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How many devices can a mesh network handle?
Updated
The 3-packs on our list claim 100 to over 200 devices on their Amazon listings. Those are maker claims, and we cannot confirm them. For most homes the device count is not the limit. How many devices are busy at the same moment, and your plan speed, matter far more.
- Deco S4100 devices
- Orbi 770100 devices
- eero 7 (120+ claimed)120 devices
- Deco X55150 devices
- Deco XE75200 devices
- Deco BE63 (over 200 claimed)200 devices
| System | WiFi | Device claim on the listing |
|---|---|---|
| Deco S4 | WiFi 5 | Up to 100 (3-pack) |
| Orbi 770 | WiFi 7 | Up to 100 |
| eero 7 | WiFi 7 | 120+ (3 units) |
| Deco X55 | WiFi 6 | Up to 150 (3-pack) |
| Deco XE75 | WiFi 6E | Up to 200 (3-pack) |
| Deco BE63 | WiFi 7 | Over 200 (3-pack) |
What the claim does and does not mean
A claim of 150 devices is a count of things that can stay connected. It is not 150 people streaming 4K. Smart plugs, bulbs and sensors send tiny amounts of data. A TV, a game download or a video call uses far more.
The FCC's household guide plans by how many users or devices are busy at a time, not how many are connected. Four devices at a time with more than one heavy task running is its "advanced" tier, above 25 Mbps. Its speed guide puts 4K video at 25 Mbps and HD video calls for teleconferencing at 6 Mbps. Add up what your family runs at once in the evening and compare it with your plan.
What helps a busy home
- Enough nodes. Devices far from a node connect slowly and hold the air longer. Use the node calculator.
- Cables for the heavy users. A TV or console on an Ethernet port frees WiFi time for everyone else.
- Newer WiFi on your devices. WiFi 6 handles many devices at once better than WiFi 5. See WiFi 6 vs WiFi 7.
- Do not overbuild the mesh. TP-Link recommends up to six Deco units for most models on a wireless backhaul, and says adding units does not always improve speed or stability if there are no dead zones.
Our pick for a device-heavy home
The Deco X55 claims 150 devices and has three ports per node for the heavy users. Caveat: Gigabit ports cap it at 1 Gbps plans. If your plan is faster, look at the Deco BE63, with the caveat that most homes cannot use all of its speed. All six are in the comparison.