The TP-Link Deco E4 is easily the most economical mesh networks you can get right now. A triple node setup for Rs.8,499 is a sweet deal. The 100 Mbit Ethernet ports is something you’d not want to base your entire home network on if you estimate that there will be multiple 4K video streams active simultaneously. Units such as the AC2200 Deco M9 Plus, Velop AC6600 and Netgear Orbi RBK30 would be better suited. If all you need is to ensure great coverage in your home at the lowest price then you need not look any further.

With broadband Internet now having achieved high penetration in the country and with JioFiber around the corner, folks have started realising that the single access point setup isn’t really cutting it anymore. Not with the umpteen number of wireless devices that each household now has in all corners. Getting that Wi-Fi coverage in the remotest corner (slight exaggeration) of your home has sort of become the minimum expectation for people wanting to set up Wi-Fi in their homes. Unfortunately, doing so required buying one of the top performing models in the market at the moment. These routers aren’t exactly cheap. Mesh Wi-Fi systems or “whole home Wi-Fi systems” as they’re commonly marketed seem to be a better option. These systems come in the form of two or three node packages and they usually cost just as much as a top-of-the-line AC router. Not anymore though. The cheaper units started appearing last year itself. The first of which was the D-Link COVR1203. And now we have the TP-Link E4 triple node system which is even more economical than the COVR1203.

Build quality

Each node of the TP-Link Deco E4 is quite tall to begin with. We’re looking at about 190 millimeters in height which is in line with some of the Netgear and Linksys units we’ve seen in this segment. The top of the node has an indicator RGB LED which communicates the state of the network. You can easily turn this LED off if the lighting becomes bothersome but we’d leave it on given how discretely they have been positioned.

The rear of the unit has one WAN and one LAN port, both rated for 100 Mbit. And the power socket is situated at the bottom with a little tab included to route the power cable. The overall look is very clean and aesthetically pleasing. It’s quite heavy as well, something unusual for cheap routers. If your ethernet cable is rigid, then the weight will help keep the unit from toppling. There are no physical WPS buttons.

On the inside, we find a single PCB within the node. There are no external antenna and no daughter boards. You can see that by reducing the components within the unit, TP-Link has managed to bring down costs.

An odd thing that we saw was that the massive slab of metal that adds the extra weight wasn’t touching the SoC shielding. Even on the inside of the shielding, we didn’t find any thermal pads on the SoC which is a QCA9561. We tried looking for the datasheet of the SoC to find out what kind of cooling it requires but we couldn’t find anything official. Even the FCC filing has kept the relevant information confidential. The most we can say is that it’s an improved variant of the QCA9531. Seems like an easy opportunity lost. The QCA9561 would be the chip controlling the WLAN1, for WLAN2 we see a QCA9886 which handles the 5 GHz band and has a peak bandwidth of 867 Mbps. For the memory, the Deco E4 uses an ESMT M14D1G1664A which is DDR2 clocked at 400 MHz. Each node has two internal antennae etched onto the PCB.

Performance

The Deco E4 competes with the D-Link COVR1203, in terms of the number of nodes made available in the package. The COVR has 3 internal antennae and Gigabit ethernet ports whereas the Deco E4 makes do with 2 internal antennae and 100 Mbit ports. Both units use Qualcomm SoCs for the WLAN and it appears that the E4 has a better combination on paper. When performing bandwidth tests with a PC-node-node-PC configuration, we managed to get around 84 Mbps on the downlink and about 82 Mbps on the uplink when connected on the 2.4 GHz band and on the 5 GHz band we got 557 Mbps on the downlink and 553 Mbps on the uplink. On the LAN front, the 100 Mbps link is lower than most of the competing products we’ve tested. Coverage wise, the triple node setup easily offers more reach than two node setups.

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In addition to their ease of use and excellent performance, TP-Link Deco is widely regarded as one of the most effective mesh WiFi systems available today. Because mesh networking is becoming increasingly popular, TP-Link decided to develop an even more cheap version, the Deco E4.

From the outside, the Deco E4 looks quite similar to the Deco M4, which we previously evaluated. It will have the same design as the original, with the only alteration being the inside specifications. Fast Ethernet is the sole port available on the TP-Link Deco E4, which implies that the maximum speed is 100Mbps. The WiFi, on the other hand, is still up to AC1200.

In spite of the fact that the Deco E4 has AC1200, the maximum WiFi speed that you can get with it is only up to 100Mbps owing to the constraint imposed by the Ethernet connection. As a result, I only propose this model to individuals who have an Internet connection that is 100Mbps or slower.

Mesh WiFi Features

Mesh WiFi isn’t nearly as complicated as it appears; a mesh WiFi system works by replacing your old router with a central unit that is connected to the modem and other devices. Then it comes with a number of mesh nodes that work together to form a mesh WiFi network, which allows the coverage to be expanded even further.

Several advantages of a mesh WiFi network, including improved performance and dependability, are available. Because WiFi coverage is inversely proportional to speed, greater WiFi coverage translates to faster speeds in most situations. In contrast to WiFi repeaters, which have a separate WiFi name and IP range for each repeater, Mesh WiFi has the same configuration across the whole network. With the use of rapid roaming and AP steering, it is possible for users to have an almost smooth WiFi experience.

