Query about the cheap TP-Link Deco M4

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linw

2843 posts

Uber Geek

#318330 7-Jan-2025 16:25

A friend needs a new router as he is still on a very old HG659 and wifi coverage is dodgy. Just two oldies who need a better wifi coverage.

PBTech have a TP-Link Deco M4 for $199. Wondering why it is so cheap. 'Only' wifi 5 so want to clear??

Thanks for opinions.

1 | 2

2843 posts

Uber Geek

#3328776 7-Jan-2025 16:51

Oh, am I making a fool of myself. Is it mesh only with no router capability?

linw

2843 posts

Uber Geek

#3328777 7-Jan-2025 16:53

Mnmm, sorry for the mess - I now see it has a router mode.

boosacnoodle

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3328808 7-Jan-2025 18:17

Bought my family a pack of three S7’s on sale for maybe $150 last Xmas. We’ve never had reliable wifi through the house due to a physical firewall that blocks almost all signals out. To my absolute shock, they worked and brilliantly. Able to achieve line speed on Starlink (200-300 Mbps) consistently. Also still gets regular firmware updates. I was really surprised and impressed. I use the X20’s at home (ex-VF). These work well too but don’t receive updates.

SomeoneSomewhere

1787 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3328816 7-Jan-2025 18:47

That's not that cheap for a basic router?

Jase2985

13428 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3328819 7-Jan-2025 18:53

Its showing as PB Tech price $149.01 for TP-Link Deco M4 Whole Home Mesh System - 2 Pack

SomeoneSomewhere

1787 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3328821 7-Jan-2025 18:55

Oh, two-pack for that price is pretty reasonable.

linw

2843 posts

Uber Geek

#3328868 7-Jan-2025 20:13

The item I referred to is a 3 pack.

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robjg63

4091 posts

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Subscriber

#3328881 7-Jan-2025 21:08

Can recommend the deco m4 units. We have a 2 story house.
Downstairs unit is the primary unit - hooked up to the ONT.
Second unit covers upstairs.
HUGE wifi improvement over an hg659 which we had.
My laptop with 5ghz wifi gets max fibre speeds (330/110mbps).
Was easy to set up. Just installed the app on my phone and followed the prompts.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

SomeoneSomewhere

1787 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#3328884 7-Jan-2025 21:10

linw:

The item I referred to is a 3 pack.

That's a very nice price. If at all possible, run ethernet between them rather than operating them in repeater/mesh mode.

I was assuming it was price each.

linw

2843 posts

Uber Geek

#3328962 8-Jan-2025 03:45

Thanks very much for the input, everyone. It does sound like a good choice. An ethernet connection would be ideal but not very practical for him but if the old router can get some signal upstairs it would be pretty certain that the TP Link will be much better.

SomeoneSomewhere

1787 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3328963 8-Jan-2025 03:47

Ideally, place the repeater somewhere between the main router and the final point of use (laptop/phone/whatever). If you put it right next to the laptop, the distance between the main and the repeater will be too long and it won't do any better than connecting directly, just a generation upgrade.

linw

2843 posts

Uber Geek

#3328965 8-Jan-2025 04:13

Thanks for that advice - makes sense.

robjg63

4091 posts

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Subscriber

#3328980 8-Jan-2025 08:28

As I said, we have a 2 story house. The ONT is downstairs in the lounge and that is where we had the old HG659.

It 'covered' both floors - it was a bit patchy though - especially upstairs.

I bought a 2 pack of the M4's and was pretty amazed when I installed the first unit downstairs - it actually covered the whole house really well.

If I had just bought one to replace the HG659 I would have been pleased with the improvement.

The units are networked just using wifi - not possible to run cables between them in our house and they are wifi mesh after all - kinda the point of them.

The second unit upstairs is useful - we have an office and I hooked up a printer to the ethernet port. The printer has wifi but would put itself to sleep and wouldnt wake when you wanted to print.

Changing it to an ethernet connection made it wake up when required and the wifi upstairs is rock solid.

I saw a recent review that said the m4s were being discontinued and replaced by a new model - but dont let that put you off if its true.

A three pack for that price is great value - I think I paid more for a 2 pack!

The great thing with the deco mesh units is that you can add other deco mesh units into your network if you have to - doesnt have to be the same model.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

noroad

947 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#3328981 8-Jan-2025 08:35

linw:

A friend needs a new router as he is still on a very old HG659 and wifi coverage is dodgy. Just two oldies who need a better wifi coverage.

PBTech have a TP-Link Deco M4 for $199. Wondering why it is so cheap. 'Only' wifi 5 so want to clear??

Thanks for opinions.

Any M series will be fine for 300/100 ufb but they are quite old now. I would recommend X series for 1000/500 UFB, ad BE series if you want the *best* performance. Definitely not the E series as these only have 100M ports

Batwing

668 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#3328991 8-Jan-2025 08:59

M4s have given us great coverage, handy using a satellite unit to wire to a switch for the home office until I got around to running ethernet there directly.

Have since got a single M5 to extend coverage to sleepout and an then grabbed an ex VF x20 just because it was cheap and they all work well together so it feels pretty future proofable as a platform

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