Best Wireless Mode For 5Ghz (2024 Updated)

This replaced an ancient (15 years?) Linksys WRT54GL 2. 4 GHz wireless router which had been bulletproof until now, when it failed. Setup perhaps took me longer than it might have because I haven’t set up a router for some time and was cautious to be sure everything was by the book.

Other than that, I chose the web browser approach which was easy to use and everything worked as hoped. [Except my ethernet-attached laser printer which wouldn’t print from any of my devices, whether ethernet or WiFi.

It turned out there must have been a faulty instruction stuck in the printer’s memory acting like a dam against any requests to print. (I discovered the printer’s memory was full when I attempted a command at the printer’s manual controls).

After disconnecting the printer and re-powering it, all of my devices can print to it without problem. ] Setup defaulted to having the router allocate 2. 4 GHz and 5 GHz itself using a single SSID, which was what I had hoped for.

Also, the functions in the router’s web browser interface are easy to understand and access. Today I was across the street from my house in a neighbor’s backyard pool and I noticed my Android phone was alternately connecting with this router or with LTE.

That’s unexpected range. I have 50 Mbps download internet service. With my old router the ethernet to internet connection ran around 40 Mbps; with the new router I get the full 50 Mbps. Checking the internet speed of two wireless computers in my home, the old router gave me 14-17 Mbps; the new router 40-45 Mbps.

I am pleased with the router.

I upgraded from the original Google Wifi router to this one. I was not using the mesh capabilities, and will not with this new router. But I had been looking for a router that offered me more control of my network.

This TP-Link AX1800 fits that bill and offers better security with Wifi 6 capability. The initial install went well, and I had my new network going pretty quickly. Accessing the setup pages after the network is setup is a little more finicky than I’d like.

I try to use their website address (which is supposed to be bound to my router configuration page), but it often says that I’m not connected to the TP-Link network. even though I am. I have to clear the browser cache and history, and then it will pick it up.

That and it seems that it doesn’t like Edge browser very much, but seems to work fine in Firefox. But besides those couple of software problems, the network has been fine. I haven’t noticed any speed increase, but I wasn’t expecting any.

I get the maximum that my ISP provides for the price, so I’m happy with that. The only other thing that I was hoping, with the four antennas vs the Google Wifi puck with no visible antennas, is that the microwave would no longer interfere with the signal.

No such luck there. I guess I’d have to get a less “leaky” microwave to solve that problem!.

I received this mesh router system as an incentive to give my opinion by review. I originally rated this Deco mesh router at 4 stars. I am updating that to 3 stars due to issues with devices disconnecting frequently.

I contribute this to the Deco software that automatically selects the routers 2GHz Wi-Fi channel based on other routers nearby and the channels those routers are broadcasting on. TP-Link has configured the Deco mesh routers to search for the clearest available 2 GHz channel based on it’s softwares scans of nearby routers channel traffic.

That is common among today’s routers. But, there are two software issues that TP-Link incorporated into the Deco systems that other mesh router manufacturers have an advantage over. The first is that the Deco’s 2 GHz Wi-Fi channel cannot be manually set by the consumer to remain on a constant frequency.

The second is that while the Deco does select what it detects to be the clearest 2GHz channel, it tends to stray from the three best options for what has been determined are the only non-overlapping frequencies available, channels 1, 6 and 11.

Because the Deco is constantly scanning for a better 2GHz Wi-Fi channel to broadcast it’s signal from, there is a short disconnect between the router and your devices. Usually that disconnect is not noticed and the devices are able to function without issues.

But coupled with the Deco choosing overlapping 2GHz frequencies to broadcast on, I believe creates enough instability to cause some devices running on the 2GHz channel to completely loose their Wi-Fi connection to the router.

Even devices that may be placed close to the router or the satellite. There is a software option to allow certain devices to receive priority over others in signal distribution, but that doesn’t eliminate the issue of device disconnection.

If you have minimal devices connected to the router, that may stabilize your network. But I have over twenty devices connected, although not all are running at the same time. I have spoken with tech support and they have no plans to change their software to allow for either of these issues to be changed through an update.

So, based on my device disconnections, I have to lower my original score to 3 stars.

