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Officially available in early May 2023, the TP-Link Deco BE85 BE22000 Tri-Band Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 7 System is the very first Wi-Fi 7 broadcaster on the market. Yet it was almost half a year later than TP-Link’s original promise of availability.
During the unveiling event in November 2022, TP-Link said the BE85 would be available for pre-order on the last day of that year, together with the Deco BE95 and Archer BE800/BE900. None turned out to be the case.
In hindsight, that was just wishful thinking, considering it took Wi-Fi 7 until January 8, 2024, to be finalized. However, making pre-certified hardware available to consumers has been the trend since Wi-Fi 5—certification is only a matter of firmware updates.
At a current discounted street price of $1,299.99 for a 3-pack (or $400 less for a 2-pack), the TP-Link Deco BE85 is an excellent buy for a large home. You can use it wirelessly, but wired backhauling is always preferable—the hardware can handle multiple multi-Gigabit wired connections right out of the box.
Here’s the bottom line: As long as you don’t mind the lack of a full web user interface and the potential privacy risks common within the Deco family (and most canned mesh brands), the new Deco BE85 will make you happy. Possibly even very happy.
Having super-fast broadband and living in a large home? Consider a set of the Deco BE85 today!
Dong’s note: I first published this review on May 14, 2023, and updated it on January 16, 2024, after additional testing using official Wi-Fi 7 clients.
TP-Link Deco BE85: A real multi-Gigabit mesh system
Available as a 3-pack, the Deco BE85 includes three identical routers, each being the largest Deco to date—understandably so. Still, the mesh set resembles any previous hardware in the ecosystem, including the Wi-Fi 6E Deco XE200.
Pick one unit as the primary router—and that’s enough if you only need a single broadcaster—and the rest will work as satellites to scale up the Wi-Fi coverage. That’s the familiar concept of Deco and most canned mesh systems.
And like the rest of the Deco family, you must use the Deco mobile app to use the BE85. The app requires a login account for the setup and ongoing management. In return, you can manage your home network on the phone at home or when out and about.
TP-Link and your privacy
Signing in with a vendor-linked online account generally means your hardware connects to the vendor at all times, which translates into inherent privacy risks.
On this matter, the China-origin company, among other things, insists that it’s a “global multinational group” and offers this assurance:
“TP-Link takes privacy seriously and complies with U.S. policies to protect consumers.”
TP-Link’s Privacy Policy page.
Managing your home network via a third party is never a good idea. Privacy is a matter of degree. Data collection and handling vary vendor by vendor and region by region.
Generally, the Deco app has limited customization and networking features. And if you want online protection or more, you’ll have to opt for the optional HomeShield Pro add-on, which costs $55/year after a 30-day trial.
I didn’t try HomeShield Pro for this review, nor will I intend to ever use it or any similar paid add-on from other canned mesh systems, such as Negear’s Orbi or Amazon’s eero. It’s not like there aren’t enough subscriptions already.
That’s to say, the BE85 will give you a familiar Deco experience, however good or bad. What differentiates it from the rest is its network connection prowess. And on this front, it’s a significant step forward. Or you can call it a leap.
The most serious Multi-Gig tri-band Deco hardware to date
Besides being the first broadcaster that supports Wi-Fi 7, which is huge in and of itself, the Deco BE85 is the first in the family with more than one Multi-Gig port. And it goes big on this front with not two, not three, but four ports, including two 2.5Gbps and two 10Gbps.
One of the 10Gbps ports is an SFP+/RJ45 combo, first introduced with the Archer AXE300.
This SFP+ option is handy for those using a specific type of Fiber-optic ONT that uses this port instead of RJ45, making the BE85 the most flexible Deco to date regarding broadband support.
But you can also use this port to host a local client, such as a NAS server or a Multi-Gig switch. Or you don’t use it and go with the RJ45 connector instead.
These ports are auto-sensing, meaning you can use any of them as the WAN port by connecting it to an Internet source (like a Fiber-optic ONT or a Cable modem.) After that, the rest of the ports will work as LANs.
The auto-sensing function is applicable only when the hardware works as a router—a satellite’s ports are always LANs—and is smooth within the Deco family. You can move the WAN connection from one port to another at any time, and within seconds, the ports will function in their intended role. That was also the case with the BE85 in my trial.
Secondly, the Deco BE85 is one of a few Decos with a USB port to host a storage device and the first that has the performance to match—more below.
You can use it as a mini NAS server to host shared folders and a Time Capsule alternative. In the latter case, which is typically available in TP-Link’s standalone routers, you can even limit the storage space used by Time Machine backup.
