TP-Link Deco P9 Review

Mesh Wi-Fi methods are the entire rage in this day and age, providing a user-friendly method to prolong and give a boost to Wi-Fi efficiency throughout the house with no need to make use of traumatic vary extenders. But whilst Mesh Wi-Fi works properly, it will probably nonetheless combat to transmit via thick partitions, growing lifeless spots in the house.

Thankfully, the TP-Link Deco P9 has spectacular tech below the hood that are supposed to lend a hand negate the problem, offering a forged, dependable wi-fi connection all the way through the house.

It’s a tall drink of water

The Deco P9 is available in a pack of 2 or 3, and each and every unit is similar – there isn’t a ‘major’ unit and different issues like some mesh Wi-Fi methods.

The cylindrical P9 gadgets themselves are in large part nondescript, even supposing we will have to admit they’re so much taller than the likes of the Google Nest Wi-Fi and Tenda MW6. That manner the gadgets stand out within the room, and the truth that they just are available one end – white – manner you’ll more than likely realize them regardless of the place they’re positioned.

Atop each and every unit, you’ll discover a grille within the form of the TP-Link brand, with a sparkling brand within the centre that doubles as a standing indicator for simple troubleshooting if one thing is going mistaken. Don’t fear, TP-Link understands that LED lighting may also be traumatic – particularly if positioned in a bed room – and integrated an choice within the smartphone app that allows you to disable the indicator all through the evening.  

On the rear of each and every Deco unit you’ll in finding an Ethernet port, offering a strong stressed out connection for PCs, consoles and every other Ethernet-equipped tool it’s possible you’ll wish to connect with the web. It would possibly sound like a fundamental function that’s no longer value citing, however you’d be stunned at what number of mesh Wi-Fi methods don’t be offering the capability.

The Deco P9 is probably not probably the most fashionable choice to be had, nevertheless it greater than makes up for it when it comes to smarts and gear.  

A breeze to arrange and use

Like maximum Mesh Wi-Fi networks, the Deco P9 is extremely easy to arrange; you merely obtain the Deco app for iOS or Android, plug the gadgets in, attach a unit for your router and observe the directions within the app to arrange the Wi-Fi community. In our case, setup took not than 5 mins and there have been no problems all through the method.

Once arrange, you’ll start to arrange the more than a few options of the Deco P9 machine. Via the app you’ll simply create a visitor community, blacklist explicit gadgets from connecting to the web, prioritise gadgets (like consoles and streaming gadgets) and, most significantly for households, parental controls.

You can create a separate profile for each and every circle of relatives member and affiliate gadgets to each and every account, and from that time you’ll regulate more than a few sides like restricting the time spent on-line and blockading get right of entry to to classes of web sites or explicit websites. You will even observe person surfing historical past to be sure that your little ones aren’t occurring web sites they shouldn’t be.  

There’s additionally integration with Amazon Alexa, permitting you to totally close off web get right of entry to at fundamental occasions – like dinner – along with your voice.

There’s energy below the hood

Of direction, it’s all concerning the Wi-Fi connectivity, and the Deco P9 has a trick up its sleeve. Unlike maximum mesh methods, the P9 combines each AC1200 Mesh Wi-Fi and AV1000 Powerline features, the use of your house’s electric wiring to create a more potent connection between the person Deco gadgets to give a boost to no longer solely the community pace however the balance and vary too, with TP-Link claiming the three-pack Deco machine can quilt a space of as much as 6000 sq. foot – greater than sufficient for many houses.

The Wi-Fi and Powerline aggregate additionally manner the Deco P9 machine flourishes in a space the place conventional mesh Wi-Fi methods combat; transmitting between thick partitions. We’re no longer pronouncing you gained’t realize any distinction as you place far between you and the Deco gadgets, nevertheless it’s no doubt higher than what we’ve skilled with the mesh-only Tenda MW6 machine and is sponsored up by means of our benchmark effects.

