Mesh system. Tenda or TP link

obi604 · 07-05-2021 9:20am #1

Looking to improve internet speeds at in laws house. They may get 60/20, nothing spectacular but at least workable.

Now the issue is no matter how fast the incoming line is, they have WiFi black spots in the house - which is about 2500 square feet and concrete walls. Dormer.

Only interested in improving the WiFi in black sports and on a budget. About 100 Euro. No gaming or any fancy stuff, just internet browsing mainly. The odd TV programme on an iPad.

Looked around and these 2 seems good.

TP link deco (there is E4 and m4 and s4). Not sure which one to choose.

Tenda MW5 (there is MW5, MW5 c, MW5 s, MW5 g) again, not sure which one to choose.

Any thoughts on which to go for?

obi604 · 07-05-2021 10:28am

TP link deco M5 looks good too - a ‘tidier’ solution than the M4 Deco.......which seems physically very big.

dam099 · 07-05-2021 10:38am

TP Link Deco E4 only has 100Mb ethernet ports, not a problem with 60/20 but if you want to future proof probably only an extra €20 or so for M4/S4 (or a bit more again for the M5).

chrisire · 07-05-2021 10:51am

115 euro and will fix any blackspots https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-M5-Coverage-Replacement-Antivirus/dp/B07FG569ZN/ref=asc_df_B07FG569ZN/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310847932305&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7927972327032134289&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007850&hvtargid=pla-562869613399&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

obi604 · 07-05-2021 11:00am

chrisire wrote: »

115 euro and will fix any blackspots https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-M5-Coverage-Replacement-Antivirus/dp/B07FG569ZN/ref=asc_df_B07FG569ZN/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310847932305&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7927972327032134289&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007850&hvtargid=pla-562869613399&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Yeah. This looks the job. Do you reckon the 2 pack be enough for the 2500 square foot house?

Which would be better.

2 x TP Link Deco M5
3 x TP Link Deco M4

chrisire · 07-05-2021 12:58pm

obi604 wrote: »

Yeah. This looks the job. Do you reckon the 2 pack be enough for the 2500 square foot house?

Be surprised if it didn't,have a few myself and i'm very impressed,can always buy a cheaper e4 or m4 in the future if you wanted more as they can all be used on the same system,but from my experience 2 should be grand.

M4 should be grand too but its much bigger than the m5

obi604 · 07-05-2021 1:04pm

chrisire wrote: »

Be surprised if it didn't,have a few myself and i'm very impressed,can always buy a cheaper e4 or m4 in the future if you wanted more as they can all be used on the same system,but from my experience 2 should be grand.

M4 should be grand too but its much bigger than the m5

Thanks
Yeah. That’s what’s putting me off the M4’s....,,,they look really big and clunky, whereas the m5 is a lot tidier looking.

chrisire · 07-05-2021 1:09pm

obi604 wrote: »

Thanks
Yeah. That’s what’s putting me off the M4’s....,,,they look really big and clunky, whereas the m5 is a lot tidier looking.

Yep,here's a photo of the 2 beside each other

https://imageshack.com/i/pm6lBkCEj

obi604 · 07-05-2021 1:11pm

chrisire wrote: »

Be surprised if it didn't,have a few myself and i'm very impressed,can always buy a cheaper e4 or m4 in the future if you wanted more as they can all be used on the same system,but from my experience 2 should be grand.

M4 should be grand too but its much bigger than the m5

With the M5 2 pack - is number 1 permanently placed beside your main ISP router and number 2 placed somewhere else.

Or is number 1 just placed beside main ISP router for initial setup and then can be placed somewhere else after this - to increase/optimise mesh etc.

chrisire · 07-05-2021 1:14pm

obi604 wrote: »

With the M5 2 pack - is number 1 permanently placed beside your main ISP router and number 2 placed somewhere else.

Or is number 1 just placed beside main ISP router for initial setup and then can be placed somewhere else after this - to increase/optimise mesh etc.

Yeah has to stay there as its plugged into the old router,unless you get a longer ethernet cable.

obi604 · 07-05-2021 1:16pm

chrisire wrote: »

Yeah has to stay there as its plugged into the old router,unless you get a longer ethernet cable.

