Hub port forwarding with TP-Link deco E4R Mesh routers

[DavidTuff]

When I was using a TP-Link router with port forwarding I could see my Library outside my home network. Now with the Mesh routers with port forwarding set I can't see library remotely. Any ideas to fix this? Above is image from router, below is from Mesh Deco router setting that does not work remotely.

[StephenB]

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@DavidTuff wrote:

When I was using a TP-Link router with port forwarding I could see my Library outside my home network. Now with the Mesh routers with port forwarding set I can't see library remotely. Any ideas to fix this? Above is image from router, below is from Mesh Deco router setting that does not work remotely.

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First thing to check is that the smarthub is still using 192.168.68.13.  Also check that the port you need to forward is still 18866.

If you haven't reserved the IP address in the Deco, you should certainly to that. See page 34 of the manual (actually is page 37 in the PDF).

• https://static.tp-link.com/upload/manual/2022/202206/20220620/1910013173_Deco%20X25(US)4.6_User%20Gu...

I'd also suggest using a custom service type (not http), and setting the protocol to "all".

[DavidTuff]

Thanks, ip address is reserved. Have refreshed port several times and updated port in mesh router and used custom,  still can't àaccess library external from home.

[StephenB]

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@DavidTuff wrote:

Thanks, ip address is reserved. Have refreshed port several times and updated port in mesh router and used custom,  still can't àaccess library external from home.

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Try using this port checker tool to confirm that the port is open: 

• https://portchecker.co/check

[DavidTuff]

Interesting, on the old router the port checker shows the port open, using the Mesh, the port is shown as closed.

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

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@DavidTuff wrote:

Interesting, on the old router the port checker shows the port open, using the Mesh, the port is shown as closed.

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Are you double-routing (connecting the Deco to the old router, but not configuring the Deco as an AP)?

[DavidTuff]

Thanks, looks like that may be the issue. The Deco is configured as a router, I will reconfigure as AP and see how it goes.

[StephenB]

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@DavidTuff wrote:

Thanks, looks like that may be the issue. The Deco is configured as a router, I will reconfigure as AP and see how it goes.

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Alternatively forward the port in the outer router to the Deco's "WAN" IP - it will forward again the base.

[DavidTuff]

Can't forward the port to the WAN IP as it is in a different range. Solution was to reconfigure the Deco to AP rather than Router Mode. All works fine now. The port forwarding is done on the main router.

[StephenB]

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@DavidTuff wrote:

Can't forward the port to the WAN IP as it is in a different range. 

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FWIW, you could have forwarded the port in the main router to the Deco "WAN" IP (which was a LAN IP address on the main router's subnet).  I double-route, as I need to use my ISP-provided router to get TV programming information to the cable set top boxes, and that router doesn't have all the features I use (in particularly OpenVPN).  So I have done this double-forwarding myself.

But configuring the Deco as an AP is a more direct approach if you don't need any of the routing functionality in the Deco.

[DavidTuff]

AP mode, now all is well, except I don't get any messages of new devices connection. Seems a "feature" of AP Mode.