Frequently asked questions about TP-Link Home Mesh Wi-Fi

Q&A of functional explanation or specification parameters
Updated 10-27-2023 03:44:47 AM 303377
This Article Applies to: 

Before You Buy

1. How to choose the correct Deco products?

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3735/

2. What are the differences among different Deco models?

Please refer to the FAQ below:

https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/2423/

3. What are the benefits of Deco Mesh?

The Deco Mesh is the technology only used on TP-Link Deco products for the Mesh network. Deco adapts as your Wi-Fi needs change and uses complex algorithms behind the scenes to automatically and efficiently route data along the fastest path.

For more details, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/whole-home-mesh/

4. Can Deco work without a modem?

Deco is an internet-sharing device and can’t provide the internet itself.
If you don’t have a modem but are able to access the internet directly through an Ethernet jack on the wall, then Deco can be wired to the Ethernet jack and then share the internet with the clients after the configuration is completed.

5. Can Deco work with existing home routers?

Yes, Deco can connect to your existing home router via an Ethernet cable to access the internet.

6. What are the advantages of Deco models supporting HomeShield?

HomeShield is a built-in service, available in all HomeShield routers and Deco Mesh products. It is a home networking protection kit that covers all security scenarios with its network security, parental controls, QoS, and comprehensive reports. For more details, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/homeshield/

7. Can I manage my Deco network remotely?

Yes, the Deco system can be managed remotely on the Deco App as long as the network is online.

8. Will Deco Wi-Fi Backhaul, Ethernet Backhaul, and PLC Backhaul work together?

PLC Backhaul and Wi-Fi Backhaul can work at the same time, while PLC Backhaul and Ethernet Backhaul can’t.

If there is no Ethernet cable between the Deco units, Wi-Fi Backhaul and PLC Backhaul will take effect at the same time.

If there is an Ethernet cable between the Deco units, then only the Ethernet Backhaul will take effect.

9. Can the Deco Mesh system work with fiber DSL cable or SIM card directly?

Currently, we don’t have Deco products with fiber ports to access the internet. But we do have VDSL Deco product working with DSL cable and 4/5G Deco working with SIM card.

DSL Deco

Deco X73-DSL

AX5400, Support VOIP, and USB sharing

VDSL2 Standards:

ITU G.993.2, Up to 35b profile (POTS)

ITU-T G.993.5 (G.vector)

ITU-T G.998.4 (G.INP)

ADSL 2/2+ Standards

Full-rate ANSI T1.413 Issue 2

ITU-T G.992.1(G.DMT)

ITU-T G.992.2(G.Lite)

ITU-T G.992.3 (G.DMT.bis)

ITU-T G.992.5

Deco X50-DSL

AX3000

Deco X20-DSL

AX1800

4/5G Deco

Deco X80-5G

AX6000 and 4G+/5G mobile service right after inserting a SIM card

Deco X50-5G

AX3000 and 4G+/ 5G mobile service right after inserting a SIM card

Deco X50-4G

AX3000 and 4G+ mobile service right after inserting a SIM card

Deco X20-4G

AX1800 and 4G+ mobile service right after inserting a SIM card

10. Can Deco be mounted on the wall?

Deco X50-Poe and Deco X50-Outdoor support POE and Mounting

Deco X50-POE

AX3000; Indoor Ceiling/ Wall-Mounting POE Mesh system

Deco X50-Outdoor

AX3000; Outdoor Pole/ Wall-Mounting POE Mesh system with IP65 Waterproof & Dustproof

11. Does Deco support MU-MIMO?

Yes, support varies by model. You can go to TP-Link official website to check if the wanted model supports or not.

Network Configuration

1. Do I need to create a TP-Link ID/Account to configure the Deco Mesh system?

Yes, with TP-Link ID bound to your Deco system, you can enjoy remote control and management on mobile devices freely and securely. To know more about TP-Link ID, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1439/

2. Can I share my Deco network with other TP-Link IDs?

You can add a manager account on Deco App by referring to this article: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1597/

3. Can the Deco Mesh system be configured or managed on the computer or website?

No, Deco only supports configuration through the Mobile Application-Deco App which makes the management and configuration more convenient and fast.

