TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review
Our Verdict
While its security software and an easy installation app distinguish the Deco M9 Plus from the mesh networking crowd, its otherwise midrange performance is marred by sometimes erratic behavior.
For
- Home Automation connections
- Simple, straight-forward setup
- Network security software
Against
- Erratic beliefs
- Need to use TP-Link Deco app
- Can't use USB port
Tom's Guide Verdict
While its security software and an easy installation app distinguish the Deco M9 Plus from the mesh networking crowd, its otherwise midrange operation is marred by sometimes erratic behavior.
Pros
- +
Home Automation connections
- +
Unproblematic, directly-forward setup
- +
Network security software
Cons
- -
Erratic beliefs
- -
Need to use TP-Link Deco app
- -
Can't utilize USB port
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus primal specs
Wi-Fi Spec: 802.11ac
Number of Antennas/Removable: 8/No
Ports: Ii 1Gbps LAN, USB ("reserved"), power
Processor/Retention/Storage: Quad-core ARM 717Mhz/512MB/4GB
WiFi Scrap: Qualcomm IPQ4019
Peak 802.11ac Performance: 570.5Mbps
Range: 70 feet, router only
Size: 6.0 by half-dozen.0 past 1.5 inches
With a simple, easy setup and the power to distribute an cyberspace connexion while controlling everything from your smart locks to thermostats, nosotros found that the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus Smart Home Mesh Wi-Fi Organization ($450 for three units) can do it all.
The Deco M9 Plus can suffer from somewhat erratic performance and you'll need to do everything through the company'southward phone and tablet app. But it also comes with robust built-in security, and finds a spot on our list of the all-time mesh Wi-Fi systems thanks to it's excellent alloy of convenience and security.
Editor's Annotation: We periodically update our reviews to make sure that pricing and information is upwards to date. The rating and recommendations in our TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review is unchanged from when it originally published in February of 2017.
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review: Blueprint
If you like your Wi-Fi gear small and plentiful, TP-Link's Deco M9 Plus Smart Domicile Mesh Wi-Fi System should be right up your networking alley. Like Eero and Samsung'south SmartThings, the Deco M9 Plus devices are white disks, simply at 6.0 x 6.0 10 1.5 inches, they're twice equally big as Eero's devices (4.8 10 four.8 x 1.3 inches). The Deco M9 Plus units are nonetheless easy to hide and third-party wall-mounting brackets are readily available.
Y'all tin can buy Deco M9 Plus units two at a time ($300) or in a three-pack ($450), that TP-Link says are expert for iv,500 square feet and half dozen,500 square feet, respectively. Yous can utilize up to 10 Deco M9 Plus units for a mansion-size network but you can't buy them individually.
The Deco M9 Plus disks are the same and become turned into a router or extension during the set-up process. Each has a swirl on top that is capped with an LED that glows yellow when the organization is starting upwards, pulses bluish when information technology's ready to be configured and goes solid blueish when it's existence configured. When it's green, everything is proficient, only a red light ways in that location's a problem with its internet connection.
Within, the Deco M9 Plus has a tri-band 802.11ac networking system that can motility four independent lanes of data. Each of its 5GHz bands are rated to handle up to 867Mbps, while the single 2.4GHz aqueduct tin can move 400Mbps. It carries an AC2300 throughput ranking and, like the Orbi family of mesh products, the Deco M9 Plus uses a defended 5GHz back channel to move information from an extension to the router.
Of its viii internal antennas, six are for Wi-Fi work. At that place's also a Bluetooth one for setup and a Zigbee 1 for connecting to dwelling-automation products.
Forth the dorsum is a ability port (pitiful, no power switch), two gigabit-per-second Ethernet connections as well every bit a USB plug; normally these ports are used for connecting printers or storage devices, but TP-Link says it'due south reserved for time to come utilize. At that place'southward also a recessed reset switch for returning the system to its manufactory software and settings.
Similar many other TP-Link devices, the Deco M9 Plus kit comes with HomeCare online security. Based on Tendency Micro's threat database, it can prevent malware from entering the network, go along intruders out and quarantine any infected organisation. You get three years of protection with the Deco M9 Plus, merely it lacks the device-level security software provided past Asus' Blue Cave and Norton Core.
