TP-Link Deco M9 Vs Eero – Which is the faster router?

If you’re looking for a Wi-Fi mesh system to strengthen your home’s internet connection to every corner of the house, you should consider these two systems. In this article, we are going to look in depth at the TP Link Deco M9 and Eero Mesh routers and see which is the most suitable for you.

A mesh network allows a user to extend and spread the WIFI signal by adding additional devices known as nodes at different spots in the house. This creates an ‘umbrella’ network where nodes connect and communicate seamlessly to provide powerful signal all through the house with very minimal loss. The TP Link Deco M9 and Eero mesh routers are two of the top mesh systems in the wireless technology market today. They are widely compared due to their similarities and many people often wonder which the better of the two is.

The TP Link Deco M9 and Eero mesh routers are widely compared due to their similarities and closeness in functionality. However, they vary in a number of things as seen in the following table.

What are the Differences between the TP Links Deco M9 and Eero Mesh Router?

Model	TP Link Deco M9 (Winner)	Eero Mesh Router
Radio Freq. Support	Tri-band radios at 2.4GHz and 5Ghz (x2)	Dual 2.5GHz/5Ghz
Processor	638 MHz Quad core	Quad-core ARM 700MHz
Speed (throughput)	2.4 GHz –400 Mbps 5 GHz – 900 Mbps	2.4GHz – 400Mbps 5GHz – 866Mbps
Flash Memory	4 GB	4 GB
RAM	512 MB	512 MB
Ports	1 USB 2.0, 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports	2 Gigabit ports for WAN and LAN connectivity
Availability	Check price	Check price

TP Links Deco M9vs. Eero– How do they compare?

These two routers are similar in a lot of aspects. However, they have a few differences that we will look at in this section.

Hardware capacity

The TP Link M9 is an AC2200 rated router. This means that it can do speed of up to 400 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and a maximum of 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. However, you cannot use these radio bands separately, meaning band steering is compulsory. Powering and providing these speeds is a Quad Core CPU processor. Each unit comes with eight antennas inside that are strategically placed to boost the signal in all directions. On top of that, the processor supports Bluetooth connectivity and Zigbee 1.2 connections. When it comes to memory, the Deco M9 has a lot of it. Each router comes with 4 GB of flash memory and 512 MB pf RAM.

The Eero Mesh router on the other hand is a little router with midlevel capabilities. It is an entry level router with limited performance and range. The Eero router is powered by a small Quad Core 700 MHz processor CPU. Inside the processor, there is a tiny Qualcomm IQP4019 Wi-Fi chip that provides a maximum throughput speed of 342.1 Mbps at a range of 1.5 meters. It is a dual band router with 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of flash storage. The latter is where the firmware and settings are stored. There are also four internal antennas to boost the signal to its furthest range. The Eero has a very short range of 65 feet.

Design and structure

When it comes to design, the two devices differ quite a lot. The TP Link M9 keeps the simplistic design of its predecessor, the M9, with the major difference being size. The M9 is bigger than the M5 but keeps the cylindrical seashell exterior design. It is shell white in color and has a plastic body. The design is modelled to fit into your home’s interior décor without looking out of place. There’s a single light LED on top of the router that acts as a status indicator. It measures 6.0 inches in diameter with a thickness of 1.5 inches.

The design of the Eero router is quite unique and easy to spot. First, it is a very small router with rounded corners on the edges. It measures just 3.9 inches by 2.4 inches in width and height respectively. However, the design is quite elegant. It is cube shaped with a bright white color and an LED light at the front center of the router. This small size makes is easy to hid and makes it less obtrusive to your home decor. The white glowing LED light adds a touch of elegance to the system. For wired connections, the router has two 1 Gbps Ethernet ports, where one is a LAN and the other is a WAN port.

The TP Link M9 has a whopping eight antennas which is an upgrade from the four in its predecessor the M5. These antennas are omnidirectional and are internal. The Eero on the other hand features four irremovable internal antennas. These antennas are more than enough for large homes and offices.

Signal Strength and positioning

A mesh router is supposed to eliminate all the dead zones in the house. You should always select the router with the best range and minimal loss of data. When it comes to these two routers here, they margin between them is small. When the TP Link M9 was tested on a real world environment over a service package of 80 Mbps, the following range was recorded. The download speed was 76 Mbps while the upload was 5.12 Mbps when standing 5 feet away from the router with no obstructions. At a distance of 13 feet with an obstruction of three stone walls, the download speed was measured at 75.6 Mbps while the upload speed dropped to 5.0 mbps. The Eero features a three pack unit that covers large home of up to 5000 sq. feet. If your home is larger than this, you can buy more nodes that provide an additional 1500 sq. feet each. This is much more compared to the Deco M9 making the Eero a great choice for mega homes.

