Mesh WiFi is the in thing to get if you have a large home and you need to get WiFi to every corner of it. The catch is that mesh WiFi is usually expensive. But TP-Link is here to change this with the Deco AC1200 M4 Whole Home Wi-Fi system. I got a two node system to test out and here’s a look at one of the nodes:
It’s a tower that looks really looks good and will fit into any decor. Oh and you can get any color you want as long as it is white.
They also have a pair of gigabit Ethernet jacks. One can be used to connect to your ISP’s modem. The other you can use to plug a wired device into it.
As for specs, TP-Link brings the following to the table:
- 802.11 ac/n/a 5 GHz, IEEE 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz
- 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz
- 867 Mbps on 5 GHz
- Router/ Access Point Mode
- Optional Ethernet Backhaul
- Guest network
- MU-MIMO
- Auto Path Selection
- Self-Healing
- AP Steering
- Band Steering
- Beamforming
- Compatible with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT
These are very solid specs. The only thing that is missing is a web based GUI for nerds like me. In the absence of that, you have to use the Deco app to do the setup which is dead easy. The app is available in iOS and Android flavors and from unpacking to having both units fully operational, it took me less than 1 hour. The mobile app does an excellent job taking you step by step on how to configure each device, and the entire setup worked flawlessly. This should be something that anybody can do without outside help. I also performed the first firmware update on the nodes directly from the mobile app as well and that too was easy.
In terms of coverage, two units which should be good for 3800 sq feet of space had no trouble covering my sub 1000 sq ft condo with surprisingly speedy WiFi. I was able to stream 4K video for example to my TCL TV without a hiccup. The app also has options for anti-virus protection, parental controls, and a quality of service. That way you can control access, protect yourself, and tweak things to get the best performance.
That all sounds great. But do I have any gripes? Well, other than the lack of a web interface, not much that I could find during my testing. Given that the price is $235.99 CAD for three nodes on Amazon, $169.99 CAD on Amazon for two nodes, $127.99 CAD on Amazon for 1 node, this is the best value for mesh WiFi that I am aware of. The Deco AC1200 M4 Whole Home Wi-Fi system deserves a good look.