Noted. With the TP link system installed, is the isp router doing any of the WiFi work at all, or all purely done by TP link?

chrisire · 07-05-2021 1:18pm

obi604 wrote: »

Noted. With the TP link system installed, is the isp router doing any of the WiFi work at all, or all purely done by TP link?

Can be if you really wanted to but don't see any reason why,i put mine into bridge mode and just use the mesh system on its own

obi604 · 07-05-2021 1:22pm

chrisire wrote: »

Can be if you really wanted to but don't see any reason why,i put mine into bridge mode and just use the mesh system on its own

On Amazon some people are on about access point mode and others bridge mode. Some saying won’t work if in bridge mode etc. (Probably exaggerating)

What is the difference?

Does bridge mode mean ISP router WiFi turned off. Let TP link do all the WiFi work?

Does access point mode mean leave ISP router on and broadcast to TP link?

Or am I totally wrong.

chrisire · 07-05-2021 1:39pm

obi604 wrote: »

On Amazon some people are on about access point mode and others bridge mode. Some saying won’t work if in bridge mode etc. (Probably exaggerating)

What is the difference?

Does bridge mode mean ISP router WiFi turned off. Let TP link do all the WiFi work?

Does access point mode mean leave ISP router on and broadcast to TP link?

Or am I totally wrong.

as far as i know access point mode just extends your isp router but the isp router is still controlling the internet,bridge mode makes the tp link control everything,bridge mode works better for me as i can control the whole thing through the deco app

obi604 · 07-05-2021 2:21pm

This is a very crude picture of the gaff.

https://ibb.co/sFMgsqk

Dormer type. Would the above placements kinda work with the 2 pack scenario.

chrisire · 07-05-2021 2:34pm

obi604 wrote: »

This is a very crude picture of the gaff.

https://ibb.co/sFMgsqk

Dormer type. Would the above placements kinda work with the 2 pack scenario.

Photo won't load for me

obi604 · 07-05-2021 2:37pm

chrisire wrote: »

Photo won't load for me

Hmmm. Checked it there again and loads for me.
I have attached it.

Meant to say your image shack photo does not load for me.

chrisire · 07-05-2021 2:42pm

obi604 wrote: »

Hmmm. Checked it there again and loads for me.
I have attached it.

Meant to say your image shack photo does not load for me.

99% sure you will have full coverage,I have put these in family members homes a few times now,some with just 2 and some with more,it will work

obi604 · 07-05-2021 3:11pm

chrisire wrote: »

99% sure you will have full coverage,I have put these in family members homes a few times now,some with just 2 and some with more,it will work

Nice one. Good to know.

I think I will go for the TP link m5 2 pack, has to be an improvement on what we have now.

It seems you are a big fan of TP link anyway. Seems to be a generally good and reliable brand.

obi604 · 07-05-2021 4:07pm

chrisire wrote: »

Yep,here's a photo of the 2 beside each other

https://imageshack.com/i/pm6lBkCEj

Could you attach the image to have a gander?

Just a totally black image for me

smuggler.ie · 07-05-2021 4:14pm

helps?

obi604 · 07-05-2021 4:15pm

smuggler.ie wrote: »

helps?

Ah yes. Thanks. Way bigger scenario. Think I’ll
Definitely go with m5’s now. Way tidier.

babelfish1990 · 07-05-2021 4:22pm

obi604 wrote: »

On Amazon some people are on about access point mode and others bridge mode. Some saying won’t work if in bridge mode etc. (Probably exaggerating)

What is the difference?

Does bridge mode mean ISP router WiFi turned off. Let TP link do all the WiFi work?

Does access point mode mean leave ISP router on and broadcast to TP link?

Or am I totally wrong.

Safest option is to leave your ISP router running in normal mode, but disable WiFi in it. Then put Mesh devices in Access Point mode. Use the mesh Devices to cover whole house with WiFi, to ensure seamless handover for mobile devices handing over from one zone to the next. Do NOT use bridge mode on your ISP router unless you have a very good understanding of network security issues, as it will leave some of your network ports outside of your firewall. Downside is you can't use some of the features on your mesh devices - but most people don't use them anyway.

Two APs will probably cover the house, at least with 2.4GHz WiFi. If you have a lot of brick walls or if you want 5GHz everywhere, you may need more.

