TP-Link Unveils Deco X50 Variants that Support PoE, Outdoor, 5G, and More

When it comes to home Wi-Fi mesh systems, it's been hard to find hardware that supports Power over Ethernet (PoE) or outdoor settings. Most of the time, you'll need to resort to using business access points, such as the EnGenius EWS850AP.

It seems that's about to change.

Deco X50: A solution for every scenario

In an effort to make its Deco mesh hardware provide "a full solution for every scenario," TP-Link today announces a few Deco X50 variants products, outdoor, PoE, 5G, and more, collectively.

Specifically, the Deco X50 Outdoor satellite is a unit designed to "easily extend mesh Wi-Fi to a user's backyard." The hardware comes with a design that's easy to mount and features an IP65 ruggedness rating for dust and water resistance.

On the other hand, the Deco X50-POE, also a satellite, is a variant that features PoE and is designed for wall or ceiling mounting. The unit even comes with a 2.5Gbps PoE port for fast backhaul.

There's also a Deco X50-5G that functions as a router unit with a built-in 5G modem and ports for external cellular antennas.

And finally, there's the Deco Voice X50 which works both as a Wi-Fi mesh point and a smart speaker, similar to the case of the Orbi Voice.

Besides the special features above, all Deco X50 variants are mid-tier dual-band AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 broadcasters, with the maximum bandwidth on the 5GHz band of 2402Mbps and the 2.4Ghz band, up to 574Mbps.

That said, these are not meant to be cutting-edge devices. Instead, they are made to meet all possible consumer-related needs. All satellite units mentioned above will work with all existing Deco Wi-Fi 6 routers of any existing Deco set.

Availability and pricing

TP-Link says the Deco X50 variants will be available in the second quarter of 2022, with pricing announced then. As usual, we'll have to wait and see how that pans out.

While the idea of a mesh for every scenario is exciting, it would be even better if the hardware could handle multiple use cases at a time.

For example, most users would appreciate a mesh that can do both PoE and outdoor applications—something already available in business access points. For something similar in a home Wi-Fi system, we still have to wait and see.