TP-Link - Deco X55 Pro

Installed Deco x68s at my place, x55s at in laws, x55 pros at friends, and Linksys Velops at other friends, all hardwired, rock solid and roaming works flawlessly. All of them having 20-30+ clients.

Installed Deco x68s at my place, x55s at in laws, x55 pros at friends, and Linksys Velops at other friends, all hardwired, rock solid and roaming works flawlessly. All of them having 20-30+ clients.

Yes, your Wi-Fi 5 mesh system is definitely bottlenecking your internet speed. Google Wi-Fi 5 only supports gigabit ethernet ports, so even though your Rogers plan offers 1.5 Gbps, your router is capped at 1 Gbps before accounting for network overhead. Wi-Fi 5 also has limited real-world speeds, with a maximum of around 800 to 900 Mbps per device under ideal conditions. Mesh systems can introduce additional latency and signal loss, especially when using wireless backhaul, which explains why your speed drops to 60 to 130 Mbps upstairs. Mesh routers are not inherently bad, but they often suffer from signal degradation when connected wirelessly. A Wi-Fi 6E mesh system or a system with wired ethernet backhaul can provide full speeds with minimal loss. If you upgrade, you should look for a Wi-Fi 6E router with a 2.5 Gbps ethernet port to fully utilize your internet plan and improve performance across your home. The Amazon eero Pro 6E is a high-performance mesh Wi-Fi system that supports Wi-Fi 6E, giving access to the 6 GHz band for faster speeds and lower latency. It features a 2.5 Gbps ethernet port, allowing you to fully utilize high-speed internet plans. This system supports multiple devices simultaneously and is ideal for modern smart homes. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-eero-Wi-Fi-router-newest/dp/B091G65HH6 For alternatives with similar capabilities, there are several options. The TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro is a Wi-Fi 6E mesh system featuring a 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN port, providing smooth 8K and 4K streaming with low-latency gaming performance. It covers large areas with seamless Wi-Fi. https://www.tp-link.com/us/promotion/deco-xe75-pro/fb/ The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 is an AX11000 tri-band Wi-Fi 6 gaming router with a quad-core CPU, PS5 compatibility, a 2.5G port, DFS band, Adaptive QoS, AiMesh for mesh Wi-Fi systems, and free network security. https://www.asus.com/us/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/all-series/filter?Spec=768 The TP-Link Archer AX55 Pro is a Wi-Fi 6 router featuring a 2.5 Gbps port, dual-band connectivity, VPN support, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, USB port, and WPA3 security. It is compatible with Alexa and offers multi-gigabit wireless speeds. https://www.amazon.com/2-5gb-router/s?k=2.5gb+router The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is a Wi-Fi 6E tri-band router with an optimized CPU, multi-gig LAN support, link aggregation, and advanced networking features. https://www.homeowner.com/connectivity/routers/best-2-5-gb-routers The TP-Link Deco X55 Pro is an entry-level Wi-Fi 6 mesh system with two 2.5 Gbps multi-gig ports, providing reliable whole-home coverage and solid mid-tier performance when used with wired backhaul. https://dongknows.com/multi-gigabit-wi-fi-6-routers-to-bring-home-today/ When selecting a router, consider coverage area, device compatibility, speed requirements, and features like multi-gigabit ports to ensure it meets your networking needs.

Before upgrading to UniFi because I’m a geek. I used Tplink Deco system in a 1800 sq ft house 2 story. They worked great. Deco X55 Pro is the model I used.

You could do a few different models my suggestions would be Deco XE75 Deco XE75 Pro Deco AXE4900 Pro Those 3 are WiFi 6E tri band Systems If you want something WiFi 7 that would future proof you then something like a BE63 or BE11000 would be a safe choice. If you go with the BE63 make sure to grab Hardware Version 2.6 as 1.6 hardware has a lot of issues and is being phased out but there are still some out there. So just watch for that. If you want a basic WiFi 6 system then something like an X55 or X55 pro would also work fairly well

You could do a few different models my suggestions would be Deco XE75 Deco XE75 Pro Deco AXE4900 Pro Those 3 are WiFi 6E tri band Systems If you want something WiFi 7 that would future proof you then something like a BE63 or BE11000 would be a safe choice. If you go with the BE63 make sure to grab Hardware Version 2.6 as 1.6 hardware has a lot of issues and is being phased out but there are still some out there. So just watch for that. If you want a basic WiFi 6 system then something like an X55 or X55 pro would also work fairly well

