Mike Hoxbig
Honorary Master
As mentioned you'd rather have more than less.
If you need to fill in a dead spot, at least you have the extra one. Instead of having to get just 1 more later, which would work out more expensive anyway...
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What is the difference between TP-Link DECO M4 and E4
- Thread starter Nerfherder
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If you need to fill in a dead spot, at least you have the extra one. Instead of having to get just 1 more later, which would work out more expensive anyway...
Nerfherder
Honorary Master
ye, in the end I bit the bullet and got it.
Its what I need and the WIFI is just so flipping sheet at the moment.
Haha, moer clever.
Mr Smooth
Expert Member
If you going for the AX3, check Telkom they have it for R800 each.
Ignore, see you made your purchase already.
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Nerfherder
Honorary Master
I had a look at it, looks cool but have two Huawei routers ready for the junk heap that were pretty expensive. Just feels like I need to take break from them.
Nerfherder
Honorary Master
So its been pretty disappointing so far. The main thing is that it looks like you can't really join two parts of your LAN using the ports available on the device.
I got it working but for some reason the speed at that unit is really low, then after load shedding it stopped working again.
So need to go get a second mini UPS now because POE just doesn't seem to be working in this situation either.
I need to have a separately powered hub to join the two parts of the LAN and then add one of the S4's on to that hub.
Also for some reason it feels like its impossible to get hold of the DC connectors from the UPS to the device. My existing UPS came with one splitter so I can do two devices but now I need to add quite a few more.
I got it working but for some reason the speed at that unit is really low, then after load shedding it stopped working again.
So need to go get a second mini UPS now because POE just doesn't seem to be working in this situation either.
I need to have a separately powered hub to join the two parts of the LAN and then add one of the S4's on to that hub.
Also for some reason it feels like its impossible to get hold of the DC connectors from the UPS to the device. My existing UPS came with one splitter so I can do two devices but now I need to add quite a few more.
backstreetboy
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Should've gone with Huawei. The TP link devices I've worked with are all terrible.
Kola-CT
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Ethernet backhaul?
Have look at this:
Ethernet Backhaul for Deco: Setup, Benefits and Troubleshooting | TP-Link South Africa
Learn how Deco Ethernet backhaul works, how to set up wired backhaul, which switches are compatible, and how to fix common issues.
www.tp-link.com
How to set up Ethernet Backhaul with your Deco devices - Home Network Community
Ethernet Backhaul is a feature that makes it possible to wire the Deco units together to optimize the bandwidth and network stability. Normally, after wired Deco units with an Ethernet cable, the Ethernet backhaul will take effect automatically. 
Have not read in detail or played with that, am busy with meeting at the moment.
I run mine wireless each on a mini UPS (also run Aqara hubs and cameras so had the UPSs already).
Edit: The M4s I have do not support PoE, not sure if the S4 does.
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Kola-CT
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Hi didn't. If I had to guess I would rather go with you being terrible at it.
Don't you have a bank to go and defend elsewhere?
backstreetboy
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Lol yeah that's it. Needing an account just to use the app. Terrible.
Nerfherder
Honorary Master
Thanks... I think its this part that has been catching me:Ethernet backhaul?
Have look at this:
Ethernet Backhaul for Deco: Setup, Benefits and Troubleshooting | TP-Link South Africa
Learn how Deco Ethernet backhaul works, how to set up wired backhaul, which switches are compatible, and how to fix common issues.How to set up Ethernet Backhaul with your Deco devices - Home Network Community
Ethernet Backhaul is a feature that makes it possible to wire the Deco units together to optimize the bandwidth and network stability. Normally, after wired Deco units with an Ethernet cable, the Ethernet backhaul will take effect automatically. community.tp-link.com
Have not read in detail or played with that, am busy with meeting at the moment.
I run mine wireless each on a mini UPS (also run Aqara hubs and cameras so had the UPSs already).
Edit: The M4s I have do not support PoE, not sure if the S4 does.
I need a unit at my router
Mike Hoxbig
Honorary Master
Is there a reason to run it in router mode instead of AP mode? What happens if you run them in AP mode?
Nerfherder
Honorary Master
I can try that as well but I assumed that it needed to run in router mode to join the two LANs
If I drew a picture it would take a while...
My setup is like this:
In one room UPS + CPE +Router (WIFI off) then a long LAN cable into my roof that comes down into a cupboard on the second floor, there is another cable in that cupboard that goes down to my office which has a small hub. One of the Mesh units is in the office (Main unit) and is wired. The other is in another room close by, this works but can't get WIFI upstairs yet.
So now if I join the two cables in the cupboard with one of the S4 units, it will either not work at all OR work but that unit gets terrible speeds, the entire point of all of this was to get better speeds up stairs. Signal is 100% but speed is like 4mbs and if I walk out the room its worse. Its almost like using it as a bridge is killing the speed ? The one in the office hits 100mbs with this setup.... not sure how.
I'm thinking if I have them all in AP mode I'll put something else in that cupboard to join the network.
Ug...
greg0205
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^ This.
Router to main Deco, and if you're running network cable, run it from that Deco. If you're going wireless just plug the rest in and let them do their thing.
You can hide the router's SSID if you want folks on the mesh only.
Also what Mike said... Run the system in AP mode.
Mike Hoxbig
Honorary Master
Yeah AP should work.
It doesn't seem like you're running two networks, just two LAN cables that you want to feed into a unit.
Remember that it's simply a WiFi replacement for your main router. The best way to wire this is to have a unit plugged into your router and have it act as a cable joint for extending the cable.
Your diagram should look something like this:
Nerfherder
Honorary Master
Yes, it looks like that but the office has a hub with 3 PC's and a printer - so most of the network is there.
Went out and got some 12v DC male to Male cables so now I can power the Deco at the UPS and then with POE, power the other one in the cupboard. Will try AP mode and see if it helps.
Thanks all.
Mike Hoxbig
Honorary Master
The hub would sit between Deco (main) and Deco (1) on the diagram. Hub is basically just a cable extender, the routing is handled by the router...
Nerfherder
Honorary Master
Yes, should be but seems to have made a difference though having the Deco before it.
Anyway its meshing nicely and seems to cover most of the house now in these positions. Looks like I did need all 3
Currently Ill only have 1 Deco during load shedding but will figure that part out next.