TP-Link Deco Mesh WiFi System (Deco S4) – Up to 5,500 Sq.ft. Coverage, Replaces WiFi Router and Extender, Gigabit Ports, Works with Alexa, 3-pack
[{'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "we moved during the pandemic and all of a sudden had to accommodate 4 children and 2 adults all needing Internet access at the same time. We had around 30 connected devices. We replaced our combined router/cable modem/wifi with a separate Arris Surfboard dedicated cable modem and used this product to do meshed wifi throughout our house.\n\nBefore setup we were getting continued wifi drops which often interuppted video calls even when we were in the basement with the wifi. After setup it now works seamlessly across our 3 floors and loft in our nearly 8000 square feet house... even extending into the yard. was expecting to need more than 3 but it did the job.\n\nI think our prior issue was a combo of mixing the wifi with the router/modem and having two many devices connected at once (I was able to connect directly via an ethernet cable and work fine before so it wasn't our Internet connection).\n\nthe app is easy to use and provides good info. I haven't toyed around with the QOS aspects or parental controls yet but was surprised it had the options. look easy to just turn a device on or off.\n\nInstall was super easy (most smart products are now though)\n\nHighly recommend this... no need to go pricier."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I have Verizon FIOS bundled service, so I have my TV, phone and internet all-in-one. While I do love FIOS, one of the negatives is that I had to use their bundled Gateway modem/router because of my TV and phone services. My house does have a wired ethernet network running thru it, which is great for all my desktop PC\'s and Home Theater setup, but the FIOS Gateway router\'s WiFi performance didn\'t adequately cover my three floor house (the FIOS modem is in my garage, next to my home wired-network box). To help solve this issue, I tried using the very well reviewed Netgear EX6200 range extender, but I could never get reliable performance out of it...random drops, slow speeds...it just didn\'t seem to like working with my FIOS router.\n\nIn looking for a better solution, my research led me to looking into Mesh networking, especially as these systems (supposedly) would not need to bypass my FIOS modem...it would work with it, just taking over the WiFi functions. I was apprehensive, so I wanted a cost effective product. Tp-Link\'s Deco series have gotten rave reviews and their latest S4-series was actually cheaper than the previous M4-series, so I took the plunge.\n\nGetting the Deco S4 up and running is so much simpler than traditional WiFi extenders and boosters...download the TP-Link mobile app, launch it, pick your TP-Link product and it guides you through the whole process. There were some hiccups during installation, mainly where the app failed in finding the S4 devices on the first pass, but hitting the Try Again button solved the issue. The S4 router unit (all three are identical) simply plugs into any open port on the back of the FIOS modem. Once the Mesh network is setup on this S4 router, you can now easily add the other units throughout your home using the app. The app has a lot of functionality...you can set-up usage profiles, "Blacklist" devices from using your network, monitor network health and utilization, etc. Two other benefits with the S4 Deco units are that each includes two auto-sensing Gigabit ethernet ports (useful for network switches/hubs or plugging in non-WiFi devices, etc.) and that they are compatible with all TP-Link WiFi devices, so expansion and upgrades are easy.\n\nCoverage is excellent. The big benefit to a Mesh network is that all the S4 units are essentially operating as one...so, as you move throughout your house (or even outside!), your devices simply pick-up the strongest signal from the best available S4 router. You don\'t need to manually switch from network to network like you would with a traditional WiFi extender. Speeds are surprisingly fast. I only have FIOS 100/100 service, but I am getting WiFi speeds of 100+ Mbps on my ground and third floors (both S4 units are wired) and almost a full 80 Mbps on my second floor with a non-wired S4 unit. Outside on my back deck, speed drops to "only" 60 Mbps...incredible! I spent about 4 hours stress testing the network and found it to be rock solid...very consistent and dependable WiFi performance.\n\nIf there were two things I\'d list as negatives, they would be the lack of a web-based network tool/programmer (everything has to be done on the mobile app) and that there was a way to identify/isolate usage between the 2.4 and 5.0 bands.