Wall-to-wall internet at home, guaranteed by Vodafone

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175 posts

Master Geek

#2825558 7-Dec-2021 11:04

I can't give you a definitive answer to this question but in my case because my home phone had been converted to VoIP I had to retain the Voda Ultra Hub, I turned the WiFi off on the Ultra Hub and connected one Deco to the Ultra Hub with ethernet and set them up as APs. The second Deco connected and meshed with the first over WiFi.

SteveC

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2825564 7-Dec-2021 11:18

@networkn:
I guess what I am asking, is, if they send out just the mesh system, do we turn of wireless on the Huawei and plug in Mesh 1 via ethernet and the second mesh unit will pair automatically, or does Mesh 1 replace the router and plug into the ONT?

Option Two - if there is nothing complicated about your network, then Mesh 1 can replace the Router.
That is the default configuration it comes with. A non-technical friend of ours did this with no issues at all. (They were on Vodafone Cable, but the process should be identical.)

If you have a complicated network (I do!) then Option One - turning off the wireless will probably help the Deco Mesh do it's thing properly. In this case you are advised to go to the Advanced menu on the Deco app, and change "Operation Mode" to 'Access Point'.

I didn't use the Vodafone instructions, but they look OK: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/help/broadband-and-tv/superwifi/

Generic manuals are here: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/stories

I found some useful comments by searching Deco here: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/stories

networkn

Networkn
32351 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2825738 7-Dec-2021 12:41

SteveC:
@networkn:

I guess what I am asking, is, if they send out just the mesh system, do we turn of wireless on the Huawei and plug in Mesh 1 via ethernet and the second mesh unit will pair automatically, or does Mesh 1 replace the router and plug into the ONT?

Option Two - if there is nothing complicated about your network, then Mesh 1 can replace the Router.
That is the default configuration it comes with. A non-technical friend of ours did this with no issues at all. (They were on Vodafone Cable, but the process should be identical.)

If you have a complicated network (I do!) then Option One - turning off the wireless will probably help the Deco Mesh do it's thing properly. In this case you are advised to go to the Advanced menu on the Deco app, and change "Operation Mode" to 'Access Point'.

I didn't use the Vodafone instructions, but they look OK: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/help/broadband-and-tv/superwifi/

Generic manuals are here: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/stories

I found some useful comments by searching Deco here: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/stories

Hmm, they do have a home phone with VF as well. I guess we will see what's what when it arrives.

SteveC

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2825739 7-Dec-2021 12:53

networkn:
... big snip ...
Hmm, they do have a home phone with VF as well. I guess we will see what's what when it arrives.

No, they don't. That would make your network 'complex' in my answer - Option One. You'll need to leave everything plugged into the router as it is, then add one mesh unit to the wired Ethernet. Recommended (but probably not essential) to disable router wireless and change Decos to 'Access Point'

Lewk

552 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

dns4me

Lifetime subscriber

#2825744 7-Dec-2021 13:02

Hmm, they do have a home phone with VF as well. I guess we will see what's what when it arrives.

You will need to retain the Vodafone router if you have a Vodafone home phone. I had the Deco unit connected to the router via Ethernet and then Ethernet to the second Deco unit in our workroom. I have since cancelled our home phone line and took up a Hero VOIP line for our home security - about $2.30 per month but still needed a router to set the VOIP up but I could use a different router to the Vodafone supplied one.

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2836012 20-Dec-2021 14:58

I just had an upgrade today the TP-Link deco is on the way. Unfortunately SmartVU will not install the required software. Anyone else encounter this problem?

tcabw

68 posts

Master Geek

#2836101 20-Dec-2021 18:49

RustyViewer:
I just had an upgrade today the TP-Link deco is on the way. Unfortunately SmartVU will not install the required software. Anyone else encounter this problem?

All you need is a smart phone (android, or Iphone). Full instructions come with the equipment. Get a friend to bring theirs round if there isn't one in the household. Once set up, you shouldn't need to access the software again unless you have problems down the track or move it to another location.
I'm a 75 year old and I had no problem installing it. My suggestion when setting it up is to choose setting it as an Access Point. I didn't first time round and had problems with equipment not talking to each other because they were on a different IP range.

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RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2836317 21-Dec-2021 13:13

How do you choose it as an access point?

SteveC

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2836331 21-Dec-2021 13:27

RustyViewer:
How do you choose it as an access point?

IMHO the TP Link support pages cover the devices quite well!
Default when you get a pair from Vodafone is Router Mode - so you can swap out your current router and plug in a Deco.

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2836357 21-Dec-2021 14:20

Am confused as to whether the deco should be plugged directly into the modem or the HG569.

SteveC

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2836410 21-Dec-2021 15:38

@RustyViewer:
Am confused as to whether the deco should be plugged directly into the modem or the HG569.

Oh yes - just looked at Vodafone's website and the only option documented there is adding a Deco to your wireless router (the HG569 in your case). That is the simplest solution and will work for most people, but is technically sub-optimal.

Earlier in this thread there are a few people who have connected their Deco direct to their cable modem or ONT (for fibre connections). https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=40&topicid=280886&page_no=3.

I am unsure whether Vodafone support this configuration. Use it at your own risk!

There are plusses and minuses for each.
* If you are going to keep using a wireless router (currently HG5696), I recommend you ask Vodafone to give you an upgraded router. The HG569 is very old - not even on their modem support page any more.
* If you have a Vodafone fixed phone then you need to keep using a wireless router.
* If your network is 'complicated' (eg more than two wired devices) then you'll probably need a wireless router or other network switch.
* Otherwise (eg only wireless devices in your home) you could try plugging the Deco directly into your cable modem, replacing your HG569, which you will no longer need. The Deco devices each have two ethernet ports. Connect the cable modem or ONT into port 1 of a Deco. The other Deco can then be placed anywhere that seems to work in your house and together they should give you excellent wifi. Wired network devices can be plugged into any of the (3) available Deco network ports.

If you are going to keep using a wireless router, as Vodafone suggests, then you can just plug a Deco into one of its switch (yellow) ports. That has some technical issues, but that will work for most things.

Technically, the 'correct' action if you are going keep using a wireless router is to turn the Deco to Access Point mode.

Hope that was not too complicated. Happy to answer questions, and there are other people on this thread with far more SuperWiFi experience than me!

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2836453 21-Dec-2021 16:42

Thanks it all worked, all my devices are hooked up to the new superwifi and everything looked great and I have switched off the old wifi.

Then SUDDENLY...my SmartVU has decided to reboot out of the blue as I was looking through Facebook Videos after watching a few things on Rumble, and now it is stuck in a reboot loop, it won't fully reboot.

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2836510 21-Dec-2021 20:32

I've had to revert to the old Wifi as SmartVU became unstable.

SteveC

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2836513 21-Dec-2021 20:40

RustyViewer:
I've had to revert to the old Wifi as SmartVU became unstable.

You could try disabling roaming.
If you are able to disable DHCP on the HG569, then you could just plug one of the yellow ports on the HG569 into one of the available network ports in a Deco. That should work.

RustyViewer

296 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2837370 23-Dec-2021 13:20

Roaming is already off.

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