TP-Link Deco P9 - avoid using WiFi backhaul instead of PLC

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

So, I figured out this device is using a modified version of OpenWRT

Version 
DISTRIB_ID='QSDK'
DISTRIB_RELEASE='QCA9558.LN'
DISTRIB_REVISION='unknown'
DISTRIB_CODENAME='premium_beeliner_router'
DISTRIB_TARGET='ar71xx/generic'
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION='QSDK Premium Beeliner Router QCA9558.LN'

The device itself is quite good when it works, however it has this annoying tendency to use a WiFi backhaul instead of PLC whenever it can see any sort of WiFi network from other devices.

I was digging around the filesystem and came across the following configuration options:

Config 
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net=auto_wifi_net
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_online_interval='1000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_plc_inspect_start='1000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.high_rssi_threshold='25'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_scan_start='3000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_online_start='1000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.eth_report_interval='2000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_status_interval='200'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_connect_duration='90000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.scaling_factor='76'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_eth_inspect_interval='2000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.awn_enable='1'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.best_effort_uplink_rate='120'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.best_effort_rssi_inc='6'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.plc_report_interval='200'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_status_start='400'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_scan_interval='6000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_scan_sched='1000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.eth_entry_aging_time='4000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_plc_inspect_interval='2000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.awn_weight='0'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.plc_rate_good='50'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.tm_eth_inspect_start='1000'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.debug_level='4'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.low_rssi_threshold='14'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.wifi_lost_rate_to_plc='70'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.plc_entry_aging_time='3000'

Now, I'd like to get your thoughts on this. It seems like the most important settings from this config are

auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.high_rssi_threshold='25'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.low_rssi_threshold='14'
auto_wifi_net.auto_wifi_net.wifi_lost_rate_to_plc='70'

What do they mean? Well, it's probably the threshold at which the backhaul is switched from WiFi to PLC. Am I sure? Nope, not at all, that's why I'd like some opinions on the matter

2

Hi, the Alcatel HH40V uses the same Version:

Though the opkg information shows it's based on 12.09-rc1: https://github.com/froonix/HH40V/wiki/OPKG-packages

That's far too old to help with, would you be willing to try 19.07.2?

3

I would but I fear they'll brick because it's a modified version from the manufacturer. Any failsafe way to try out the new version without flashing it/bricking the devices?

4

I know I'm digging out a post that is over a year old but maybe @ianespana is going to reply.

The Deco P9 is the Deco M4R v1 just with an additional board for power and Ethernet-over-Power.

These are photos of the M4R v1:
https://fccid.io/TE7M4R/Internal-Photos/18-Internal-Photos-4041064.iframe

And these are for the P9:
https://fccid.io/TE7P9/Internal-Photos/TE7P9-Internal-Photo-revised-4454554.iframe

So if you're willing to solder a tiny bit and get a usb-ttl connector then together we should be able to get vanilla OpenWrt running on your devices.
I've got it running on my 3 Deco M4R v2 and the chips are the same as with the v1, so chances are good that my firmware will work on your device out of the box.

If you have access with the usb-tll connector then you can try out vanilla OpenWrt completely in RAM and if you restart the device then it's just going to load its normal firmware from Flash memory.

The Ethernet-over-Power connection would of course require extra work, but maybe it just shows up as a simple connected device on the internal switch. At least the blurry FCC photos look like there are 8 lines going from the switch to the board connector and then back down to the broadcom chip.

1 Like
5

Hi @bobthebuilder,
I got 1 m4r and 3 p9.
I want to test your Firmware. What do i have to do to Test it?

1 Like
6

I've got 2 P9s I could mess with this with. Could I get a copy of your firmware?

7

I think it's best to redirect you here: Deco P9 switch config - #6 by bobthebuilder

The latest M4R firmware is working on the P9, but the Powerline feature is still something to be figured out. Maybe you can help with that?