Tp Link Deco M4 and sky

[Beardyyyy]

Hi,

I'm switching to sky fibre ultra fibre 1 after leaving Virgin. I've been using tp link deco m4 mesh for a while and it's been faultess. 

I keep

reading conflicting info about Deco mesh and sky, that it's not compatible or it's complex to set up, and because I'll also be taking voip calls, there's issues there too. 

coudi anyone clarify whether I can use the Deco system or is it now rendered useless?

Thanks 

[cookiemonsteruk]

@Beardyyyy 

If you are taking sky internet calls you do need the sky  hub as the main router

You would then ethernet the main deco unit to the sky hub and use the deco app to change operation mode in advanced settings from wireless router to access point 

[cookiemonsteruk]

@Beardyyyy 

Please read the article below

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

[Beardyyyy]

Thank you so much @cookiemonsteruk 

[Chrisee]

@Beardyyyy use M4 units myself its pretty simple to set up assuming you dont have Sky Q tv boxes.

You will need to disable the wifi on the Sky hub which requires to log onto its interface - much easier using a device connected by ethernet or one networked to the M4 units - avoid using an Apple device as changes often dont stick with those. Type 192.168.0.1 into a browser when the hub's interface loads then click on wifi and you will be asked to log in the username is admin and the password is the wifi passcode on the hub's label. Turn off the wifi on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz tab and click apply. The hub will reboot and you will know if its worked if the wifi light on the hub stays off.

[Beardyyyy]

Thank you @Chrisee - that makes sense and as straight forward as I configured it with Virgin. However I will also be getting Sky Q. 

Main reason I've been using the deco for a few years is because of just one wifi dead spot really , ironically the room nearest the Virgin router. However have found using deco has kept everything really stable. 

I think I shall wait for Sky Fibre to be installed next week and see how it goes. If there's, issues, I'm reading that I should keep the new phone line plugged in to the Sky Hub, connect the deco to the Sky hub via Ethernet and set up as new but  in Access Point mode. So that won't create a new network but everything will connect to the Sky hub, with the sky password (not a new one created with deco) and deco will be acting as a wifi extender? 

[Chrisee]

@Beardyyyy you may find thst the Q box's hotspots will replace the Deco units - I got similar wifi coverage from my 3 Q boxes and Sky hub when I had those. It was onlywhen I switched to Sky Stream that lacks the hotdspots I bought the Deco system. 

The issue is the Q mini boxes can only be networked by using ethernet or Sky wifi they wont connect to the Deco wifi. This means you have two 5GHz networks using ch 36 to ch 52 in the same area. You can limit this to some extent but ideally if you want to use the Deco units connect any Q boxes by ethernet perhaps by using the ethernet ports on the Deco satellites.

[chrissypissy]

So I have just upgraded to Sky Fibre and have a new Sky Hub.  I have setup my Deco Mesh to operate as an Access Point.  I wish to get rid of the Sky Hub and only use the Mesh system as my router and connection to fibre.

I know that T Link has some automatic setup issue with Sky (due to Sky) and know that I have to manually setup the Deco with Sky's specific ISP details.

Problem is i'm not massively internet savvy and dont know what details they are?

[jamesn123]

@chrissypissy 

As far as I am aware the TP-Link Deco units do not have the DHCP Option 61 field in their firmware, this field is required to connect to Sky lines with non-Sky hubs so unfortunately you wont be able to lose the Sky hub completely. 

[chrissypissy]

Such a pity. Thank you for confirming.

[Ironman27]

Hi, can you not put the deco m4 into wireless router mode and disable the wifi off of the sky hub? Think this was suggested in a previous post. I did this with my virgin super hub on virgin but it had an option to put the hub into modem mode. I don't think the sky router has this option.

[chrissypissy]

That's exactly what I have done but ideally I would like to get rid of the hub since the mesh router can do all that by itself.

[Ironman27]

Thanks for the reply @chrissypissy 

What steps did you take to disable WiFi off the sky hub? And is your mbps still what it should be when the deco m4s are acting as the router?

[chrissypissy]

So both 2.4 and 5ghz have been disabled on the hub and I am getting full speeds.

[Ironman27]

Thanks for confirming @chrissypissy 

I put the deco in access point mode and was only getting half the speed I should. Will try this

Thanks again!