TP-Link Deco BE85 vs. Deco XE200: Hardware specifications
 |  | |
| Full Name | TP-Link Deco BE85 BE22000 Tri-Band Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 7 System | TP-Link Deco XE200 AXE11000 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6E System |
| Model | Deco BE85 | Deco XE200 |
| Mesh Availability | 3-pack (identical routers) | 2-Pack (identical routers) |
| Dimensions (each unit) | 5.04 × 5.04 × 9.29 in (128 × 128 × 236 mm) | 9.49 x 5.12 × 4.86 in (241 x 130 × 123.5 mm) |
| Processor | Undisclosed | 2.2 GHz Quad-Core CPU |
| Wi-Fi Technology | Tri-Band BE22000 | Tri-band AXE11000 |
| 2.4GHz Band specs (channel width) | 4×4 BE: Up to 1376 Mbps (20/40MHz) | 4×4 AX: Up to 1148 Mbps |
| 5GHz Band Specs (channel width) | 4×4 BE: Up to 8640 Mbps (20/40/160/240MHz) | 4×4 AX: Up to 4804 Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
| 6GHz Band Specs (channel width) | 4×4 BE: Up to 11520 Mbps (20/40/160/320MHz) | 4×4 AXE: Up to 4804 Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi |
| Wireless Security | WPA2, WPA3 | WPA2, WPA3 |
| Mobile App | TP-Link Deco | TP-Link Deco |
| Web User Interface | Limited | Limited |
| Bridge Mode | No | No |
| AP Mode | Yes (as a mesh or a single unit) | Yes (as a mesh or a single unit) |
| USB Port | 1x USB 3.0 | None |
| Internal Fan | Yes | No |
| Gigabit Port (WAN/LAN auto-sensing) | None | 2 |
| Multi-Gig Port (WAN/LAN auto-sensing) | 2x 2.5Gbps 1x 10Gbps 1x 10Gbps / SFP+ Combo | 1x 10Gbps |
| Link Aggregation | None | None |
| Firmware Version (at review) | 1.0.14 Build 20231124 Rel. 32537 | 1.0.3 Build 20220907 Rel. 53256 |
| Power Input | 110-240V | 110-240V |
| Power Consumption (per 24 hours) | ≈ 485 Wh (router unit) | ≈ 420 Wh (router unit) |
| Retail Price (at launch) | $1499.99 (3-pack) $999.99 (2-pack | $799.99 (2-pack) |
New Wi-Fi 7-related settings
Like the case of all other Deco sets, the BE85 has simple Wi-Fi customization. For example, you can’t pick a channel, nor can you set a band to work in a particular Wi-Fi standard.
But thanks to the support of Wi-Fi 7, the new tri-band (2.4GHz + 5GHz + 6GHz) mesh router has the most Wi-Fi settings you can find in a Deco.
Specifically, here are how you can use its three bands per my real-world experience:
- A main SSID (network name) for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands via Smart Connect. A couple of things to note about this network:
- You can’t separate these bands in two SSIDs, but you can turn either off, making the network exclusively 2.4GHz or 5GHz.
- There is an option to make the 5GHz band operate in 80MHz, 160MHz (default), or the new 240MHz channel widths.
- A second SSID for the 6GHz band—automatically takes the primary SSID’s name and adds the “-6GHz” suffix. You can change this name to anything you want, including the same as the main SSID. (This is new since the Deco XE200 doesn’t allow the 6GHz to share the same SSID name as the others.)
- An optional third SSID with Wi-Fi 7’s Multi-Link Operation (MLO) feature. This SSID automatically has the “_MLO” suffix, but you can also name it to your liking. A couple of things to note:
- This SSID uses all three bands by default, but you can turn the 2.4GHz off to include only the 5GHz and 6GHz bands.
- Wi-Fi 7 clients can connect to this SSID using two bands simultaneously to increase the bandwidth. Wi-Fi 6 devices can only use one band at a time.
- This SSID only supports WPA3 encryption, which generally doesn’t work with Wi-Fi 5 and older clients.
- Two optional Guest Network SSIDs, one for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and the other for the 6GHz band. You can also name these networks to your liking as long as they are different from those used in #1, #2, or #3.
- An optional IoT Network SSID for the 2.4GHz band (default) or the 2.4GHz + 5GHz combo. This is a virtual SSID, part of the primary network, for low-bandwidth smart devices.
Other than that, with all of the SSIDs above, you have the option to keep them hidden from the public.
Pre-synced hardware, flexible backhaul
The hardware units of the 3-pack are pre-synced. All you have to do is set one up as the primary router, and the other two will automatically be part of the mesh system when plugged in.
By default, the broadcasters are wirelessly linked together using all three bands—likely via a separate MLO connection. However, you can also use the app to dedicate the 6GHz band for this linking job.
But in this case, the band will not be available to the client. That, plus the fact it has a shorter range, means there’s no point in using it as the dedicated backhaul. (The Deco BE95 might be more suitable in this case, but it’s a different story.)
Wi-Fi 7’s Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) might improve the range on the 6GHz band, but that remains to be seen—this feature is not yet available even with certified hardware. It might be added to the Deco BE85 later via firmware when it becomes a reality—not a sure thing.
Like any other Deco, the best way to use the BE85 is via wired backhauling. And in this case, thanks to the hardware’s plenty of Multi-Gig ports, you’ll get multi-Gigabit backhauls right out of the box.
New to the idea of backhaul? Open this cabinet
When you use multiple Wi-Fi broadcasters—in a mesh Wi-Fi system or a combo of a router and an extender—there are two types of connections: fronthaul and backhaul.
Fronthaul is the Wi-Fi signals broadcast outward for clients or the local area network (LAN) ports for wired devices. It’s what we generally expect from a Wi-Fi broadcaster.