OP this is helpful- can you comment on my setup. I only got a modem from my ISP- no router. I have 5 Deco X55s in my 4 story townhouse I have one networking closet that has my wires coming in from outside and my exposed Ethernet cables (that are also running throughout my home). In this closet I have my modem from my ISP and my Deco X55 router and a TP link 8 port switch. I have an Ethernet cable going from my modem to my router and also from my router to the switch. I have plugged in the 7 exposed Ethernet cables to my switch as well. Now in my other rooms and floors of the house- I have plugged in my other routers to the wall jacks so they are hard wired. My speed is great everywhere when I run speed tests from my iPhone and iPads and laptops. Am I doing anything wrong or can I optimize further? I believe I have done something called wired backhaul- my Deco app is in Router mode- not Access Point. Is this correct? ​ https://preview.redd.it/27np5avsr7ke1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=69fab3f466a2885d7b1260485d4d49bc5b38c691

it gives me the impression that you are comparing the numbers behind the AX. those numbers does not mean much when u have little simultaneous connected devices. in a wireless router (or ap), manufacturer rate them by wifi standard, that is an, ac, ax, be, etc. then they also rate their bandwidth, so for example, the x25 is marketed as a AX1800, it has 2.4ghz and 5ghz, so its 500mbps + 1300mbps = 1800mbps of bandwidth. bandwidth is the total speed it can accommodate across all connections, not just to one devices. so now if u have an old iphone that only connects to 2.4ghz, u will only get max about 500mbps, because its not capable of connecting to the 5ghz network of the router. and if u have a newer iphone that connects to 5ghz of your router, then it will get, in theory, up to 1300mbps, but in most real life situations, its about 600-800mbps, depending on the quality of connection. so with this, ax3000 does not means ur iphone will get 3000mbps, it means, 2.4+5+5 = 500 + 1300 + 1300 = 3100 .. yah, it know it doesnt add up, this is because different manufacturers market their numbers differently, some call 2.4ghz 575mbps, some calls them differently, but they should be in the 400-600mbps range. likewise for 5ghz band, some call them 1200mbps, some calls them 1300, but it should be about these range. so the x55 is marketed as 3000mbps, but if u connect to the 5ghz band, u will only get 1300mbps in theory and in actual, u be like 600-800mbps, still the same as the x25. the only diff is another device can also get this 1300mbps connection at the same time, in an ideal situation. so if u only have 1 wireless devices in your area, ax1800 is equal to ax3000 or ax5400, maybe there are slight diff in other technologies, but more or less that the bandwidth u can expect. this theory remains till wifi 7, which has mlo and such to utilize more than 1 band of connection. so back to your question, i will not think x55 be giving u a faster connection, but it will give u a bigger bandwidth for more devices. also take note that data flowing to the connected devices are not constant, u browse a page on your iphone, it will only load that page and u be reading it for 10 seconds, and there will be no data coming in or out (well, maybe minimal) on this connections, so other connected devices will get 1800mbps. so in actual, 1800 band is adequate for 4 surfing devices, or 2 gaming devices.

With that budget you should be fine for a three pack with WiFi 6, eg Deco X55 at £199. You don’t need anything more expensive like WiFi 6E or 7 because most devices you’ll have right now can’t use it anyway. You’ll get most benefit from just the fact you’re using a mesh. Then the placement of the devices is the most important thing. Trial and error. And there are some apps that can help. If the devices are too far apart, the mesh will struggle to create an effective connection to the base, and you’ll be reliant on the weakest link. If you can, Ethernet is king but UK houses typically won’t be wired for that. You probably don’t need a 1gig connection btw. Netflix UHD etc only needs 15mbps for example. Good luck!

I’m happy with the TP-Link X55 Deco system. Have used it both with and without Ethernet backhaul and was pleased with the results either way.

With the limited info you provide, I would suggest going for two X55, located as you describe. If you go for four, it is probably best to install the third and four in the middle of the floor, not at the far end.

The main Deco must be wired to its source of Internet. I would return the Archer, indeed, and build a mesh only with deco units.

Another vote for the Decos (X55s here). Great coverage throughout our house, easy to setup and use.