TP-Link Deco PX50 combines Wi-Fi 6 and G.hn powerline technology to deliver effective whole-home coverage and respectable speeds at a reasonable price.
TP-Link Deco PX50 Pros and Cons
TP-Link Deco PX50 Design
The TP-Link Deco PX50 Mesh System consists of three white cylindrical routers, each is 165 mm x 105 mm x 105 mm in height, weighing 330g. Each unit has three Gigabit Ethernet ports and a cloverleaf-style power socket; the transformer and powerline technology are all integrated within the unit.
The Deco PX50 units are linked together by an Ethernet cable to join one Deco unit to an existing modem/router. Any one of the three can be the primary unit, with the other two (or more, if you’ve purchased more) acting as “nodes”, distributed throughout your house.
TP-Link Deco PX50 Feature
- WiFi 6 Powerline Mesh: Deco PX50 is a Wi Fi 6 G.hn powerline mesh system with advanced Wi Fi and plc technology.
- G/hn Powerline: Get up to 1500 mbps with G.hn Powerline technology. Powerline technology allows the signal to bypass walls and floors by using your home’s existing electrical wiring.
- Better than Dual Band: Powerline and wireless connections work together to transmit data between Deco units. PX50 delivers phenomenal speeds compared with traditional mesh WiFi
- Whole Home Wi-Fi Coverage : Cover up to 6,500 sq ft with seamless, high performance Wi-Fi and eliminate dead zones and buffering
- AI-Driven Mesh: Dynamically delivers optimal Wi-Fi connection from router to device with one Wi-Fi name and password. Enhances the connection between Deco units to ensure the stability of your network, even in very large homes with many devices.
- Easy Setup and Management – The Deco app helps you set up your network in minutes with clear visual guidance and keeps you in control even when you are not home; Works with Alexa as well Turn on or off Guest Wi-Fi by simple voice commands
TP-LinkDeco PX50 Specifications
Brand | TP-Link |
Model Name | Deco PX50(3-pack) |
Special Feature | Access Point Mode, QoS |
Frequency Band Class | Dual-Band |
Wireless Communication Standard | 802.11ax |
Standards and Protocols | Wi-Fi 6 IEEE 802.11ax/ac/n/a 5 GHz IEEE 802.11ax/n/b/g 2.4 GHz |
WiFi Speeds | AX3000 5 GHz: 2402 Mbps (802.11ax) 2.4 GHz: 574 Mbps (802.11ax) |
Powerline Speeds | G.hn 1.5 Gbps Elektrik Hattı |
WiFi Range | 3-4 Bedroom Houses (2-pack) |
Dimensions (W×D×H) | 4.1 × 4.1 × 6.7 in (105 × 105 × 169 mm) |
Compatible Devices | Personal Computer |
Connectivity Technology | Ethernet, Powerline, Wi-Fi |
Color | Black and White |
TP-Link Deco PX50 Performance
I measured the TP-Link Deco PX50’s speed using Wi-Fi SweetSpots on an iPad Air. At one metre from the Deco PX50, the speeds were slightly north of 800Mbps. At five meters away from any node, with a wall in between the iPad and the node, speeds fell to approximately 550Mbps. At its maximum range of 7 metres (approximately 21 feet) from the Deco, we were able to get a still decent 277Mbps.
Test Distance | Speed (Mbps) |
1 Meter | 800 |
5 Meters (with wall) | 550 |
7 Meters | 277 |
12 Meters (with wall) | 141 |
We still managed an impressive 141Mbps at the end of the garden, which is around 12 metres (about 39ft) away from the nearest Deco with a hollow brick wall in the way. These are well short of the speeds advertised on the box (2402Mbps on 5GHz, 574Mbps on 2.4GHz) but they’re perfectly good considering the price.
TP-Link Deco PX50 Setup
Setting up the TP-Link Deco PX50 is remarkably straightforward. There’s no need to read through the user manual, all you have to do is follow the app’s instructions after the app is downloaded: (1) Unpack the system (2) choose a device to connect and start setup (3) and follow along in the Deco app. After installing, just open up the application and follow the on screen instructions.
The process takes only minutes. We wired the initial Deco PX50 to our ordinary router and it became the master unit. After that, it was only a matter of figuring out where the other two Deco units should go in the house, plugging them into the power sockets, and then adding them through the Deco App in the same way. You can label each device to make it easier to identify in app. Finally, you’ll probably want to turn off the Wi-Fi on your old router to avoid interference with the new mesh system.
TP-Link Deco PX50 Firmware
The Deco app is very easy to use and intuitive. It gives the user a snapshot view of whether all the Deco devices are connected, if not, then any problems, including how many devices are currently using the system.” You can set up a guest network, and temporarily share your Wi-Fi password with friends and family members in a safe and secure way. You can also prevent specific devices from connecting at all. Other features: Security scans for vulnerabilities and intrusionsParental controls to set up profiles for family members with age-based web filtering and bedtimes
The parental control restrictions can be rather strict, blocking our son from accessing his school Google account, for instance.Unfortunately, you do need a £5.99 per month (£53.99 per year) HomeShield Pro subscription to use all of the features. To help you make your mind up, there’s a free one month trial.
TP-Link Deco PX50 Advantage
One key reason to choose the Deco PX50 over the Deco X50 is its built-in powerline technology.Which is to say, this is technically a dual-band Wi-Fi system, but it can transfer data to other Deco units through the wiring in your home just as easily as if it were a tri-band system. It uses both “powerline” and Wi-Fi at the same time to communicate. TP-Link says it uses ‘next-gen’ G.hn powerline tech to deliver speeds of up to 1428Mbps. However, it is not the first company to employ this technology: Devolo has long leveraged this faster powerline standard, claiming speed increases approaching 1Gbps.