The TP-Link Deco is an affordably priced whole-house Wi-Fi system that delivers fast and reliable service over a 4,500 square foot area. It achieves this by connecting your entire home to Wi-Fi by using the three individual AC1300 units. The TP-Link Deco also adds a layer of protection to your home’s network by preventing the risk of online threats.
This whole-house Wi-Fi system is easy to set up. Connecting one of the units to your internet router, the others can be installed in other locations around the home. Similarly, the satellite Deco’s will need to be around 40 feet from the internet connected Deco so that they can all work together to create a fast and reliable Wi-Fi network. Once you’re connected, simply download a TP-Link Deco app to one of your mobile devices, follow the easy-to-read construction to create an account with TP-Link and you will be able to manage your home’s network from pretty much anywhere.
TP-Link Deco has the ability to expand with the devices that you add to your home. It also the only whole-house Wi-Fi device that comes with 24/7 support for its entire life.
The TP-Link Deco is a three piece system that offers Wi-Fi coverage for up to 4,500 square feet of space. In homes that are larger than 4,500 square feet, up to 10 additional nodes can be purchased to provide even more Wi-Fi coverage.
Each of the Deco units is identical; all are white and circular in shape, and each one measures 4.7 inches around and sits 1.4 inches high. Thanks to their low profile and their sleek, modern design, they can easily be placed anywhere in the home without looking obtrusive.
All of the TP-Link Deco units are powered by a quad-core processor and have powerful internal antennas. On the 2.4GHz band, the AC1300 router is able to reach speeds of up to 400Mbps, and on the 5GHz band, it is able to reach speeds of up to 867Mbps. The router also supports beamforming and can send signals out to wireless clients directly instead of over a broad spectrum, which increases the security from threats. An Adaptive Routing Technology enables the router to choose the best radio band possible in order to provide the most efficient throughput.
All of the units are outfitted with USB-C power ports, reset buttons and LED indicator lights that pulse blue when the router is ready to be setup, glow a solid blue when the setup has started and light in solid green when setup has been completed and is running smoothly. If there are issues with connectivity, a red light will glow.
Rear ports on the TP-Link Deco
Under the TP-Link Deco base
The TP-Link Deco offers a collection of advanced and highly useful features. These include:
Powerful parental controls, which allows parents to control when each of the connected devices can access the Internet, plus enables them to manage content.
A 3-year built-in antivirus shields all connected devices from dangerous viruses and malware.
Users can easily see the amount of monthly usage, review and content that has been blocked, as well as any threats to security that may exist.
Quality of Service, which allows users to prioritize traffic for various applications and antivirus, which protects the entire network from threats that are lurking online. The antivirus feature actually monitors suspicious patterns in real time and prevents loT devices from sending signals out.
Assisted setup, which allows users to quickly and easily locate the ideal location to place each of the units that are used.
A speedtest, which assesses upload and download speeds of the home’s network in order to keep it running at maximum speed.
Adaptive Routing Technology (ART) selects the optimal path for the user’s devices based on location of each of the units.
24/7 complimentary lifetime support for any and all assistance that may be needed with the TP-Link Deco.
The Deco mobile software available on iOS and Android made short work of the installation process:
TP-Link iOS App – login screen
TP-Link iOS App – Lets Begin
TP-Link iOS App – Needed parts
TP-Link iOS App – Power modem
TP-Link iOS App – Check modem
TP-Link iOS App – Check Deco
TP-Link iOS App – Connect to modem
TP-Link iOS App – Setup Complete
TP-Link iOS App – Searching for Deco
TP-Link iOS App – Location
TP-Link iOS App – Firmware update available
TP-Link iOS App – Firmware update
TP-Link iOS App – Settings
TP-Link iOS App – Setup WiFi
The TP-Link Deco offers great range and reliable performance. In fact, the satellite units offered significantly better signal strengths compared to our single Archer VR600 test access point.
Wireless signal performance on the TP-Link Deco
Same Floor Opposite Corner
Having your own wireless “mesh” at home can give you a good spread of signal strength when compared against a single wireless access point that is installed at a fixed location.
Home users thinking about making the switch from a traditional router setup to a whole-house Wi-Fi system won’t be disappointed with the TP-Link Deco. It’s easy to install, easy to operate and offers reliable and fast Internet connection for a large area (up to 4,500 square feet with the 3-piece system, though it can service an even larger area with additional nodes.) Finally, the Deco also offers protection from online threats, thanks to the automatic virus and malware protection. The bottom line: it’s a practical and wise investment.
TP-Link deco Reviewed The TP-Link Deco is an affordably priced whole-house Wi-Fi system that delivers fast and reliable service over a 4,500 square foot area.
