TP-Link Deco gadgets lack a suitable local IP web interface or admin panel.
TP-Link Deco gadgets lack a suitable local IP web interface or admin panel.
How is it possible in this day and age that you buy a router with absolutely no way to manage it through a local Web UI? Trying to go though the app to set everything up is a pain if you have to do a lot of port forwarding or address reservations for example. Here's a couple real issues I've had: When the wan is down, all access to the device is lost. I've never once had their remote feature work. They've redesigned the app several times and on the last redesign it actually reset half the router's settings, cutting me off from my own work server. No router should be locked behind a god damn app! No router should have its settings altered by an app update! What happens when TP-Link abandon or break the app? - You're left with an expensive paper weight that cannot ever be reconfigured in that case. What happens when TP-Link decide you don't need a configurable DNS for example? - Maybe they remove it from the app? - Maybe they preconfigure it in an update to go through a Chinese server? ~"Too bad - you can't change it" I guess. Linus has done sponsored videos on these devices but has never mentioned the lack of the web UI. It's such an essential thing for a router! The whole situation gives me 'right-to-repair' vibes... Instead of making the router accessible, they're locking it down as much as possible. TP-Links response on this issue reeks of 'we don't care' - you can see that in their forum here: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/fo...pic/531350 They speak about how 'great' their app is by guiding the user through setting it up, as if that's an excuse to rip out a fundamental feature of every router ever. Sorry for the rant, but I hope if anyone is reading this, they think twice about the deco products.
I really dislike apps, they shouldn't be required... App usage for routers is unacceptable too. Are you certain it's not something hidden? I encountered a Linksys router that greeted me with an app prompt, but there was a link on the page that led directly to the web interface anyway. (Your forum link seems to contradict this.) Maybe it’s worth it if everything is in one place? Before switching to pfSense, I used an Ubquiti Amplfi Alien which mostly required apps. It did have a web interface, though very basic—most functions needed the app. The router also had a touch screen, but I often found myself needing all three interfaces at once. Eventually, they ended up with three low-quality versions, each missing something essential.
Ubiquiti and Aruba systems also lack a local web interface. Meraki and Aruba Instant On don’t provide one either. At the enterprise side, I need a unified control solution. Consumer devices rely on technology provided by these businesses. However, centralized management often feels less flexible compared to direct router controls.
They offer only basic web admin tools like status and reboot. You can set the time zone, but nothing else is configurable. The interface shown here reflects the setup for my X73-DSL. It's interesting how some budget TP-Link devices have more advanced web interfaces.
Ensure consistency by aligning local and central configurations. Changes made simultaneously or when the router is down should be coordinated to avoid conflicts.