Access Point Mode or Router Mode
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I rent a modem/router combo from Spectrum. My house is not huge (1600 sq ft), but there are rooms where Wi-Fi is weak/nonexistent. I just got a Deco5 Mesh System yesterday, and I set it up in regular router mode, with main Deco wired to modem/router and other 2 Decos in other rooms of house. Seems to work OK, even though I now have 2 Wi-Fi options (I never turned off the Wi-Fi on the modem/router).
Before I begin switching modes from router to access point, are there any advantages/disadvantages to setting it up this way - as a router - or as an access point? Is one way better to accomplish what I need - to cover the weak Wi-Fi rooms? Any thoughts and advice are appreciated.
Thanks very much.
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Hi, as for the difference of access points and routers, it is suggested to have a look at this link:
What’s the difference between Access Point mode and Router mode on the Deco?
Normally, if you do not want a huge adjustment about your existing network, the best setup would be to put Deco into access point mode and turn off the Spectrum router's wifi, leaving Deco to take over the whole wireless network.
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Now I'm a little confused. I thought Access Point mode used your existing Wi-Fi network, and Router mode created a new Wi-Fi network. If I use Access Point mode and turn off my Spectrum Wi-Fi, I'll have no Wi-Fi. No?
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I have my Deco M9 system set in Access Point mode (and hard wired to the ISP modem/router). I disabled the WiFi on the ISP router, so everything in my house sees the Deco and no other WiFi. (Of course, they still see neighboring WiFis, but that's no problem). I chose Access Point mode so that I could have a Pi-Hole DNS system without the Deco fussing because it is on the same subnet. I have the Pi-Hole also do the DHCP.
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Sorry I send the wrong FAQ the first time:
What’s the difference between Access Point mode and Router mode on the Deco?
Hi, Deco would create Wi-Fi no matter in access point mode or wireless router mode.
In access point mode, you could consider Deco taking in the Ethernet connection of the ISP router, then transferring to the wireless mesh network, which is also a kind of "extended network".
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@rob5 thank you all for the info. i changed the mode from router to access point. On my other devices (iphone, ipad, etc), I still see the same 3 options for WiFi: the 2.4 and 5ghz associated with the spectrum leased router/modem, AND the new mesh router Wi-Fi. Should I leave all 3 connected, or should I somehow disconnect the 2.4 and 5ghz Wi-Fi from the Spectrum router? If so, how do I do that? Interestingly, my WEMO smart plug no longer works. Thanks.
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Hi, It would be better to only leave Deco’s wireless Mesh network.
Normally there would be a hardware on/off switch on the router to enable/disable Wi-Fi and you could have a check on the spectrum modem/router to see whether there is such a button/switch.
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