If your ISP is Eir, their F3000 modem supports native mesh devices, so you might only need 1 extra mesh unit, but you would have to go with the mesh device for this to work.

obi604 · 07-05-2021 4:37pm

babelfish1990 wrote: »

Safest option is to leave your ISP router running in normal mode, but disable WiFi in it. Then put Mesh devices in Access Point mode. Use the mesh Devices to cover whole house with WiFi, to ensure seamless handover for mobile devices handing over from one zone to the next. Do NOT use bridge mode on your ISP router unless you have a very good understanding of network security issues, as it will leave some of your network ports outside of your firewall. Downside is you can't use some of the features on your mesh devices - but most people don't use them anyway.

Two APs will probably cover the house, at least with 2.4GHz WiFi. If you have a lot of brick walls or if you want 5GHz everywhere, you may need more.

If your ISP is Eir, their F3000 modem supports native mesh devices, so you might only need 1 extra mesh unit, but you would have to go with the mesh device for this to work.

Thanks. To turn off WiFi on the ISP router, can it be done via the TP link app somehow, or does it have to be done manually on the ISP router

noted about Eir.

babelfish1990 · 07-05-2021 4:43pm

obi604 wrote: »

Thanks. To turn off WiFi on the ISP router, can it be done via the TP link app somehow, or does it have to be done manually on the ISP router

noted about Eir.

No you can only disable WiFi in your ISP router by logging into it directly. It should have an IP address on your LAN, such as 192.168.1.254 Then you will need to use the user-name and password given by your ISP. Then just toggle off the WiFi for both 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz.

alec76 · 07-05-2021 6:30pm

obi604 wrote: »

Ah yes. Thanks. Way bigger scenario. Think I’ll
Definitely go with m5’s now. Way tidier.

Definitely not a TP Link fan in general , but for the budget probably won't find any better, unless it is a used stuff.
As for the size ( I am not sure about these two models in particular), some bigger brands would have larger aluminium heatsinks ,which improves stability and there is no way to include large heatsink in a SMALL body.

obi604 · 07-05-2021 8:38pm

alec76 wrote: »

Definitely not a TP Link fan in general , but for the budget probably won't find any better, unless it is a used stuff.
As for the size ( I am not sure about these two models in particular), some bigger brands would have larger aluminium heatsinks ,which improves stability and there is no way to include large heatsink in a SMALL body.

Are you saying you are not sure on the M5 model as they are very small?

Mikiek14 · 08-05-2021 12:50am

obi604 wrote: »

Are you saying you are not sure on the M5 model as they are very small?

They should generally perform the same. I have 2 deco m4s one hooked up beside the router with a Ethernet cable (which is put in ap mode) and i connected the other one in my room using a Ethernet cable coming from the first deco beside the router

Its really easy to set up just disable the wifi on the isp router by logging into it (details on the back of router) and then set up the decos (by default its set in router mode so just go into deco settings and change it.

Also a 3pack deco s4(same as m4) are on sale for 115 on Amazon.

Stone · 09-05-2021 7:52pm

FWIW I have a TENDA Nova MW6 setup ... works like a dream for me ...

Don Imac2 · 10-05-2021 1:27pm

Stone wrote: »

FWIW I have a TENDA Nova MW6 setup ... works like a dream for me ...

The same here. All good.

obi604 · 10-05-2021 5:26pm

babelfish1990 wrote: »

Safest option is to leave your ISP router running in normal mode, but disable WiFi in it. Then put Mesh devices in Access Point mode. Use the mesh Devices to cover whole house with WiFi, to ensure seamless handover for mobile devices handing over from one zone to the next. Do NOT use bridge mode on your ISP router unless you have a very good understanding of network security issues, as it will leave some of your network ports outside of your firewall. Downside is you can't use some of the features on your mesh devices - but most people don't use them anyway.

Two APs will probably cover the house, at least with 2.4GHz WiFi. If you have a lot of brick walls or if you want 5GHz everywhere, you may need more.

If your ISP is Eir, their F3000 modem supports native mesh devices, so you might only need 1 extra mesh unit, but you would have to go with the mesh device for this to work.

BY this, do you mean that the Eir F3000 would work with just 1 TP link.

e.g. have Eir F3000 at incoming line location, then put the 1 x TP link upstairs (or whatever)

Mesh system. Tenda or TP link

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