@TP-Link same here for the firmware please, would love to see if it can fix the problem. I have the same issue with the M5 connecting to a weak signal deco instead of a strong signal deco. Making me crazy 😢

Thanks!

@TP-Link I would really apreciate that beta, thanks!

@JordiB   @YuriKovenski82    @ScottyD  @eduardoRoth 

Thank you very much for your feedback.

Currently, the official firmware does not support manually choosing the signal source on the Deco system;

There is already a plan to add this feature along with the later firmware upgrade; Please keep attention to the official firmware upgrade;

And before the official firmware release,  we have a beta firmware for Deco M5 which could help satellite Deco to find the best uplink Deco and optimize its signal source.

So the beta firmware might improve the issue Deco is not getting signal source from the nearest Deco;

Deco M5 V1+V2+V3

https://static.tp-link.com/beta/2021/202102/20210207/Deco_M5_1.5.1_Network_Map_Optimization_Log.zip

How to update the firmware: https://static.tp-link.com/2020/202012/20201207/Documentation for upgrading Deco system.pdf

How the beta firmware takes effect: Please go to More>network optimization on the Deco APP; once you press it, Deco would start to analyze and improve the current network structure;

Please note:

1.All the Deco models in the network should be updated to this beta firmware, or the optimization feature is unavailable.

2. The beta firmware could be reverted back to the official firmware;

If the beta firmware is not working, please feel free to leave me a private message;
 

@TP-Link I tried the beta firmware but it doesn't do anything. I have three Deco M5 units set up in a line:

Main unit <------> Second Deco <-----> Third Deco

Third Deco should use Second Deco as signal source (three WiFi bars) but it always chose Main Deco (two WiFi bars). Can you make a firmware where we can choose the signal source unit?

Every time I try network optimisation, I get "Network Status Perfect".

Installed the firmware on all deco's as well. No change visible so far, the wireless deco is still connecting to the furthest unit (10 meters) and has 2 bars according to the app. The unit I would expect it to connect to is maybe 2-3 meters away. I don't understand how this can be, if I go into the room and closer to the unit that i have connected wirelessly until i'm connected to that one on my phone, a speedtest gives me 70mbs. If I then walk 1 meter towards the other unit and it takes over the connection, the speed goes to 300mbps.

Checked the admin page for an option to change anything. App says network condition is perfect..

The bedroom should connect to the study for the best connection. 

-- Edit

I just stumbled upon Rodrigo_Zarth's solution in https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/173748?replyId=488390 and this actually works.
Remove the deco that doesn't want to connect from the system in the app. Then add it again on the 3rd floor. How simple can it be..

Current situation (firmware updated again to non-beta):

Speed now 150mbps, much better!

@JordiB @TP-Link 

After I did a lot of "Network Optimization"s without success, I gave up. I did enable the option to "Disable Ping from WAN" in the IPv4 settings in the Advanced options and then... to my surprise, the Deco's actually connected as desired.

This was before:

And this is right now

But the speed that I'm getting now from "Deco Naty" which is the nearest to my bedroom (and has three wifi signal bars from "Deco Sala" which also has three wifi bars from "Deco Principal") is slower than when both my Deco's were connected to "Deco Principal". My internet service delivers 500Mbps for download and at least 250Mbps for upload (which, near the main Deco is always 500Mbps too) and I'm only getting the speed in the image below, although all my Deco's have three wifi bars 🤔

So, I don't see any improvement or benefit to have this configuration, instead of what I had before 🤷🏻‍♂️

I was expecting at least 300Mbps because they were having strong signal (instead of two wifi signal bars)

@eduardoRoth 

Now you know why Satellite Decos prefer to connect to Main Deco.

Each Satellite Deco is, in fact, advanced WiFi range extender. Google the following for more detailed explanation: "Why do Wi-Fi range extenders cut bandwidth by half"  

@Alexandre. But, shouldn't the Decos use the maximum bandwith available for the 5Ghz band (857Mbps I think) even if my ISP doesn't give me that speed?

That would mean that the first chained Deco gets around 428Mbps and the next chained one would get around 214Mbps? That would make sense to me, if ISP gives me 500Mbps (with perfect conditions) why not use the 357Mbps bandwith left unused?

Well... I guess Ethernet Backhaul will be 😓

@eduardoRoth 

Firstly, 867Mbps is theoretical maximum. In all my tests I never squeezed more than 470Mbps from Main Deco M5, and my wired Internet is gigabit. I am impressed you managed to get 500Mbps.

You are very close to practical M5 limit, so don't upgrade to gigabit Internet to get faster WiFi from Deco M5, you won't.

Secondly, if every of your Satellite Decos has imperfect (not ideal) WiFi connection to next Deco in the chain, expect additional losses there, too.

This is what people smarter than me are saying about WiFi transmissions through WiFi range extenders:

The wireless connections are half-duplex. Although the device can communicate in both directions, it cannot transmit and receive at the same time. The extender communicates back and forth between devices and routers, resulting in loss of efficiency and internet throughput.

For every hop between the source and the destination, the internet throughput through wireless communication channels can reduce by 50%.

...and this is how they suggest to deal with it:

Use an ethernet cable to connect your WiFi extender to the devices and the router as much as possible. It reduces the substantial loss of bandwidth and delivers an improved internet throughput, not exceeding the internet speeds from your ISP. 

This should be good reading for you, especially part that is related to WiFi range extenders (a.k.a. Satellite Decos) placement: https://bcca.org/does-wifi-extender-slow-down-internet/

@Alexandre. do you have QoS enabled? When I updated from 100Mbps to 500Mbps I forgot that my "Total bandwith" was set to 100Mbps, so that was the max I was getting download/upload; after I changed it to 550Mbps I started getting this speed.