Backhaul (a.k.a backbone), on the other hand, is the link between one satellite Wi-Fi broadcaster and another, which can be the network’s primary router, a switch, or another satellite unit.
This link works behind the scenes to keep the hardware units together as a system. It also determines the ceiling bandwidth (and speed) of all devices connected to the particular satellite Wi-Fi broadcaster.
At the satellite/extender unit, the connection used for the backhaul—a Wi-Fi link or a network port—is often called the uplink. Generally, a Wi-Fi broadcaster might use one of its bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz) or a network port for the uplink.
When a Wi-Fi band handles backhaul and fronthaul simultaneously, only half its bandwidth is available to either end. When a Wi-Fi band functions solely for backhauling, often available traditional Tri-band hardware, it’s called the dedicated backhaul.
Generally, for the best performance and reliability, network cables are recommended for backhauling—wired backhauling, which is an advantage of mesh Wi-Fi hardware with network ports. In this case, a satellite broadcaster can use its entire Wi-Fi bandwidth for front-hauling.
TP-Link Deco BE85: Detail photos
A standard set of network settings
Besides that, like other Decos, the BE85 has a standard set of networking settings. The hardware is not as robust as those with a full web user interface, but it has the most to offer among canned mesh brands, including Netgear Orbi, eero, or Linksys Velop.
These settings and features include the support for Dynamic DNS (with a free domain from TP-Link), port forwarding, VPN (server or client), IPTV VLAN tagging (required by certain Internet providers), and the ability to work in the AP mode (as a single router or a mesh system.) You can manage all of them using the Deco mobile app.
Overall, the Deco BE85 is a good router for any home, but savvy users will find it quite limited. The fact that there’s no web interface—like the case of TP-Link Archer routers—can be a deal breaker for many.
To make up for that, this new router has something that matters the most: the performance.
TP-Link Deco BE85: True multi-Gigabit performance
When I first tested a 3-pack Deco BE85 in May last year, the Wi-Fi system did well with existing Wi-Fi 6 and 6E clients. However, the standard was still in draft; the hardware was a bit buggy. Since then, there have been a few rounds of firmware updates, and the mesh has gotten much better.
Multi-Gigabit real-world Wi-Fi speeds
This second time around, I tested it with a couple of Wi-Fi 7 clients, including a few computers running the Intel BE200 adapters, and the mesh system proved to be a true multi-Gigabit powerhouse. For the most part, I didn’t run into any issues during the weeks-long trial.
And the Wi-Fi performance was excellent.
My 2×2 Wi-Fi 7 clients could connect to the BE85 main router at around 4Gbps of negotiated speed and easily sustained over 2Gbps. The mesh router did well, too, when hosting Wi-Fi 6 and 6E devices with consistent Gig+ sustained rates.
Tip
Gig+, or Gig Plus, conveys a speed grade faster than 1Gbps but slower than 2Gbps. So, it’s 1.5Gbps, give or take a couple hundred megabits per second, and it’s not speedy enough to qualify as Multi-Gig Ethernet or multi-Gigabit. Intel coined the term to call its Wi-Fi 6E client chips, the AX210 and AX211, to describe their real-world speeds.
Gig+ applies mainly to the sustained speeds of Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7, via a 2×2 at 160MHz connection, or broadband Internet speed.
Most impressively, the high connection rates continued at the satellite units via the default wireless backhaul setup. In fact, currently, the Deco BE85 is the fastest among its peers, especially when hosting Wi-Fi 7, though that status might change soon, considering upcoming options on the horizon.
In terms of range, the BE85 had excellent coverage, but it wasn’t decidedly better than existing high-end Wi-Fi 6E broadcasters. And that’s to be expected since the Wi-Fi range is generally limited to the frequency.
Until AFC is available, Wi-Fi 7 has little, if at all, improvement in range. However, the higher bandwidth will help since it allows you to place the units further from one another while still maintaining relatively high backhaul link speeds.
It’s hard to put the range in numbers, but generally, you can expect each BE85 unit to cover some 2000 ft2 – 2500 ft2 (232 m2) of space. Still, your mileage will vary. Setting up a mesh system wirelessly is always tricky. However, if you have wired backhauling, the Deco BE85 will be better than any previous Wi-Fi 6 or 6E purpose-built system.
Excellent wireless backhaul bandwidth, typical Multi-Gig wired data rates
Like other routers with multiple Multi-Gig ports, I also tested the BE85 the way I do switches, and, additionally, I also gauged its wireless backhauling via two wired devices in a new test. In the former, its 10Gbps wired performance, while fast, could be better. On the other hand, the wireless backhauling was impressive, sustaining at around 5Gbps.
And 5Gbps was also the best Internet speed you’d get from it, per my trial, with a 10Gbps Fiber-optic line on a wired device with a 10Gbps LAN port.
It’s worth noting that, like the case of other home routers with 10GbE ports I’ve used, the Deco BE85 didn’t seem to have enough to deliver true 10Gbps. Still, 5Gbps of sustained real-world speed is plenty fast.
