Product test
Mesh Wi-Fi test: TP-Link Deco BE85 only halfway convincing
by Martin Jud
Mesh Wi-Fi Speed Test: the TP-Link Deco X90 truly takes off if you double up
28.1.2022
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Two Deco-X90 routers from TP-Link leave all mesh systems tested so far behind in my apartment Wi-Fi speed test.
I test routers and mesh systems in my two-story loft, checking the signal level, latency and download speed per room. This time, two Deco X90s from TP-Link are up to bat.
I sourced both review products from our warehouse. We offer the router in a pack of two and individually.
What hardware and features do the two routers offer?
The mesh system offers Wi-Fi 6, with six antennas inside each Deco-X90 router. Four of them are supposed to provide strong Wi-Fi around the device – the other two are responsible for a stable connection between routers. TP-Link relies on tri-band for this. Here, a third frequency band is intended to provide strong connectivity – i.e. strong backhaul – among network devices in the 5 GHz range.
If you prefer to set up your new mesh Wi-Fi with an Ethernet cable as a backhaul, you can do that as well with this system. In my test, however, I relied on the tri-band wireless solution for a better comparison with previous reviews.
The Deco X90’s connection slots are a bit sparse. It offers only two RJ45 ports. However, one of them still offers a data throughput of up to 2.5 gigabits per second – the second up to one gigabit.
Specifications for the Deco-X90 router:
Commissioning via the app
Setup is done via the «TP-Link Deco» app, available for Android and iOS. As far as I know, setup via a web interface isn’t possible. The web interface can be accessed via the router’s IP address. However, it only shows data and cannot be used to configure the Wi-Fi or other primary settings.
To set up the two devices, I followed the instructions in the app. I connected my modem to the primary router by cable and started it. Make sure to wait until the LED no longer lights up yellow, but blue. Then the device appeared in my app. The app connected to the router’s temporarily open Wi-Fi – then I was allowed to set up my new network, SSID «Hack-mi-Net» («Don’t-hack-me»).
Once the first Wi-Fi 6 unit was operational, the app alerted me that the router would automatically connect to additional mesh nodes within 120 seconds. Convenient, you don’t have to trigger the connection process manually. The second unit was recognised flawlessly. LEDs on both routers are now permanently green. My mesh Wi-Fi was up and running.
Apartment floor plan and router location
Speed, ping and signal strength per room
Results
The TP-Link Deco X90 Mesh performs as follows:
Across my entire home, TP-Link’s mesh is the new Wi-Fi speed test king with 631.31 Mbps and 255.72 Mbps, respectively – as seen when compared with competitors below. But before that, a quick look at latency – ping – and especially signal strength.
The response time that a signal needs to find its way from a laptop to the NAS and back – ping – averages five milliseconds in both frequency bands. A good value, which fits perfectly for my non-professional online gaming skills. Incidentally, no mesh system or single router has ever managed less than three milliseconds in my flat – that’s only possible via a cable connection.
Visualising the 5 GHz Wi-Fi coverage
Signal strength averaged -55 decibel milliwatts (dBm) in the 5 GHz frequency band across my entire home. A strong value and the second strongest I’ve ever measured. A Swisscom mesh consisting of the Internet Box 3 and WLAN Box 2 also reached -55 dBm – only the Velop AX4200 from Linksys at -54 dBm was slightly better.
The following heat maps visualise the decent signal coverage. Signal strength is represented by specific colours. I set the colour scale from -35 to -80 dBm. Above -80 dBm, most devices can no longer communicate with the router. High dBm values are therefore better than low ones. The more colour goes from red, yellow and green towards blue, the worse a value is.
Visualising the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi coverage
In the 2.4 GHz frequency band, -53 dBm is possible in an average apartment. The heat map remains a turquoise green even on the balcony, and thus typically has a slightly better performance in range compared to 5 GHz.
Comparing with the competition
Compared to the mesh systems tested so far, TP-Link is in pole position. The crown previously belonged to the Deco X90. Nevertheless, my ranking shows that it was an extremely close race across both floors, at least in the 5 GHz frequency range. Netgear is virtually on par with Orbi, only 1.67 Mbps weaker.
The 5 GHz comparison:
The 2.4 GHz comparison:
Verdict: a strong mesh system with lightning speed
The TP-Link Deco X90 mesh impressed me a lot. 896.02 Mbps at 5 GHz on the upper floor is a feat that no other system will so easily top. At 442.23 Mbps, about half the speed still arrives on the lower floor. This isn’t the best performance I’ve seen, but still a very good value.
In terms of price, the Deco X90 is in the mid-range compared to other mesh systems. Which is why I can wholeheartedly recommend its great performance. The only thing that bothers me about it is that the routers only have two network ports each. Still, at least one of them is designed for a speed of up to 2.5 Gbps.
Martin Jud
Senior Editor
martin.jud@digitecgalaxus.chI find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.
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