Does TP Link Deco X50 work with Sky Hub ?

[Mr+Slant]

You won't get any meaningful support out of TP-Link on their consumer products.

[1topgazza]

That's the impression I get. From what I read none of these companies are any good for support. Which is why people rely on community sites like these I guess

[Mr+Slant]

Mass market product = mass market support (ie FAQ & generic responses from a script/menu).

If you're expecting anything else then you're being very naive.

[1topgazza]

I only expected the bare minimum and they didn't even achieve that. 
"How do I connect with my ISP in the settings ?"

"ethernet cable"

Priceless

[Mr+Slant]

That's about what I'd expect if that's a verbatim version of your question 🙂

The person who responded probably replies to a couple of hundred queries a day regarding a few dozen products, none of which they have any personal experience of. Unless your question has appropriate keywords in it then their menu/script probably threw that up as the most relevant answer.

Consumer networking products don't get meaningful support unless a significant percentage of the userbase has a problem/requirement which can be verified. Been that way for the best part of 20 years now, not going to change other than it'll become increasingly likely you're not being replied to by a human at all.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Mr+Slant wrote:

The person who responded probably replies to a couple of hundred queries a day regarding a few dozen products, none of which they have any personal experience of.

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In a previous existence I worked in a multi-client call centre where I was simultaneously impersonating a representative of a car manufacturer loyalty scheme, received calls about a 'baby box' give-away sponsored by a well-known nappy manufacturer (particularly distressing when the infant in question hadn't survived but the boxes were still arriving), provided an energy-efficiency helpline and was a contact point for broadcast-quality Sony video cameras.  That took some considerable mental agility which was exhausting and didn't exactly promote great customer service....

[1topgazza]

Indeed

I'm very familiar with call centre culture. I've delivered hardware and software projects for call centres at O2, Virgin Media, BT, Mitie, Symantec, John Lewis, BP, Nat West and yes, Sky to name a few.  And you're both right. Consumer desks are usually high level with good companies having proper techies as 2nd or third line. 
What doesn't help is serious cultural and language issues like TP Link. Phrasing of questions incorrectly leads you down rabbit holes. I worded my specific request several ways to make it clear I was asking about IPoE or Option 61 in the settings. But every time "use Ethernet" is the response. I am suspicious as has been mentioned that I am victim of the dreaded "bot syndrome "

The words brick wall spring to mind so I've given up asking

[Drmjbarnard]

I am intending to go the same route. Sky q hub with wifi turned off and deco x95 in access point mode. It appears to me that all ax routers have access point mode. I checked this from the tp link specs, and they also give instructions how to change mode. 

[1topgazza]

Indeed, you can put AX routers in AP. But if you intend it to be used as a modem it wont work with Sky.

However, I ended up keeping my SR203 Sky modem/router as its an OK modem. Turned the WiFi off and used the Deco X20 3 set I bought with the first Deco in access point moden with the other two Decos attached via WifI to that. That way it takes the internet from the SR203 with the Deco X20s providing the WiFi for the house.

The X20s work superbly in my 3 floor 1989 house and I get 98% of my internet bandwidth at the wall, 55Mbs, throughout my house. Works smoothly and consistently

[Drmjbarnard]

Thanks. That's what I am intending to do (I think).  Keep the sky hub as modem, turn off sky hub wifi and use decos as access point. My reading leads me to believe this will work. 

Q main box and one mini are connected by Ethernet. One mini not often used connects by wifi, but since I use sky broadband, again I understand this would work? 

[1topgazza]

I dont have Sky Q but perhaps others can advise. There are a few threads with mention of 3rd part WiFi and Sky Q/mini's etc

[Rondo101]

@Drmjbarnard I have 3 Deco X50 units, and use the system set up as you describe - wifi turned off on the Sky Hub, Decos in AP mode. Guest mode is turned on on the Decos with a different SSID in just 2.4ghz mode for any bits of kit that don't like joint 5ghz/2.4ghz SSIDs (Smartlife smart plugs for eg). All my Decos are hard-wired together to ensure max speeds (we can only get 40mbps here), but they connected over wifi just fine too, albeit with a speed degredation.

The problem I'm now encountering is with my one of my Blink camera systems that needed reconfiguring. It appears that initial setup doesn't work with access points. If I were able to use the Decos in router mode, the Blink camera/sync modules would work, but the lack of DHCP option 61 in the Decos means that they can't be used in router mode with Sky Broadband.

The other Blink system continues to work fine, and can only be attached to the Deco wifi as there's no other wifi operating, but it hasn't needed reconfiguring post-Deco installation. I'm guessing here, but think that by turning the sky hub wifi 2.4ghz back on, naming it the same as my Deco guest network, setting up the Blink system on the Sky hub, and then turning the Sky Hub wifi off again might result in the Blinks then communicating over the Decos. I'm not sure if this access point issue is unique to Blink systems, so just something to be aware of.