Notes on 10Gbps hardware
A router needs more than just a couple of 10Gbps Ethernet network ports to deliver (close to) true 10Gbps. It also requires high processing power and applicable firmware to handle this bandwidth.
Generally, consumer-grade Multi-Gig routers and switches do not deliver true 10Gbps (10,000Mbps) throughputs. After “overhead”, they sustain approximately between 6.5Gbps (Wi-Fi 6/6E hardware) and 8.5Gbps (Wi-Fi 7 hardware). Often, a router’s traffic-related features, such as QoS, security, etc., when turned on, can impact its bandwidth.
Many home Wi-Fi routers support the entry-level Multi-Gig, which is 2.5Gbps and can deliver close to 2,500Mbps in real-world speeds.
Fast NAS performance
Despite the modest 10GbE ports’ performance, the Deco BE85 did well in my network-attached storage performance when hosting a portable SSD.
I tested the router unit with a WD My Passport using USB 3.0 mode, and it was among the fastest I’ve seen, with close to 200MB/s in writing and over 250MB/s in reading. With Multi-Gig backhauling, you can expect similar performance when attaching a drive to a satellite unit.
Generally, it’s best to use a dedicated NAS server, but if you only care about simple sharing data and Time Machine backup, each Deco BE85 can get the job done with a suitable USB drive attached.
A bit hot and a tad noisy
Each Deco BE85 unit has an internal fan, and in my testing, they all got warm and produced a bit of noise now and then. None became hot or loud enough to cause concern—just about the same decibel level as the humming sound of a portable humidifier. Still, it’s recommended that you place the hardware in an airy space.
TP-Link Deco BE85's Rating
Pros
Four Multi-Gig ports, including two 10 Gbps, one of which supports RJ45/SFP+ combo; multi-Gigabit wired backhauling out of the box
Wi-Fi 7 support, backward compatible with existing clients; excellent overall real-world performance
Easy to use
Cons
The performance of the 2.4 GHz band and 10Gbps ports could be better
Vendor-connected mobile app required; HomeShield Pro costs extra
Internal fan; runs a bit hot
Conclusion
Now that Wi-Fi 7 is officially here, the TP-Link Deco BE85 BE22000 Tri-Band is an excellent home mesh option to bring home. It’s the best Deco to date.
While $1300 is a minor deal, the 3-pack mesh is more affordable than some existing Wi-Fi 6E counterparts and literally $1000 less than the Netgear Orbi 970. So, considering the performance, this Deco’s cost is reasonable enough.
If you’re looking for a mesh system for a large home, especially one wired with network cables and having Gigabit or faster broadband, consider this Deco BE85 today. You won’t be disappointed.
But you can also wait. The hardware will only improve via firmware updates, and, per my main takeaway from CES 2024, there will be plenty more affordable Wi-Fi options relatively soon.
I have a 1.2gbps data plan, and I will have to use a wireless backhaul. I will be setting up a mesh with 2 units to get the coverage I need. I would like to get a mesh system that will provide the best speed to my clients.
I have narrowed my choices to the Orbi 770 and the Deco BE85, after looking at features and cost. I know there are better systems that are more expensive, but The 770 and BE85 are in my price range. In fact, I can get a used BE85 for $540 locally.
Which would you choose between these 2 options if you consider reliability, less bugs, speed, and features?
The Deco has no web interface, it’s fully app-operated, but it has more features for free than the Orbi. I’d go with the ZenWiFi BT8 for your case, though.
Thank you for the reply Dong.
I’m ok with the Deco not having a web interface. Do you think that is a big deal? Maybe I’m missing something there.
What do you think makes the BT8 a better fit for me? IT it less buggy, etc?
Or, is it the wireless backhaul?
Hi Dong
About to bite the bullet and get one of these. Great review!
I only have one question – hopefully you’ll be able to point me to one of your articles if my question makes any sense to you!
How do I create an iot network and ensure that even though my home automation stuff is connected to that network, I won’t have issues controlling it? For example the HomePod uses a 2.4 ghz band but if my phone is connected to the 6ghz band it constantly comes up with a message to say we are not on the same network. How do I resolve this please?
You likely have them in two separate networks. More here.
Hi Dong, I bought a BE85 and I am very happy. I had already tried it in the past but now I think I will stay with this solution. I always follow you and I would like to ask you something. Analyzing the wifi networks, I found a 6 Ghz network that is certainly transmitted by Deco (ssid zEQQlyPqCMt8O/bb ). But I don’t understand how to disable it. My two units are wired. What do you think it is? Thank you very much!
It’s to keep the two units synced in case the wired back haul is broken. You can ignore it and it’s not user-accessible.
Thank you Dong. I also contacted TpLink support and they said that AFC will arrive with a firmware update!
👍
Hi Doug,
Thanks for the great review of the BE85. I went ahead and bought one during Prime Day. My problem is that once a day the whole system loses its connection to the internet and the whole family freaks out on me. Haha. It’s usually only off for 5-10 minutes but it’s enough for everyone to beg me to return to our old WiFi 5 system. Am up to date on firmware and can’t figure out why it loses its connection to the internet. I have Frontier fiber. The main mesh is connected directly to the ONT via ethernet. Have you had any experience with these shutting down randomly/temporarily due to overheating? Any other thoughts/suggestions would be super. Thanks!
