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Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.

Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.

Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday
Tags: #Firmware Update #Backhaul Method #Wi-Fi 6E #Wi-Fi 7
Model: Deco XE75  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 1.2.14 build 20241015

I have a five Deco XE75 device mesh connected to my 800 MHz Spectrum cable service.  Works pretty dang good, but hey, everything has room for improvement.   All of the cluster of XE75s are within 25-35 feet of each other and wall penetration is at a minimum.   The configuration has the MAIN router and one centralized access point about 30 feet away in direct line of sight.  All other Decos connect to either the MAIN router or this centralized access point.  I don't daisy chain access points beyond these two.

 

A wired backhaul is not a simple option for me.  At age 76 I'm not quite the handyman I once was.  For me, I'd prefer to stay with wireless backhaul and simply build the fastest and most reliable network I can within that technology.

 

To this end, my initial experience with the XE75 units was promising.  The Deco app and access to the LAN router IP would give me assurance that the backhaul was indeed using a dedicated 6GHz connection.  This feature disappeared with firmware 1.2.9 and hasn't come back with 1.2.14.   

 

Alas, Deco, in their infinite wisdom, decided with recent firmware "upgrades" that actually confirming to the user what actual band was used for the dedicated backhaul was not important for the user to know.  They chose the "just trust me" approach.  NOWHERE can I find anything in the app or network access to the LAN IP of the MAIN router that confirms the backhaul speed.   Various posts on this forum suggest that it is automatic and I need not worry about it.  But being an old school engineer I can't seem to give up on confirming this via a more direct means.  Maybe it is the "Monk" in me that needs visual confirmation.

 

I would seriously consider adding 2 or 3 new Decos  model ????  (TBD) as centralized mesh cluster access points if it would clearly provide me the fastest possible wireless backhaul between those units.   Thus allowing my remaining XE75s to each have access to a speed optimised access point.  Do any of the more recent Deco mesh devices make the backhaul info readily confirmable?   Faster is always best.

 

Simply put - is there a newer model of Deco that would configure as I hope?  Obviously it would need to be seemlessly compatible with my existing XE75s.   Or worst case, I might donate a few XE75s to family and/or friends. 

 

Sadly - the current XE75s may well be working as I hope they are - but dang it, I need them to confirm that truth!  lol

 

*** Deco (TP-LINK) - could you PLEASE consider adding this tiny bit of information to your App on future releases?  It would mean a lot to your user community! ***

 

 

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#1
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10 Reply
Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday

  @Hawk521 Does the app not show, for each satellite, "what actual bands are used by the backhaul"?

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#2
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday

  @Hawk521 

Do you use "main router" as synonym for "main Deco, and "access point" as synonym for "satellite Deco"?

 

When you state "wall penetration is at a minimum", do you mean that the wireless signal does not penetrate the walls, the walls being a huge obstacle to the signal?

 

With a wireless backhaul, daisy chaining is frequently not beneficial, because it causes more transmission via the wireless backhaul.  

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#3
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday
Each access point says (2.4GHz/6GHz/5GHz_1). So - does that mean it uses all 3 channels in parallel? (I doubt this). Or does it mean that it will pick one of the bands at random? Or that it tries 2.GHz first, then if that won't work, it falls to 6GHz, etc... My point is that it would be most helpful if the app would tell me in clear terms what the heck it is doing.
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#4
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday
"Main router" is a Deco XE75 connected by ethernet cable to my Spectrum modem. The app tags it with 'MAIN'. My local name for it is "LR" which means it is in the Living Room where Spectrum put their modem. So all mesh traffic routes through this device to reach the internet. "wall penetration is at a minimum" means I've positioned my router and 4 access points to minimize interference due to walls separating the rooms. To the degree possible they are "line-of-site" to the next device. The configuration results in 2 backhaul links at most - to devices connected at the farthest corner of my house. And I understand that daisy chaining is not of itself something beneficial. My goal would be to minimize the backhaul "hops" to zero when possible, and either 1 or 2 where the WIFI device is unable to reach the "main router" without assistance from the mesh. Some of my WIFI devices connect directly to my LR router (thus no backhaul) but devices in the far reaches of the house do involve 1 or 2 backhaul links. I do show full strength (4 bar) connections on all XE75s as well as all devices connected to the mesh. Don't get me wrong here. I'm not complaining about my WIFI mesh speed. It is actually quite good. I am just a detail oriented person who likes to confirm that such configurations are what I think they should be.
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#5
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday

  @Hawk521 It is, indeed, using the three bands for the backhaul.  For each packet, it will decide which band to use.

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#6
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday
FWIW, when I initially installed my XE75s the browser access to the IP address did in fact show "6GHz as the backhaul". It would do so only if I disabled access to the 6GHz band. This was a bit confusing. The way to make it use 6GHz backhaul is to disable the use of the 6GHz band!?!? But at the time at least it confirmed the use of 6GHz as the backhaul. The "upgrade" to firmware 1.2.9 broke this "feature" and has not given me a way to confirm what is happening. Perhaps "just trust me" is okay - but I prefer confimation.
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#7
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday

  @Hawk521 

The previous firmware was, indeed, allowing you to specify that the 6GHz band was dedicated to the backhaul.

 

In that case, that band was not used for anything else.  It did not mean that the backhaul was exclusively using that band.

 

With the new firmware, you simply disable a band if you want it to be only used by the backhaul.  Disabling any band prevent any usage (except for the backhaul).

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#8
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday

  @Hawk521 The previous software was, indeed, very confusing.  Many people were confused by the way to configure it and the way it was displaying its status.

 

The new firmware is more intuitive.

 

The bands used by the backhaul have never been configurable.

You can configure which bands are offered to the clients.  By disabling any band, you prevent it from being offered to the clients.

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#9
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday
Thank you for the clarification. It sort of makes sense. It just seemed to me that since I had NO 6GHz compatible devices that forcing the backhaul to use 6GHz would be the best option. I'll try to stop fretting about this. And maybe, someday, Deco will change the app to be more specific and/or allow the user some control over the backhaul configuration. Would any of the newest Deco access point models provide this sort of configuration confirmation or options?
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#10
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Re:Optimize XE75 mesh wireless backhaul.
Saturday

  @Hawk521 I did not read anything about any Deco providing this sort of configuration information or options.

Some models allows forcing the selection of the "source" Deco for each satellite (not the band(s)).
All models show the current source Deco for each satellite.

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#11
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Views: 106

Replies: 10

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