Similarities and Differences of Deco Models

With so many different Deco products it can be difficult to really compare them. The aim of this article is to try and show the differences between the Deco models. Even though the various models may have different form factors or speeds, they all still work as a complete mesh network to provide you a network that will enable seamless connection no matter where you are.

 

In a typical household a user would need to either manually connect to another access point or wait until the phone loses signal to connect to the nearest one. With a Deco mesh network, seamless roaming is implemented so you will always maintain connection no matter where you move throughout your residence. This is done by utilizing 802.11k/v/r protocols while other brands will only utilize 802.11k/v protocols. The significance of implementing 802.11r is the customer experiencing a true seamless experience rather than waiting for the phone to connect to a new network.

 

 

  

 

 

Adaptive Routing TP-Link Mesh Technology dynamically chooses the best route and band for your data, guaranteeing a fast connection no matter where you are in the home.

 

 

 

Self-Healing mitigates losing nework connectivity by automatically rerouting data via the other Decos to make sure you stay online.

 

 

 

Comparison Chart

In referencing the chart below, the sections highlighted with red text indicates a feature or specification that makes that one aspect different from all the others.

 

*Notes*

-About HomeCare: https://www.tp-link.com/us/homecare/

-The wireless speeds are the theoretical max speeds. Actual speeds depend on factors such as distance, signal interference, and environment.

 

 

Deco M9 Plus – Dedicated 5GHz Band

Compared to the other Deco units, the Deco M9 has a dedicated 5GHz band which improves speed transfers to other nodes. The picture below will show how the backhaul is utilized. If the Ethernet backhaul is used, the wireless backhaul will be disabled.

 

 

 

Deco P7 – AV600 Powerline

The Deco P7 has a dedicated backhaul like the Deco M9 Plus, but it takes a different approach rather than a Wi-Fi band. This concept is similar in which the powerline connection is used to increase the speed that the nodes talk to each other. The Deco will take into account which avenues it has for transferring data to one another and pick the fastest approach.

 

 

 

Mixing Deco Models

You can set up different Deco models with each other. It is strongly recommended to use the priory tier suggested below to ensure you have the greatest number of features available.

Deco M9 Plus > Deco P7 > Deco M5 > Deco M4R > Deco E4R.

The display below demonstrates how a Deco network would communicate in a mixed environment with one another, and one that follows the suggested priority tier. You will be able to have up to 10 Deco units running in your home network so getting the coverage you need will not be an issue.