This review is for the TP-Link Deco W7200 mesh router system. We current house design does not allow easy access for running network cabling. I had two routers bridged to allow connectivity to the far end of our 1 story house, but the connection was not stable.

Decided to replace these with a mesh system to provide better connectivity. Setup was quick, easy and these routers are not only fast, but provide for future devices, as they support Wi-Fi 6. The signal strength is stronger and consistent throughout the house.

I was even able to change the IP schema from the default to my previous, so I did not need to reset devices I have with static IP addresses. You do need to download TP-Link’s Deco app to your cell phone or table setup this system.

The power adapters are fairly large, so be aware that they will take up more space than a regular 3 prong plug. You will need to completely power down your old network, including a modem, connect the first Deco, then power back up and log into the Deco app to complete setup.

After this unit is on line and functioning properly, all you need to do for the second unit is place it within range of the first unit and power on. A blue light will flash during the setup, then change to green once it is connected to the network.

No further configurations needed for the second unit. Another plus for those that are bothered by the power indicator lights is that these can be turned completely off or set to turn off during a time period of your choice.

There is a guest network option that can be setup, along with a number of other basic router configurations. Each unit has 2 network cable ports available. Using these, you have the option of connecting them together via network cable to allow faster data transfer between the units, or you can connect other devices to these ports, such as a switch or printer, allowing Internet connectivity without the need to run cabling, which is great for locations where you cannot install cabling.

Those users that prefer to do major router setting modifications may not be able to those with this system, but for most users, the options available are more than enough. The system can send you alerts when there are changes happening, such as a new device connecting.

Should you require more range than this 2-unit system can provide, you can attach additional units to your network to expand the coverage area. Overall, I am quite pleased with this system compared to my old 2 router setup.

They provide a faster more consistent signal with room for future expansion needs and I would purchase these again. One last thing, this is the same system as the TP-Link X68, but is being sold for less under the Walmart (W7200) name.

When it comes to installing a SoC (System on a Chip) onto a PCB (printed circuit board), and then stashed into a plastic housing, it’s not as simple as it sounds. In order to get the best performance at a specific price point, it requires skill, ability and a little ingenuity.

I’m not in love with this router by any means, but I definitely like it due to the quality and price. Unfortunately Tenda has quite a ways to go when it comes to the firmware if it wants to become more competitive in the North American market.

Tenda doesn’t have to include as many settings as companies like Netgear would, but they definitely need to improve on the speed and deployment of their security patches. That alone will significantly improve Tenda’s reputation so that Tenda becomes the name to go to for quality, security, and price.

IMPRESSIVE ROUTER. There are routers on the market by Netgear, Linksys and others that offer similar functionality for much more money. This Tenda unit is super easy to set up, and works exactly as described.

It’s FAST! Besides, it also looks super cool in my server rack. Oh yeah, I’m happy. For once, I didn’t have to buy a more expensive unit from another manufacturer because the less expensive one truly lived up to what it claimed to be.

NICE!!.

This is a very straightforward router. If you want 5 GHz wifi6 and that’s all you want, that’s exactly what this router provides. Nothing fancy, which also means you’re not paying extra for features you’ll never use.

I’m specifically using this to run an Oculus Quest 2 as a wireless headset via Virtual Desktop and it works great.

I have used many different routers over the years. Google WiFi is hands down the best “router”I have ever used. I Don’t have a huge house but there is a couple of dead zones in my house. I have had Wi-Fi extenders.

It is so easy to connect and start it up with easy instructions. After installing Google wifi, my internet speed throughout my house increased and the wifi is stronger and more stable. No more complaints from hubby while gaming.

It is not too expensive and worth investing. More Information ———————— * Includes 3 Google WiFi routers * Wi-Fi 5 with AC1200 (1,200 Mbps) router enhances your WiFi signal to support up to 200 connected devices and multiple 4K streaming videos * Expandable design allows you to connect extra Wi-Fi points to cover larger homes, thicker walls, and narrow layouts(additional points sold separately) * Simple set-up in the Google Home app lets you connect and manage devices and access parental controls for your kids * Automatic updates provide new features and keep the network safe and secure.

Got 2 of these routers as part of Google Fiber subscription. Routers/AP supports WiFi Mesh technology, so signal should reach any corner of your home, up to 1900sqft. For my home 1100sqft even one of these works perfectly.

