TP-Link Deco BE26 (3-pack) review

The Deco BE26 is a three-unit Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) mesh kit from TP-Link. TP-Link gives a headline speed of up to 5000 Mbps. It is aimed at homes that need coverage over a wide area rather than a single router in one corner. The kit comes with three nodes, so there is no need to buy extra units for a typical multi-room setup.

The BE26 is dual-band. TP-Link lists 4324 Mbps on 5 GHz and 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. That puts nearly all the speed on the 5 GHz band, so the kit suits a household whose main devices connect there. Wi-Fi 7 support gives it a current standard for newer phones and laptops as they arrive.

The absence of a third band is the main limit. Buyers who want the most from the newest standard should weigh that against the three-node package.

Each unit has two 2.5 Gbps auto-sensing WAN/LAN ports. There is no dedicated LAN port. Instead, the two ports on each unit can act as LAN ports. That makes the main unit capable of taking a 2.5 Gbps connection from a modem or ONT, and it gives every node a faster-than-gigabit wired connection.

With two ports per unit, the kit suits a couple of wired devices per room, such as a desktop or a NAS beside a node. If you want a larger number of wired devices at one point, the port count is the limit. The speed of each port is good, but the number of them is modest.

The kit has three nodes. A third-party UK review says a 3-pack covers up to around 600 m². That figure comes from that reviewer, not from a measurement made by SudoPicks. It points to a kit suited to large homes or multi-storey houses rather than flats.

TP-Link's EU V1 firmware release lists hybrid mesh and an internet backup feature.

TP-Link supplies its HomeShield network protection, parental controls and IoT security. The kit also has a guest network, a firewall and a device blocklist. Encryption options are WPA, WPA2 and WPA3. For a home with children or a lot of smart devices, parental controls and IoT security are the relevant tools on that list.

EU V1 firmware (build 26031312) was published on 2026-06-10. Its changes include IPv6 onboarding, DoT/DoH support, hybrid mesh and the internet backup feature. DoT/DoH support is useful if you want encrypted DNS handled at the router. TP-Link does not list VLAN support or a VPN server among the features, so admins who need network segmentation or remote access hosted on the router should check those points before buying.

TP-Link gives a maximum power consumption of 18.1 W without the power adapter. That is a manufacturer maximum, not a typical draw. It gives you an upper limit if you want to estimate running cost.

The BE26 suits a home with a fast broadband line, a few wired devices and a need for broad coverage. The 2.5 Gbps ports on every unit and the three-node pack are the clearest strengths. The dual-band design, the lack of a dedicated LAN port and the home-focused feature list are the limits. Homelabbers who want VLANs or a built-in VPN server will want to look at the feature list closely before choosing it.