\n\nThis is a long review, but to sum it up, the Deco S4 is a great product. It\'s simple to set-up, works with your existing modem (a HUGE plus for Verizon FIOS users), doesn\'t act like a bottleneck and offers a huge area of coverage. And there\'s the very nice price. I finally feel like I\'m getting all the WiFi I\'m supposed to be getting!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I had an Amazon eero three point mesh router that constantly gave me "connected, no internet" problems--because I believe the router often would not assign an IP address to a connected device. Happened with IoS, Mac OS and windows. It also would not connect certain Internet-of-things devices like my Ring doorbell or a webcam--perhaps because these devices were 2.4 ghz only--but the eero does have both a 5 ghz and 2.4 ghz network, so not sure what the problem was (form internet searches, I know I was not the only one having problems connecting the ring to the eero).\n\nDid some further research, bought this tp-link product, and both problems I had with the eero went away. Coverage and speed are fantastic. Setup very similar to the eero. eero\'s form factor and app may be slightly more polished, but that is not a substitute for the fantastic functionality and instant connectivity of this tp-link router.\n\nWhen you are looking at mesh routers, you might want to give extra point to the ones made by long-time networking companies, like netgear (orbi) and tp-link, as opposed to the ones from amazon (eero) and google (nest). Apple got out networking two years ago.\n\nOne small point--when power cycling the router and modem (hey, sometimes you have to do it), you have to disconnect the ethernet between the modem and the router as well, not just the power.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Read the privacy policy in the manual before you purchase. You can only install the device if you agree with the manufacturer\'s "privacy" policy. The policy includes the automatic download of user data, including internet use and much more. Why not just allow the customer the option to use the product without having to give their use data to the manufacturer? I did not install and sent it back. I will find another router.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'This mesh unit is great, covers our whole house.\nHowever Security Encryption is POOR\nIn a environment where everyone in our development is on WiFi, I don’t want them in OUR WiFi\nIt does NOT support WPA AES encryption only the weaker TKIP which is broken.\nIt does NOT support WP3 which is a 2020 standard.\n\nAs for Support another flaw is you CANNOT select the 2.4 or 5 GHz channels.\nThe Deco picks and if it picks poorly and there is interference from neighbors it CANNOT be changed.\nSupport has known about this AND THE AES issue since 2019 and has done NOTHING.\n\nThe answer for Every Engineering issue is “We will pass the information along”\nAs a router it CANNOT be configured locally or through a Web interface only with an IOS app.\n\nThe latest Apple updates (iOS 14) and MacOS will now flags this product as having Weak Security\nThe whole DECO line regardless of model is an orphan product.\nIf your looking for coverage it’s great\nProduct security and support look elsewhere.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Bought this item under the assumption that it was not necessary to use the app and sign up for the tp link cloud and that I could just use a web interface like every other router and access point on the planet. Nope. There is no way around signing up for their app and cloud BS and the web interface is a joke. It\'s little more than a status display. It may sound tinfoil hat\'ish but I am an IT guy so I am always concerned about my network security at home and this cloud service is likely based in China meaning that they have access to any information I put in which is not my idea of secure. This is unfortunate because I liked the idea of using "desktop" style mesh access points in my home but I will just have to install other wireless access points instead or buy a competitors product that doesn\'t require me to sign up for anything to be able to use it.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "Man, I replaced my aweful Google WIFI with the Deco P9. It was easy. There isn't really too much to say. We have 4 people streaming, gaming and browsing all day, every day. And there aren't any issues. Mobile devices travel across access points in the mesh throughout the house. There are no dead spots even though we have thick, old walls. I have WIFI in the front yard, in the back yard and back in the parking area. That was all I needed. I am a little surprised that a cheaper solution replaced a garbage, expensive, non-solution from one of the largest companies in the world.