TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 AX3000 Mesh Router System | 2- Mesh Routers | Deco W6000(2-pack) | 5,000 sq. ft. of WiFi Coverage $124

I have a TP link router that's been pretty good in the house but need something for the patio and BBQ area. I already have a Netgear R7000 thats already bridged...Is this bridgeable or do I have to use this as my only router?

I kinda prefer asus routers since they got dns over TLS and many more.

A real router + WiFi 6E AP.
For instance, Ubiquiti edgerouter, or those open source soft router.

This way, you have the freedom to use whichever WiFi tech, then still have the core control on a dedicated router

Do all deco connect together? I have x90, does this work together?

If you know what port forwarding or address reservation is or planning to use them... AVOID THIS LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!
You HAVE to pick a device from the "Connected Device" list, but the problem is WIRED devices shows up as DISCONNECTED... so you're SOL

Also there are certain ports that TP-Link doesn't let you forward (I can only remember port 443 (HTTPS)), Now this wouldn't be that much of an issue IF THEY HAD LABELED WHICH ONE THEY BLOCKED!
The app will let you forward that port as if it's working, then you'll spend 2 weeks diagnosing why you can't connect to your server remotely... INFURIATING

These Deco are design for normies who just want to plug it in and get wifi for their phones and tablets.
You HAVE to use a phone app to access any "advance" setting. Even if you log on to the router from a browser, You can pretty much only reboot the router...

And as far as i know, dd-wrt or openwrt isn't supported so you're stuck with the dumb stock fw...

Yes they do, but you would want this on the outskirts of your network since the AX3000 here are dual band and your X90s are triband. So you would want the X90's closet to each other and connected to the modem and the AX3000 which I believe are the X60 just rebranded for walmart to be on the outskirts so they dont bottle neck your network.



You do know 5 minutes of any research on MESH would have told you that? All mesh but AiMesh is meant for coverage and plug and play types. The only other current exception outside of AiMesh from Asus is the latest really expensive Orbi which they added some more customization options to their apps, even got a web based gui too.

"oh if it's MESH, it's clearly gonna be a dumb plug and play unit"
These issues are all on the router side and have nothing to do with mesh networking
I'm not asking it to monitor traffic, block certain packets or addresses, or link aggregate. these are all basic functionality that any routers are able to do EVEN THEIR OTHER ROUTER CAN DO IT

All the issues I've mentioned are actual FW issues or labeling that TP-link refused to fix, all the features are already there, but it's the slap-dash half-assed implementation
1. Label which port is not forward-able in the menu list
2. Fix the issue where wired devices appear disconnected OR just let the user pick the disconnected devices?
3. give it the same web access like idk... ALL OF THEIR OTHER ROUTERS ALREADY HAD?

A MESH router and a NON MESH router are not the same thing, might want to make that distinction. They share completely different firmware, but yes they do have similar feature sets but how they are made to be operated and how they are designed to work completely different. Again a few minutes of research on MESH and you would have known that is the NORM now and not the exception.

1. Dont know haven't tried or looked at it, as its in a location where it just works for my brother and mom at their house.
2. I dont have this problem with my AX5700 so it might be specific to whatever you had.
3. Velop, netgear, even some Uni are forcing mobile app and dont provide web page control, again doing even a few minutes of research would have told you that, its MORE THE NORM now and not the exception.

So what's your problem with my original post?

I'm clearly trying to help other buyers from making the same mistake by pointing out this router flaws?
I bought this exact one last time it was posted. If someone had let me know about the flaws, I wouldn't have
You clearly don't have this setup and just comment blindly "oh you should've google"... but if every time someone gets thumb downed and called out when they mentioned a flaw, google wouldn't help because no one would bother mentioning any flaws anymore.

"buys Tide detergent" "this detergent doesn't clean that well"
PeteyTheStriker: "YOU SHOULDVE GOOGLE IT"

"buy a sandwich" "this sandwich doesn't taste like a sandwich"
PeteyTheStriker: "YOU SHOULDVE GOOGLE IT"

"buy a bad car" .... "nah I shouldn't comment anything because people will just tell me I should've google it anyway"
10 other people buys the same bad cars...

Also I did google it to find out if it can port forward and reserve address... like I mentioned, who would've thought they'd messed up the implementation of it? I don't mind that I need the app, but again they already have a web interface built in, why not just enabled full advance mode on there too?

The problem is that they HAVE these features, but did a terrible job with it. If they straight up just disabled all advance feature, at least i'd know out of the box "oh this is dumb access point" instead of trying to forward a port that is secretly blocked

Next time should I google
"Does have port forwarding on port 443 or whatever AND let me manually assign a device THAT might show up as disconnected BECAUSE the fw could be bad?"

Didnt read all of it, but to answer your question about what was wrong with your original post. You made it sounds like this is something new and something noone else is doing when in reality as I pointed out previously this is and always has been the NORM for mesh not the exception. You want plug and play, get a MESH, you want customization and more in depth control get a router or AiMesh.

I HIGHLY doubt all other mesh router brands messed up port forwarding and labeling... I understand the norm is mesh routers are usually for plug-and-play folks, my problem isn't that, my problem is they have that feature as if it should work, but it doesn't.
So I basically commented a "Buyer beware" while they advertised it has port forwarding, there are limitations and chances are you wouldn't want it.

Imagine buying a specific car that says it can do 150mph, but in reality, it can only do 50, but the speedo still shows you're doing 150.
Is it my fault that the norm for that model is that they are slow and meant for slow people and I should've known that? or is it the manufacturer's fault for the bad implementation of the speedometer?