TP Link Deco Mesh WiFi Comparisons | X20, X55, X68, X4300 Pro, XE75, XE5300, XE75 Pro, XE200 

What about for ps5 fios? Thanks

Can I add the TP link AX 1800 to my existing system AC 1200? Are they compatible?

Backhaul 6G out of the box works beautifully - ripped out all my powerline ethernet backhaul.

Glad it was helpful!

Thank you! Comparison videos really make it easier to see the differences.

It's a great system, glad to hear it's working out for you

Also X55 is ready for IoT with the new 1.2.0 firmware, I have 3 houses running a pair on each and god, they´re the best bang for the buck.

I appreciate it! Wifi can be misunderstood because it's interchangeably used in place of internet. Wifi actually has nothing to do with the Internet, wifi is only referring to your connection between your device and a router or node. You may have a very strong connection to a node that might have a weak connection to the main router which will reduce your internet speeds as you mentioned. Another common thing that is misunderstood is megabytes per second vs megabits per second.

Thanks for the feedback! The Deco is a great unit.

Glad my video was useful! If you want to know about how to connect this stuff, I did a video with the Deco XE75 showing all connections, the general rule applies to any of the Deco's in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QVKRQDokkhE.html

I appreciate it! Thanks for subbing!

Thanks for the feedback! Appreciate it! XE75 is amazing for the price, still my favorite for the price.

How does you Plex server do with Deco? It never allows full speed connections outside of my house. I've tried pretty much everything.

The JimmyZ, do you think the BE95 will be better than the Orbi? I am trying to decide. Thank you so much!

Thanks! Yup the Deco’s are very good. Very good choice on the BE95. I’m also curious about that one, going to try to get my hands on that as well.

@@landpet March 15!

@@stefan5726 I am going all in with TP-link, but every house is different.

You're very welcome!

Glad it was useful! Thanks!

Glad it was helpful! and that is a great mesh system!

Glad it was helpful!

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks for the sub! The Pro is an excellent choice!

Glad it was helpful!

Awesome, thank you!

No problem!

Thanks! Appreciate it!

Thanks! The deco needs to be connected to the modem first, you can’t go modem to unmanaged switch to deco, so that’s why my server testing is done in the same manner. You can in theory connect your modem to the gigabit port (assuming your internet speeds are gigabit or below) of the deco then go from the 2.5Gbps port of that to a comparable switch then to another 2.5Gbps port of the Deco creating a 2.5Gbps LAN however your internet speeds will still be capped to gigabit. If your internet is faster than gigabit, then you have to use the 2.5Gbps port of the Deco therefore making anything coming out of it gigabit speeds.

@@landpet that’s indeed true with the deco in WiFi Router mode… I always use them in Access Point mode. I really don’t like the router functions. I prefer any other router/firewall… or OpenBSD ;-)

@@diederikschouten1756 When you use it in AP mode how is the AI handoff functionality? Right now I have two AP's in my house, one downstairs and one upstairs. My house isn't that big but I wanted good signal in my bedroom for geforce now as well as good signal downstairs. However, I am facing issues where clients will not switch between the AP's in an efficient manner. Im using Zyxel NWA50AX at the moment. I want to upgrade to WiFi 6E as I am getting symmetrical Gbit internet soon and the iPhone 15 should have 6E. I'd prefer to use my OPNsense router and have these in AP mode, but if I do this, will they run on different channels? I want them to run like a mesh, but hardwired.

​@@iambenmitchell Your problem may be due to signal overlap. Ultimately, your end-user device decides which access point (AP) to connect to. To address this, try increasing the distance between the two routers. In AP mode, the routers still function as a mesh system with either wireless backhaul or hardwire. No they won't run on different channels. The best way to connect them is by going from the router to the switch and then to the APs (Deco). If you have the Decos with 2.5G ports, you can utilize the full capacity of your APs, regardless of the number you have.

@@iambenmitchell a couple days back when I saw your question I enabled Fast Roaming, before that time I was not using Fast Roaming and had not really had any need for it. After doing some tests in my house, walking around while streaming and such and checking my Wireless connection with a WiFi Scanner, I do notice faster switchovers with Fast Roaming enabled. I use a OpenBSD system as router and with the Deco system in AP mode, all AP's still run on the same channel. I have a fully hardwired mesh of 4 AP's.

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks! It’s preferred to have both of those enabled but some IoT devices may not connect right away (you may need to reset those IOT devices and reconnect in the case they don’t work) so just as a heads up. Those are really the only settings and the 6GHz dedicated backhaul that are going to make a difference.

Glad it was information and thank you!

Thanks!

If you’re going wireless backhaul, the XE75 Pro is a good choice. If you are going wired backhaul, I would get the Deco X55 Pro since that has 2 fast ports

I would go wired if you can. The wireless backhaul speeds are relative, they will be slower if you have slower internet speeds

@@landpet Yep, I checked speed at the X55 router and it was full 300, at the two satellites it was 50 using wireless backhaul. Checked cables in the house and they are 5e so I connected one of the router Gigabit ports to the house and then connected the other 2 Mesh units to the distributed 5e. Now full 300 when checked at all nodes. Thanks for this great video and tips.

