TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack) review

The Deco BE9300 three-pack is a Wi-Fi 7 mesh system made up of three identical units. It is aimed at a home that wants one wireless network across several rooms, with the option of linking the units by cable. The box contains the three units, one RJ45 Ethernet cable, three power adapters and a quick installation guide.

The two things that stand out are the wired ports and the Wi-Fi 7 radio set. The main drawback is how much of the software sits behind a subscription.

The system uses Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) and is tri-band, covering 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz. TP-Link lists signal rates of 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, 2882 Mbps on 5 GHz and 5765 Mbps on 6 GHz. Those are the manufacturer's signal rates for each band.

The feature list also includes an MLO network, so multi-link operation is part of the setup. Guest networks are offered separately on the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands. With a dedicated 6 GHz band alongside the other two, the hardware gives you room to keep newer devices apart from older ones if you choose to.

Each unit has four 2.5 Gbps auto-sensing WAN/LAN ports. One port can act as the WAN at a time, and the other ports work as LAN. One of the LAN ports can also serve as wired backhaul between units.

Owners single this out for praise. They say the 2.5 Gbps ports are useful for wiring several devices per node, and for running a solid 2 Gbps when hard-wired. With four 2.5 Gbps ports on every unit rather than just the main one, the system suits homes where wired devices are spread across different rooms. Each satellite can serve as a local wired hub for whatever sits near it.

You get three units in the pack. Because wired backhaul is supported, you can connect units to each other by Ethernet where cabling already runs through the house. That gives you a choice in how to lay the system out.

Encryption covers WPA, WPA2 and WPA3. The feature list also names a firewall, a device blocklist, an IoT network, Parental Controls, QoS, Network Protection and remote management. Firmware updates come through Online Upgrade.

HomeShield includes a Free Basic Plan, and fees apply for the Pro Plan. Owners report that full parental controls and IoT security need a paid HomeShield plan. If you plan to rely on those features, the ongoing cost is part of the decision.

Owners also complain about limited advanced configuration. They say there is no locally hosted web interface, and that traffic and QoS features are limited. That sits poorly with anyone who likes to adjust every setting. TP-Link's datasheet does not list a VPN server.

The hardware is the stronger half of this product. Wi-Fi 7 across three bands and four 2.5 Gbps ports per unit make it a good match for a household with many wired and wireless devices. The software is the weaker half. Reports of paid plans for the fuller security and parental features, together with the lack of a local web interface, count against it for anyone who wants control without a subscription.

If you want a mesh you can wire up room by room and can live without a local web interface, it fits. If you want detailed traffic shaping, local administration or security tools included in the purchase, owner reports point to limits.