Access Point mode can fit a network where an existing router should remain in charge. Before switching a Deco system, list the functions you currently rely on. The mode change affects more than the label in the app.

TP-Link describes Deco Router mode as the gateway role, with functions such as DHCP and other gateway-dependent controls. In Access Point mode, the existing upstream router supplies those responsibilities. Some Deco controls disappear because the Deco is no longer the device performing that job.

Assign each required function to a device

Make a short table with the function, current owner and intended owner. Include address reservations, any deliberately configured forwarding, parental controls, traffic prioritisation and the required guest-network boundary. Mark a function as unresolved if you have not verified equivalent support on the upstream equipment.

Check the exact Deco model and firmware against TP-Link's feature comparison. A feature available elsewhere in the product family is not evidence that your installation will retain it. Likewise, a similarly named option on the upstream router may enforce a different scope.

For a business installation, include local printing and access to shared resources in the plan. These may continue working, but their addresses and discovery paths should be tested. Preserve the old configuration and management access information before the change window.

Verify responsibility after the change

Once an authorised person switches the mode, confirm that clients receive their expected network settings from the intended gateway. Check essential tasks from representative wired and wireless clients, not only from the phone running the Deco app.

Revisit each row in the function table. Record whether the feature is working, intentionally retired or still unresolved. If a necessary control is missing, use the recovery plan or arrange a supported alternative before treating the cutover as complete. A successful internet connection establishes connectivity; the function table establishes whether the network still meets its users' needs.

References: TP-Link Deco mode feature comparison.