Asus xp4 is Mesh Hybrid Powerline backhaul, ideal for homes with thick concrete walls. How this product compete with its rival TP-Link Deco P9?
In this article:
- What this Asus XP4 does
- Powerline backhaul
- Asus XP4 vs Deco P9
- Backhaul Method Options
- Comparison Table
What Asus XP4 does
One of the performance factors for mesh WiFi system is the solid backhaul link between mesh nodes. Backhaul link can be wired; wireless; or combination of them. The “wifi” backhaul is prone to signal interference that may disrupt link communication between the nodes. It is therefore Asus introduces XP4 Hybrid mesh Powerline backhaul that uses existing electrical wiring as a backhaul.
Powerline backhaul
Unlike wifi backhaul, wired Ethernet backhaul is relatively solid. However, running UTP cable through thick walls between rooms is challenging, it could be drilling the walls, or passing through the ceiling. With powerline backhaul, you just plug your router into the power outlet on the wall within the house and all mesh wifi nodes are connected using the powerline backhaul.
It doesn’t matter how thick the walls between the rooms, with a powerline link between nodes, they use existing electrical wiring network at home. However, keep in mind that this powerline mesh node network must exist in the same circuit break system.
TP-Link previously released similar product, the Deco P9 (probably it is an absolute product). How Asus XP4 vs Deco P9 perform and which one gives you better value to your business?
Asus XP4 vs Deco P9
Wifi 7 standards have been around in the corner, most networking vendors introduce products based on this new wifi standards. Asus introduced wifi 7 products ranging from lower end products including Asus BD4, and Asus BD5, middle range products such as Asus BT10, up to high end products such as Asus BQ16 Pro. However, there is no update for Hybrid Powerline based on wifi 7.
See also Asus BD5 vs Deco XE75, see how dual band wifi 7 versus Deco tri-band wifi 6e products perform.
Like Asus, TP-Link introduced similar Powerline product – the Deco P9 which also uses powerline as a backhaul link between mesh nodes.
Asus xp4 features faster backhaul 1300Mbps powerline than deco P9 which is 1000Mbps.
Backhaul Method Options
Unlike the deco p9, asus xp4 gives you 3 backhaul method options to choose:
- Wifi backhaul,
- wired Ethernet backhaul
- and powerline backhaul.
By default, XP4 chooses the backhaul in a smart way automatically, the most reliable path to use as a backhaul. However, asus gives you the options to choose the backhaul manually rather than automatically.
In terms of the backhaul method options between Asus XP4 vs Deco P9, Asus offers better backhaul methods and options than Deco P9.
Wifi technology
Does wifi-6 always provide much higher performance than wifi5 network? If your home connected devices are still based on wifi5, the performance is not much different when connected to a wifi 6 network. Asus XP4 is based on wifi6, while Deco P9is still based on legacy wifi5.
In terms of total aggregated bandwidth, indeed asus xp4 gives you wider bandwidth that means faster nodes and more connected devices.
Dual WAN
Unlike TP-Link router products, most Asus products that come with USB port support dual WAN feature. The usb port with 4G/5G dongle can be used as secondary Internet connection in addition of wired internet (as primary Internet). You can configure it either as failover or load balance scenario.
If the requirement of internet service level with no disruption exists, you can use the USB port as the backup solution by connecting a cellular USB dongle to provide cellular internet services, this work as a backup for the main internet services. If the internet service from the cable modem is interrupted, the systems will failover to the cellular network with a usb dongle. And when the main internet is back available the system will fall back to main internet service.
The question is whether this system is important for your home, whether the availability of internet without interruption is a must for your home business or not, you have option to do that. For business needs in offices or head quarter offices that rely on an internet connection with guaranteed no interruptions, it is necessary, but not using a home router or cellular internet service as a backup. So the internet failover system for home needs is not urgency. In terms of internet backup option for asus xp4 vs deco p9, asus xp4 is preference.
See also Asus RT-BE92U and new GL inet Flint 3 two of lower end wifi7 routers that support dual WAN, either failover or load balance scenario.
Security protection
One added value of this asus xp4 is that it is equipped with a lifetime free aiprotection pro feature. With aiprotection you can scan your router to provide screening results if there are few security holes that require necessary action to address them as soon as possible.
Many of the features of this Aiprotecion are to provide security protection for your network and all connected devices against any wild internet threats such as malicious sites blocking, two-way IPS (intrusion prevention system), and also advanced parental control to provide peace of mind for children’s activities interacting with the internet.
Comparison table
Take a look at the following spec comparison table between Asus xp4 powerline mesh wifi 6 router and TP-link Deco P9 AC1200 powerline router.
Table 1 Asus XP4 vs Deco P9
| Model | Asus XP4 Hybrid (2-pack) | TP-Link Deco P9 (3-pack) |
| Wifi technology | Simultaneous dual band ax1800 mesh wifi 6 with AiMesh technology | Simultaneous dual band ac1200 mesh wifi 5 |
| Signal speed | 1201Mbps @5GHz; 574Mbps @2.4GHz | 867Mbps @5GHz; 300Mbps @2.4GHz |
| Powerline | AV2 MIMO @1300 Mbps | AV2 @1000 Mbps |
| Antennas | 4x internal antennas | 2x internal antennas |
| Backhaul | Powerline, Ethernet and WiFi | Powerline and optional Ethernet wired backhaul |
| Coverage | 5500 sq ft (2750 sq ft / unit) | 6,000 sq ft (2,000 sq ft / each unit) |
| Ethernet Ports | 1x Gigabit WAN port; 2x Gigabit LAN ports | 2x Gigabit Ethernet Ports WAN/LAN with auto sensing |
| USB Port | USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 1 | N/A |
| Processor | 64bit 1.2 GHz quad-core processor Memory: 256 MB Flash & 512 MB RAM | Qualcom processor (no details) |
| Operation modes | Wireless router (default); Repeater mode; AP mode | Router mode; AP mode |
| Security | WPA3-Personal, WPA/WPA2-Personal, WPA/WPA2-Enterprise Guest network | WPA / WPA2 personal ; Guest network each band |
| Network protection | Asus instant guard ; Free lifetime AiProtection Pro with commercial grade security and advanced parental control | Advanced parental control |
| Network name | Single name for all or network name each radio band | Single network name |
| Dimension | Unspecified | 3.6 in x 3.6 in x 7.5 in (90.7 × 90.7 × 190 mm) |
| Price | $229..99 | $199.99 |
See that the price gap is not large. However, currently the wifi7 standards have been around, while the price tags are affordable for lower end products. You can find that Asus BD5 which is the lower end of wifi 7 range is more powerful, delivering bandwidth up to 5000Mbps. Asus BD5 support internet up to 2.5Gbps, the future of DOCSIS 4.0 cable infrastructure support Internet connection up to 10Gbps. few models of middle range Asus wifi7 products support multi-gig 10Gbps Internet connection such as Asus BT10.
Click the product’s link below to learn more details on Amazon (#ads).
- Click here to learn more details Asus XP4 on Amazon (#Ad)
- Or you may like to see Asus BD5 on Amazon (#Ad)
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