Deco M4 and Sky Q

Posted 14th Oct 2021

Quite a specialist issue, but here goes…

I’m got three Deco M4 units at home, primarily to boost signal around the home. The main one is linked by Ethernet cable to the Sky Q router; the second in the kitchen linked to the Xbox; and the third freestanding upstairs where we use work laptops.

The internet went down last week, and spent hours trying to get them working again - finally working, and speeds are consistent, but…no internet to Sky Q: no apps, no voice control, box sets, etc. I understand that these units don’t tend to play nicely with Sky.

Problem is, I’ve had the system a little while and don’t remember the process we had before.

Currently got the Sky wifi turned off (both 2.4 and 5) and the Decos are in access point mode (I suspect this is why there is no internet via Sky, but in my fumblings, fairly sure I also tried the Deco in router mode, and it still didn’t work).

Anyone any knowledge of these two working together and what I’ve done wrong? I can live without the Sky systems, it’s more of irritation.

If anyone can explain step by step in idiot mode, as well…I’m an idiot.

14 Comments

sorted by

EN1GMA
14th Oct 2021
deleted7595314/10/2021 11:09
Did you try all of the ports, I have seen comments and even had one myself …Did you try all of the ports, I have seen comments and even had one myself where the router used the ports differently for some reason.

in modem only mode, you can only use port 1. in router mode, all the ports work. in modem mode, port 1 just wasn't transaferring the data. so I could see the ssid broadcasted from the TP link deco, but no internet as there was no data from vm hub to the deco unit.

dont think i'll be risking it again. got about 30 devices linked to the network and annoying as **** when network went down

sure its not optimum with vm hub not being in modem mode but the deco works, main reason was static IP option and stick my own dns in. and i get the speed advertised, if a smidgen slow (edited)
EN1GMA
14th Oct 2021
had a similar issue with VM hub a few weeks ago. I had the wifi off on the vm hub but NOT on modem mode for a good few months. I tried tried to be a clever D1CK and thought, i'll do what im supposed to do, put the vm hub in modem mode for optimum performance. my whole network crashed

Had a vm engineer out to see why when the vm hub went into modem mode, the port stopped working. no idea. just decided to go back to how it was, vm hum in normal mode but wifi off, and then deco attached to that.

lesson: if it aint broke, dont try to be clever and fix something. so for me im double counting on the router aspect on the network but its all working again so

as to your issue, have you done a hard reset on the sky router? i didnt have the decos in AP mode.
EN1GMA
14th Oct 2021
reset the sky router, and set up again would be my suggestion. take the decos out of AP mode. try a different ethernet cable when connecting from sky router to deco. does the sky router have lights to show if theres a connection to the ethernet ports?
bobdylan
14th Oct 2021
Are you using the Sky router for the internet? Is there any reason why the wifi is turned off?

Sounds like at the moment you don't have DHCP enabled anywhere giving out IP addresses which may be the issue?

Are any other internet enabled devices like phones, tablets etc able to access the internet?
Anonymous User
14th Oct 2021
very common issue from what I have seen on here, have a google and there are quite a few comments about it. This one has a link to it but you need to be a sky customer to view it.

helpforum.sky.com/t5/…357
Anonymous User
14th Oct 2021
EN1GMA14/10/2021 09:04
had a similar issue with VM hub a few weeks ago. I had the wifi off on the …had a similar issue with VM hub a few weeks ago. I had the wifi off on the vm hub but NOT on modem mode for a good few months. I tried tried to be a clever D1CK and thought, i'll do what im supposed to do, put the vm hub in modem mode for optimum performance. my whole network crashed Had a vm engineer out to see why when the vm hub went into modem mode, the port stopped working. no idea. just decided to go back to how it was, vm hum in normal mode but wifi off, and then deco attached to that.lesson: if it aint broke, dont try to be clever and fix something. so for me im double counting on the router aspect on the network but its all working again so as to your issue, have you done a hard reset on the sky router? i didnt have the decos in AP mode.