Performance

In terms of the number of nodes included in the package, the Deco E4 competes with the D-Link COVR1203, which is also included in the Deco E4 package. The COVR includes three internal antennas as well as three Gigabit ethernet connections, whereas the Deco E4 only has two internal antennas and two 100 Mbit ethernet ports, respectively. In terms of WLAN, both devices make use of Qualcomm SoCs, and on paper, it looks that the E4 has a superior combo.

When testing bandwidth with a PC-node-node-PC configuration, we were able to achieve approximately 84 Mbps on the downlink and approximately 82 Mbps on the uplink when connected on the 2.4 GHz band, and we were able to achieve 557 Mbps on the downlink and 553 Mbps on the uplink when connected on the 5 GHz band. On the LAN front, the link speed of 100 Mbps is lower than the link speeds of most of the competitive devices we’ve examined. In terms of coverage, the triple node configuration easily outperforms the two-node configuration.

Specifications

WIRELESSStandardsWi-Fi 5 IEEE 802.11ac/n/a 5 GHz IEEE 802.11n/b/g 2.4 GHzWiFi SpeedsAC1200 5 GHz: 867 Mbps (802.11ac) 2.4 GHz: 300 Mbps (802.11n)WiFi Range3-4 Bedroom Houses (3-pack)TP-Link Mesh Technology Optional Ethernet backhaul work together to link Deco units to provide seamless coverage

2× Antennas (Internal) Multiple antennas form a signal-boosting array to cover more directions and large areas

Beamforming Concentrates wireless signal strength towards clients to expand WiFi range

WiFi CapacityMediumDual-Band Distribute devices to different bands for optimal performance

MU-MIMO Simultaneously communicates with multiple MU-MIMO clients

Working ModesRouter Mode Access Point ModeHARDWAREProcessorQualcomm CPUEthernet Ports2× 10/100 Mbps Ports

*Per Deco Unit Supports WAN/LAN auto-sensing

ButtonsReset ButtonPower12 V ⎓ 1 ASECURITYWiFi EncryptionWPA-Personal WPA2-PersonalNetwork SecuritySPI Firewall Access ControlGuest Network1× 5 GHz Guest Network 1× 2.4 GHz Guest NetworkSOFTWAREProtocolsIPv4 IPv6Parental ControlsURL Filtering Time ControlsWAN TypesDynamic IP Static IP PPPoE PPTP L2TPQuality of ServiceQoS by DeviceCloud ServiceOTA Firmware Upgrade TP-Link ID DDNSNAT ForwardingPort Forwarding UPnPIPTVIGMP Proxy IGMP Snooping Bridge Tag VLANDHCPAddress Reservation DHCP Client List ServerDDNSTP-LinkManagementDeco AppPHYSICALDimensions (W×D×H)3.6 × 3.6 × 7.5 in (90.7 × 90.7 × 190 mm)Package ContentsDeco E4 (3-pack) 3 Deco E4R Units 1 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 3 Power Adapters 1 Quick Installation Guide

Deco E4 (2-pack) 2 Deco E4R Units 1 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 2 Power Adapters 1 Quick Installation Guide

Deco E4 (1-pack) 1 Deco E4R Unit 1 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 1 Power Adapter 1 Quick Installation Guide

OTHERSSystem RequirementsAndroid 4.4 or later iOS 9.0 or laterCertificationsCE, FCC, IC, NCC, BSMI, IDA, RCM, JPA, JRF, VCCI, KC, RoHSEnvironmentOperating Temperature: 0℃~40℃ (32℉ ~104℉) Storage Temperature: -40℃~70℃ (-40℉ ~158℉) Operating Humidity: 10%~90% non-condensing Storage Humidity: 5%~90% non-condensingTEST DATAWiFi Transmission PowerCE: <20 dBm (2.4 GHz) <23 dBm (5 GHz) FCC: <30 dBm

Verdict

The TP-Link Deco E4 is a significant product because it introduces the general public to the realm of mesh WiFi systems. While it does have its limits, the cost of this model is so low that anyone can now create their mesh WiFi networks without paying a lot. Its versatility, which allows you to combine it with other Deco models and use it as a cost-effective solution to increase the coverage of your current mesh WiFi network, is one of its most significant advantages.

Despite the fact that the Deco E4 has basic technology, the capabilities it provides are helpful despite the fact that there are not many of them, and the mobile app for it is simple to use. The only significant constraint is that it is unable to operate at rates greater than 100 megabits per second. Overall, the TP-Link Deco E4 is a fantastic value-for-money router. You should choose the TP-Link Deco E4 if you are searching for a reasonably priced mesh WiFi system and your internet connection is not faster than 100 Mbps.

Is the TP

Overall, the TP-Link Deco E4 (AC1200) 2-piece unit is an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home network. Its strong signal, user-friendly setup, and compatibility with smart home devices make it a top choice for both beginners and advanced users alike. Just Go For It.

Which is better Deco M4 or E4?

If you have an internet line speed of less than 100Mbps, then the TP-Link E4 is the perfect solution for you. If you have an internet line speed that exceeds 100Mbps then the Tp-Link M4 is the best Mesh WiFi system for your home or business.

How fast is Deco E4 AC1200?

Specifications.

What is the range of Deco E4?

A Deco E4 two-pack delivers Wi-Fi to an area of up to 2,800 square feet (EU version). And if that's not enough, simply add more Decos to the network anytime to increase coverage. Deco E4 provides fast and stable connections with speeds of up to 1167 Mbps and works with major internet service provider (ISP) and modem.