TP-Link announces Deco M9 Plus mesh router with built-in smart home hub

Single routers are so 2014. Now, everyone is making mesh router systems that blanket your home in the warm glow of wireless connectivity. The new TP-Link Deco M9 Plus mesh router (not to be confused with the old non-Plus version) connects your computers, smartphones, and other devices to the internet like other routers, but there's more. The Deco M9 Plus also contains a smart home hub for controlling IoT devices.

TP-Link says the 2-pack kit can cover up to 4,500 square feet of space, and there are single-router packs if you need to add more access points. This is a tri-band 802.11ac system that can handle more than 100 concurrent connections thanks to its dedicated network backhaul. Each AP has a pair of gigabit ports as well.

Inside the Deco M9 Plus, you get Bluetooth and ZigBee antennas in addition to WiFi. That allows you to control smart home devices including switches, lights, motion sensors, locks, and so much more. TP-Link has also included support for both IFTTT and Alexa. Thus, you can control the router and devices paired to it with automatic rules or your voice. TP-Link even has a new Alexa skill to change router settings.

The Deco M9 Plus is out today for $299.99 (that's the 2-pack). A single router will run you $179.99. We're not seeing any listings live in the usual places yet, but we'll keep an eye out.

PRESS RELEASE

TP-Link® Expands Mesh Offerings with New ‘Deco® M9 Plus’ Tri-band System with Built-in Smart Home Hub

Make Your Home “Smarter” and Eliminate Wi-Fi Dead Spots and Buffering Black Holes

June 19, 2018 08:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

BREA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TP-Link®, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, today announced availability of the Deco® M9 Plus Tri-band Mesh Wi-Fi 2-Pack System, the newest addition to the brand’s lineup of mesh solutions. TP-Link’s Deco M9 Plus features AC2200 speeds and tri-band Wi-Fi with dedicated backhaul to deliver fast, dependable connections to more than 100 devices throughout your entire home while doubling as a smart home hub for your IoT devices. “From everyday activities like streaming Netflix and using smart voice assistants, to occasional video chats with friends or online gaming, our home lives are more connected than ever before,” said Derrick Wang, director of product management at TP-Link USA Corp. “Today, families need Wi-Fi systems that can support the higher demands put on their network, delivering reliable performance in every room of the home. Deco M9 Plus is a powerful solution designed to meet the Wi-Fi needs of the modern smart home.” The Deco M9 Plus Mesh Wi-Fi System utilizes TP-Link Mesh technology to eliminate dead spots and buffering black holes in homes of all shapes and sizes. With TP-Link Mesh, Deco M9 Plus provides a stronger and more dynamic backhaul than others, supplementing its dedicated 5 GHz backhaul with additional backhaul throughput from other Wi-Fi bands as demand on the network increases. From 4K video streaming or video chatting, to gaming and web surfing, Deco M9 Plus automatically identifies the strongest path and connection for every device to ensure uninterrupted Wi-Fi in every corner of your home - even the backyard. More than just a router, Deco M9 Plus also functions as a smart home hub, enabling simple control of your favorite ZigBee, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled smart home devices from the easy to use Deco App. The built-in smart home hub functionality eliminates the need for additional smart hubs in the home. The system works with a variety of leading smart home brandsand is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT. With advanced Wi-Fi security and HomeCare^TM powered by Trend Micro^TM*, Deco M9 Plus is one of the most secure tri-band Wi-Fi systems on the market. TP-Link HomeCare provides antivirus and malware protection, safeguarding every connected device on the network from outside malware and hackers, even devices that don’t offer built-in protection such as smart cameras, Wi-Fi based smart home devices and gaming consoles. Malicious site blocking takes the extra step of preventing users from accessing malicious websites from within the network. The system is kept current though updates via Trend Micro, ensuring your network is always protected from new threats. The Deco M9 Plus Wi-Fi System 2-pack provides seamless, high-performance Wi-Fi for homes up to 4,500 sq. ft. and is also sold as a 1-pack for families looking to easily add on to their mesh network. Setup and management of the Deco M9 Plus network is simple and intuitive via the Deco App, as is the ability to limit and monitor internet usage for the whole family. The intelligent, adaptive network requires only a single name and password making it easy to get connected and maintain a reliable connection as you move throughout the home. The Deco App is available for Android and iOS. Deco M9 Plus Key Features at a Glance:

Standard 2-pack offers coverage up to 4,500 sq. ft.
Powerful AC2200 tri-band Wi-Fi
Three Wi-Fi bands with a dedicated backhaul to support 100-plus devices
Quad-core CPU with 4 GB eMMC Flash and 512 MB RAM
Wireless speeds of up to 400 Mbps on 2.4 GHz + 867 Mbps on 5 GHz (1) + 867 Mbps on 5 GHz (2) **
6 Wi-Fi antennas, 1 Bluetooth antenna and 1 ZigBee antenna inside each Deco Unit
1 USB 2.0 port (reserved) and 2 Gigabit ports
Built-in smart home hub compatible with Bluetooth 4.2 and ZigBee HA 1.2
Advanced Wi-Fi security and HomeCare powered by Trend Micro*
Compatible with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT

Price & Availability TP-Link Deco M9 Plus Mesh Wi-Fi 2-Pack Systems will be available at the every-day price of $299.99 USD and 1-Pack Units will be available at the every-day price of $179.99.