Setup was easy-breezy, using Google Home mobile app. Although, router lacks advanced settings like wifi mode and channel selection, for average casual user this shouldn’t cause discomfort. Design-wise it looks cozy, so you can leave it on the surface, you can even cotrol LED intensity what is well thought for dark environment.

Owned for 2 days. Received in great condition and as described. Ordered from Electronics Canada on Best Buy marketplace. Well packaged & shipped promptly. Goggle Wifi -received model AC1304 – which has the USB C power connection.

Basic box. Came with the official Google power supply & appears to also have official slim white ethernet cable. Set up & had working fairly quickly.

I bought this because the Wi-Fi at my home was getting really crowded with a lot of devices and possible interference with neighbour’s Wi-Fi. Recently, I started adding a lot of home automation Wi-Fi connected devices to my Virgin Media hub and I believe this was leading it to cause random connection drops.

So, I had to get a proper router. This router is not the top of the line from ASUS, but it fits my use case pretty well. One of my selection criterion was that the router must be able to run custom firmware, and this could run ASUS-MerlinWRT firmware.

Merlin WRT firmware adds a ton of additional capabilities to your router – like network wide ad blockers, VPNs, etc. They even have games that you can deploy on these routers. So I wanted a router that would be highly customizable.

Now, you may be worried that flashing a custom firmware is difficult or that it would void warranty; you don’t have to worry. Flashing Merlin firmware is just like flashing ASUS firmware – very easy, and ASUS fully supports it.

They do not take away your warranty for flashing this firmware. So, it’s all good. And my review below is based on MerlinWRT firmware on this router. Anyway, I setup this router (using MerlinWRT) and so far – everything looks real good.

No more connection dropouts on Wi-Fi and the Internet connection appears to be super stable. Speed tests done on the router are showing that I am getting the speeds as Virgin mentioned. Pings are below 10ms.

So it’s all good on the WAN area, Coming to the LAN capabilities, it is pretty powerful there too. Because this is a Wi-Fi 6 router, it gives good speeds, and you can also create a load of guest networks on this.

You can create at least 6 different guest networks with Merlin firmware – and individually provide access to your LAN. You can redirect your DNS queries to variety of external IP addresses or your own internal server.

You can configure OpenVPN clients or setup VPN server, so that your mobile devices can connect to your home router and tunnel traffic through there – giving you a excellent, additional layer of security – even when you are on the move.

You can even selectively route traffic via VPN. This has got two USB ports (one 2. 0 and one 3. 0), so you can share USB drives or printers throughout your local network. The only bad thing I would say is regarding the lack of more RJ45 ethernet ports on the router.

There are only 4 LAN ports (and one WAN port for internet connectivity). This is why I took off one star from my review.

I have used this router for about a week in my house and have enjoyed the increase in our wifi reach. Having our original router/modem combo in one corner of our first floor. I have noticed I would have dead spots on the second floor in the basement on the opposite side of the house.

Wifi speeds would slow to a halt. It made it very difficult to use some of our different devices on this. Setting up the router was a little nerve racking and required some googling to double check as I was working through it.

However, once I was able to get it up and running, I felt good with the work of it. My wife has noticed the speed upstairs and for her in the basement. All in all, I am happy with this router, although it took a little time to get it all set up, I was happy with the overall unit and will keep using it!.

Word to the wise: update firmware, then RESET to factory defaults. THEN proceed to customize. This router worked fine when first plugged in, but after an update, it no longer served any webpages. Some dns or routing bug internal.

No amount of double checks or setting toggles helped. So after 30 min of fiddling, i gave up and reset to factory defaults and voila. Settings changes now take effect properly and all the customisations and features seem to work as expected.

My confidence in stability is a bit shaken just due to this basic bug. Feels like future upgrades will require me to screenshot all settings prior to upgrade (just in case) and that’s a bit annoying.

In fact, it’s approx minus 1 star annoying :).

Not sure why the system thinks I have the AX6600, this review is for the X90. After trying a number of router and extender combinations I finally gave in to the lure of mesh networking. I wish I had done it sooner! Whilst I had researched this space over the last couple years, I was waiting for a kit like the deco to come along to fit a sweet spot of performance and price.

