TP-Link AC 19000 in bridge mode: completely unreliable - typical of a router in bridge mode?

[x509]

My network set-up worked fine with a D-Link 1522 in bridge mode (WDS). The 1522 is an n-speed device. I wanted to upgrade to ac-speed, so I set up an a TP-Link AC 1900 as a bridge on the 5.0 band.

My home network consists of a first-floor cable modem/wifi router from Comcast, and a second floor "home office" with two desktops, an occasional laptop and a laser printer. Right now, all the home office systems are hard-wired to a GigE hub, which talks to the bridge to communicate to the cable modem on the first floor. Signal strength is not an issue on either band.

I originally set up this arrangement when wifi speeds were much lower than they are today. In particular, one of the desktops is the "backup server," running Retrospect Professional. (highly recommended, btw). Backup speed is important.

Since I have installed the TP-Link AC 1900 as a bridge, I have had only grief. When I ping the cable modem from one of the desktops upstairs, I get a lot of timeouts or destination unreachable. Even though I've locked down both wireless devices to channel 44, the bridge stops working until I change the MAC address of the cable modem port to connect up with.

So, is this this TP-Link a complete POS that I should simply throw away? I never had these problems for years with the D-Link 1522.
Given ac-speeds, should I just put wireless cards into the home office desktop systems and get a wireless print server for the laser printer?

Thanks. I might also add that I've spent a lot of time trying to find a decent, not too-expensive ac-speed bridge, without much luck.

x509

 

[bloodypulp]

For Wireless AC, both endpoints must be 802.11ac capable devices. Your bridge is running in Wireless N mode.

That TP-Link router/access point is a decent unit. I would try using that as the router, instead of the Comcast unit. Assign static IP address to your bridge endpoint. Then use WDS between the TP-Link and D-Link.

But really the best performance option is to run a physical cable. Less things to possibly go wrong.

 

[x509]

For Wireless AC, both endpoints must be 802.11ac capable devices. Your bridge is running in Wireless N mode.

Agree that this is my current setup. However, I am wanting to boost bridge speed to ac-speed. Which is why I tried the TP-Link router working as a bridge. Whereas my D-Link bridge has been rock-solid stable, the TP-Link bridge seemed to need reconfiguration, that is, selecting a different port MAC address to pair with, about every hour.

That TP-Link router/access point is a decent unit. I would try using that as the router, instead of the Comcast unit. Assign static IP address to your bridge endpoint. Then use WDS between the TP-Link and D-Link.

But really the best performance option is to run a physical cable. Less things to possibly go wrong.

I actually do have a physical cable. 10Base2 coax, that I put into the walls almost 30 years ago when I did a remodel on the house. 10 mbits/sec. Putting a Cat 5e cable today is impractical due to cost.

Since I want ac-speed, I would have to get another ac-speed device to swap out the D-Link. Any recommendations? Or, I simply put in network cards into the home office systems and ditch the whole idea of a bridge. Which would you do, assuming costs are about the same?