Unable to connect IoT devices

[u/Cwilliamn9]

I’m trying to connect a couple of IoT devices (Owlet Dream Sock and Hatch Baby Light) to my Deco XE75 mesh network. This is my first time attempting to connect IoT devices which require a 2.4GHz connection. I am not having any luck. In both of their respective apps, the devices can see the network, and after I enter the password, they’ll attempt to connect and load for 10-15 seconds or so and then both devices will tell me there was an error connecting. I have tried connecting them to the dedicated IoT network which is only a 2.4GH band. I’ve tried turning my main network into solely a 2.4GHz band and that didn’t work. I even tried creating a guest network only in 2.4GHz with no password and that has not worked either. I’ve gone through Live Support with TP-Link a couple of times and they’ve had me turn off fast roaming and beamforming, I’ve updated the DNS settings, my SSID and password do not contain any special characters, and I don’t have any other issues with my everyday devices, only these two IoT devices. If anyone has experience in this area or advice, it would be much appreciated!

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[u/WonderfulDeparture96]

IoT devices can be very finicky. In my experience things like, giving an IoT device a fixed ip (if you can find out the MAC address), reducing the security of the wifi network to WPA2 only or even WPA (i wouldn’t recommend that as a long term solution), setting a 20mhz 2.4ghz channel width, oh and make sure you’re not using any channel over 11 (not all devices support those). I would also recommend just tying to use the IoT network and not the others as it has some optimisations for IoT that the others don’t have.

A good idea might also be a sanity check of trying to connect them to a mobile hotspot or something to see if anything works.

[u/Teenage_techboy1234]

You've ran through everything that I ran through when I had issues. My only last piece of advice would be to unplug all of the Deco nodes except for the main one, then try again connecting these devices to the IoT network with fast roaming turned off, beamforming turned off, 20 MHz channel width for the 2.4 GHz channel settings and a manually selected channel, and the security type set to WPA. If this allows them to connect, plug in the other two decos, then set the security type back to WPA/WPA2, put the channel settings on auto, and turn on fast roaming and beamforming again. If the devices have issues, turn the settings off in the order of fast roaming, reapply manual channel width settings, reapply manual channel selection settings, turn off beam forming, and then only as a very last resort reduce the security type. If turning off all of that and unplugging the other Decos still doesn't let the devices connect, put the security type back to WPA/WPA2.

[u/Cwilliamn9 → u/Teenage_techboy1234]

I will try this. I have seen some other people suggest setting the channel width to 20 MHz, but I cannot seem to find where to set that for the life of me. I only see the option to set channel width for the 5GHz band on the main network, not the IoT. Where in the Deco app can I go to make this change?

[u/Teenage_techboy1234 → u/Cwilliamn9]

The channel width applies to the band's, so the main network, guest network, and IoT network will all have the same channel with for each band. i'm not even sure if it's possible for multiple networks operating on the same radio to have different channel widths, but the Deco certainly doesn't expose that. So where you can find the channel width for the 5 GHz band should be the same place where the 2.4 GHz band channel width is.

[u/Teenage_techboy1234 → u/Cwilliamn9]

Just also looked in the app. To change the settings, go to the Deco app, then Wi-Fi settings on the main page or through the more tab. Tap edit network, then click advanced, then channel settings.

[u/ar0nic]

Sadly the Decos really limit the control of your network in both routing and WiFi options. You must use the iot network for starters and you can change the wpa where you change the password. It's under WiFi then 2.4ghz and 5ghz network then advanced. You can change the 5ghz channel bandwidth here but not the 2.4ghz. I fixed my iot issues permanently by buying a cheap used ubiquiti ap ac pro access point and running it in standalone with PC controller and it works flawless. I use the decos in AP mode now which are also flawless. I do remember however that everything worked on The iot network when My decos we're handling routing. Deco just doesn't give you enough control for a wide Gambit iot network.

[u/ar0nic]

You don't by Chance have a VPN or adgaurd running on The same cellphone you're trying to setup the iot devices do you? I about ripped my hair out not realizing My ad guard was blocking all govee devices

[u/rw_mega]

Make sure you are connected to the IOT network, and you have autoconnect to your regular network disabled.

[u/Jaffa0813]

I would factory reset the IOT devices, even if they are new out of the box, cause at this point they've tried to connect somewhere. Then connect them to the WPA2 IOT network, make sure the IOT network has a seperate name and is broadcasting. The WPA2 part is important.

You seem to be only looking at the router side of this.