Wi-Fi 6 even in the bathroom and attic. We are checking the new Wi-Fi mesh network TP-Link Deco X60

If you have enough problems with the Wi-Fi network at home, you do not quite know technical techniques, and you would like to configure the network once and forget about it for years, I have something for you. Wi-Fi mesh TP-Link Deco X60 can be a very good idea.

My home Wi-Fi network is based on a mesh system, specifically TP-Link Deco M4 routers . Exactly a year ago I tested this set in Spider's Web and I liked it so much that after sending the test copy to the manufacturer, I bought my own. The configuration took a few minutes and since then I have not had any problems with the internet, so I'm more than satisfied.

TP-Link showed a new mesh network system, which I decided to test with great curiosity. It is based on the new TP-Link Deco X60 routers, a completely new generation of devices that provide support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard (also known as 802.11 ax). This means a maximum transmission speed of 3000 Mb / s. In practice, Deco X60 routers provide 574 Mb / s in the 2.4 GHz band and 2402 Mb / s in the 5 GHz band.

How does the Wi-Fi mesh network work?

At the beginning it is worth recalling what a Wi-Fi mesh is actually. It is a solution created for large areas of apartments, premises or houses. The main purpose of the Wi-Fi mesh network is to ensure stable coverage throughout the home and eliminate dead zones.

If you have a small apartment, Wi-Fi is not a problem, because usually one router does the trick. The larger the area of ​​the house, the more difficult it is to configure the network, especially if new routers need to be attached to it. I didn't realize it myself until I moved home.

This is where mesh networks appear, i.e. sets of routers extremely simple to configure. The mesh network actually creates itself, just connect additional devices to the power supply. A good mesh network itself ensures smooth switching of devices between routers, even when we move from room to room or from floor to floor.

In the case of the mesh network, smartphones, laptops and other devices see only one network to which they are constantly connected. Each physical router behaves as if it were just a new antenna.

The test set is TP-Link Deco AX3000. Contains three Deco X60 routers.

The set includes three routers, three power supplies and one network cable.

Network configuration is very simple. Everything is done via the TP-Link Deco mobile application available on Android and iOS. The application guides us step by step. Start by switching off your modem and connecting it to a Deco X60 router with an Ethernet cable. The router also need to plug it into a power outlet.

After enabling the modem, the automatic network configuration process takes place. The only elements that need to be completed are the network name and password. All the rest can be left on the default settings, although we can edit the connection type (dynamic or static IP) or MAC address.

In my case, after a few clicks on the "next" button, the network was correctly set up and configured practically without my participation. In the next steps, we can add more Deco X60 devices to extend the network coverage. Just plug them into a power outlet and choose the option to add a new Deco in the application. The configuration takes about a minute. Each new Deco device must be added separately.

TP-Link Deco X60 routers are very minimalist devices.

I really liked the new look of the devices. They are definitely smaller than my Deco M4. The small white roller is nice enough to stand in a visible place and not to spoil the interior design. There are no antennas here or pilgrimage gaming look.

Routers have one diode at the front. It indicates the status of the connection. The LED may be on or off at night. We can also give it up completely.

Minimalism, unfortunately, does not concern the appearance itself, but also the possibilities. On the back, each router has only two Ethernet ports, which can cause problems. In the main router one port is busy connecting to the modem, so only one socket is free. In my home office, it was occupied by a NAS disk, so I couldn't connect anything else to the router.

The problem also arises in the living room, where I would like to have a physical connection between the TV and two consoles. In practice, one of the consoles had to settle for a Wi-Fi connection.

Devices connected via the Ethernet port appear on the network immediately. During the tests I did not come across any problems.

How does the TP-Link Deco X60 system work?

According to the manufacturer, three TP-Link Deco X60 routers cover an area of ​​up to 650 sq m. I don't have such a large premises, but there was no blind spot at 132 sq m. Even in closed bathrooms, Wi-Fi worked perfectly. The devices also provided a stable connection in the garden.

Unfortunately, I was not able to test the maximum speeds of 2400 Mb / s. My internet connection provides download speeds of 300 Mb / s and uploads up to 600 Mb / s.

On a Wi-Fi connection, speeds in open rooms were around 290 Mb / s when downloading and around 560 when sending. Slightly worse was in the bathrooms, where the download was about half lower and the upload dropped by about 30 percent.

By the way, the Deco application has a built-in link speed measurement, but it is extremely optimistic. Real measurements show lower transfers.

I also measured the signal level in each room. In rooms with routers, the signal strength was around –25 to –35 dBm. In the bathrooms with the least coverage, these values ​​were –58 dBm. Of course, network performance depends on the layout of the rooms and the materials used to build the house. Reinforced concrete ceilings are always a big obstacle to coverage.

According to the manufacturer, the Deco X60 system allows you to connect 150 devices at the same time. In my case it was about 20 devices, and the whole thing worked flawlessly.

The mobile application allows you to manage your mesh network.

The network settings in the TP-Link Deco application are not overly extensive. It is a typically user-oriented solution that would like to configure the network once and forget about it completely.

With interesting additions, the application allows you to enable parental controls for individual devices and define QoS (Quality of Service). There is also an antivirus, i.e. a filter for harmful content with an attack protection system that works at the level of the entire network. You can also turn on the guest network, with a separate network name and password.

In summary, if you need a Wi-Fi mesh network based on the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard, the TP-Link solution is worth recommending.

TP-Link Deco X60 is one of the first routers to support Wi-Fi 6. Being the first user of a new technology is usually expensive, and so it is in this case. The cost of the Deco AX3000 set consisting of three Deco X60 routers is PLN 1999. At this price, we get coverage of even a very large house and complete maintenance-free network.

Is it worth it On the one hand, for a similar price you can complete a set with similar performance and a much larger range of settings, but it will require knowledge and experience. With TP-Link mesh, we pay more, but we avoid nerves and save time. We also need to accept a small number of network options.

On the other hand, you can buy cheaper mesh models (including from TP-Link), but operating in the older Wi-Fi standard. At the moment Wi-Fi 6 is a curiosity, but in a few years it will be a common standard. If you want to build a home network and avoid replacing it in 2, 3 or 4 years, TP-Link Deco X60 will be a good choice. As long as you can afford the expense of about 2 thousand. zł.

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Wi-Fi 6 even in the bathroom and attic. We are checking the new Wi-Fi mesh network TP-Link Deco X60