Need help expanding my Deco network

Need help expanding my Deco network

Need help expanding my Deco network
Need help expanding my Deco network
2024-09-11 17:27:49
Model: Deco M9 Plus  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

My home is about 25 meter long with multiple thick, brick walls in between. Signal going up is less of a problem due to wooden floors, no concrete.

Fiber optic cable enters at the front of the house. I have the mandatory router there (Zyxel). My main Deco (M9 plus) is connected by wire to the Zyxel. Main deco is in Router mode. Zyxel wifi is turned on (just found that out) and is only used by my husband if the home wifi (deco) falters.

1 room down there is my second deco (M9 plus), connected wireless. 2 rooms further, near the back door, is my third deco (M9 plus), wired directly to the main. The main reason it's there, is because that's where the cable exits the wall again.

 

This setup has worked well enough until recently so now I'm looking to expand my network. Weirdly enough it's often the third deco that goes offline and the backrooms and garden don't get a stable signal. Cams go offline, and so on. I'd like to buy 1 or 2 extra satelites and I'm hoping you could give me some advice on how to place them. I'd like to extend the range to the back of our garden (another 30 meters from the back door).

 

Some things to consider, and I think it's very relevant for our situation:

- we're a familiy of 6, with 4 teens. I work from home, the teens obviously stream and game online all the time. They're using phones and laptops, often simultaniously.

- we have a lot of smart devices, eg about 25 Hue lights, a handful of Hue switches, some Hue motion sensors, an handful of Google Nest, Google Home, Google Audio devices, a Smart TV, two Chromecasts, a couple of Sonos devices, a Hue bridge, Sonos Boost, Robot vaccuum cleaner.... even our washing machine is Smart. If I look at the connected devices at this moment, it says 41 devices.

The issue I'm having with the M9 plus right now is that it only has 2 exits, so we had to chose which devices to connect to the main and which to the satelites. So now the Sonos boost is connected to the main (and the other output is the cable that goes to the third deco). The Hue bridge is connected to the second deco. 

 

Like I said, it's been working fine until recently. I suspect that's because there were 3 devices added (2 laptops and a Google Home assistent).

 

Any suggestions on how to improve my mesh network so it'll be stable enough to deal with so many connections and is exteded for about 30 meters?

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Re:Need help expanding my Deco network
2024-09-12 06:29:51

  @LucyDaren 

Hi, welcome to the community.

When I checked your TP-Link ID, I notice the current firmware of your Deco M9 plus is still 1.2.11. The latest firmware now is 1.6.4.

It is suggested to update the firmware of Deco M9 plus: Deco M9 Plus(EU)_1.6.4 Build 20240718

How to update the firmware:https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/1599/ (method 3 via firmware upgrade utility)

 

After that, for the extra two satellite units, will you plan to add them wirelessly into the Mesh system?

Do you still want to keep Deco M9 plus as the main Deco, or a higher model to replace the Deco M9 plus, then leave the M9 plus as satellite unit?

Will the extra satellite Deco M9 plus mainly provide internet connection for smart home devices?

 

I think a twin-pack Deco X90 might be a good choice. It is also tri-band like Deco M9 plus if you want to upgrade the Deco.

Or another recommendation would be Deco X50-outdoor.

It is suggested to extender the Ethernet cable from the Ethernet socket(which used to be connected to the 3rd M9 plus) and connect Deco X50-outdoor outside(in the garden). After that you could relocate the spare 3rd Deco M9 plus somewhere the wireless signal is weak.

 

Thank you very much and best regards.

 

 

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Re:Need help expanding my Deco network
2024-09-14 07:16:19 - last edited 2024-09-14 07:18:13

Hi @David-TP, thanks for your help.

 

I checked your TP-Link ID, I notice the current firmware of your Deco M9 plus is still 1.2.11. The latest firmware now is 1.6.4.

 

Thanks, did not know. I do check the updates from the app itself regularly, but apparently, it doesn't update further than 1.2.1.1 this way. Will update later today.

 

After that, for the extra two satellite units, will you plan to add them wirelessly into the Mesh system?

 

Yes

 

Do you still want to keep Deco M9 plus as the main Deco, or a higher model to replace the Deco M9 plus, then leave the M9 plus as satellite unit?

 

No preference but I thought it might need better to use a higher model as a main. If it's not/doesn't make a difference, I could use a new Deco as main.

 

Will the extra satellite Deco M9 plus mainly provide internet connection for smart home devices?

 

No, we have four teens. They're all over the place with their laptops, lol. 

 

I think a twin-pack Deco X90 might be a good choice. It is also tri-band like Deco M9 plus if you want to upgrade the Deco.

 

Or another recommendation would be Deco X50-outdoor.

 

Thanks! I'll consider both options

 

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#3
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