@klarth 

I am NOT an expert, but a Beta Tester for TP-LINK 'occasionally'.

My comment is mine only, not TP-LINK or made with any knowledge of why, other than NetGear gave that as an excuse to me when on the R7000 and later R8000 they dropped some features to cram into RAM the money making Security stuff you PAY for. TP-Link has a similar HOME SHIELD as well.

Want the real TP-Link answer, CONTACT SUPPORT.

  @HelpFixDecoApp Thank you for this, but I suspect the answer will be similar to this and the other threads related to the Deco web UI:

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/782206

Which basically says that they intend for you to use an Android/iOS app, that at any date in the future could become unsupported/obsoleted, to manage your $500 USD router. To me that is just sheer insanity. I know I could install an Android emulator on my desktop, but I shouldn't have to. Putting aside the tediousness of managing MAC addresses that you have to copy/paste, or renaming devices, all on a mobile device, this is very concerning from a long term usability standpoint. If this were a one hundred dollar router geared for entry-level users who have no complicated requirements for their home network, this might be acceptable. But when it's something clearly geared for users that require advanced features, making it more difficult to actually use those features makes no sense at all.

It would seem you are largely correct. Of the major mesh router systems, only the Asus and possibly Orbi lines have actual usable web interfaces to manage their products (that I could find). I don't know at what point manufacturers decided to attach an effective expiration date to their hardware that means "whenever we give up on supporting product X, the consumer now has a paperweight", but this is where we are. It's a sad state of affairs that we have to basically wait for DD-WRT to provide the long-term sustainability of hardware that manufacturers have decided to block. Mine are still within the return window, and although the Deco has been reliable for the weeks I've had it, I don't think I can justify a $500 piece of network equipment that can't be managed through a browser the way devices manufactured 10 years ago could do with ease.

  @klarth When 6E routers started coming to market I started with the top of the line ASUS ROG GT-AXE11000 after a bad experience with Linksys Hydra and Ethernet loop (my fault I must confess).  I then proceeded to get the GT-AXE16000.  When we finally got the brand spanking new release MacBook Pro with 6E WiFi, I could not get it to work.  I ended up getting a TP-Link RE815XE, which did work with his MacBook, either right out of the box, or after a firmware update.  Then I copied over the settings that were different, and low and behold I had it working with the two ASUS routers.

TP-Link markets DECO to people who want a more plug and play experience.  If you want/need all those configuration settings, then yes get a ZenWiFi product.  (I highly recommend you note any configuration settings down so you can copy them over if needed, before you return the DECO set)...

  @jzchen Thanks for the suggestions. I do still have my old XT8s that I may switch back to temporarily while I wait for a good deal on a WiFi7 mesh alternative. It's just such a shame because the Deco *does* have all of the features I would use, but no convenient way to utilize them/manage the device. It's like selling a car that has a moon roof, but there's no button in the car, and instead you have to install an app from Honda to use it. If they had sold the Deco with fewer features (and thus more clearly marketed for "plug and play" type users) then there probably wouldn't be as many confused/frustrated users who are just expecting the style of control that we've had for decades prior.