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review: Functioning
Similar some of its mesh competitors, the Deco M9 Plus uses Qualcomm'south IPQ 4019 Wi-Fi control chip that combines 512MB of RAM, 4GB of solid-state storage for firmware settings and updates. Controlled by a 717MHz quad-core processor, the Deco M9 Plus can accommodate more than 100 simultaneous connections and dynamically streamlines the data menstruum.
In our Utah test facility, using Ixia's ixChariot criterion software, the Deco M9 Plus' performance was in the middle of the pack but sometimes showed erratic behavior. Its slow updating of the app'southward screens was a bespeak of frustration.
To start, it was able to deliver 570.5Mbps to a client 5 feet from the router. That's behind the Netgear Orbi RBR50 (607Mbps), but alee of Samsung'south SmartThings (539.9Mbps), Linksys' Velop (552.1Mbps) and Google Wifi (464.4Mbps). Every bit the distance increased to 15 anxiety, the available bandwidth dropped slightly to 568.6Mbps. That's 14 percent ahead of the SmartThings throughput of 488.7Mbps, but only marginally meliorate than the Orbi RBR50's 563.9Mbps.
At 50 feet, 100 anxiety and 150 feet, the Deco M9 Plus was able to move 498.0Mbps, 324.1Mbps and 166.6Mbps, respectively, putting it well behind the Orbi RBR50's 543.6Mbps, 498.9Mbps and 359.9Mbps at each interval. Information technology outperformed the SmartThings router's 444.5Mbps and 364.1Mbps of throughput at l and 100 anxiety.
Our simulation of how well the router performs in the real world showed the Deco M9 Plus to be mediocre at dealing with walls and ceilings. Able to deliver 328.1Mbps through a metal door, the Deco M9 Plus' performance was between Samsung's SmartThings (at 329.7Mbps) and Netgear's Orbi RBR50 (at a slightly higher 361.2Mbps).
All the same, it had trouble when information technology came to our ceiling test, where the Deco M9 Plus pushed a 388.1Mbps betoken to the second flooring of the lab. Information technology moved 35 pct less than SmartThings' 524.4Mbps
Its single hop throughput of 294.nine was off the stride set by the Orbi RBR50's 355.1Mbps. When all three of our Deco M9 Plus units were daisy-chained, the end extension delivered 113.6Mbps, 18 percent less than the 134.1Mbps that the SmartThings' kit was able to muster.
When I set the three Deco M9 Plus devices in my 3,500-square-foot home, the Deco M9 Plus just about filled the edifice with Wi-Fi. The base router had a range of 70 anxiety, and the Deco M9 Plus network ran for a week without needing a restart.
Each of the three Deco M9 Plus devices use six.0 watts of power and never got more than warm to the touch on. If you lot pay the national average of xiii cents per kilowatt hr for electricity, the full set of Deco M9 Plus devices should cost a little less than $21 a yr, $5 more the estimated cost of $15 a yr to operate a SmartThings' set.
MORE: Don't Hire Your Router: Hither Are the Best to Purchase
The Deco M9 Plus satisfied a variety of users and passed our informal saturation test. While I played Hard disk videos on a Surface Pro three and an iPad Pro, I had my MacBook Air tuned in to an internet radio station as a Samsung Tab Pro S moved files back and forth with a networked disk bulldoze. There was no lag and the audio and video came through without a skip or pause.
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review: Setup
While the simply manner to set up the TP-Link Deco M9 Plus mesh system is via TP-Link's Deco app, it's one of the easiest around with simple pace-by-step instructions that are straight-forward and often illustrated. The app is too available for iPhones, iPads and Android devices.
Information technology all starts with what could be the earth'southward smallest showtime-up booklet. Slightly larger than a credit card, information technology's pretty difficult to read. Happily, information technology has a QR code for getting the Deco app. At that place'southward also a brusque downloadable manual.
Subsequently plugging a Deco M9 Plus unit into my broadband modem and a power outlet, I opened the app on my iPad Pro and created an account with TP-Link. A verification e-mail gets the ball rolling, but be careful, considering mine ended upwards in the junk binder.
