Introduction of Tp-Link Deco X68 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System AX3600

The TP-Link Deco X68 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System AX3600 is a high-performance whole-home mesh Wi-Fi system that utilizes the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology to deliver fast and reliable internet coverage throughout your home. With a coverage area of up to 5,500 square feet, this system is perfect for large homes and offices. The estimated price for the Deco X68 is around $250 to $300, and it was launched in late 2021.

Specifications

The Deco X68 is a tri-band mesh Wi-Fi system that supports Wi-Fi 6 technology, which provides faster speeds, increased capacity, and better performance in congested areas. It has a top speed of 3600 Mbps, with 2402 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 574 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. It also has a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 128 MB of flash memory. The system includes two units that can cover up to 5,500 square feet, and each unit has two Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections.

Appearance

Each Deco has an LED that changes color according to its status, two RJ-45 Ethernet ports, a power slot, and a Reset button. See the explanation below:

Tip: The product label can be found at the bottom of the product.

1. Yellow pulse: Deco is resetting.
2. Yellow solid: Deco is starting up.
3. Blue pulse: Deco is ready for setup or WPS in progress.
4. Blue solid: Deco is setting up.
5. Green pulse: Deco is upgrading firmware.
6. Green solid: Deco is registered and all is well.
7. Red pulse: Deco is disconnected from main Deco.
8. Red solid: Deco has an issue.
9. Gigabit Ethernet ports: For connecting Deco to your modem, the Ethernet outlet or other internet devices. 
10. Power Slot: For connecting Deco to the power socket via the provided power adapter. 
11. Reset Button: Press for 1 second and release to reset Deco to factory default settings. The light changing from pulsing yellow to solid yellow indicates a successful reset.

Description

The TP-Link Deco X68 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System AX3600 is designed to provide fast, reliable, and seamless Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home or office. The system uses advanced Wi-Fi 6 technology to deliver faster speeds, increased capacity, and better performance in congested areas. The system is easy to set up and manage, with a user-friendly app that allows you to monitor your network, set up parental controls, and prioritize devices. The Deco X68 also includes advanced security features, such as automatic firmware updates, WPA3 encryption, and a built-in firewall, to keep your network safe and secure.

Set Up Your Deco

The intuitive Deco app guides you through an easy setup process that gets each unit up and running and all your devices connected and online. Follow the steps below to set up your Deco Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System.

1. Download and install the Deco app
   Scan the QR code below or go to Google Play or the Apple App Store to download the Deco app. Install the app on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet.
2. Log in or sign up with TP-Link ID
   Open the app. Use your TP-Link ID to log in. If you don’t have a TP-Link ID, sign up first.
   Note: If you forgot your login password, tap Forgot password?. The Deco app will guide you through the rest.

3. Identify Your Deco 
   Choose your Deco model.

   

4. Connect Deco to your modem
   Power off your modem. Connect your Deco to the modem and power them both on.
   If you don't have a modem, connect the Ethernet outlet directly to your Deco.
5. Select a location
   Select a location for this Deco. If its location is not listed, you can create a new one by choosing Custom. 

6. Set up internet connection
   Select the internet connection type and enter the information. If you are not sure, contact your internet service provider.

   

7. Create your Wi-Fi network
   Set a network name and a password. These will be the name and password you use to connect your devices to Wi-Fi. 
8. Connect to your Wi-Fi network
   Connect your devices to the Deco's Wi-Fi to continue the setup. 

9. Setup complete
   Your Deco network is now up. Add more Decos or complete the setup and connect all devices to the Deco network.

   

Add More Decos

After created a Deco network, you can add more Deco units into the network to expand the Wi-Fi coverage, and manage them conveniently on your Deco app.

• On the Overview page, Tap
• Select the Deco model you want to add, and follow app instructions to complete the setup

• After the setup, you can find the added Decos by tapping

  

Dashboard

After you successfully set up your Deco network, you will see the dashboard of the Deco app. Here you can get an overview of the network status, customize your home network with enhanced security using a kit of features built to TP-Link HomeShield and set up various advanced features.