Jason
Nope, Jason, that’s strange but I can imagine it can be heat issue if you live in a hot area as I mentioned in the review. That thing can get hot. On this front and others the Asus ZenWiFi BE16 Pro is a MUCH better alternative, make sure you read the review, though.
Hey Dong.
My BE85 Deco was cutting out once a day under heavy use. T-Link tech support advised I change a cable going from the main router to a switch. It was a Cat5e cable. I replaced it with a shorter Cat6 one. To my surprise, that seemed to have worked. Haven’t had any issues for past week. Does that track for you? Could 1 cable coming off the main router to a switch have felled the whole system intermittently?
It was likely not the cable grade but the cable itself, Jason. That’d have been the first thing I’d have checked. Try a good CAT5e cable and you’d see no difference. Don’t buy cheap cables from Chinese vendors on Amazon or elsewhere.
Hi Dong,
Costco currently offers a 3-pack of the BE65 (BE11000) for $500. Isn’t that a steal? Or is the login security vulnerability of the TP-Link a dealbreaker?
Here’s the preview on the Deco BE65 (which is the same as the BE63), Odysseus. And more on Deco in this post. Only you can answer those questions for yourself. 🙂
If I installed the WRT firmware, would that solve the security issue associated with the required login? Would the wired backhaul still work?
I don’t know since I haven’t done that (I don’t think it’s even possible). But generally, the firmware determines how the hardware works.
Hi Dong,
The forementioned BE63 bundle is now $400. Would you say that the security implications of the required tp-login make the Deco a bad deal at any price?
The problem is that while I don’t necessarily need a Wifi-7 router at this point, my ASUS GT-AX 6000 and RP-AX 56 combo is becoming wonky and there are dead spots across my tri-level house (“only” 2000 sq ft). I could also use more 2.5 G ethernet ports.
What could you recommend instead of the BE 63?
You’ll be disappointed moving from Asus to TP-Link, but likely the BE63 is better in performance and coverage compared to your current setup, which is wonky for a reason, the two are not designed to work well together. More here. You need to decide what is a good deal for yourself, it’s your money. 🙂
Your comment about my ASUS GT-AX 6000 and RP-AX 56 combo not being fully compatible gave pause. I looked at the link you sent, but I can’t find anything specific — I *am* using a wired backhaul.
If I stayed with ASUS, what would you suggest to improve both range and compatibility? The ASUS ZenWiFi Pro ET12 AXE11000? Does it even make sense to upgrade to Wifi 6E at this point?
You need to read the *whole* post to understand, but generally, when you mix a powerful router with an entry-level one, the settings on former can’t be duplicated on the latter. So depending on your configuration, things can get wonky. Imagine matching an Olympian with a child in a Ping-Pong game, you can’t expect a good match out of them. In any case, make sure you read before asking questions.
Not to belabor a point 😆, the only major difference I can see between my ASUS GT-AX 6000 and RP-AX 56 is that the former offers 160 MHz Wi-Fi 6 bands. Would the wonkiness be solved by upgrading to the RP-AX 58 (which your review stated is otherwise not that different), then? Or should I use the RP-AX 56 in AP mode?
When one upgrades hardware and keeps the old stuff around as part of a mesh network, isn’t there necessarily going to be feature inequality between devices?
Is there any point in upgrading to Wifi 6E at this point?
Again, here’s the link for the post. Give it, and related ones, a good read and make your own decision. Until you’re done reading (I’d know that from your questions), your future comments won’t be posted per the rules above.
i’m looking into getting this and already put in a thru-wall cable panel for the back haul. the only thing is the ports don’t make a ton of sense. if i have 10g wan and obviously i want a 10g wired back haul, that means my primary can won’t have a 10g port for a pc – i would be forced to use the satellite can to get 10g wired.
That, or you can get a 10Gbps switch, Scoob. More here.
I have a pair of the Deco TP-Link Deco BE85 BE22000. One currently operates as a router with wireless and the other is hardwired as an AP. I am looming to add 3 ubiquiti cameras to my home so I was thinking about getting the UDM-SE with 8TB hard drive to record cameras. I was wondering if I did this could I change both Decos to APs to work with the UDM-SE as the router? Or is it better to just keep the Deco setup the same and get a ubiquiti UNVR with 8TB drive for the cameras?
Yes, you can totally do that, Bryan. Since the UDM-SE is a non-Wifi router, the combo will work out well—I speak from experience. I’d prefer that to using the UNVR.
I really wish/want to be able to describe my experience with this system as “excellent”, but so far its been headaches.
I have Firmware Version: 1.0.14 Build 20231124 Rel. 32537
I set the parent/gateway unit up and three satellite/child units. First setup was a disaster and had to be factory reset and start from scratch (won’t get into that since that’s not the issue here).
Second setup resolved most issues, except for same experience with dropping ethernet backhaul within a few hours on both child units that were plugged into ethernet (third child unit is not wired to ethernet and remains a wireless only unit).
