This topic

Wireless MESH

Stargazer22 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 12:38:23 GMT

Hi,

I'm trying to sort out patchy Wi-Fi in my house. I tried the BT premium whole home wi-fi but after it crashed while doing its first firmware update after unboxing it don't want to go down this route again if possible. I currently use the Smart Hub 2 Wi-Fi for downstairs and a TP-Link TL-WA901N for upstairs and garden. I use 2 different SSID which means we have to manly change between the SSID's to overcome poor signal's as devices don't always change themselves.

If I turn off the BT hub Wi-Fi could I use 2 DrayTek VigorAP 903? - one as the MESH root (downstairs)and the other as a MESH node (upstairs) with both plugged into the router via ethernet. The manual seems to indicate it will work as the two units can work in MESH with them joined via ethernet cable. I'm not as tech savvy as I once was. The whole idea is allow people to roam without having two separate SSID and manually changing networks.

Re: Wireless MESH

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 12:52:25 GMT

@Stargazer22

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

I think you will find that these are a better option.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/deco/deco-e4/v1%20(2-pack)/

About £70 for the two nodes.

One connects to an Ethernet port on the home hub.

You turn off the wireless on the home hub and configure the Deco in access mode, so it stays on the same IP subnet as the home hub.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1842/

Re: Wireless MESH

Stargazer22 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 12:54:41 GMT

So I can use them as access point's to create a Wi-Fi network? just switch off the BT hub Wi-Fi and use these- I don't want to replace the BT Hub as we have the Digital voice service with the new handsets.

Re: Wireless MESH

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:42:33 GMT

Yes, that is correct, they do not affect Digital Voice, as DV uses DECT.

Re: Wireless MESH

Stargazer22 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:45:30 GMT

Brilliant thanks for information.

Re: Wireless MESH

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:54:58 GMT

If you have one located in a garden office, then the three node version may be better. Its usually cheaper that way, instead of adding an extra node at a later date.

Re: Wireless MESH

Stargazer22 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:57:13 GMT

I take it I can still connect the 2nd one with a ethernet cable if I need to help with the connection?
Thanks for your help.

Re: Wireless MESH

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:05:36 GMT

You can normally do that with a mesh system, but I would check with the instructions, as you may have to connect another wired node, from an existing node, and not from another port on the home hub, to avoid the possibility of a loopback state.

I doubt if you need bother with an Ethernet connection provided the nodes are getting a good signal. The app should tell you that.

Re: Wireless MESH

Stargazer22 — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:56:45 GMT

If anyone else is interested, this is how to set it up for ethernet connection between modules, look like a bit of rewiring is going to be needed first for me:

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1794/

Re: Wireless MESH

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:59:37 GMT

Another thing which is important.

Wireless mesh systems rely on moving devices from node to node, based on their MAC (device) address. If you have MAC randomisation (private address) enabled on a device, then seamless roaming may not work, as the device MAC address will change as it moves from node to node, as each node has a different BSSID and can be seen as a separate wireless point. The mesh then sees it as a new device.

This is more of a problem with Apple devices as they tend to have this enabled by default, and would need to be disabled for the SSID that you choose for the wireless mesh.

This also affects later Android versions that have MAC randomisation enabled.

Re: Wireless MESH

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 15:17:58 GMT

If anyone else is interested, this is how to set it up for ethernet connection between modules, look like a bit of rewiring is going to be needed first for me:

That only applies to router mode, not access mode. You will be operating it in access mode, so that would not apply.

" When the Deco is set to work under Access Point mode, you can wire satellite Deco to any Deco unit or the main modem/router."

Obviously make sure you have changed it to access mode before connecting another node using Ethernet.

Re: Wireless MESH

Gary_C — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 12:38:05 GMT

I use the BT mini disks as the speed is reasonable for the cost and they implement 802.11s RSSI (now covered by 802.11) steering very well.

Also, if you can hard wire them (which I have done), you get the full speed of each unit as backhaul switches to ethernet. Probably not useful in this case, but if you can hard wire each AP, the mini disks are almost unbeatable for the price.