The X90 does that for me. My link speed is rock is solid, the roaming hasn’t let me down and I no longer have to manually fidget between networks to get the best signal in my apartment. The apartment is quite long with thick walls and heavy doors.

The units are around 15m away from each other and paint the apartment in solidly wonderful wifi 6. The dedicated backhaul gives me superior performance from the remote unit, with more bandwidth available than my measly 100Mb Internet connection offers.

Whilst it’s still early days, only a few weeks old, the link has been solid with no drop outs or performance issues even though I have dozens of devices connected simultaneously. The app that controls the units, whilst easy to use, is a little simple for my liking.

I would like it to offer a bit more information and control than it currently does. But it does all the basics well. I’m not a fan of having to connect it with a cloud account but it’s a negative I’m willing to look past for now.

Easy to set up as all I had to do was turn off the router in my Virgin Hub and set to Modem Mode, then connect to one of the Ethernet Ports on the back and let the Tp-Link Deco X20 auto-configure after placing each of the three included around my home.

It provides a Solid Connection Signal for when you are engaged in Gaming, 4k Streaming or Surfing the Worldwide Web and has built-in Anti-Virus along with Intuition prevention to protect all your connected devices.

As for managing the settings in the router, it has an app that can be downloaded & installed from the GooglePlay Store that’s very intuitive to use and, you can also run a network optimization if needed.

Overall, one of the best purchases I’ve made this year and worth the Price. ‘Considering how slow my internet speed was before when using a Powerline or Virgins rubbish wireless router either, of those connections provided just around 60 megabytes download speed.

And now, with the Tp-Link Deco X20 Mesh System, I get 220megbytes on all connected devices.

This mesh system has been a game-changer for our household. Previously, only the living room had a good Internet connection, and the rest of the house suffered. With this system, I have one in the furthest room and one upstairs, which has helped TREMENDOUSLY! No more dropped connections! No more inability to stream 1080p videos in the room most distant from the router! No more issues at all with connections in other rooms.

This was pretty easy for me (a tech-savvy person) to set up and is easy to manage; the mobile app is also excellent and convenient—I have no complaints about it. I do notice that now and then, one of the extenders will disconnect (which you can see in the app), but after unplugging and plugging back in, it reconnects.

This only has happened a few times and is pretty inevitable, in my opinion. This was definitely worth it for us; I can’t imagine going back to being without it!.

This is a pretty average access point. It works mostly, as long as you have quite simple expectations. The web UI has a lot of bugs that make features unavailable for no good reason. For example, in AP mode you can’t supply your own HTTPS certificate because the section of the config is hidden.

Luckily if you manually enter the correct URL then you can get it to it. I found you can’t operate a WPA2 PSK on 2. 5 GHz and WPA 2 enterprise on 5 GHz, again due to a UI bug. The tech support is as unhelpful as ever, only reading about the first 10 words of the problem, asking redundant questions and just resorting to asking you to factory reset, which if course, doesn’t help.

Again, I worked out if you “view source” and manually add the rectory option to a drop down it will save and work, so it’s not a technical limitation. Some features don’t really work. Pinning a device to a specific node doesn’t work.

Optimisation is basically useless. I thought this would improve my connection stability but it’s made it worse. My Oculus Quest 2 now randomly disconnects because it’s jumping to a node on the other side of the house, even though it’s right next to one.

Connection is worse than the rubbish slingshot router. I don’t know if this is a problem typical with mesh in general, or ASUS in particular. The first ASUS router I bought 15 years ago was a bit of rebadged trash, and I’m not really sure things have improved.

Not worth the money, buy TP link or netgear.

Works very well. I bought this to replace an r86u router that served me well and am an Asus router fan. Main draw for me of this system was that each unit runs off of 12v and not 18v like my older asus routers.

I have a barn that is down a fairly steep hill and does not have mains power. I do have a solar panel and 2 x 100 amp hour 12v deep cycle batteries to power 12v lighting and recharge my cordless tools.

With this router I was able to fashion a connector directly to my 12v system and thus am able to run the mesh unit without needing an inverter. Only draws about 3 watts when idle which means my battery can run it for about 400 hours without requiring any solar charging.