Glad to hear it

No problem, yeah it might be that, great price

@@landpet Ha - amazon cancelled my order. They must have erred on the price. Next day it was back available, for $250 ! LOL ! Went with the XE75 2pack for $235 - yep, cheaper than the X68 !

No problem. I don't have concrete walls to test that but all these tests were performed in the same environment so I expect the results will be similar to concrete walls relative to each other.

Thanks! As long as the cat5e can make it from one deco to another, then it's considered wired backhaul. Just as a heads up, cat5e is limited to gigabit speeds, I have seen it go faster for very short distances but it's rated for up to gigabit speeds. I go over all the ways of connecting an XE75 which is very similar to the Pro minus the 2.5Gbps port. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QVKRQDokkhE.html

Appreciate it! Thank you!

Very good price

WiFi 5 will also be good on these but won’t be as fast as WiFi 6 devices typically speaking. Thanks!

Glad it answered your questions!

Thanks!

TP-Link does have a ton of models and I was hoping this video would clear some things up.

@@landpet Thank you, went with XE75! Works like a charm.

No problem

XE75 is the better of the two especially if you’re considering using wireless backhaul

@@landpet Thank you. I ended up getting the XE75 as there was a big sale on a pack of two for $219. Yes I plan on doing WiFi backhaul and thank you again for making my decision easier with your thorough break down of all the products.

No problem. I have 60+ devices and all of these were fine with that.

why ?

Thanks! I have not tried that but in theory it is possible, you would need to setup the Deco as an access point system. I showed a glimpse of this option towards the end of the Deco app.

Glad it was helpful!

No problem

Mine is cat7

6GHz doesn't have great range, only downside

@@landpet Thank you for the reply. I have another question as well. If the router is tri-band(2.4ghz,5ghz and 6ghz) and I enable the guest network, wouldn't it need another band to create a new network? Will my main network get a performance hit if I enable guest network?

All devices will auto connect if you use the same wifi name and password. Both are case sensitive

Thanks. No plans as of now, I imagine it's an X55 with faster Ethernet support.

No problem! Good choice!

No problem! Short Answer: TP-Link LS1005G or TP-Link TL-SG105 (makes no difference), unmanaged switch is what most people need. Long Answer: You can buy any of the three but I personally wouldn't get a managed switch (TL-SG105MPE), you only need a managed switch if you're trying to do something specific like making a separate VLAN or controlling other devices. Most people want an unmanaged switch like the first two you mentioned. Getting an unmanaged switch, you can just plug it in to your Deco and you're good to go. No setup required, it's all automatic. I made a video on how to setup a Deco where I also show the unmanaged switches if you're interested: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QVKRQDokkhE.html Just as a heads up, you can buy any brand unmanaged switch, they will all work with the Deco.

To outdoor deco unit, yes as long as it’s within range

Thanks! I use a Netgear unmanaged switch, makes no difference in results. Tp link switch would be just as good.

@@landpet you’re most welcome, I’ve binge watched quite a few of your shows and think I’ve got the hang of it. You must be a teacher from how well explained your information is. From what I’ve learned from you is that a dual band Wi-Fi 6 for a wired nodes connection would be sufficient for my needs. (Deco X50) Your explanations saved me money and answered a ton of questions. Tri-band would have been useful if I was doing wireless nodes. Also knowing I don’t need a router and I can just plug into a node/router helps, you saved me around 300/400 $ Thanks!

Later WiFi standards typically means faster WiFi and more range with newer compatible devices. Also better wireless backhaul. Still backwards compatible

XE75 Pro is the better deal, you get more for your money. XE200 is the better mesh system, better specs basically. It really depends in your internet speeds, how many walls there are between mesh systems, how big your place is, etc. You can't go wrong with either system.

@@landpetthis is the exact same decision I have to make. Had a 2 pack XE75 Pro for a week and it’s been doing well on my 3gbps fiber connection. I’ve ordered the xe200 and will return the xe75 pro because I’m looking to get better speeds further away from the 2 nodes. Based on your testing it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a difference between the two in this regard. Would you recommend the xe200 over the xe75 pro for a 2000 sq ft townhouse with 3 floors and tons of walls (standard townhouse configuration)? Only other point I guess is that technically the 10gbps port on the xe200 would be able to max out the speed on my 3gbps plan (compared to the 2.5gbps port on the xe75 pro). Thanks for the review also…excellent stuff!

Either way works and is still considered wired backhaul

Thanks, I just run the tests and procide the results. There really shouldn't be a difference other than the 2.5Gbps port but I just report my findings

Glad to hear it!

No problem. The Deco is better but I forget the specifics, I did a video on it recently, feel free to skip around to find the info: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AEudD5uP-lk.html

Thanks!

Thanks, I don’t know the answer to that and I’m running another router now. So it’s not something I can test, granted I turn off notifications off otherwise I would get too many. If I had to take a guess, I would say I think it does notify.

no worries, thank you for the reply and the video! Which router did you move to out of curiosity? @@landpet

@@agentsmith64 oh I'm always testing new routers, currently on the TP Link Archer AXE300. Wrapping up with that so I can get the video out. Granted I have a couple videos before that. Next I will move to another Deco

Thanks! I use unmanaged switches and go through those without issues. I don’t know how the deco will play with managed switches with separate VLANs.

