In Use (continued):

Things get pretty cool with some smart home hooks provided by Alexa and IFTTT integration. I did not dig into the Alexa features since I am not an Alexa user, but I did browse some of the IFTTT items since I have started using them more for things around the house. After an intro to IFTTT, you can enable it and see some of the available applets for doing things like messaging/emailing you whenever a new device joins the network. Devices with the app installed can also get push notifications for some of the same information, but IFTTT is good for sending things out to devices / people that are not connected to the Deco M5s via the app.



While we have walked through many of the submenus already, the below left image shows the main screen where you see all of your connected Deco M5s, as well as a summary of the routers own speed test results and access to the submenus either by clicking the three horizontal stripes at the top left or by clicking the yellow button at the bottom right. There is a decent help section within the app, available from the menu found when clicking the three horizontal stripes. Clicking the yellow button at the bottom launches the menu seen in the middle image below. This full list is only available in router mode, and when you switch to access point mode you are left with Wi-Fi settings, Advanced, Update Deco, and Managers. The Advanced menu is the next screenshot, where we see plenty of the items we have already checked out, and when switched to access point mode, many of the items on this submenu disappear, as well. LED Control is shown in the below right image, which is a cool feature many routers are including these days... The ability to disable the device's LED lights during certain hours, so they don't bother you while sleeping or perhaps watching TV in the dark.



Trend Micro anti-virus for all connected devices is included as part of the HomeCare feature for the first three years. After three years the assumption is you will have another Wi-Fi solution to replace the Deco M5, but TP-Link is looking at offering an option for the user to be able to pay to extend the coverage. The final images in this section take a closer look at the Deco M5's internal gauge of Internet speeds. The numbers sync well with Speedtest.net results I have run from a connected PC, and the app gives you info about what you can expect from your connection. For example, my speed is more than enough for streaming 1080p HD. You can also see a log of all tests and how your speed varies by time of day, etc.



Overall the interface is very easy to work with, and by no means intimidating. While it doesn't have the ability to do all the advanced things I would like to do, it is probably more than enough for the large majority of the users. Plus, now that the device supports an access point mode, something that was not available a few months ago, you can continue to use your existing router in conjunction with the Deco M5. The only downside to this is that parental controls, anti-virus, and other cool features are only available in router mode.