best regards.
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Tried a different cable but no change.
It could be either satellite that drops out too, so I doubt both cables had an issue. Also, there's no transmission drop from 1000 to 10/100 which sometimes indicates cable issues.
Switch is the TL-SG1008P. There is another switch on the network (also TPlink) but that's 'after' the Deco units.
Strange thing is it all works great until the ethernet backhaul reverts to wifi - speeds are full etc and it can run several days without a hitch, but last night one satellite reverted to wifi - a network reboot and it was back to normal. I suppose I could schedule a daily reboot to try and pass the issue.
I'm new to the Deco system but is there a log recorded anywhere that might show if anything happened on the network overnight when the ethernet dropout occurred?
Thanks for your help.
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This is your network diagram, I believe:
I would like to suggest the following test:
1. Unplug Ethernet cable connecting Main Deco to the switch, from Main Deco and from the switch.
2. See if one of Satellite Deco switches to WiFi backhaul and another stays with Ethernet backhaul - which would be same as you desribed.
3. If they did, make screenshot of "Show Map" in Deco app and share it here, example:
4. After that, power off Satellite Deco that uses WiFi backhaul and check if remaining Satellite Deco switched to WiFi backhaul.
If this is what will happen, I have an idea of where the problem might be.
After the test, undo all changes: plug back Ethernet cable connecting Main Deco to switch and power on Satellite Deco that you powered off in step 4.
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Thank you.
So, this is what happens in this test:
1. Both Satellites originally use Ethernet backhaul and report as connected to Main Deco.
2. You unplug Ethernet cable between Main Deco and switch. Switch loses Ethernet connection to Main Deco.
3. Deco mesh elects one of Satellites to connect to Main Deco. That Satellite switches to WiFi backhaul. This is undocumented Deco mesh resilliency feature in works.
4. All Internet traffic of hardwired to switch devices goes now through the switch to Satellite Deco wirelessly connected to main Deco.
5. Summerhouse Satellite Deco, the one that still uses Ethernet backhaul, is now connected to Bedroom (WiFi backhaul) Satellite Deco. It is because Summerhouse Satellite Deco can't connect to Main Deco by Ethernet but can still connect by Ethernet backhaul to Bedroom Deco.
6. When you power off Bedroom Deco, Deco mesh elects remaining Summerhouse Satellite Deco to connect through WiFi to Main Deco and all Internet traffic that passes through the switch goes to Summerhouse Satellite Deco and from it, over WiFi backhaul, to Main Deco.
Which brings me to problem description: there is an issue with Ethernet cable between the switch and Main Deco. You'll need to focus your investigation and troubleshooting at that Ethernet cable.
It is also possible that after you unplugged and plugged Ethernet cable back, the issue would go away. If not, wait when it appears again and check Deco mesh "List Map". If it is the same as in your test when Ethernet cable was unplugged, that proves my theory.
If you are still not convinced, wait till issue happens again - and during it power off both Satellite Decos without touching any Ethernet cables and switch. According to my theory, during the issue there is no physical Ethernet link between the switch and Main Deco - which means, after you powered off both Satellites everything which is hardwired to the switch will lose its Internet connection. That would be easy to check if you have something other that Deco hardwired to the switch.
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Thank you for this. It makes sense.
The cable from main deco to switch is actually new Cat 6 but I will swap it out and see if it makes a difference. The cables to the satellites are older but seem fine (I think this test indicates that) but I had tested that with different cables anyway. I'd just assumed that the Main Deco to Switch cable was the least likely to be an issue :)
Hopefully, just changing the Deco to switch cable solves it - it's the easiest bit to change too which is a bonus :) Alternatively could this be a switch issue (although that too is new)?
Thanks again
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Usually, when switch does not support Deco mesh Ethernet backhaul protocol, both Satellites will use WiFi backhaul. In your case, Summerhouse Deco can still talk to Bedroom Deco over Ethernet backhaul, which makes switch an unlikely culprit.
With one exception: if Ethernet port of the switch to which Ethernet cable from Main Deco is connected has an issue. Which is quite unlikely, but to be on absolutely safe side in addition to using different Ethernet cable between Main Deco and switch, also plug it to different Ethernet port of the switch.
I checked X50-PoE specs, and it has one gigabit Ethernet port and one 2.5Gbps Ethernet port. Which one of those is currently connected to Ethernet cable that goes to the switch? If it is 2.5Gbps, then change that so that gigabit Ethernet port on Main Deco is connected to gigabit Ethernet port on switch.
Also, if your Virgin Media Hub has 2.5Gbps port, that should be the one to which you should connect 2.5Gpbs port of Main Deco.
Also, if you feed power to Main Deco from the switch over PoE, if issue keeps coming back - temporarily disable that and power Main Deco through its power adapter.
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2.5Gbps from Virgin hub to 2.5 port on main deco, then 1Gbps from main Deco to switch is as it is now so ok there.
Currently running with different cable (Cat 5e) from main deco to switch and in a different port.
I think it's just a case now of wait and see - hopefully it'll stay ethernet backhauled overnight :)
I have a couple of NAS devices on the network that power down and power back up during the night - this couldn't conceivably have an impact on the Deco's ethernet could it? I don't see how it should but I did notice that the last couple of wired to wireless drops had happened overnight.
John
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I have Synology NAS with overnight shutdown/startup schedule, that does not impact my Deco mesh.
Hopefully it were just that cable between Main Deco and switch. If the issue were with cable(s) between Satellite Decos and the switch, when one of Satellites goes WiFi another with Ethernet backhaul should still be reported in Deco app as connected to Main Deco.
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