After that much more successful second setup, ethernet backhaul on the two units will show wired/connected in the app for a few hours, then both will drop ethernet backhaul connection and revert to wireless only. So far I have learned that a system reboot will not address the issue. Yesterday, I went to the two affected child units and pulled their power cord and removed/replaced the ethernet cables (new, Cat6 cables). Ethernet backhaul then came back on immediately after they booted up, yet again dropped after only a few hours and reverted to wireless only connection.
Please help resolve this issue, so I do not have to return these 4 BE85s
I’d check your wiring, Dustin. More in this post in the part on how to connect them.
Read your recent IOT post. If I understand correctly segmenting all your IOT devices on a separate 2.4ghz SSID is helpful, although that separate SSID should ideally have access to the rest of the local network.
Is that how the Guest/IOT SSIDs work with the BE85? Do they have access to the local network? Was trying to look through the manual to see the details but couldn’t figure it out.
Not the Guest Wi-Fi, but the IoT, Chris. More in this post.
Notice that MLO feature was finally able to be turned on. Have you done any speed test with Wifi 7 clients connecting to the deco BE85 using MLO? I do not have any Wifi 7 adaptors but if the speed is good might get some.
Yeah, Pete, and it makes no difference generally in my official testing, with clients that support it. MLO, so far, has only been meaning in wireless mesh, it’s not something that will give you faster speed on a client. More here.
Hi – great article…
Would a single BE85 work well with 3 XE75 Pro nodes (using an ethernet backhaul)? I.e. can the BE85 control the XE75 Pros, and if so, would I lose any functionality, knowing that WiFi7 would be limited to the BE85?
I can also get a BE63/65 to do this, but I like the power of the BE85…
/Bo
I believe that should work, Bo, but I haven’t tried.
Today in EU countries BE85 is limited to 19000 Mbps, as the 5Ghz band is 5760 Mbps and not 8640 Mbps as in USA (and in UK?). I asked to Tp-Link support and probably depend on EU regulations 😜
My Internet plan is GPON 2.5/1 GbE so I asked them if better use 2.5 or 10 GbE port, their answer is to connect my ONT to 2.5 port and use the 10 GbE port for wired backhaul
Today in Amazon.it the (19000) 2-pack is 1.100€ and the single router 565€, until January 15th 2-pack was 1.300€ and single router 700€
Hope prices are going down
It has two 10Gbps ports so you can use one for WAN and the other for LAN or backhauling. And yes frequencies are regulated differently around the world.
I have an Internet plan 2.5/1 Gbps, in this mesh system the wired backhaul must be between two 2.5 ports or I can use two 10 ports? Problems if there’s two 2.5 ports unmanaged switches between the router and the satellite? Thanks
You can use the 10Gbps ports or any available port, for wired backhauling, Mauro. You can daisy-chain them. Note at at the satellite unit, all ports are LANs. If you place a slower switch(es) in between, the connection will be that of the slowest party.
My theoric maximum download speed limit is 2.5 Gig, so I’m thinking replacing two Gigabit switches with two Zyxel MG-108 unmanaged switches. Thank you so much Dong for your work and your help, this is the first website that knows well what say.
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Hi
I have since one month the DECO BE85.
Really great product: easy to install.
Good speed
Great price (in comparison to the other on the wifi 7 router market)
BUT I had since day one a HUGE trouble and I can’t find any solution.
When I try to download in Wifi (5ghz or 6ghz the same) anything,
The download stop and I need to Relaunch 3, 4 times in a row to get the download completed. (And sometime it’s simply impossible on my new meta quest 3 for ex)
I have a wifi6e on my internet French Box ( Orange live box 7) and had ANY problem like that on the exact same devices and files.
I have a DECO BE85 (V1)
I put the last firmware update (830)
I change my arJ45 cable 4 times (in case of)
I put a blow air on the main satellite (in case it’s a HOT trouble)
I relauch my router , my 10g switch many times) NOTHING
SAME PROBLEM
Do you have any idea ?
I tried to ask help to uplink with no success
I can return my unit till tomorrow for a money return
I love this product (when he work) but simply impossible to use it as a day to day wifi connection at home
Perhaps I had a BAD unit simply and I can ask for a BE95 (because I will use a NOT WIRED connection between the 2 units)
Your help will be greatly appreciated
Regards
Olivier
Two things to check, Oliver:
1. Your cables, make sure they are good. (Looks like you already did that)
2. The DNS settings of your Internet connection, if the default, pick another server, or if you’re already using another server, switch back to the default.
Thanks for your reply:
1) check 4 cables , no change
2) change DNS in case of, but no change at all. the wifi of my box as no problem at all
So i decided to return my BE85, and wait for the BE95 one (not still available here in France)
my BE85 was a V1 version
hope my futur BE95 will be a V2 or V3 and this problem will be fixed
thanks for your help
ps: i saw that the 5ghz band had a better speed on the BE95
The BE95 is not good, at least for now. More here.
I see all the ports are able to detect if they’re acting as the WAN connection but does the BE85 (or BE95) support dual WAN if you plug-in two internet connections?
No, Tim. Whichever finishes negotiating the Internet connection first will work as the WAN and the rest will function as LANs. The firmware has no Dual-WAN feature, at least for now.
in case off: Optimize Network Stability and Download issues on Deco BE85/BE95
i think it’s a firmware issue:
here is a beta one who seems to fix it
https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/629446
if it can help…..