Speed in the barn isn’t great. I only get about 20 Mbps as the signal is weak. This is well over 100 ft down a hill with numerous trees in the way not to mention two sets of exterior walls. However it has no problems supporting the 4 blink wireless cameras I installed to make sure nobody steals my tractor or tools.

Works very well. In the house the speeds are limited by my cable modem but I get 300 mpbs easily. Anyways if you have an off-grid structure with battery and solar panel this can be a good way to extend wifi coverage.

Can highly recommend this. Read Dongknows for a full review he is spot on. Upgraded from a netgear nighthawk and the difference is awesome. Distance is better plus the combined 2. 4 and 5ghz is handy.

the software is night and day as well, asus is a massive setup over netgears. Setup was extremely easy BUT when completed make sure to check for upgrades, i had to manually trigger the firmware upgrade.

I was also able to get rid of my TPG router. Just plug the ASUS XD6 directly to the NBN coaxial modem into the WAN port. Then during setup find the TPG profile and select this. When you are finished it wont work but log onto the XD6 find the wan settings, set as PPPoE, then enter your TPG connection username and password and you should be good to go.

So far speeds are way more consistant, the UI is gives an excellent overview of whos connected plus strength, really couldn’t be happier.

This product does what it’s supposed to do, but boy, it took me a long time to get it working. Instructions are weak, online videos lack any real tutorial expertise and there is no troubleshooting section for diagnosing problems.

The app needs to be expanded to be useful as it offered very little help in the set-up process. Also, the app was hard to find. It’s called “Comnect WIFI” which is misspelled. Nevertheless, I finally got it working through trial and error and a few colorful expletives.

The good news is, it works and I get wifi in areas I didn’t before. It outshines the other name-brand equipment I tried in performance and was half the price of everyone else. If you are a little savvy, you can configure this unit and it works well.

Just frustrating and time-consuming.

My satellite TV provider’s rates had increased so that I had to look for other options. I had a weak wiFi signal and no other option for a internet provider. So, I knew I had to have a stronger signal to enjoy streaming TV.

I installed the Mesh and my signal immediately grew stronger. My picture is clearer and I have a faster connection. I am now enjoying streaming TV at more than 1/2 half the monthly cost. My only problem, I can’t connect with the smart TV downstairs.

I have 5 TVs upstairs and they all work beautifully. Mesh customer service has worked very hard with me, but it just can’t connect. I think it has something to do with my service being 5G and the TV downstairs needs 2G or something like that.

I may have to get another TV.

It’s simple to set up once you realize that the password is written on the back of the device. Instructions really should have been more specific about that. I’m there typing “XXXXXXXX” as the password and wondering why it’s not working.

:-S Anyway, it’s great! Now I have a strong WiFi signal everywhere in and even outside my house and it’s just as fast as if my devices were wired. Very glad I decided to buy this.

-1 STAR I bought this modem to replace a Netgear Gateway C7000-100NAS. I upgraded my internet service and the C7000 only delivers WiFi speeds of up to 1. 9Gb. The new internet service delivers 2. 25Gb and higher so I needed a gateway that would match the internet service.

This gateway works fine as a plug an play device, but if you are a techy person like me and want to secure your gateway and network, this device has a very poor performance. Upon setting the encryption standard of WPA2, MAC filtering, access control, and other security features, the wi-fi and internet service would either work ok for a day or so and then it will not allow the devices to connect to the internet or it will stop connecting to the internet right away.

I did all the trouble shooting for 3 weeks trying to resolve the problem. I contacted the ISP, Netgear, followed all the troubleshooting steps, changed configuration settings, and after a month, I replaced it with the old gateway.

The old gateway has the same configuration settings as the new gateway to secure my network and although it delivers a slower speed, it’s reliable and does not disconnect the devices and the internet connectivity works fine.

Sad that the C7000 only cost $129 many years ago. I paid almost $500 for a better gateway and now, I am out of $500 as the time to return this gateway has already expired. My recommendation if you buy this gateway is if you experience an internet connectivity issue with this gateway as soon as you plug in, please return it and don’t waste your money.

In addition to being unreliable, this device has a low quality web interface compared to the C7000. I could have bought a bad unit and it was just bad luck so that’s why I recommend to return right away if you experience issues.

