Here is my network topology.

 

#1 x55 Deco Main (2.5gb Ethernet backhaul)

#2 x50-outdoor Prefered source for #3 (2.5gb Ethernet backhaul)

#3 x50-outdoor (1gb Ethernet) cable ran to switch to connected wired devices

 

Points #1 & #2 are wired directly to my OPNsense router.  Point #3 is only connected by Wifi about 300 ft away with clear line of sight.  No ethernet WAN connection.

 

I have demoted the Decos to access point mode becuase it was obvious it could not manage my network.  I have lost count how many times I have had to go in and change what someone or the AI thought was how the network should work.  Even only in AP mode the Decos are losing internet, changing their IP address, or rolling back to a previous network running M5 decos.  Of coarse the network is failing because I no longer have that equipment.  I have been emailing with tech support for weeks.

 

I need this resolved ASAP,  I have been a loyal TP-link customer for nearly 20 years

 

 

 

@Riley_S  @David-TP   

I'm sorry the answer is way too advanced for me but as I understand 1.26 is actually a newer version than 1.6, as it is 26. (Per my understanding that is). (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong)...

  @jzchen 

Yeah I don't know.  I saw a public post where they have a firmware fix for 1.6 that covered some of the issues I am having.  Then they edited it removing the support for 1.26 version.  I don't know what is going on either.  I set it up and it will work perfect.  Then something happens, cloud sync, firmware update, schedualed reboot and everything is changed.  It did it when it was the running in router mode, so I just assumed my network was to much of a load so I bought and installed OPNsense router and demoted the Decos to AP mode only.  I am still having stupid issues that will disable my network.

 

I have wondered if my wifi network has been hacked and I just don't know it.  I recently learned about man in the middle attacks.  Haven't lookied for a solution to that yet but still researching wireguard VPN.

  @Riley_S 

 

[TP-Link Support]-[TKID240355334]

 

[TP-Link Support]-[TKID240253549]

 

[TP-Link Support]-[TKID211225267]

 

[TP-Link Support]-[TKID230723927] 

 

 

This is another forum post I had with David where he recommended upgrading my equipment.  It will work perfectly for a while and then breaks, repair the configuration, works again sometimes a few hours or few days but will break again.  The network posted below has been replaced and yes I removed from old deco in app before disconnecting and will show back up on my mobile app.  The M5 was completely unplug and packed up in storage and the app said it was the Main Deco.

 

There really needs to be a feature that the user can manually force a save state and user can delete old cloud configurations.  The only way I can see the M5 showing back up is a firmware flash used an older save to restore network.  I have also swapped between the x55 and the X50-outdoor for the "main" some where on the help site there is a list with a hierarchy listing all Deco models and which should be assigned main by model number.

 

https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/forum/topic/653226

 

My last attempt to sovle the issues I did a factory reset.  Created a new network with new SSID.  The only thing I haven't tried yet was to assign static address to all the Deco MAC address.  So when it does the scheduled reboot the router will always give it the same IP.

 

Riley_S wrote

Hey  @Yewtink,

Our team is taking a closer look at your case to see if we can find a cause, but we have a few things:

 

1—Your most recent ticket included an FAQ on deleting a network that can no longer be seen. Is this the reset method that you tried? At any point, have you reset the satellites separately?

 

2-  If the M5 is appearing as the main deco, and you still have the M5, you may try reconnecting the M5 and using the Transfer Main Deco feature.

 

The satellites may be tied or assigned to the network of the M5 and we think that something may have gone wrong when syncing with the cloud. I would make sure that nothing on your OPNsense router is blocking connections to TP-Link servers from the Decos - You may even try reestablishing the Decos as the Router of your network while troubleshooting.

 

I would also recommend setting the IP reservations on your router, especially due to the number of switches and devices in your network.

  @Riley_S 

 

1)  After my last email with the tech support and the guy promising me that the old M5 was completed removed from the cloud and it returned that weekend.  Yes I removed each deco from that old network one by one.  Then preformed a reset by the button on the bottom of the devices.  Then I started a whole new SSID named new network since the tech couldn't understand why I was talking about 1 network that was showing up on your system twice!!  The whole point I was trying to get across.  My app only had 2 unique networks, but would sometimes would show 3.  I followed the remove network (2 different times) in the app and it would show up again few days later.  My network times (2) and my sisters I manage.

 

2)  I am not an idiot, I followed your transfer Main Deco and it was completed and working, until firmware or scheduled reboot!!  Then the old main would show up again or maybe tech support logged in my network and moved it after I told them NO it is not possible to moved due to the way the network is wired..

 

The smart switches are static address and has been from day one.

 

I have disabled auto update and disabled scheduled reboot.  Cloud management has been nothing for a pain in the .............

 

Not everyone wants someone else to do their management, please remove the cloud managment and allow only local management.  If it is setup propperly there is no need to manage it from the web.  Funny I cut the cloud out things get better.

 

 

My sister's network has a M5 on it still.  If you are seeing M5 on both it is wrong.

 

Network #1 (1) x55 & (2) x50-outdoor

 

Network #2 (1) x55 & (1) M5

 

 

The problem is only I know how I wired my network so all the advise to set X as main and see how it does is not possible.  X is mounted to a pole, the WAN service comes in 60 feet away. 

 

Drop the cloud management and allow the owners to manage their own devices problem solved..  period!!

 

I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED AND BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE!

 

WIFI is still dropping out, 3 weeks without a response or a solution.

 

I have disabled all the advanced features because it would break wifi connection.  The wired devices are unaffected.

 

The hardware still can't function as a basic access point.  Very Disappointing