Interesting product. Great review. Had a few questions and would be grateful for some clarity. Many thanks in advance! :
1. When you say the wireless backhaul is via MLO, does that mean it is acting like a dual band mesh system without a dedicated backhaul, or does MLO effectively give you the benefits of a dedicated backhaul band (like a triband or quad band option)?
2. I noticed on the ASUS website, they mention a new Wifi 7 Mesh system coming soon. The “Asus ZenWifi 7 BQ16 Pro”. That seems to have 4 bands (2.4 Ghz, 5Ghz and two 6Ghz bands). I do like some TP-Link products, but more keen on Asus given their setup process doesn’t require a Sign in.
I understand that the Asus’ Wifi 7 Mesh hasn’t been released yet, but from the looks of the specs, would that likely work in the same way as this TP-Link system in terms of wireless backhaul?
Reason being that at some point end of the year after I might consider upgrading from our Amplifi Alien set up (which has been stellar, but it probably isn’t cost effective to buy another two Aliens to cover our home extension with the current prices and an Alien Mesh technically doesn’t have a dedicated wireless backhaul). I was half tempted to go for a new Asus Zen XT12 set up (the prices right now here mean you can get a pair of XT12’s for just slightly more than one single Alien and start from scratch. But I’m able and willing to hold out till the end of the year if a new Asus system is on the way (or new Amplifi Alien Wifi 7!).
In your opinion does the Asus BQ16 sound like it is the successor to the Asus XT12, or would that be a hypothetical Asus XT16?
3. I was under the impression that the 5Ghz band was generally better for wireless backhaul given its range. Thus it if wireless backhaul was the only option, a “quad band” Wifi 7 system (with two 5Ghz bands) would be the more ideal product for such a scenario. Does the MLO technology of Wifi 7 overcome that such that the Vendors are not having a separate 5Ghz band dedicated for backhaul (two 5Ghz bands instead of two 6Ghz bands)?
1. Check out this post. You need to understand Wi-Fi 7 first.
2. That remains to be seen since the 6GHz band needs AFC (see #1) to work well. TP-Link has the BE95, too. Wi-Fi 7 is totally different from Wi-Fi 6/6E.
3. See #1.
I need your help please. I’m looking for a whole home mesh system with a lot of range.
The Deco BE85 sounds good but the lack of security is an issue and there is no web interface.
You said you can’t pick a channel. I do that now to try and not use the same channel as my neighbor.
You can’t set a band to work in a particular Wi-Fi standard.
Can you suggest a future proof mesh system like this that has these missing options?
They are installing 1gig fiber (ONT + router) at my house soon and I want a good mesh system. I will have them shut off the router side.
It’s only being run to the house so the inside will be Wi-Fi no wires in the walls. 2 Story house with 4400 sqft. Sheetrock walls, wood studs.
We stream movies from a Fire stick, Prime and Netflix. We get buffering and hate it.
How do I get the best range throughout the house?
The current router is in my office (3 laptops and a wi-fi printer is in the office) on one side of the house and the main TV is on the opposite side of the house.
Wi-Fi devices – 7 smart TV’s, 7 DirecTV cable boxes, 4 cell phones, 2 fire sticks, 6 laptops, Printers, 2 Portals, 3 Echo Dot, 2 Stereos connected to TVs, Nintendo switch and one more gaming console.
There’s no such thing as future-proofing, Lionel. Get what works for you today. Start with this post.
I have a Asus XT12 system at home for test right now. Works good. But now I saw this new line from TP-Link.
A pair of TP-Link Deco BE65 is only $60 more than what I paid for XT12.. What do you think master Dong, whould BE65 be a better choise than XT12 for that little cost? Get 6E and wifi 7, even though I probably dont need it 🙂 At least for now.
I am using wirless backhaul.
Coverage is important for me. I have IoT devices quite a bit away from the house. Some of them warns for poor connection and some looses connection sometimes even with XT12.
And I beleve that both have around same specification, 2000 – 2500 ft2 (232 m2) per unit.
But what system do you beleve is the stronger one in coverage?
Thanks for a great page!
BR,
Andreas
The BE85 will likely deliver better coverage, Andreas, but it’s impossible to quantify how much because that depends on the environment. Wireless backhauling is always tricky.
Deco generally has privacy issues and much less customzation.
Dongo,
Thanks so much for your reviews, love them and they extremely detailed. I have a question. I upgraded from a eero pro 6 system because honestly coverage range was not good. I purchased the be-85 and coverage is much better. We currently have no device capable of using WiFi 7, mostly iPhone, iPad family. Do you think I would loose any of the coverage improvements I found upgrading from eero pro 6 if I went with the TP-Link ex75 pro?
Thanks
Anything is better than the eero, Scott, in more ways than one. As for others, that depends on your place, it’s impossible to say. But you can try. The BE85 is likely overkill.
The name is Dong.
wow. that is whetting my appetite.