4. Can I set up Deco as an extender to bridge/extend my existing home Wi-Fi network?

No, the main Deco should be connected to your home modem/router via an Ethernet cable to act as a router. Other Deco units can connect to the main Deco wirelessly.

5. Can Deco work with other mesh systems?

No, TP-Link Deco can only form a mesh network with TP-Link Deco units.

For more details, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3749/

6. How many Deco networks I can add to the Deco app?

Generally speaking, there is no limit.

7. How many Deco units can I add to my Deco mesh network?

For most Deco models, we recommend up to 6 units in one Deco Mesh network. Additionally, for a few Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 models like Deco X68/X90/XE75/BE95/BE85, etc. If you feel necessary, please add more Deco units by following this article: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1588/

8. Can different Deco models work together?

Yes, for the detailed information, refer to FAQ2248

9. Can I enjoy all features supported by the main Deco If different Deco models work together?

The following features require support from all satellite Decos for proper functionality within the Deco system, including Signal Source, IoT Network, 6G Band, and Wireless Access Control.

•IoT Network

If you enable the IoT Network on the main Deco, only the satellite Decos that support the IoT Network will enable and synchronize their IoT Network as well.

•6G Band

If you enable 6G Network on the main Deco, only the satellite Decos that support IoT Networks will enable and synchronize their 6G Network as well.

•Signal Source

If you enable Signal Source in your Deco system to select a preferred signal source for the satellite Deco and client devices, but a device is close to a satellite Deco that does not support Signal Source, the system will be unable to select the desired signal source for that device.

•Wi-Fi Access Control

If you enable Access Control in your Deco system and set up a whitelist on the main Deco, but one of the satellite Decos does not support whitelisting, it can result in situations where devices not on the whitelist can still connect to that particular satellite Deco.

10. Can multiple accounts manage a Deco network at the same time?

Currently, a Deco network can be controlled by an owner or by a manager account. Only one account can manage a Deco network at a time. If a new management account attempts to log in the other account will be kicked out. This is to ensure network stability and security.

11. How can I switch the main Deco without resetting the whole Deco system?

You can switch the main Deco with another satellite Deco. Here is the guidance: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2400/

12. Can I change the WAN parameters of the Deco system?

Yes, you can change them on the Deco App. Please open Deco App->go to More->Internet Connections->IPV4->Tap Internet Connection Type.

13. Can Deco PX50 build PLC Backhaul with Deco P9 and P7?

No. Deco PX50 uses the G.hn powerline standard while Deco P7/P9 uses the HomePlugAV powerline standard, which is not compatible with each other.

However, the Deco P9 and Deco P7 can build the Powerline Backhaul together.

14. Can the Deco system connect with the existing powerline network directly to access the internet?

We don’t recommend connecting Deco with the powerline network directly. For a better network, it’s recommended to use Deco PX50.

Basic & Advanced Function

1. Some Deco model shows triple band or quad-band, what does that mean?

Tri-Band technology offers one 2.4 GHz and two 5 GHz Wi-Fi network bands. Quad-band technology offers one 2.4ghz, two 5Ghz, and one 6Ghz Wi-Fi network band or one 2.4ghz, one 5ghz, and two 6ghz Wi-Fi networks.

2. What features do Deco QoS and parental control support and what are their advantages?

QoS (Quality of Service) is an advanced feature that helps you set priority for specific applications and devices so that they can perform better with lower latency.

Parental Controls allow you to filter online content for your children, control when they can access the internet, restrict the total time they spend online each day, and track the websites they visit and apps they use.

To get more details about the two function, please refer to:

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1598/

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1601/

3. Does Deco support the Address Reservation function?

Yes, Deco products support reserving IP addresses for clients. For more details about this function, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1795/

4. Are the guest network and main network isolated on the Deco?

1. When Deco works in the Router mode, the guest network and main network are isolated.

2. When Deco works in the AP mode, on the Deco app>More>Wi-Fi page, there is an "Isolated From Main Network" switch once the guest network is enabled and the switch is used to enable or disable the network isolation feature on the deco.

