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Reviewed September 2026

Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) + TP-Link Deco mesh

68out of 100

Works, with a couple of settings to get right

Independent WiFiXpert score. No sponsorship, no shopping link, no manufacturer input.

A Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) does work on a TP-Link Deco mesh, but a couple of the router's default settings cause most of the complaints we see. Fix those first and it settles down.

Known issues with this pair

  • • Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) relies on constant background "who's here?" messages, and TP-Link Deco mesh filters some of that traffic by default.
  • • Do not put Google Nest Mini (2nd gen) on TP-Link Deco mesh's guest or IoT network — devices there are kept apart on purpose.

What it looks like when it goes wrong

  • The gadget is online, but the phone app says it can't be found.
  • Set-up finishes, then the app immediately loses the gadget.

Do these, in this order

  1. 1

    Turn on the multicast / mDNS forwarding option, and make sure your phone is on the same Wi-Fi name.

  2. 2

    Put the gadget on the main Wi-Fi name and forget the guest network on your phone.

  3. 3

    Set it up next to the router, then move it to the bedroom.

  4. 4

    Check the room actually has usable signal — a phone showing one bar there tells you enough.

Settings we'd recommend on the TP-Link Deco mesh

  • • Put the gadget and your phone on the main Wi-Fi name, not the IoT or guest network.
  • • In the Deco app, leave 'Smart Connect' on but turn 'Fast Roaming' off if a device keeps dropping.

Good to know about this router: Deco's IoT and guest networks are separate from the main one, and smart-home kit put on them often can't be seen by your phone. Some Deco models trim the background chatter that speakers and printers rely on.

If none of that works

  • If the gadget only ever sits in one spot, a wired connection is always the most reliable answer.

What owners tell us

No confirmed reports for this pair yet. Yours would be the first.

Reports are counted together and checked by a reviewer before they change anything we publish. One report on its own never becomes an official WiFiXpert conclusion.

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