This topic

Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

jaymorgan25 — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:42:13 GMT

Hi all.

Our FTTP is down currently due to a branch going through the line. We’ve been off for a week now.

To help us out, BT have upgraded us to Halo for free for 1 month while things are fixed. I have all the equipment here, and I’ve plugged it all in as instructed.

Things seem to work fine, until I plug the Deco mesh system in. After 1 minute with the Deco plugged in, the EE symbol goes red, then flashing red, then flashing blue, and stays flashing blue. If I wasn’t reliant on the mesh system for WiFi this would be fine, but the BT hub doesn’t cover the whole home.

My theory is, as the deco needs to be plugged directly into the modem, all is fine when the hub is acting as the modem. But when the fibre is down, the hybrid becomes the modem, and the deco is left in the lurch somewhat.

Does anyone have any experience in getting my setup working, or any confirmation of why it isn’t working?

Troubleshooting already carried out includes multiple power cycles of both units. Factory resets of both units. Wifi on and off on the BT hub.

Thank you

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

VeteranISPUser — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 11:03:47 GMT

Hi @jaymorgan25 Sorry I don’t fully understand how everything is connected but please note that the Hybrid Connect is simply a 4G modem extension for the SH2 only. The Hybrid Connect only works with the SH2.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

jaymorgan25 — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 12:49:58 GMT

Hi.

The hybrid is connected to the BT hub via Ethernet. Also connected directly to the hub with Ethernet is the WAN in, the main Deco and a switch connecting several other devices.

Thank you.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

jameshenrypassmore — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 08:33:50 GMT

Did you ever find a solution for this?

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

jaymorgan25 — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 19:43:36 GMT

Unfortunately not. I reported the problem to BT who sent out another halo, but it still didn’t work with the mesh system.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

jameshenrypassmore — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 20:48:30 GMT

Thanks for getting back to me.

It seems crazy to me that the hybrid connect requires a wireless connection to the router in order to work when the whole point of it (as I understand it) is provide the user with mobile broadband if home broadband is down.

I’m planning to try to set mine up tomorrow and will let you know if I find any work arounds.

You can technically keep wireless enabled on the router and still use a mesh network but it’s not optimal as it can interfere with the mesh wireless network. I do wonder if you could just enable wireless on the router to set up the hybrid connect and then disable it and only re-enable it your broadband goes down and you need to use hybrid connect. My other thought was that perhaps an Ethernet cable connecting the two would serve the same purpose as a wireless connection, although they would of course need to be in the same room, which might not be the optimum location for the hybrid connect for phone signal.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 20:58:15 GMT

Hybrid connect is just a 4G modem, and cannot provide a routed Internet connection. It need to use the BT Smart Hub 2 to complete the connection.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

licquorice — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:07:11 GMT

The OP has the Hybrid connected to the SH2.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

unclejunior — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:05:47 GMT

Hi
I have a Deco with BT Smart Hub and Hybrid Connect - Deco is plugged directly into the SH - I can't get Hybrid Connect working - I just get flashing blue lights - if I disconnect the Deco then Hybrid Connect device connects to the SH. My Deco is configured in 'bridge' mode - did you ever manage to get your set-up working?

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

bobpullen — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:24:09 GMT

@unclejunior - the preceding posts suggest you might stuggle 🤔

I'm assuming the Deco is connected to one of the LAN ports on the SH2 and it's the SH2 that's connected to your phone line/Openreach ONT?

How is the Hybrid connected to the SH2, over wire or wireless?
Is WiFi enabled on the SH2, and if so, does it have its own SSID/network name or is it the same as the Deco?
By 'Bridge Mode' do you mean 'Access Point' mode? I would expect the Deco's to need to be configured as 'dumb' access points in this setup.

I can only theorise as to what's happening but when the Hybrid is paired to the hub, it presumably creates a bridge between the WAN interface of the SH2 and the LTE modem in the Hybrid. I wonder if the Deco is presenting an additional interface that confuses this process 🤷

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

unclejunior — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:40:12 GMT

@bobpullen - thanks for responding - you are right in the sense that from the preceding posts it doesn't look like anyone solved the problem.

In direct answer to your questions...

1) The Hybrid Connect device is connected to the SH2 via ethernet plugged into one of the 4 ethernet ports on SH2 - if the Hybrid Connect successfully connected you can remove the ethernet cable from what I have been told. this enables you to move the Hybrid Connect to a place where you get the best mobile signal.

2) Wifi is enabled on SH2 and the SSID is different from the Deco mesh SSID - if there is an issue with the internet when I am troubleshooting one of the first things I will do is connect to the SH2 SSID to check if the problem is with BT

3) I do mean 'Access Point' mode on the Deco - the SH2 is the DNS server and allocates IP addresses for all wired and wireless devices on the network if that makes sense.

It is definitely down to the DECO as when I disconnect the DECO from the SH2, the SH2 will connect to the Hybrid Connect device.

I have a network switch as well which is plugged into the Main DECO - I have two other DECO mesh hubs around the house which are all plugged into wired home ethernet ports connected to the same network switch.

Apart from the annoying Hybrid Connect issue the home network / wifi network are very reliable.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

licquorice — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:12:32 GMT

Seems very odd. To all intents and purposes, as far as the SH2 is concerned the Deco is simply another device on the LAN that shouldn't have any affect on Hybrid Connect at all.

I'm assuming you are on FTTC rather than FTTP, if so make sure full fibre mode isn't enabled on the SH2 as that turns LAN port 4 into a WAN port, which may or may not be affecting things.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

unclejunior — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:20:05 GMT

I have FTTP - was installed last year - I haven't seen anywhere in the router configuration where you specify this - I should probably have pointed this out - my BT router is actually the SH3 version.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

jaymorgan25 — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:30:03 GMT

Hi.

No, I never got it working. BT sent a 2nd unit out, and that also never worked. Only way to use the hybrid was to unplug the deco from the router.

Thanks.

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

licquorice — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:30:34 GMT

There is no SH3 residential hub, are you a business customer?

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

unclejunior — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:44:58 GMT

Yes

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

unclejunior — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:47:30 GMT

That was my experience as well - they sent out another Hybrid Connect device but it had the same problem - and like your experience if I unplugged the Deco from the SH3 router, the Hybrid Connect would connect

Re: Is BT Hybrid Connect compatible with TP-Link Deco mesh wifi?

licquorice — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:49:09 GMT

This is the residential forum, you need to post on the business forum.

https://business.forums.bt.com/