Official How to set up Ethernet Backhaul with your Deco devices
Ethernet Backhaul is a feature that makes it possible to wire the Deco units together.
Thanks to this feature, every two Deco units can be wired with an Ethernet cable. And Deco will transmit data between the two units through the Ethernet connection, which is more stable and faster than Wi-Fi. Once Ethernet backhaul is established, the Wi-Fi backhaul connection will disconnect automatically.
Here are two typical connection structures for Ethernet Backhaul:
Notes:
1. Please note that the main Deco unit will act as a NAT router by default.
2. Please add the Deco units on the same network at first through the Deco app before you wire them together.
3. Please make sure there aren't any other DHCP servers behind the main Deco. Otherwise, it will cause the second and third Deco units to obtain an invalid IP address that doesn't have internet access.
4. If you have switches on the network and find Ethernet Backhaul not working, please check the management IP address of your switches. It's possible that some switches adopt 192.168.0.1 (which is the same as the LAN IP address of the main Deco) as the management IP, which may cause some conflicts on the network. In this case, it's recommended to change the management IP address of switches to another subnet.
Frequently Ask Questions
Q1: Can I connect all the Deco units directly to my home modem/router?
* In Router mode
Only the main Deco could be connected to your home modem/router. Other slave Deco units should be connected behind the main one, just as the Star Network shows. If not, they may be in a network loop and cause unexpected dropout issues.
* In Access Point mode
You can connect all the Deco units directly to your home modem/router/switch as you want. The system will work as expected.
Q2: How to turn on the Ethernet Backhaul feature?
No need to switch on this feature manually.
Just add your Deco units in the same Deco network and wire them together as per the above network structure. Then Ethernet Backhaul will take effect automatically.
Q3: How do I know if Ethernet Backhaul takes effect?
Launch the Deco app, tap on "Internet". Then tap on the slave Deco unit which is wired to other Decos and you can see its backhaul status.
Q4: To use the Ethernet Backhaul feature, do I need to wire all my Deco units?
Nope. You can set up one for wireless backhaul, and the other one for Ethernet backhaul as what you want.
For example, if you have three Deco units and want to create Wi-Fi not only in your house but also in the garage, which is a little far from the house and without Wi-Fi coverage. Then you can put the main Deco and slave Deco 1 in your house (wireless backhaul). As for slave Deco 2, you can place it in the garage with a long Ethernet cable connected to the main or slave 1 unit. In this case, the slave 2 unit will work through Ethernet backhaul, while the main and slave 1 will work through wireless backhaul.
Q5: Why my Decos become unstable once they're connected via a switch?
It's probably that you're using a D-Link switch.
The Deco Ethernet backhaul feature is based on the standard IEEE 1905.1 protocol. However, we find that some D-Link switches will not forward packets based on IEEE 1905.1 protocol, causing all Deco units in a loop and become quite unstable. If you have a D-Link switch and encounter unstable issue with Ethernet backhaul, we recommend to change another brand of a switch or contact D-Link support directly for a fix.
If you're not sure which switch to use, TP-Link switches may be a good choice.
Q6: Can I set up Ethernet Backhaul through a powerline connection?
That's okay if the powerline connection doesn't block any data flow.
Typical topology is, modem ---- main Deco ---- Powerline unit~~~Powerline unit ---- slave Deco
Q7: Can I set up different Deco models such as M5 and M9 Plus together through Ethernet backhaul?
Yes, just configure and add different Deco models in the same Deco network. After that, you can wire them to set up the Ethernet backhaul connection.
You could refer to the link below for how to add different Deco models in the same network.
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Hi, I checked from the cloud server that the main Deco X60 is still online so I guess only the 4th Deco turn red? The rest of the 3 are still good?
Here are some suggestions for you:
1. More the office Deco a little bit closer to the other Decos in case it is caused by the distance.
2. if it is still red, please remove it from Deco APP by clicking the top three dots.
3.Wait until the office Deco back to blinking blue and add it on the Mesh again.
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@TP-Link Deco
Hi there.
I have a network as follows: Modem-Wired switch-And the rest of the peripherals.
I have tried everything by setting the main Deco M4 to the wired switch, but it refuses to get internet that way. The ONLY dhcp is from the modem. Deco is set to AP mode as well.
I want to have it like this: Modem-Wired switch and then Deco plus all peripherals.
Right now, i have to use the Deco as a wired switch for it to work and only use peripherals in wifi mode, which isn't god enough. As soon as i connect the Deco to a switch, it disables internet.
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Hi, I am moving to a new house and is deciding if I should network the 2 floors with CAT 6, 6a, 7 or 8 with an effort to future proof the setup.
I will be using my Deco M9 Plus for a while so wanted to check if the M9 Plus are compatible with CAT8 cables.
Appreciate your confirmation.
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Anytime you can cable a connection, you'll be much better off, plain and simple. Especially if it is a device providing a service (NAS, printer, etc.) needing consistent high throughout (why do most of your 4k streaming devices come with a Ethernet port) or needs super low lag (think gaming or zoom calls)
As far as CAT8 vs CAT6, you'll never notice the difference. You have to have a data Center with crazy high demand to NEED CAT8. CAT6 cable will be just fine. Use the savings to run dual connections from a central location (router and extrs switch go here) to your desk and home theater areas. You'll benefit most from those
Hint: Stairway walls usually run from basement to attic
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re: cabling in new (or re-) construction
Definitely cable when feasible. And redundancy. Things happen, and cables or connectors get damaged. Or shorted out. Or corroded.
I have 15-year old CAT5A cabling in our house ... and it is still faster than WiFi6. It's been through multiple upgrades in ALL the components connected to the cables ... and is still not the bottleneck in performance.
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If your "modem" is just a modem and not a router,most will only allow one device to connect (normally a router) you may need to connect your first deco to it in router mode via one Ethernet port then user the other port for the switch
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Hi, Deco M9 plus does support cat8.
And M9 Plus is Gigabits Ethernet port, maybe Cat 8 is too much for it.
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Dear all,
Thanks for your responses.
Vincent
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@TP-Link Deco Will it work perfectly in my Situation . I have already asked before but didnt get the complete answer properly
From this . 
This is my current network setup. I want to change the complete layout of the networking.
All the rooms have CAT6 Wire Socket added near beds for Routers and one near TV for direct TV support.
I want to add Deco system to complete home network for free roaming situation where i am stuck here with all individual access points .
Planning to change the setup as
Deco M4 or other Deco Device as main device as Router (Uses PPPoE Auth by my ISP want to know if it will support it or not) and connect to
TP Link Switch with POE prefer (TP-Link 16 Port Gigabit PoE Switch 8 PoE Port+ Model No: TL-SG1016PE) and connect to
Deco Device for Individual rooms as Slave device. I can also use TV Area connection for setting up deco device.
Update: PoE Cameras are not going to be not any more as i am going to use Wifi based Camera / Ethernet backhaul for Smart Camera with Micro SD Slots.
Will Deco device work perfectly as mentioned above ?
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