For the B95 claim of 3900 sq foot per node, the 2 pack seems like a great and cheaper alternative than the B85, a little bit less distance per node (guaging 20% less than advertised based on your B85 results off the top of my head), and I could use cheapo extenders for edge stuff that only needs a few Mbs to keep it ticking over
The DE95 will not have more coverage than this one, David, and likely with no meaningful differences, other than the higher cost. Take those numbers with a grain of salt 💦.
240 MHz in the 5 GHz band?
{…}
I think you should include these 2 different speed test, one requires just switching and other requires router ( needs NAT and Conntrack if it uses linux for routing)
You can think of many things, Kevin, and that’s your business. Thanks for the input, though. Please don’t spam.
You’re so triggered for pointing out a mistake in stating a blanket speed test. You’ve multiple readers pointing that out, but you are not ready to accept it. Good luck!
Thanks, I’ll take that. I need luck. But no, I wasn’t triggered. Nor did I make a mistake. You just didn’t read the review in its entirety and were looking to validate what you wanted to believe. I think you could use some luck yourself. Take care! 🙂
Please don’t go around spamming other websites!
For Multi gig performance, You compared the router with 12 different switches ( such as zyxel xgs1250-12) while doing internet facing speedtest, Isn’t that wrong?
I also compared it with all other routers with Multi-Gig ports. They are all on the charts. Or maybe you just saw what you wanted to see.
Make sure you read the text, too, and follow the links, to understand the numbers, and so that you are aware of what you’re talking about.
Hi Dong,
Thanks for your review!
Curious to see your Speedtest numbers. I pre-ordered the Deco BE95 in January and received the units late March. With my Sonic internet, I am getting 8.13 Gbps down, 7.01 Gbps up from the main unit – wish I could configure it to use the Sonic Speedtest to squeeze out a few extra Mbps 🙂
Reason I got this cutting edge Wifi 7 was to improve the backhaul. And it did not disappoint. I am getting the same 1.2 Gbps speed from behind the satellite in the back of the house then I get sitting on the couch in front of the main unit. I was hoping to break the 1 Gbps barrier from the home office in the back and my wish was granted. I think my quest for the perfect Internet has been achieved… at least for the next decade 🙂
That’s about as fast you can get with a 10Gbps WAN connection, Jeremeie, often lower. More in this post. Considering the 10Gbps ports of the BE85 maxes out at 5Gbps sustained as mentioned, that’s about how fast you’d meaningfully get from it via 10Gbps broadband.
A fine gentleman {…} on YouTube is doing a local test. BE95/10G Ethernet Switch/NAS and is showing what seems to be max theoretical speeds of around 9800 Mbps! I am wondering how come your results as so different, like 5 Gbps, to the point that you listed ports performance in the cons.
{…}
Here’s how I do the testing, Jeremie. I have no interest in addressing what others say on YouTube. Please be mindful not to spam — even by accident.
For what it’s worth, I do sustained real-world speeds over a long tests and not some theoretical/synthetic tests via an app.
I did not realize this could be seen as spam since for me it was contextual data points from a fellow technology enthusiast, I have no money to make on sharing someone’s else YouTube video.
But I understand that you do put a lot of time and effort in your reviews and it is your prerogative to not accept that.
No need to publish my response. Case closed.
Take care.
👍
They are completely different speed test mechanism which uses different capabilities of the router.
There is definitely need for both. One use case is for NAS and another one using internet.
The comment is pretty clear, I don’t think it’s spam.
As mentioned, I tested the BE85’s 10Gbps port as a router, since it is a router. If I tested it purely as a switch then it can’t be compared with other routers. Picking and choosing to show the highest number is pointless and misleading. Also, no 10Gbps switch, including high-end business one can deliver over 9000Mbps of *sustained* speeds. I speak from exprience.
I already removed the spam part in the comment, which is why the comment was published. I did the same for yours.
@ Jérémie
That’s because Local test uses switching capabilities of the router. And reaching internet needs NAT/routing capabilities. Both of these capabilities are implemented differently.
I expected better from Dong on identifying this and correcting the article.
Thanks again for the great review! It looks like WiFi-7 is off to a great early start here considering the standard is not yet fully implemented. I for one think that WiFi-7 may be one of the greatest advancement in the standard yet and I am super exited to see how it evolves over the next few years.
For years hardware outpaced available bandwidth in internet plans, so venders did not need to include top of the line processors to handle the proclaimed bandwidth, but it looks like this has changed. It might be time for these venders to beef up the processing power, storage and RAM because 5Gbps and 10Gbps internet connects are now available to the consumer.
👍
Great review, I would love to know if there’s more router mesh systems, that has SFP Cages, since I’m looking to remove the tp link sfp to rj45 converter and having it directly in the router unit.. But I’ve seen just 2 of those models, one is not mesh, and this which is super expensive.. Are there more models with integrated sfp?
I have no idea, Idan. We’ll have to wait and see.
I have the LinkSys MX8500 mesh and it sucks in so many ways. This review is great (THANK YOU Dong!) and I am going to move over to this.
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The deco BE95 (BE33000) is the king of WiFi 7 with two 6 GHz bands (11520 Mbps each)….
That remains to be seen, Jesse. I don’t think band splitting is necessarily a good thing. Don’t get too carried away by the numbers.
Why not? It gives you versatility.