\n\nI was concerned after watching all of the videos and discovering that there was a configuration issue that would make it problematic for older devices to connect to the mesh network. However, when I installed everything, there was a firmware update that resolved the issue of not having separate 2.4Ghz/5Ghz bands. My Ring doorbell, thermostat and old firestick work just fine. I believe it had to do with that update.\n\nIf you have dead spots in your house. If you purchased Google WIFI, but the pucks don't communicate with one another, even if in the same room. If you have thick walls. If you have multiple floors and limited places to situate network hardware. This is the most perfect solution. I would know. I've spent thousands on expensive, overly huge routers. They didn't work as well or as simply as this. I'm quite happy with it."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'It\'s decent, when it works. But most of the time it\'s not decent. I bought this with the intent that this might be overkill for my small-ish house (~1600 sq ft). The app is fine, pretty dumbed down, but fine. Having deployed dozens of firetide mesh networks, I like a bit more IT focused control (seeing signal strength and QOS across bands and seeing how the power line back line haul is working), but for the average consumer it is fine. But I don\'t like being IT support when I am at home. I just want stuff that works so I don\'t have to hear "the internet is not working", and I heard that the internet was not working plenty. I had one mesh node consistently loose signal (<30ft from the base and tertiary unit) and I constantly had chromecast devices drop off as well as laptops and other devices. I have one Android TV unit 3\' from the base unit that routinely (every 30 minutes or so) had to have the wifi cycled on/off to maintain service. It\'s a headache. Just don\'t buy it.\n\nUPDATE: So I went with another home mesh system and after having installed that new system with a node in the same location as the one that kept dropping off with the TP-Link, I notice even more how bad the TP-Link and software really are. The new system has a similarly simplified interface, but does tell me how the signal strength is doing and its 2-node system has excellent signal strength even in the position with the node that kept dropping off with the TP_link. The one device that I kept having to restart the wifi on (and that I thought might be the device malfunctioning), no longer has any issues. And I now get the full speed 400Mbs symmetrical over wifi throughout the house with the new system too, where the TP_link topped out at 100Mbs (actually closer to 90-ish download only....). And the new system took me about 15 minutes to set up and forget about, because it just works.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'The main thing I don\'t like about it is you can\'t change the WiFi channels nor how wide they are. 2.4GHz is a 40MHz channel. This is typically a huge no-no especially in congested areas. On top of this, the center channel is 8 which I can not change! This is 110% redicuolous and shows that they didn\'t have anyone who knows networking create the UI! I am contending for unused capacity across the ENTIRE 2.4GHz range!!!\n\nIt\'s\' counter intuitive but because of WiFi congestion a 20MHz channel centered on 1, 6, or 11 is going to be significantly faster for me. Best I can get because of congestion is 30~45Mbps on a 20MHz channel. Because this Deco S4 is 40MHz on Channel 8 it has a hard time breaking 10Mbps. Shoot, even a 40MHz channel on 1, 6, or 11 would be faster.\n\nIm giving it one star because of this. Once an update gives us an "advance wifi settings" page that lets us tweak these settings I\'d give it a solid 4 stars.\n\nAlso, if you use it in router mode, Im still not sure what CPU is in the thing, but it seems pretty weak. I\'d be concerned with it bogging down if you have too many sessions going on.\n\nLuckily my client doesn\'t have neighboring wifi so 40MHz on whatever channel doesn\'t matter. The coverage is pretty solid too.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "Replaced an apple airport network when I had to work from home because its an old adobe and\nbrick house Southwester house with a modern addition in back. We were getting up to 150 mbps in the addition but my office was getting less than 5 mbps at the other end of the house. Read the reviews on Amazon and other sites and the choice seemed to be between a more expensive 3 channel mesh system or a cheaper two channel system. Then I spotted this PowerLine version for a bit more than the 2 channel system that specifically mentioned that it worked with thick walls. We have brick, adobe and plaster walls between the cable and my computer. Installed the new network and I'm getting 70-90 mbps in the office now. It works well and it was setup in less than 30 minutes as I played with placement of the two remote units around the house."}]