New Sky white box router - can't connect DECOs for Mesh network,

[somapop]

Hey.

Was over at the family home at the weekend and they've had a new white box router delivered.
I set it up for them (and the new Sky Q box) and all was working.

However, I'm struggling to connect the DECO mesh network.  The main one (next to the new Sky router) is connected but the other two (one upstairs and one in an extension) won't connect.

I can get them so far via the DECO app setup (seen/connected etc) but once the app updates the settings for them they are no longer connected.

I've trired several times to no avail.  These were all working fine on the old (black) router.

I'm not hugely au fait with networking but can take it so far. 
One suggestion was turning off the Sky router (logging into a browser to turn it off) so only the DECO network is running?

Another suggestion was this (I've copied this response in from a networking sub reddit), but I'm not sure how this translates to the SKY router.
I don't live in the house where this needs to be fixed so I'm not on immediate hand,.  But aside from downstairs, they don't have wifi in any other rooms.

"Place the ISPa gateway into bridge mode. Some ISPs will allow users the ability to log in a do it themselves. If your ISP does not, give them a call and ask them to do it for you. This will remove all routing duties from the ISPs device and allow you to setup your own router without causing a double NAT issue."

Thanks!

[JimM1]

@somapop Not on a sky Hub bridge mode is NOT supported at all, you should have copied all the old names over to the new max but who knows were it all is now, would suggest you reset the deco and start from scratch with it!

[somapop]

Hi.

Yeah, I created a brand new network with the DECO set up.
The main DECO unit I added is working fine (it's the directly next to the Sky router).

I can find the other two when searching to add further DECO units but they fail once the settings are trying to be created.
Not sure if this is because the new SKY router WIFI just isn't strong enough here (devices struggles to connect in these rooms)?

Would turning the SKY router off in the router browser do anything (that's what I'm picking up from reading threads online)?

My daughter mentioned even in the main room with the router it's much slower than the previous router (this is on the SKY network not the Main DECO network) as she works from that room.  

I'm trying to help them out (and may have to travel over later) but not entirely sure of my plan of action!

Thank you!

[JimM1 · Accepted solution]

@somapop The main deco should be connected to the sky Hub by the Ethernet connection, the two remote satelite deco units, need to be taken down to, reset and connected when close by the main deco, once you have them all connected THEN you can move them away to the location needed and check that they connect when powered up in the Tp-Link app. 

If your main deco is sitting next to the sky Max hub then Yes disable the wifi on it the deco will be the source off all wireless wifi throughout the home! You will need to use the sky app to disable the Max, see the linked info below for that.

Sky Max change settings link.
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/change-wifi-max-hub-settings-a

[somapop]

Ahh, Ok.
This makes sense and I can probably get one of my children to do this (including logging into the SKY router browser).

When I logged in yesterday I saw an option (Under Private Wi Fi Network) to Edit > Disable the frequency bands (2.4/5ghz).

Is this effectively switching off the Sky Router?

Actually, if we can do it via the App, it's probably easier (didn't realise you could).

Amazing - I'll try all this tomight (remotely if I can!!) and report back.

Thank you!!

[somapop]

Update:

Managed to get all the DECOs online (connecting them all next to the router) and disabled the SKY network in the app.

What I have sruggled with though was connecting the SKY Q box to the new DECO network - it couldn't see it!
In fact it also couldn't see the SKY network so they had no internet for their SKY q.

In the end I switched the DECOs to Access Point via the app and this seems to have worked as the SKY Q saw the SKY network and connected.

I'd also plugged in tha double ethernet socket (powerline?) that came with the SKY router into the SKY Q box.

Not sure if this has helped (or what it's actually doing?)

Odd how it still can't see the DECO network though (and in fact the SKY network was disabled so how is the SKYQ even seeing that?)

It's all working so the family are happy!

Thanks!

[JimM1]

@somapop it's good you have it all working, wish you had mentioned that sky Q was involved from the start, things get treated different with the older sky Q mesh in play.

[somapop]

Ahh.
Yeah, although along with the router this was a brand new SKY Q box (not sure if that makes any difference).

I'd prevsioualty had it connected by a long ethernet cable plugged in, but looks like it handles well on wifi.

What would this have changed in the set up out of interest?

[JimM1]

@somapop The deco's and the new name, they just don't like a change midstream and taking them down next to the Main one it's a lot easier for them to connect get all the values etc they need and retain that when moved back to position. Not a huge Deco fan, installed a couple off them now for friends etc, kind off spoiled as an Asus user, but then again they cost 3 times as much but they work right out the bat and are very powerful feature control wise that i need, all internal networking care not about the Internet so that's why FF500 covers everything needed!

Sky Q when you say that as far as I am concerned it's all TV/Satellite control, mesh is old and can work well but needs to be treated that little bit different!

[somapop]

Ahh yes.  Was a case of price at the time and recommends from others.

To be fair, once they're up and running they're pretty stable and the App feels relatively user friendly.

Not sure about the SKY Q box.  I don't quite understand how it's running on the SKY network as I'd disabled that to run only the DECO mesh network!

All working fine though so I won't poke the bear!!

Thanks for all this help btw!