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Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?

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Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?

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Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 11:56:52
Model: AC500  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version:

Hello,

I have a question regarding the Deco whole house wifi system M5.

I want to install in a new 3-floor home where the main router from my ISP will be installed in the basement. 
 

I had ethernet wires installed through the walls to two connection points in the ceilings (one in the ground floor ceiling and one in the first floor ceiling) when the house was build and therefore I will have direct ethernet connection to those 2 points with my main router.

 

So my main question is this:

 

If I set up the M5 deco system normally (all 3 decos in the basement close together) and after the setup I move the other 2 decos, one in the ground floor ceiling and one in the first floor ceiling, and connect them to the main router, each one individually with ethernet, will it work? The point is to get maximum speed from each deco. Note that the first (MAIN deco) will be connected to my main router as well and not directly to my ISP plug. I think this method is called access point??

To summarize: I’d like to set up all 3 decos of the M5 normally using app and then move the 2 decos to other parts of the house but every single deco will be connected to the main router (not main deco) with ethernet. Final wiring after setting up normally will be:

ROUTER >>>ethernet>>> MAIN DECO
ROUTER >>>ethernet>>> DECO 1
ROUTER >>>ethernet>>> DECO 2

Will this work?

Thank you

 

(P.S: Couldn't find AC1300/M5 as a model from the drop down list)

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11 Reply
Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 12:02:16

@BlindGuardian only in AP mode. Which itself doesn't properly work due to DHCP conflicts from TP Links bad DHCP implementation on AP mode.

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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 12:22:40
Thank you for the reply... Bad DHCP implementation? Is this something that they plan to fix with a firmware upgrade? Since I plan to use it on access point mode... what’s the bottom line here? will it work?? I don’t want to spend triple the money for something that I can easily achieve with a repeater (since I have the wiring in place), only to find out that it won’t work properly. The point is to spend the money on a mesh system and get the benefits of it (one of which would be for the system to work smoothly...)
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#3
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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 12:31:44

@BlindGuardian they've been sitting on the fence for 1 year +. Don't hold your breath.

 

See following for complaints of their DHCP handling, that are exacerbated in AP mode...

 

 

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/160293

 

Or

 

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/155575

 

Or

 

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/222270

 

Or

 

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/184752

 

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#4
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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 13:28:43

@atca 

 

So don't buy TP-Link is what you suggest? I read the posts and its quite frustrating that they don't acknowledge there is a problem with this.

 

Quoting a quick fix from one of the posts "I fixed my problem by disconnecting the Cat 5 cable temporarly from the switch, rebooted the Zyxel router and voilà.. after it was back as 'master' DHCP, I plugged the Deco M5 back and all was working as before.. But I'm really curious about that strange behavior." 
 

Does this work? Considering TP-Link is one of the best brands out there (don't know why they won't fix this) if all it takes when main deco takes over DHCP is to unplug the ethernet cable, reboot the main router and then plug it back in, I guess I'll take this hassle until a fox is out (if and when they acknowledge the issue)

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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 13:38:54

@BlindGuardian that's the challenge I am grappling with. To be fair I like there app and it does just work save for this stupid issue. I haven't tested throughput but that's less of an issue for me. There's another issue with vlans which is equally silly but I don't use them so can.live with it.

 

Google wifi doesn't work in AP mode.

 

Eero is much more expensive and if I was spending that much I prefer to wait for wifi6E and go all out. Maybe end of next year or 22?!

 

Ubiquiti is pricey and I hear their long term support is lackluster.

 

Not yet looked at Netgear, Linksys or DLink but I may have to.

 

So if you like a good run around the house to reboot Deco on the router reboots, you may have to live with it.

 

Or hopefully TPLink fix it but I'm not hopeful. They don't seem to take customer feedback seriously.

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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 18:38:03

@atca 

 

any idea if a simple powerline extender like the AV600 would work better? I'm getting anxious on what to buy? I'll be moving in next week and need to decide...

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#7
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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 21:10:05

@BlindGuardian I personally have found power lines really unreliable regardless of brand. Try an M5 if it doesn't work out return it... Just look out for this as its not obvious until you scratch your head why you don't get internet post router reboot / or are missing clients.

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#8
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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 21:26:57

@atca 

 

ok thanks... so apparently if it does happen the workaround is to disconnect all decos from the main router, restart the router with no decos connected to it and then plug them in again correct?

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#9
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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-17 22:02:12

@BlindGuardian no simply reboot all the decos after the router has come up, should sort it.

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#10
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Re:Will the M5 system work if all 3 Decos are connected directly to the modem with ethernet?
2020-08-21 05:16:39

@atca 

 

just oit of curiosity.... In router mode, does this work perfectly fine without any issues?

 

I think I have the option of connecting it as a star network as well. Does star network means that main deco is connected on the main router and the other lan port is connected on the switch board and then all the other decos are connected with ethernet on the switch board?

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#11
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