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The TP-Link Deco X50 5G is a great alternative to fixed-line broadband.

Broadband Internet is something many of us take for granted these days. Long gone are the squeals and squawks of a 56K modem and downloads that took half a day and tied up your phone line for hours. Nowadays, we have the luxury of high-speed Internet and can choose from a fixed broadband line or a 5G option.

Although fixed broadband is the favored method of accessing the internet, with the rollout of 5G, many of us can opt for a wireless option using a data SIM card. The market for wireless data is becoming ever more competitive, and, in some instances, you can get all the data you need at a very attractive monthly price with no long-term contract.

For single users, 5G is a handy option and you can probably use your smartphone’s built-in hotspot to access the Internet with your laptop. However, if you have a family or a small office, you need a device that offers the versatility of 5G but with high-speed Wi-Fi capability so multiple users can get online. Something like the TP-Link Deco X50 5G provides an ideal solution.

The new Deco X50 5G from TP-Link has the new styling of the latest Deco range.

The TP-Link Deco X50 5G is a high-spec 5G modem and AX3000 Wi-Fi access point in one. It can easily be extended into a mesh network providing high-speed Wi-Fi all over the home or office. TP-Link’s Deco range of mesh products can all work together and they are so easy to set up. You can have a fully functioning mesh system in under 30 minutes.

With the ability to access 5G, 4G and 3G cellular data at theoretical speeds of up to 3.4Gbps, the TP-Link Deco X50 5G also includes dual-band Wi-Fi with speeds up to 3Gbps, plus it has a WAN connection that can handle fixed-line fiber broadband connections with speeds up to 2.5Gbps. This means you can use the TP-Link Deco X50 5G as both a 5G modem with mesh Wi-Fi and as a wireless access point for a fixed line service from a cable provider, so if one service goes down, the unit can switch to the other provider and everyone can carry on working, streaming 4K movies or playing games.

Like all of TP-Link’s Deco range, the X50 5G is straightforward to set up thanks to the TP-Link smartphone app. The Deco app has been considerably smartened lately and is easy to use and well-designed. Getting the 5G SIM card in and working took me a few minutes and was probably one of the easiest I’ve ever used. If preferred, the 5G connection can be set up as the sole internet connection or as a fallback system.

The X50 5G has two Gigabit Ethernet ports, a 2.5Gbps WAN port and two external antenna connectors.

I was in trouble when it came to testing the full potential of the unit’s 5G speeds. I live on the outskirts of a city of 100,000 people, yet even the 4G speed is pitifully slow. However, I have no reason to doubt that the TP-Link Deco X50 5G can harness the full capabilities of a 5G cellular network. If you live in a fringe area, you can open a small hatch on the back of the unit and plug in some external antenna leads. It could even be worth getting an expert to install high-gain external 5G antennas on the roof.

Because the TP-Link Deco X50 5G supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 wireless technology, the unit can handle plenty of users and is extendable into a mesh network so that every area of the home or office can be blanketed in Wi-Fi with a maximum theoretical speed of up to 3Gbps. Thanks to MU-MIMO and OFDMA, the TP-Link Deco X50 5G can handle up to 150 Wi-Fi devices.

The Wi-Fi function uses a channel width of 160MHz to speed things up. When used in an office or home with a traditional wired network, the X50 5G can support Ethernet backhaul using wires to send data instead of wireless. The unit has two Gigabit Ethernet ports and an advanced 2.5Gbps WAN port for connecting to a cable modem.

The X50 5G can be used with other components from TP-Link's Deco range.

While the X50 5G might be suitable for an apartment or smaller house, adding a two or three-unit Deco X50 AX3000 Wi-Fi mesh system is an excellent way of extending coverage. It’s so easy to add units later. You can try out the base unit first and if there are dead Wi-Fi spots, buy a couple of extra Deco access points and put them where needed. The beauty of a mesh Wi-Fi system is you have one wireless network name for all the Wi-Fi access points and roaming between them is automatic, with your laptop, smartphone, or tablet logging on to the closest and strongest signal.

As well as offering a high-speed option to fixed-line broadband, the TP-Link Deco X50 5G is also a good choice for a vacation home or a location not yet served by high-speed fixed broadband. The advantage of using 5G for a vacation home is you don’t need to pay for unused access when you’re not there. That said, if you want to have security cameras or other smart home features, you might want to keep the 5G service running all the time, but the good news is you can opt for a data plan that suits low data use when you’re not there.

Security is an essential issue with Internet connections. The TP-Link Deco X50 5G offers the latest WPA3 encryption and TP-Link’s optional HomeShield Security, which monitors the entire network for vulnerability and attacks, ensures that children are protected. Other essential data, like payment details, have an extra layer of protection.

The TP-Link Deco X50 5G can leverage cellular data speeds up to 3.4Gbps.

Verdict: The TP-Link Deco X50 5G is an excellent solution as a standalone 5G mesh system or backup connection for fixed broadband service. Setting up is ridiculously easy and no networking knowledge is required. The expandability with Wi-Fi 6 mesh units is another good option, particularly in larger homes and offices. Whether you want high-speed internet for a vacation home or as a primary or backup service for a home or office, the TP-Link Deco X50 5G makes a lot of sense and can leverage the full speed and power of 5G cellular networks rolling out across the globe.

Pricing & Availability: The TP-Link Deco X50 5G is available now and costs £379.99 / €375.20. The X50 5G is not available in USA yet.

More info: tp-link.com

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