Thinking of moving from Eero to Deco BE85/BE95
Alright, so I'm new here but not new to mesh systems
I was one of the original customers of Eero when they introduced their mesh unit in 2014. I am currently using their 2nd Generation mesh system which supports WiFi 5.
I had written an email to the TP-LINK sales team with some questions, but they did not answer my email, which ultimately gave me a negative opinion of the brand.
However, thought I would come here and ask some questions in advance as the TP-LINK DECO BE85 or BE95 are in my sights, awaiting further price drops.
I have a very large multi-level home. Couldn't tell you what the square footage is, but I presently have 4 Eero units across the house, from the very top floor down to the basement.
If I replace my Eeros with TP-LINK DECO units, I plan to buy 3, perhaps 4 nodes. Two of those nodes will be connected to Ethernet, from the same router, at opposite ends of the house. I believe this is what is known as wired backhaul?
1. What is the main difference between the BE85 and BE95? I would assume total coverage, but will the more expensive BE95 give me faster speeds at WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 over what I am getting with my Eeros?
2. I would buy the 3-pack and possibly add 1 more node. Does the single BE85 and BE95 units perform as both a main unit that you connect to a router AND a wireless mesh node? In other words, is the single unit designated for router connection only?
3. Is placing a 3rd node on the bottom floor/basement a good idea? Will a unit at a low floor communicate with other mesh units higher up?
If anyone has real-world experience with these Deco units and would like to share how they are working in your home, it would greatly help with my purchasing decision.
In the meantime, I'll hope that TP-LINK sales gets around to answering my inquiry.
Thanks everyone!