The Deco P9 too can attach as much as 100 gadgets, very best for good house fans. We don’t have 100 gadgets to check the declare, however we do have round 30 hooked up at anybody time and we’ve no longer spotted any connectivity problems throughout smartphones, tablets, consoles, good house devices or the rest we’ve were given hooked up to the Mesh Wi-Fi machine.

In reality, the one actual drawback to the Deco P9 machine in 2022 is the loss of Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6e strengthen, providing fast – however no longer rather next-gen – Wi-Fi 5 speeds. 

Now, directly to the all-important benchmark effects.

We examined the three-pack Deco P9 machine in 4 puts in an ordinary three-bed terraced house. We began off proper subsequent to the router, positioned in a room upstairs on the entrance of the home. We then moved into the bed room subsequent door at a distance of 5m, ahead of going downstairs to the rear of the home and, in any case, into the lawn for without equal take a look at of vary and community pace.

Compared to the mesh-enabled Google Nest Wi-Fi, which crowned out at 400Mbps, the Deco P9’s 609Mbps provides extra bang to your greenback, nevertheless it deteriorated as we made our method via the home. Bear in thoughts that Wi-Fi benchmarks are solely designed to provide you with an concept of efficiency, and it’s possible you’ll recover – or worse – efficiency relying on more than a few components together with the format of your house, Wi-Fi channel congestion and extra.

Either method, it’s nonetheless a vital growth in comparison to the Virgin Media Hub 3, which struggled to handle a connection on the rear of our space and didn’t achieve our lawn in any respect.

	Virgin Media Hub 3	TP-Link Deco P9
1m	541Mbps	609Mbps
5m with wall	315Mbps	444Mbps
Downstairs close to the rear of the home	40Mbps	368Mbps
Garden	–	100Mbps

Pricing and availability

The TP-Link Deco P9 machine isn’t as pricey as some triple-unit choices out there, costing £199.99 from the likes of Amazon and Currys in the United Kingdom. For the ones with smaller houses, TP-Link additionally provides a smaller two-pack at a more affordable £149.99.

Though it wasn’t to be had at release, the Deco P9 is now that can be purchased in america – however solely within the authentic three-pack version. It’ll set you again $199.99, and it is to be had from Amazon. 

While it would no longer have the Google Assistant smarts of the £239/$269 Google Nest Wi-Fi or Alexa integration just like the £329/$429 Netgear Orbi Voice, the Deco P9 is extra budget-friendly and gives distinctive options that give a boost to wi-fi connectivity, the function that in reality issues.

To get a greater thought of the mesh Wi-Fi marketplace, check out our choice of the most efficient Mesh Wi-Fi methods.

Verdict

The Deco P9 would possibly no longer have probably the most conspicuous design, however that’s a slightly minor grievance. The aggregate of mesh Wi-Fi and Powerline tailored by means of the Deco P9 is a big bonus, providing each spectacular speeds and a strong connection – despite the fact that thick partitions. It helps as much as 100 gadgets at anybody time, and each and every unit options ethernet ports to attach stressed out gadgets the place important.

The accompanying app, in contrast to some opposite numbers, is well-built and user-friendly, providing the facility to customize the Wi-Fi community, create a set of parental controls, prioritise explicit gadgets and extra. You’ve even were given get right of entry to to a per 30 days web connectivity file if you wish to have – it’s area of interest, admittedly, nevertheless it’s there if you wish to have it.

Most importantly, it blankets the house in Wi-Fi, totally getting rid of any lifeless spots you will have and – like in our case – extending protection additional than ever ahead of.  

The solely drawback? It misses out at the quicker Wi-Fi 6 strengthen, that means more moderen gadgets would possibly not run at their theoretical most sensible speeds. 

Specs

TP-Link Deco P9: Specs

• AC1200 Wi-Fi + HomePlug AV1000
• Mesh Wi-Fi and Powerline hybrid connectivity
• Qualcomm Quad-Core CPU
• iOS & Android app
• Ethernet port
• Compatible with Alexa and IFTTT
• as much as 6000ft vary
• Supports 100 gadgets

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