Wired
In WiredAC Editor-in-Chief Harish Jonnalagadda covers everything including phones, audio products, storage servers and network devices.
I don’t prefer using mesh Wi-Fi systems, and I’ve tested many models over the past decade, including Netgear’s Orbi 970 series — I usually switch to a standalone router after the trial window. Last year we moved to a bigger house and I realized that the router I was using couldn’t cover the whole house, so I turned my attention once again to Wi-Fi 7 mesh router systems.
This is where TP-Link’s Deco BE65 Pro comes into play. I’ve used several TP-Link routers over the years and I like its value-based positioning of its products, and the BE65 Pro is no different. This is a Wi-Fi 7 mesh system it costs only $299 for router and satellite and here is the configuration I use. If you need extra coverage, TP-Link sells a bundle with a router and two satellites, and that’s it it costs a very reasonable $399.
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The Deco BE65 Pro is interchangeably called the Deco 7 Pro BE11000, but I’ll stick with the model name. The mesh system has a clean design that blends well with modern decor; TP-Link has done a good job in this area and the router is much smaller than most mesh nodes. This is a major issue because the previous stand-alone router I built was chosen for all the wrong reasons; Of course, it doesn’t have the same stunning design as the BE65 Pro Huawei Mesh X3 Probut elegant in its own right.
What I also like is that each node gets three Ethernet ports, and all ports get 2.5GbE connectivity as standard – most network systems only have one multi-Gigabit port, so this is a welcome addition. Each hub also gets a USB-A port, allowing you to plug in a drive and use it as a home streaming server.
Installing the BE65 Pro is as easy as can be; TP-Link’s Deco software has a modern interface and gives you extensive customization to tailor the network to your preferences. More than anything, it’s because of this configuration that I’ve used the BE65 Pro as my primary router for the past six months.
I have a static IP and private DNS and I was able to set it all up through the app and it was hassle free. TP-Link also has meaningful parental controls built into the Deco app, and it has a Security+ intrusion prevention plan that monitors IoT devices and provides protection from online threats. I haven’t seen the need to use the paid plan, but it’s available if you want.
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The BE65 Pro is a Wi-Fi 7 mesh system and has excellent throughput on the 6GHz (5765Mbps) and 5GHz channels (4324Mbps). The 2.4GHz mode is a bit limited, but even after connecting several dozen smart home devices to the network, I didn’t see any problems with it. The coverage itself is excellent and the mesh system was able to provide consistent coverage throughout my home without any issues.
I like that the BE65 Pro provides Multi Link Operation (MLO), which allows you to combine all three channels into one SSID to increase coverage and bandwidth. Of course, you’ll need to use a Wi-Fi 7 client device, but most phones these days use the protocol and it’s great to use — I’ve had no problems using it. Vivo X300 Pro, Find the X9 Proand dozens of Android phones I’ve used in the past six months.
All in all, the BE65 Pro proved to be a revelation; a mesh system is as powerful as standalone routers, and you don’t miss out on any configuration options. TP-Link deserves credit for getting this right, and when you combine the feature set with the price, it’s easy to see why the BE65 Pro is one of the best Wi-Fi 7 networking systems you can buy today.
The Deco BE65 Pro has excellent coverage, has all the features you want in a high-end Wi-Fi 7 mesh system, and doesn’t cost as much as its competitors.
