The TP-Link Deco BE17000 is a powerful mesh router system that promises to revolutionize your home network. With its impressive speed and range, it's a game-changer for those seeking to expand their bandwidth capabilities. But does it live up to the hype? Let's dive in and explore the pros and cons of this router, as well as my personal thoughts and insights.
Performance and Range
The Deco BE17000 boasts an advertised speed of 17 Gbps across its three bands, which is a significant upgrade from my previous router. While my download and upload speeds cap out around 1.5 Gbps, I use a lot of wireless devices, and the router's 6 GHz and MLO bands ensure that I can maintain strong connections. For example, transferring a 1.5 GB file from my NAS to my desktop PC via wired Ethernet averaged around 95 MB/s, and downloading the same file to my Samsung ZFold 7 yielded around 30 MB/s. These speeds are impressive, especially considering the distance to the walls blocking access.
Satellite System
One of the standout features of the Deco BE17000 is its satellite system, which includes one additional node that can be placed inside your space to extend the range of the base station. Both nodes feature identical IO, including 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, 10 Gbps ports, an SFP+ jack, and a USB 3.0 port for network storage. While the router is on the bigger side, its understated design makes it suitable for most home or office setups.
Setup and App Experience
Setting up the Deco BE17000 is straightforward, but it's important to note that the old Tether app only works with TP-Link routers, not the Deco line. Thankfully, the Deco app guides users through the installation process with easy-to-follow illustrations and prompts. However, I found the setup process to be somewhat reliant on the mobile app, and having the option to set up the router via a web browser or portal would be appreciated.
MLO Network Capabilities
The Deco BE17000's MLO network capabilities are a game-changer. Wi-Fi 7's secret sauce is its ability to allow compliant devices to switch between channels and maintain the strongest possible connection. This feature is particularly useful for VR gaming, as I experienced a connection of 2,410 Mbps with Virtual Desktop, delivering a pristine, native-looking projection of my desktop. Even under load, the game had 0 latency and no noticeable video compression artifacts.
Address Reservation and Prioritization
One annoyance I encountered with Windows is the difficulty in setting static IPs, which I need to run my ARR stack and WOL to turn on my main computer remotely. With the Deco app, setting static IPs is a breeze. Simply go to the advanced settings tab and use the Address Reservation option to quickly and effortlessly set static IPs, making the process incredibly fast.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the TP-Link Deco BE17000 is a robust and powerful mesh router system that makes it easy to expand your home network. While it may have some minor drawbacks, such as the reliance on the mobile app, its performance, range, and MLO capabilities make it a top choice for those seeking to push the cap on their bandwidth. Personally, I think it's a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to upgrade their home network.