1. Tap to get an overview of the network status
2. Tap to enter the HomeShield page for enhanced security

3. Tap for more features

   

Check Deco Status

In the Overview page, you can check the working status of all the Decos, check the Deco details, change or customize the location, and more.

1. Tap to check all Deco's status 
2. Tap a Deco unit to check the details

3. Tap the Deco unit to change or customize the location 

   

Manage Connected Devices

In the Overview page, you can check the working status of all the connected devices, view the device details, or change the device settings.

1. Tap a client on the Devices list to check the details
2. Tap to manage the device settings

3. Tap Belongs to to add a unique profile for the device and manage its online activities

   

Create New Networks

On the Deco app, you can create different Deco networks bound to your TP-Link ID, and manage them conveniently from the Deco app with one account. You can also help family or friends by managing their network on your Deco app. Two methods are provided as below to create a new network: from the Overview page or the Menu page.
Create a new network from the Overview page

1. Tap Create New Network

2. Then follow the app instructions to complete the setup

   

Create a new network from the Menu page

1. Tap to open the Menu
2. TapCREATE NEW NETWORK

3. Follow app instructions to complete the setup

   

Wi-Fi Detective

Wi-Fi Detective helps you discover all devices connected to the current Deco Wi-Fi network and identify potential risks.

1. In the OverView page, tap  to open the Menu 
2. Tap Wi-Fi Detective

3. Tapto find all devices connected to the current Wi-Fi network 

   

Remove/Reboot Deco

You can remove or reboot your Deco easily on the Deco app. Follow the steps below.

1. Tap to check all Deco's status 
2. Tap a Deco unit to enter the details

3. Tap to remove or reboot the Deco

   

Note: If the LED light of Deco does not turn pulsing blue after tapping Remove, refer to Appearance to use the reset button to reset it. 

HomeShield

Whether protecting your network from malicious attacks, managing your family's online activities, or prioritizing devices to get better performance, TP-Link HomeShield provides you a kit of basic (free) and Pro (charged) features to enhance your whole home network with enhanced security.    An overview of HomeShield features are shown below.

What is HomeShield: https://www.tp-link.com/pk/homeshield/ 

How to use HomeShield features and upgrade to HomeShield Pro: go to the product support page at https://www.tp-link.com and refer to TP-Link HomeShield User Guide.

• Weekly/Monthly Reports: Review a weekly or a monthly list of usage, such as security threats, top visited contents, and more, to better manage your family’s online activities.
• HomeShield Pro subscription: To enjoy more features, you can upgrade to HomeShield Pro. 
• Scan: Examine your network regularly to identify the potential risks, thus improving your network performance and security.
• Real-Time Protection: Real-Time Protection is for Pro users only. There are three ways to ensure your home network and your IoT devices remain safe: 
  1. block malicious websites, protect your home network and applications against external attacks and eliminate vulnerabilities; 
  2. prevent infected devices from sending sensitive information or security threats to clients outside your network; 
  3. identify IoT devices and immediately monitor their security performance once they join the network.
• Parental Controls: Create profiles for family members and specify the devices that belong to each. Set individualized parental controls including when and for how long each person can access the internet. Block inappropriate content and pause the internet if necessary.
• QoS: Prioritize the connection of a particular device for a set duration, such as a family member’s laptop for one hour during a video call.

Wi-Fi Settings

You can change the network name and password of your main network, create a separate network for guests to guarantee the security and privacy of your main network, and shake your device to share the network details easily with family and friends. 

1. Tap Wi-Fi
2. Manage your main network (eg. change your Wi-Fi network name and password)
3. Enable guest network 

4. Shake to share your network

   

Blacklist

Compile a blacklist to avoid devices added on the blacklist to access to your network, ensuring the safety of your personal information shared in the network.

1. Tap Blacklist
2. Add clients to blacklist 
3. Add other devices to blacklist

4. Manage blacklist

   

Online Update 

TP-Link is dedicated to improving product features and providing a better customer experience. An up-to-date firmware provides better and more stable network performance. Always update your Deco to the latest firmware version when prompted in the Deco app.

1. Tap Update Deco

2. Follow app instructions to update your Deco to the latest version

   

Tip: If the firmware update fails, please reboot the main Deco, move the Satellite Deco closer to the main Deco, then try to update again.