I use managed switches with these with VLANs. No problem whatsoever.

@@aquiveal Thanks for confirming!

Thanks! The range was pretty close, in theory it should be the same but you never know.

Anytime you use wired backhaul, it will typically be better than wireless backhaul even if you are mixing and matching. The goal is to typically use wired backhaul when possible.

Range means, I walk away from one node u til I no longer get a signal

You're welcome!

Thanks! Im running fiber optic as well. You can run a Deco with that, in fact I ahvent had any issues with any mesh system I've tested. Generally speaking, any mesh system should work as long as their is an Ethernet port coming out of your ONT

Thanks! Both very good

Yes they cannot be separated

Thanks! Yes, that would help with the speeds since the XE75 is limited to gigabit speeds.

Thanks! I haven’t done speed tests in AP mode, so can’t say

I explain everything here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QVKRQDokkhE.html short answer is you go modem -> deco -> switch

Great deal and great mesh

According to TP-Link, all Deco's are compatible with each other. You don't need to get an X50.

@landpet thank you! That's great news! I'll probably go for the X75 then

Glad you think so!

Thank you!

Nice!

I forget if the x50 has this option, it probably does but there’s a network optimization option in the last tab “more” tab. Try clicking that, it will switch channels automatically if it detects issues. I’ve done long term tests with some of the decos and haven’t had any issues.

Thanks! I haven't reviewed this but I may go with the Deco PX50 (amzn.to/43ktgFq) and they have a dedicated outdoor unit called the X50 outdoor (amzn.to/3rissDx) From the ones that I have reviewed, for the price XE75 is the best.

This is going to be a long explanation, it might be easier if I make a video on it. The simple answer is it's possible but only in an odd way, let's take the XE200. If you're home internet speeds are gigabit speeds or under, you could just plug your modem/ONT/etc to your gigabit port (instead of the 10Gbps) since all these Deco's have autosensing ports. Now if you do this, you can wired the 10Gbps to a 10Gbps switch and wire that to the other Deco 10Gbps switch. Now in this case, you can have LAN speeds of up to 10Gbps (assuming all your other hardware including cables support the speeds). However this will just speed up your LAN and not your Internet speeds. Your internet will be capped at Gigabit speeds because of your ISP and the Gigabit port on the Deco. Now let's take another scenario, your internet speeds are 10Gbps, well you have to go from your Modem/ONT/etc to your 10Gbps port on your Deco XE200, the problem with that is that now coming out of the Deco (since there is only one fast port on it), you are coming out at gigabit speeds because that 10Gbps port is being utilized to be connected to the modem. So anything passed the point will be capped to gigabit speeds. Now there is a workaround, which I haven't tried, but in theory it is possible. You could get a managed switch that supports 10Gbps speeds and connect your Modem/ONT/etc. to your Managed Switch (not unmanaged switch which is what I refer to most of the time when I say switch and in my setup videos). Now assuming that managed switch is properly setup (since it will require configuration), you can then go directly from that managed switch to each deco's 10Gbps port enabling a 10Gbps LAN. Now this is a scenario where you need another expensive piece of equipment which is outside what the Mesh comes with so I omit these explanations. I omit a lot of other explanations as well in an effort to make the videos as short as possible while giving the meat of the data to help people make informed decisions. BTW, this is one of my longest comment responses, and I do have to say that was a good question.

Yes

Thanks! Supposedly, all Deco's are compatible with each other so you can wire them to each other. I would use the best device as your main router.

@@landpet TY

It's a good mesh, as time goes on, multiple 2.5Gbps will become the new standard.

Your house is large, two is not enough for you to have plenty coverage around. From the choices you provided, I would go with the 3 pack X55 but what you really need at a minimum is a 3 pack XE75 (maybe even 4 pack) to have plenty of strong coverage around. If money is no object, I would recommend the Deco BE85 (3 pack) for fastest and strongest performance around.

Depends which deco, how big your place is and whether you're running wired or wireless backhaul. You can also start off with a 2 pack then add another in the future.

XE75 should be better however here's another option altogether, you can try using a MoCA 2.5 adapter assuming you have coax cables throughout the walls. With this method, you can get the X55 and it would still be great. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LsATjTMK5Uc.html

@@landpetI have Ethernet cable through the walls to make a wired backhaul. My concern is not about the backhaul, but about the wifi performance itself from the decos to the mobile devices.

Thanks, will do!

It doesn't matter, either way works. The only important note is that the deco router is connected directly to the modem. I also recently posted a deco xe75 setup guide where I talk about all the ways of connecting it. It applies to pretty much any mesh system.

Glad to hear that

Yes, it would be fine (wired backhaul does perform much better) and yes that is how you would connect it. I have setup guide video on the xe75 which is basically the same you setup the x20 if you’re interested. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QVKRQDokkhE.html

Yes I would go with the xe75