TP-Link AX3600 Deco X68

Great Wi-Fi, however Parental Controls Can Be Bypassed (No MAC Whitelisting) I bought the TP-Link Deco X68 to keep my teenager’s internet use in check with its parental control features. While the mesh Wi-Fi coverage and speeds are good, there is a critical flaw: my children can bypass the parental controls. The Deco X68 lacks a “whitelist” or… Read more

allow-list feature for devices. The parental controls identify a device by its MAC address (unique hardware ID). Modern phones/tablets can use randomized MAC addresses (a privacy setting enabled by default on newer iPhones & Androids). My son simply enabled this on his school computer. Each time he connects with a new random MAC, the Deco thinks it’s a new device – meaning no bedtime limits, no filters apply because it doesn’t recognize it. Essentially, a tech-savvy kid can dodge all restrictions just by toggling a setting.

I was frustrated to find this oversight. Competing routers or even cheaper TP-Link models have had MAC whitelist/approved device lists or at least better handling for this critical control. BTW we use Pinwheel on his phone which works a treat!

The Deco X68’s firmware (v1.2.5 at time of writing) doesn’t offer any “allow only known devices” option to prevent unknown devices from connecting. TP-Link’s support forums are full of parents like me complaining about this. The company has said a firmware update to add a whitelist mode is “planned”, but we’ve been waiting a long time with no update yet. In the meantime, the advertised parental controls are practically useless if your kids know this simple trick. I had to manually block each new “device” my son’s school computer appeared as, which is not a sustainable solution.

Also note: the more advanced parental controls (like time limits per app, detailed filters) require a paid HomeShield Pro subscription. I wouldn’t mind that if the basics worked. But paying extra for “advanced” controls is moot when the basic control can be nullified by a simple MAC change.

Pros: Excellent Wi-Fi coverage and performance (tri-band mesh covers my whole home). Easy setup and sleek app interface.

Cons: Parental controls have a major loophole – no device whitelist, so kids can bypass limits via random MAC addresses. Some expected features missing (can’t schedule Wi-Fi on/off times; some security/parental features locked behind subscription). TP-Link while acknowledging the issue are very slow to release firmware fixes and have acknowledged there is no know timeline for when the firmware will be updated.

Verdict: If you need robust parental controls, I cannot recommend the Deco X68 in its current state. It’s a great mesh system for Wi-Fi performance, but for family usage the lack of a whitelist feature is a deal-breaker. I’m disappointed that I have to consider alternate solutions as I can't wait indefinitely for TP-Link to update the firmware.

Buyers with kids, be aware: as of now, clever teens can get around the Deco X68’s parental rules with minimal effort. I wish the sore people who sold me the X68 had explained this to me rather than just sell me what they had on their shelves. Hence I am writing this review to try and make sure others don't make the same mistake as I did. This is a real issue for parents and kids alike and we need all the help we can get!

Reasonably Priced Wi-Fi 6 / Triband Routers. They're simple to set up & provide good coverage/speed – I purchased the Deco X68's to improve WiFi signal strength into an area of my house that was receiving poor WiFi coverage and I liked the fact that the Deco X68's are WiFi 6 / Tri-Band routers that use separate 5G backhaul channels to link the 2 Deco units. This avoids using the same 5Ghz channels that your devices are transmitting on and helps… Read more

improve throughput and negates the requirement for wired backhaul between the Deco's. Not all mesh systems do this.

The setup was straightforward using the deco app and is great for people that do not have a highly technical background. You will have the first deco up and running in minutes, and adding the second is a breeze. I suspect those with a more technical background would prefer the app to have more flexibility/configuration options, but I guess that's the tradeoff you make to keep the setup process simple. I also noted that the units lack the ability to schedule turning off Wi-Fi (i.e. overnight). This is surprising as all my previous Wi-Fi routers supported this. I rather am disappointed to find that the more useful security & parental control features require a monthly/annual subscription.

I have found the signal strength to be consistent and haven't noticed any dropouts. These units are compact, unobtrusive, and provide good coverage and speed in my home. (Three brick walls separate the main and secondary units, and I'm now getting between 350 - 450Mbps at the second unit. Obviously, each home will be different as will the results). I initially had some connectivity issues with my Samsung Soundbar and TV being able to connect to Samsung's cloud. I suspect that this is related to how WPA2 / WPA3 is implemented by one or both vendors. It eventually worked by setting to WPA2 only. Other folks were experiencing similar issues when I did a search on the support forums.

In summary;

Pro's * Well-priced for Wi-Fi 6 / Tri-band routers * Very simple to setup and they just work * These units are compact, unobtrusive and provide good Wi-Fi coverage & speed in my setup. * The use of separate 5G channels for wireless backhaul avoids

Cons * Somewhat limited config settings via the app for more advanced users * You can't set a schedule for Wi-Fi to be switched off!! * Only 2 SSIDs can be created (may not be an issue for you) * Some security / parental features which should arguably be free (and are in some of their cheaper models) require a subscription. * The longish shape of the power plug is problematic if your power points are low to the ground (i.e. you will need a double adapter or power board).

Fast easy setup. Works as advertised for 4: weeks – So far so good. I said the same of my Google nest wifi which died after one of their updates. I've had this in place only for a week and it's quick and everything stays connected. There's enough settings for what I need but if you're a network fiddler this isn't for you. Setup is dead simple and fast. Way better than the awful Google home app. I… Read more

have since read of short term failure for these units but that was some time back and these have been around a while now. I have the two unit pack which covers my two story house well.

Update - disconnects regularly even with latest firmware and returned for refund