The year 2022 is the year when TP-Link keeps its word. The company today announced the availability of its latest Wi-Fi 6 mesh variants to turn its Deco ecosystems complete — all were first announced at the beginning of the year.
Specifically, if not today, you’ll soon be able to buy the Deco X50 Outdoor, Deco PX50, and Deco X50 PoE that collectively fulfill all situations any residential user would run into while setting up their home network, including Outdoor, Powerline, and PoE.
These new mesh variants make Deco the most flexible mesh brand yet.
A trio that meets any needs
All of the new Deco variants share the same Wi-Fi specs. They are all Dual-band broadcasters with up to 3000Mbps Wi-Fi bandwidth (AX3000) — similar to the Deco X60.
As part of the Deco family, all three use the same Deco firmware and mobile app. Consequently, they are super-easy to use, but users need to log in with a TP-Link account to set up and manage their network.
TP-Link and your privacy
It’s important to note that having to sign in with an account means your hardware always connects to the vendor. In TP-Link’s case, you’ll manage your home network entirely or partially through the company.
And that translates into inherent privacy risks. Here’s TP-Link’s Privacy Policy — make sure you are comfortable with what it collects from your network.
TP-Link is headquartered in China, where the practice of online privacy, surveillance, data collection, and security might differ from the rest of the world.
Privacy is a matter of degree. While managing your network via a third party is never a good idea, data collection varies vendor by vendor.
And like all Decos, including the latest Deco XE200, the new Deco X50 variants all have a limited set of Wi-Fi and networking customization.
The way it goes, these new hardware options include TP-Link’s HomeShield Basic, which has simple Parental Controls and online protection. The HomeSheild Pro, which costs $6/month, is required if you want more.
Hardware specifications: Deco X50 Outdoor vs Deco PX50 vs Deco X50 PoE
| Name | Deco X50-Outdoor AX3000 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 Unit | Deco PX50 AX3000 Powerline Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System | Deco X50-PoE AX3000 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System |
| Model | Deco X50 Outdoor | Deco PX50 | Deco X50 PoE |
| Mesh Availability (at launch) |
1-pack add-on | 3-Pack (three identical routers) |
3-Pack (three identical routers) |
| Dedicated Wireless Backhaul | No | No | No |
| Wired Backhaul | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Bandwidth | Dual-band AX3000 | Dual-band AX3000 | Dual-band AX3000 |
| 5GHz Wi-Fi Specs (channel width) |
2×2 AX: Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 2400Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
| 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Specs (channel width) |
2×2 AX: Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi |
| Wireless Security | WPA, WPA2, WPA3 | WPA, WPA2, WPA3 | WPA, WPA2, WPA3 |
| Mobile App | TP-Link Deco | TP-Link Deco | TP-Link Deco |
| Vendor Login Required | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Web User Interface | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Bridge Mode | No | No | No |
| AP Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB Port | None | None | None |
| Gigabit Port | 2x PoE auto-sensing |
2x auto-sensing | 1x PoE auto-sensing |
| Multi-Gig Port | none | none | 1x PoE 2.5Gbps Auto-sensing |
| Link Aggregation | No | No | No |
| Dual-WAN | No | No | No |
| Power Intake | 110-240V PoE |
110-240V | 110-240V PoE |
| US Price (at launch) |
$149.99 (1-pack) |
$299.99 (3-pack) |
$349.99 (3-pack) |
Deco X50 Outdoor: The most versatile Deco yet
Of these new Deco X50 variants, the Outdoor unit is the most interesting since it is water- and dust-resistant and also supports PoE.
The new mesh hardware takes a cylinder shape. For power, it comes with two PoE Gigabit ports — only one is needed to power the broadcaster — and a power port.
The hardware can work as a PoE wired or a fully wireless mesh satellite to connect to an existing network. Clearly, for best performance, the former is recommended. You can use the new hardware as the satellite of any existing Deco router or as a router itself.
TP-Link says each Deco X50 Outdoor unit includes accessories for users to mount on a pole or a wall. You can pre-order the new mesh unit for $149 and get it sometime in November.
Deco PX50: TP-Link’s first Powerline mesh system
Available in a 3-pack — three identical routers — for $299.99, the Deco PX50 is one of the most affordable Wi-Fi 6 mesh sets.
What’s interesting about the new hardware is that each unit has a built-in 1500Mbps G.hn powerline adapter, allowing them to link up via a home’s electrical wiring when the wireless backhaul is not available or reliable.
Generally, the PX50 is applicable for homes with thick walls. While Powerline can be finicky in my experience, it is a viable — and sometimes only — alternative to running network cables for those needing a modest home network.
TP-Link says the new Deco PX50 AX3000 Powerline Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (3-Pack) will be available on Amazon in December 2022.
Deco X50-PoE: Versatile placement and Multi-Gig
The Deco X50 PoE is the only one among the new hardware that has a Multi-Gig port. Indeed, each hardware unit of the 3-pack has one 2.5GbE and a Gigabit port; both are PoE.
Unfroatuenly, since there’s only one Multi-GIg port, there’s no way to create a mesh with Multi-Gig wired backhauling out of the hardware. Still, the 2.5Gbps port means the system can fully handle Gigabit broadband.
The Deco X50-PoE is designed to be placed on a surface or mounted. It comes with accessories for wall and ceiling mounting.
The new mesh is available now for $349.99.
The takeaway
With these new Deco X50 variants, TP-Link is now the only networking vendor that offers home users all the necessary options to get their network up and running, no matter the environment.
And that’s good news for users of other brands, too.
For example, you can use any of the new Deco hardware in the AP mode to scale up the Wi-Fi coverage via network cables or electrical wiring.
And that’s a win-win.
