TP-Link Deco X50 AX3000 Whole Home AI-Driven Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System, Dual-Band with Gigabit Ports, Coverage up to 6,500 ft2, Connect up to 150 devices, 1 GHz Dual-Core CPU, HomeShield Security, Pack of 3

Product Information

View a list of your connected devices with the ability to pause and resume internet access, test the internet speed and prioritize or block the devices.

The Deco app also works as a smart-home hub, offering one-touch controls for TP-Link’s Kasa appliances, plus integrations with Philips Hue and Samsung SmartThings. Sophisticated algorithms account for various factors so that Deco X50provides ideal mesh WiFi, unique to your home. On my first floor, I found that the TP-Link Deco X50-PoE almost doubled speeds from that of the X50-5G. With clearer and stronger signals enhanced by BSS Color and Beamforming, Deco X50boosts broader whole home WiFi coverage with great performance.The main benefit of this device is its optional PoE, delivering network and power over an Ethernet cable. Unlike traditional smart hubs, TP-Link Mesh Technology provides whole-home IoT coverage with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Zigbee integrated into a single system. I quite like the way that the charges for parental controls and security are split, as you can choose the services that apply to you. If you want a mesh system but don’t want boxes all around your house in plain sight, then the TP-Link Deco X50-PoE is a good upgrade, blending in. If you have more modest network needs and need 4G/5G as either a backup or main connection, the TP-Link Deco X50-5G is a good value system, with lots of features.

That’s a very competitive option, as it only costs a tenner more, and offers faster overall coverage. The pack comes with three units, promising wide coverage: TP-Link says it’ll support more than 150 devices across a property of six bedrooms or more. There’s no web interface to speak of, just a lightweight status page, with setup carried out via the smartphone app. Premium meshes and routers often promise double that rate, although that doesn’t mean they’re literally twice as fast. Adding a mesh satellite into the mix, such as the TP-Link Deco X50-POE, improves speeds, as you can see in the graph below.Unlike other sites, we test every wireless router we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. To test the X50’s performance, I set up the system in my own home, with one node connected to the main internet line in the study and the other two in the adjoining bedroom and downstairs living room. That may sound bad compared to the likes of the Eero 6 Plus, but I’m testing here with just the router.