I’m encountering a frustrating and persistent connection issue with my SmartThings setup that involves multiple Hubs and a Wi-Fi mesh network. I’m hoping someone has experience with a similar configuration or can offer some advanced diagnostic steps.
My Current Setup
Network: TP-Link Deco Wi-Fi Mesh System (Model: TP-Link Deco x50). IP for all ST Hubs are reserved.
Hub Distribution:
Hub 1 (ST Hub v3/2018): Wifi connection to Ground Floor router. Connection is stable.
Hub 2 (ST Hub v3/2018): Wired connection to a First Floor Deco router. Keeps Disconnecting.
Hub 3 (ST Hub v3/2018): Wifi connection to First Floor router. Keeps Disconnecting.
The Problem
Hub 2 and Hub 3,connected First Floor router, frequently and spontaneously disconnect from the SmartThings cloud/network. Hub 1 on the ground floor remains stable.
The hubs eventually reconnect, but the intermittent drops are disrupting automations and reliability.
My Questions for the Community
Is this a known conflict between the SmartThings Hubs and the TP-Link Deco mesh system?
Are there any recommended network settings on the Deco units (e.g., reserving IP addresses, disabling specific network features like fast roaming, beamforming, or QoS) that could resolve this instability for the hubs?
Advanced Logging Options: Is there any option within the SmartThings Web IDE, the mobile app, or via a specific hub utility to access detailed, low-level connection logs? I need to determine why the disconnection is happening—is it a local network drop, a DNS issue, or a cloud/keep-alive failure?
Issue might be when mesh routers exchange connection of devices… If this happens during a routine execution, you can guess the rest.
I have had similar issues and fixed it by running only the MAIN router on 2,4ghz and 5ghz. The rest of the mesh runs ONLY on 5ghz, and no more connection issues. Backhaul connections are wireless at 5ghz. My routers are Asus mesh.
If you cannot turn off the 2,4ghz on remote units for diagnostics, you might want to make a table where every IOT device is forced to connect to a specific node of your mesh system.
Mesh systems are great and at the same time not so great since the interconnections are just wild…
In the Deco app you can specify that a particular WiFi device should connect to a specific hub; you should try that.
Doesn’t explain the instability of the wired connection though, unless that mesh node is unstable. Which Deco is connected to the router? Are the other two connected wireless or with a wired backhaul?
3rd Hub are on the Mezzanine floor. Honestly, it is quite overkill because it is controlling 4-5 devices on the Mezzanine floor which can be covered by 2nd Hub.
However, the system is already up and running before I got assigned to this location thus I just going to leave the current wiring and configuration as is to avoid messing anything up.
I will try to disable 2.4GHz band. However, does it affect Zigbee devices?
GF Deco is connected to the router.
1F Deco connected wirelessly with GF Deco to extend the range.
Mezzanine floor does not have Deco. Thus 3rd hub is connected to 1F Deco.
Can I check the log using Smartthings CLI? Have anyone used that to check cause for disconnectivity?
Just curious: how big is your house? Our previous home was 5400 sq ft on three levels and one hub running 50 devices. New home is only 4000 SQ ft on two levels…one hub, 82 devices, no problems. Is having 3 hubs really necessary/helpful?
Zigbee and 2,4ghz have nothing to do with each other except possible interference. Please make sure that your hub is not super close to your router. The 2,4ghz is for WIFI devices.
On the subject of hubs, please take a look at your SmartThings app and in the HOME section at the dashboard, click on HUBS and see what devices are connected to which hub. If you have a hub group, all devices are connected to the main hub, and the second one will be labelled as the secondary hub which will serve as a backup, and the third one is probably not used at all. Extra hubs act as amplifiers only as do a lot of mains powered Zigbee and Zwave devices.
If hubs all have connections to them then they are in a different location and are considered like different accounts sort of… This means extra fun for sure…
On my main Aeotec v3 hub I have 95 devices of which 12 are Zwave and the remainder Zigbee. This hub is centrally located on lower floor at about 1 meter from router with wired connection. The secondary Aeotec V3 hub is on the upper floor wired to router. They are in a group and the 2nd one is the backup hub. House is about 3000 sqft. All works fine.