Did you try all of the ports, I have seen comments and even had one myself where the router used the ports differently for some reason.
Ianaf72 Author
14th Oct 2021
Thanks for all the comments, I’ll have to sift through. The sky router has definitely been reset in all of this (everything has been off and on, accompanied by much swearing!); all devices (phones, laptops, tablets) connect to a wireless channel now called ‘Deco 1’ and speed is good, just that when you go into the sky Q planner, it tells me there is no internet. I’ve waded through various forums and some suggested having them in AP mode. However, if the sky is cabled to the Deco now, the latter is effectively the router, so should be in router mode? The planner then comes back briefly when I’ve done that, but then the Decos all need resetting again! Comments on a forum suggested turning off the Sky wifi, but I’ve also seen one say leave on 5, so I really don’t know.

At some point this all worked, but has come to a head with the internet going down!
EN1GMA
14th Oct 2021
Ianaf7214/10/2021 12:29
Thanks for all the comments, I’ll have to sift through. The sky router has …Thanks for all the comments, I’ll have to sift through. The sky router has definitely been reset in all of this (everything has been off and on, accompanied by much swearing!); all devices (phones, laptops, tablets) connect to a wireless channel now called ‘Deco 1’ and speed is good, just that when you go into the sky Q planner, it tells me there is no internet. I’ve waded through various forums and some suggested having them in AP mode. However, if the sky is cabled to the Deco now, the latter is effectively the router, so should be in router mode? The planner then comes back briefly when I’ve done that, but then the Decos all need resetting again! Comments on a forum suggested turning off the Sky wifi, but I’ve also seen one say leave on 5, so I really don’t know. At some point this all worked, but has come to a head with the internet going down!

Just because the sky router and deco are wired together doesn't mean the sky router has gone in modem mode automatically.

Have you changed your ssid to what it used to be before the outage (if you changed it).

If the sky WiFi is on, does the sky planner connect to the sky WiFi?
bobdylan
14th Oct 2021
EN1GMA14/10/2021 14:25
Just because the sky router and deco are wired together doesn't mean the …Just because the sky router and deco are wired together doesn't mean the sky router has gone in modem mode automatically.Have you changed your ssid to what it used to be before the outage (if you changed it).If the sky WiFi is on, does the sky planner connect to the sky WiFi?

I'm pretty sure that the Sky router is not capable of 'modem mode'
bobdylan
14th Oct 2021
I have the Deco M5's and Virgin Media, I have my own router so you just need to leave that alone (your Sky router) and don't change anything. This then should provide the internet connection.

Best then to reset the Decos and start again by plugging in the first one into your Sky router and start the set up via the Tether app. Once all the nodes have been connected together then just go into Operation Mode and set them to 'Access Point' mode otherwise you will get double-nating because the Decos will also be providing IP addresses via DHCP.
EN1GMA
14th Oct 2021
bobdylan14/10/2021 16:01
I have the Deco M5's and Virgin Media, I have my own router so you just …I have the Deco M5's and Virgin Media, I have my own router so you just need to leave that alone (your Sky router) and don't change anything. This then should provide the internet connection.Best then to reset the Decos and start again by plugging in the first one into your Sky router and start the set up via the Tether app. Once all the nodes have been connected together then just go into Operation Mode and set them to 'Access Point' mode otherwise you will get double-nating because the Decos will also be providing IP addresses via DHCP.

I have the VM hub but it refuses to work in modem mode. Got my decos all connected up, WiFi on the VM hub is off.

Should I be putting the decos into AP mode on the app? It's currently in the default router mode? I've also set up up static ip and added a couple of dns addresses.
EN1GMA
14th Oct 2021
bobdylan14/10/2021 15:51
I'm pretty sure that the Sky router is not capable of 'modem mode'

I'm pretty sure you're right.
bobdylan
14th Oct 2021
EN1GMA14/10/2021 16:25
I have the VM hub but it refuses to work in modem mode. Got my decos all …I have the VM hub but it refuses to work in modem mode. Got my decos all connected up, WiFi on the VM hub is off.Should I be putting the decos into AP mode on the app? It's currently in the default router mode? I've also set up up static ip and added a couple of dns addresses.

Depends where you're getting the IP addresses from? If you've turned off the wifi on the VM hub then what is providing DHCP? If it's the Decos then you can't put them into AP mode because then you won't have any IP's
EN1GMA
14th Oct 2021
bobdylan14/10/2021 16:41
Depends where you're getting the IP addresses from? If you've turned off …Depends where you're getting the IP addresses from? If you've turned off the wifi on the VM hub then what is providing DHCP? If it's the Decos then you can't put them into AP mode because then you won't have any IP's

Yeah the decos as WiFi 2.4 and 5 both switched off in settings.