Performance and range

The performance of a mesh router is basically the speed at which the router accesses the internet at different bands. Both the TP Link M9 and the Eero Mesh Router come with dual bands that cannot be separated. The band channels are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The performance of a mesh router is measures by the speed of the router at different bands. The band channels are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The M5 measured a speed of 75 Mbps when tested over internet service provider package of 80 Mbps over a distance of thirteen feet with wall obstructions. The Ubiquiti was also tested under the same conditions and the following speeds were found. The download speed was 54.6 Mbps while the upload was 5.01 Mbps when standing 5 feet away from the router with no obstructions. At a distance of thirteen feet with an obstruction of three stone walls, the download speed was measured at 77.5 Mbps while the upload speed dropped to 4.42 mbps.

The TP Link Deco M9 also features beamforming and Multiple User, Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MUMIMO) abilities. MUMIMO allows for connected devices to connect and communicate at the same time. Beamforming on the other hand ensures that data packets are sent simultaneously rather than sequentially. This is faster and more effective for large data packets. The Eero Mesh Router also supports MU-MIMO which aids in data streaming and direct broadcast to the client device. It boasts a maximum speed of 400 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz channel and 866 Mbps on the 5 GHz channel.

TP Link Deco M9 vs. Eero – A Comparison Overview

TP Link Deco M9

The TP Link Deco M9 is one of the most popular and widely sold mesh systems today. This midrange router is a dual band 802.11 MUMIMO router with super coverage. When bought it comes as a default package with three hubs inside, their power cables and a manual. The three hubs provide a coverage of 420 square meters which is enough for medium sized homes such as two story homes. Moreover, it features the popular Deco app that works seamlessly during first time installation and configuration. On top of this, the routers come with an inbuilt security system known as HomeCare to protect your system from malware, viruses and internet Trojans.

Pros

• The M9 provides excellent coverage of up to 420 square meters
• It supports smart devices since it is compatible with Alexa
• It comes with an inbuilt security system to protect your system from malware and viruses
• The app features a very robust parental control system to protect young ones from harmful content

Cons

• It is quite expensive

View Price on Amazon

Eero Mesh Router

No products found.

The Eero mesh router is one of the more affordable mesh systems in the market today. But even at a reasonable lower price, the Eero Mesh router offers wonderful performance and provides wide coverage. Released as one of the first mesh router systems, the router works by using multiple range boosting and extending nodes or hubs to spread the signal through the whole house. The Eero comes with a default package of three hubs inside the box when bought. Each of these nodes is identical in looks and performance. The hubs are also small, one of the smallest among all mesh routers, and features a lovely design. They are white in color and are covered in hardened plastic material. This router’s design is for horizontal placement. The face of the routers feature a small LED light right at the front center edge and the company’s logo in grey tangible fonts. All in all, we love the Eero’ design

Apart from that, this router comes with important recent technology such as smart hub compatibility. Unlike the Deco series routers however, the Eero is not an Alexa endpoint. Instead, you have to have an Echo smart speaker to use the smart services. You can use voice commands to control certain aspects such as turning off or reducing the LED brightness.

Pros

• The Eero router is very easy to install, setup and manage
• It is a small device that does not intrude on you home interior décor
• It is easy to mount on to walls and other stationary objects
• It comes with a security feature known as Secure Plus
• It is affordable and offers great value for money

Cons.

• The Eero is a low performance router
• It does not have a speaker or microphone
• The security feature has to be paid for and is expensive

View Price on Amazon

Conclusion

The TP Link Deco M9 and Eero are both great routers for home use. The Deco M9 is however miles ahead of the Eero in terms of speed, performance and range. But this also means it is premium priced and may not be the best choice for anyone on a budget. The Eero is small and gets the job done at an affordable price.

Final Verdict – So which is better? TP Link Deco M9 or Eero Mesh network

TheTP Link Deco M9 and Eero will eliminated dead zones in your house. The Deco M9 is the better overall router with better speeds, range and more functionalities. On the other hand, the Eero is a tiny router with low range and questionable performance. If you want a wide range coverage router, with super performance and speed, the M9 is the better option

FAQs

1. Does the Eero support beamforming?

Yes. The Eero supports both beamforming and Mu-Mimo technologies which both assist in simultaneous data streaming

2. Can the TP Link Deco M9 be mounted?

Yes. The TP Deco M9 is one of the few routers that can be mounted due to its small design and convenient shape.