Next upwards, select the type of router you accept from the interface'due south photos. When the unit'south light pulsed blue, the Deco M9 Plus started its configuration process, followed by naming the router.
It detected my internet connection and prompted me to designate the room the router would exist in. Then information technology asked me to name my new network and add a password. At this point the system is setup, and I connected on the first attempt.
I then tapped "Add Another Deco" on the app's principal folio to extend the network. Afterward I selected the home layout from the interface's choices, the software scanned for and found the Deco M9 Plus extension. Finally, the software optimized the data menses.
The last bit was repeated to add the 2d extension for my three-node network. When everything was finished, all three Deco M9 Plus devices updated their firmware. You'll need to be patient because it can take a minute or two for the screens to update and show the new condition. All told, it took nearly 25 minutes to set up the Deco M9 Plus three-pack – 10 minutes longer than Samsung's SmartThings three-unit kit.
More than: Top-Rated Wi-Fi Extenders to Heave Your Signal
TP-Link includes ii years of back up and warranty that outdoes almost of the competition, particularly Netgear's 90-twenty-four hours support policy on its Orbi mesh products. There's excellent support available online, from startup videos and downloads to FAQs. I love TP-Links software emulators to endeavour out the interface without doing whatever damage, just there was goose egg for the Deco M9 Plus.
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review: Configuration
Unlike the SmartThings two app approach, the Deco software consolidates everything y'all can practice with the Deco M9 Plus app. The app'south Overview folio shows what'due south continued and has links to the Antivirus and Parental controls. To see the status of the router and extensions, y'all demand to tap on the internet globe to see the details. Open up whatever of the devices to come across a Health report and the firmware beingness used.
Forth the screen's lesser is a way to create your own Shortcuts and programme IoT Automation sequences. The motorbus More section has everything from checking on the Wi-Fi settings and testing the internet speed to updating the devices and Blacklisting a device.
Information technology's also where y'all deal with the HomeCare details. In addition to Parental Controls for filtering objectionable content based on historic period groups (Child, Pre-Teen, Teen and Adult), you can also fix an internet bedtime and maximum screen fourth dimension separately for weekdays and weekends.
There'due south a place to set up up the Malicious Content Filter, Intrusion Prevention System and Infected Device Quarantine also as Quality of Service (QOS) priorities and encounter a monthly report of activity.
While yous can set up the devices equally access points or as a mesh network, at any fourth dimension you tin bank check the system's cyberspace speed. The Deco app, though, lacks advanced customization. There aren't adjustments like setting the Preamble, channel width and overall manual level.
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review: Smart home integration
It does a reasonable chore integrating habitation automation and IoT devices with an interface that lets you lot create sequences. In that location are detailed instructions for hundreds of devices, including those from Samsung and TP-Link.
On the downside, at that place's nothing specifically for Belkin's WeMo products. Still, the interface worked like a amuse for setting up a Wemo LED connected low-cal bulb. My favorite is the Test button to bank check on the connectedness.
I set up up my SmartThings outlet switch to turn on the lights at dark by picking the day (all of them), time (6:00PM) and proper noun; the software does the remainder. Information technology can configure the connectedness to a light seedling, switch, thermostat or a lock in virtually a minute.
TP-Link Deco M9 Plus review: Verdict
With proficient, though sometimes erratic functioning, and a simple setup routine, TP-Link's Deco M9 Plus mesh organization can fill a moderate-size business firm with data. By including network security software, it tin can protect a digital family from malware and hackers. On the downside, everything needs to be done through the TP-Link Deco app.
At $450 for iii and $300 for 2, you can't get unmarried Deco M9 Plus devices. They are priced similar to the Linksys Velop and Eero three-unit mesh networking kits only much more expensive next to the $300 iii-pack of SmartThings devices from Samsung. Lacking pinnacle functioning, the Deco M9 Plus is the mesh kit to become if you lot care more near a simple fix-upwardly process than top speed. For the all-time mesh routing solution around, we nonetheless adopt the Netgear Orbi, which offers meliorate functioning and coverage, merely at a higher price.
Credit: Tom'southward Guide
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/tp-link-deco-m9-plus,review-6146.html
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