Advanced Features

Additional features are available under the Advanced menu. You can modify WAN settings (IPv4 & IPv6), add IPv6 firewall rules, modify LAN IP, set up DHCP server, enable VLAN/IPTV/MAC Clone mode, reserve the same IP address for a specific device, set up port forwarding rules to make your local computers accessible to other devices over the internet, enable TP-Link DDNS, SIP ALG, fast roaming and beamforming, control Deco's LED, change the working mode, and configure the notification settings.

1. Tap Advanced
2. View IPv4 details or change the internet connection type
3. Enable IPv6 to set up an IPv6 internet connection

4. Add IPv6 firewall rules to allow specific devices to access the specified services

   

5. Modify LAN IP to avoid IP address confict
6. Change DHCP server settings 
7. Enable IPTV/VLAN mode to support IPTV services

8. Enable MAC Clone if Deco fails to connect to the internet

   

   Tip: For more about MAC Clone, refer to https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2925/

9. Reserve IP addresses for specific devices to recognize and manage the device more easily
10. Set up port forwarding rules to enable devices in your network accessible over the internet with safety
11. Register a TP-Link DDNS domain name to access your router and local servers using a domain name

12. Enable SIP ALG to communicate with SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) servers via NAT

    

13. Enable UPNP to allow your local network to dynamically open ports for applications like gaming
14. Enable Fast Roaming to allow your wireless devices to switch connection to different Decos seamlessly
15. Enable Beamforming to concentrate Wi-Fi signal towards connected devices for stronger connections

16. Toggle off LED to turn off the light on Deco. Configure the Night Mode to turn off the LED light at bedtime only

    

17. Change the operating mode
    Note: When the Deco works in Access Point mode, advanced features such as HomeShield, IPv4, Address Reservation, Port Forwarding, and DHCP server are not available.
18. Set connection alerts to receive notifications once the clients connect to or disconnect from Deco

19. Set notifications to receive alerts in  the notification bar

    

Note: If the Notifications option shows “Disabled”, go to Settings > Notifications on your mobile device to enable it.

WPS

WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) helps you to quickly and securely connect a client to a network with a tap without entering any password.

1. Tap WPS
2. Tap the WPS icon on Deco app and then on your client

3. Your device connects to the network successfully if shown as below

   

Weekly/Monthly Reports

Review the weekly or monthly usage reports, such as security threats and total connected network devices each day.

1. Tap Reports
2. View weekly / monthly reports

3. Tapto enable or disable reports

   

Managers

Add friends and family members to help manage your network. Each manager should have their own TP-Link ID. 

1. Tap Managers
2. Add other accounts as managers 
3. Set privileges for managers

4. Remove managers

   

Tp-Link Deco X68 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System AX3600 Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues with your Deco X68 system, here are some common problems and solutions:

• Connectivity issues: Make sure that the Deco units are placed in an optimal location, and that they are within range of each other. You can also try restarting the Deco units and your modem/router.
• Slow speeds: Check that you are using the latest firmware version, and that your internet plan matches the speed of your Deco system. You can also try increasing the distance between your devices and the Deco units.
• Interference: Make sure that there are no other devices or objects that may be causing interference, such as cordless phones, microwaves, or metal objects.
• Warning: Do not place the Deco units near heat sources, such as radiators or vents, as this may damage the units.

Pros & Cons

Pro

• Fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home
• Easy to set up and manage with user-friendly app
• Advanced security features to keep your network safe and secure
• Tri-band mesh Wi-Fi system with 3600 Mbps top speed
• Two Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections

Cons

• May be expensive for some users
• May require multiple units for large homes
• May have compatibility issues with older devices
• May experience interference from other devices or objects

Customer Reviews about Tp-Link Deco X68 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System AX3600

The Deco X68 has received positive reviews from customers, with many praising its fast and reliable Wi-Fi coverage, easy setup and management, and advanced security features. However, some customers have noted that the system may be expensive for some users, and that it may require multiple units for large homes. There have also been some complaints about compatibility issues with older devices and interference from other devices or objects.