Discover the essentials for your new AP setup.
Discover the essentials for your new AP setup.
Currently I have the following network configuration at home/SOHO. Internet speed is 1000Mbps down and 50Mbps up. I run a virtualized pfSense on VMWare ESXI 7.0 (hosted on an HP SFF8200 with an I5-2500 processor and 8GB RAM) and use a TP link Deco X60 wireless setup with three units. I connect them via an internet backhaul. I purchased the Deco X60 at the end of May as a replacement for my router and access point. The setup was straightforward since it required minimal configuration. I experienced excellent wireless performance. My home has two floors and solid concrete walls. I managed to achieve at least 300Mbps down and 45 Mbps up with my iPhone 7, and around 700Mbps down and 45Mbps up with my MacBook Pro 2015 throughout the house. However, some devices—like an iPad Air 2 and a laptop with Intel 8260 chip—had intermittent connectivity issues. This worsened after the new firmware release on June 19 (version 200527), causing frequent disconnections for all wireless devices. I contacted Tp-Link support, who suggested it might be related to double NAT. They advised switching the Deco X60 to bridge mode at my ISP modem/router. Unfortunately, the firmware didn’t assign a public IP address, so they recommended changing it to AP mode. But my ISP router only supports up to 15 devices simultaneously, which didn’t fit our 30. I then turned to pfSense, which I successfully configured in bridge mode. This improved stability significantly. Still, a few issues remain: the TP-link setup relies heavily on an app (web interface only for reboots and updates), which may affect long-term use. Security is a concern—my device uses WPA/WPA2 personal, which I prefer for safety. It’s locked down completely; channels can’t be changed, and the device chose the busiest channel. In AP mode, static IP assignment isn’t possible. I paid for the router function but won’t use it anymore. The Deco X60 is still functional, but its firmware is unstable. The support team allowed me to return it. My question is: what should I replace it with? I have a budget around 400 Euros. The Deco X60 is fast and supports WiFi 6 for future-proofing. Any device I replace needs to match or exceed its speed. WiFi 6 would be ideal but not essential. For now, three units suffice and cover the house well. Range-wise it should be comparable or better. It also has a seamless roaming feature—just one SSID is enough, and it mixes 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals effectively. I don’t need multiple VLANs. I considered these alternatives: - Two Ubiquiti UniFi Flex HD (~350 Euro) - Two Cisco Meraki Go GR60 (~344 Euro) - Two Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) (~467 Euro) - Possibly four Cisco 1815i (global buy one get one deal, ~276 Euro) I’m open to other ideas. Also, it’s important the new device gets regular updates for years to come. Regards, SuperAn