5. What’s the difference between the Access Point mode and the Router mode of the Deco?

Please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/2399/

6. Does Deco support IPv6? How can I enable it?

Deco does support IPv6 but it's disabled by default. To enable it, go to More->Advanced->IPv6 on the Deco app. For more details, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2642/

7. How to change the DNS settings on Deco

DNS can be changed under Advanced>IPv4>Internet Connection Type -> switch off Obtain DNS Automatically. For more details, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/en/support/faq/1855/

8. Can Deco work with third-party VPN service providers?

Yes, we have deco models supporting the VPN client feature. To get the exact supported model, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/en/home-networking/deco/?filterby=AND%7C6356

9. How should I change Deco’s wireless settings?

You can change the Wi-Fi settings on the Deco app if you want to update. Here is the guidance: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1591/

10. Can I set different SSIDs for 2.4ghz and 5ghz of the Deco network?

No, 2.4ghz and 5ghz share the same SSID and password on Deco’s network and there is no way to separate them due to the Mesh technology. If you want to set a different SSID for a certain band, it’s suggested to enable a guest network with 2.4ghz/5ghz turned on only. For more information about the wireless settings of Deco products, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1591/

11. Can we change the channel/channel width of the Deco network?

All Deco models don’t support changing wireless channels, but few models support customizing 5gzh channel width from 80Mhz to 160Mhz. Supported model numbers: Deco X50/X55 XE75 V2

12. Can we install external antennas for 4/5G Deco for a better signal?

When working in 4G/5G Router mode, you can install 5G external antennas (not included in the product package) manually to strengthen the 5G signals of your Deco. For more details, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3297/

13. Does the Deco mesh system support working with VoIP phones?

Yes, the Deco system can provide internet for VoIP phones.

14. Does Deco support port forwarding?

Yes, here is the guidance: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1797/

Other Issues

1. Can multiple accounts manage a Deco network at the same time?

Currently, a Deco network can be controlled by an owner or by a manager account. Only one account can manage a Deco network at a time. If a new management account attempts to log in the other account will be kicked out. This is to ensure network stability and security.

2. Does Deco support IGMP v1/v2/v3? Does Deco support IGMP snooping?

Deco supports IGMP v1/v2/v3. Deco supports IGMP snooping in both router mode and access point mode. IGMP snooping is enabled by default.

3. Can Deco be powered by POE?

Yes, we have Deco X50-POE which can be charged both by POE switch and power adapter. For more details, please refer to: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3484/

4. How much power consumption does each Deco take?

We can calculate the theoretical maximum power consumption based on the output voltage and current parameters of the power adapter. However, the actual power consumption should be lower than this value.

5. Can I use a DC extension to extend the cable length of the original power adapter?

Normally, we don't recommend using an extension cable due to some possible risks.

1. The quality of the extension cable is uncontrollable, if the contact resistance of the interface is too large, it will cause the interface to heat up and cause safety hazards.

2. The increase in cable loss will increase the output power of the power adapter, resulting in a decrease in the life of the power adapter. If the rated power of the power adapter is exceeded, safety hazards will occur.

If the customer insists on an extension cable, we can provide the parameters of the power cord. However, any problems caused by the extension connection will violate our warranty.

The parameter of the power interface (Male Size)

inner diameter: 2.1mm

outer diameter: 5.5mm

copper column length: 9.0mm

For more specific Q&A about the Deco issue, please refer to:

General question about the Wi-Fi range of Deco

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2716/

General Questions about Deco X50-Outdoor

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3611/

Common Questions Regarding Wi-Fi 6E Deco

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3271/

General questions about the Ethernet Backhaul feature on your Deco

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/1794/

General questions about the Smart Actions feature in the Deco app

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3269/

Common Questions on TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 Wireless Router and Deco Products

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/3594/

General Questions about the Powerline or PLC Backhaul Feature of Deco

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2401/

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