I’ve owned several different modem/routers over the years and this one by far was the most disappointing by far. During the setup process with the app everything was going well as I activated it with my ISP and set up the SSID.

I was ready to go online but there was a major issue I couldn’t go online with the router if DHCP was enabled. I contact Netgear support about this issue and I cannot stress enough how horrible it was dealing with these people.

If I contact the manufacturer of a product like this I’m hoping they will know something that I haven’t already tried on my own. The router was also broadcasting both my 2. 4 GHz and 5 GHz SSIDs twice but wouldn’t connect to either with DHCP enabled.

Netgear’s bright idea was for me to change my SSID which I had been using for years and years so then I would have to go into all of my smart home devices and set them up for another SSID. I was not going to do this so I boxed up this Nighthawk and went back to using my Arris.

I was able to connect to the router using a static IP before returning and I just want to mention the router is slow and its connection quality was horrible. I could be standing 10 feet from it using a static IP and the WIFI would drop from cell phone.

I hooked up my old Arris Surfboard AC2300 DOCSIS 3. 0 and although it is older than the latest and greatest from Netgear it is still better than this Nighthawk.

Recently purchased the Netgear Nighthawk AX2700 and have been using it for nearly two weeks. It has been the best purchase I’ve made to my home network in a really long time. I’d consider myself a power user and very proficient with networking skills.

But when I unpackaged the nighthawk and booted up the free app it was a breeze to setup. I’m very impressed with just how intuitive and approachable the process was, the app makes registration and setup so easy that if you elect to setup the modem/router up yourself you are soundly in control.

After setup I opted to have the nighthawk security feature scan my connected devices for vulnerabilities, none were returned, knowing that I am backed by Netgear’s solid reputation and cutting edge technologies I know that my network can evolve and grow with increasing cable speeds thanks to the DOCSIS 3.

1 capabilities. I’ve been so impressed that I picked one up for my parents and their network. They set it up themselves and felt comfortable doing so during the entire process. Vet impressed and pleased with my purchase, worth every penny!.

Good range. Easy set up. Easily handles a playstation along with steaming on another device at the same time. After two weeks of use, no issues. Tenda is very popular in China and the Phillippines and India.

I think they will soon be well known in the US as well.

This router might be the last generation of tech, but it has worked well for me. I bought it so that I could get stretch my wifi signal inot my garage, and it did that well. The signal throughout my house has increased as well.

#sweepstakes.

Got rid of B.T. Router and with this Router I now get top speeds all the time and no more disconnections .You will need a separate modem, but is well worth it.

So, let me start off by saying that I currently use a Linksys router that is about four years old in the basement of my 3 story home (including the basement). That router has been working fine since I moved into my house, but I do notice that upstairs I get a slightly weaker and slower wifi signal.

So, i decided to try a mesh system after reading a lot about them and this specific one have a lot of good reviews. Well let me tell you how disappointing the system was. The biggest benefit I see to it was that it is extremely easy to set up.

Set up took about 10 minutes and then it updated for about another 10.  The Wi-Fi signal in the office that the main hub (the puck that was acting as the main router) was extremely fast. My current router gives me about 240 mbps down and this one did give me 380mbps.

But, on every other level of the home (I placed a puck in the basement, main level and upstairs) was extremely laggy. I couldn’t even stream Hulu or Netflix without it buffering every minute. And the Apple TV is inches away from the Wi-Fi puck.

everything on the Google Home app said that all three pucks had extremely strong signal and the mesh network seemed to be working seamlessly, but that didn’t feel like the case. Anywhere in the house besides being in the office with the main router on any device was extremely laggy.

Overall this system was very disappointing and I will probably just be getting another (stronger) single router and returning this one.

We have the higher power Google mesh router system in our house, and wanted to get something for my parents’ for Christmas. They live in a brick home that is half basement (similar to mine), and the Wi-Fi range was terrible.

At our house, we had upgraded to a rockin modem / router combo and got 1/10 of the distance promised because of the building materials. The Google Mesh system changed the game, in a time when both my husband and I are on Zoom calls all day and need reliable connection.

Back to this product – tried the lower price one for my retired parents (who are also on WiFi all day, just not video calls) and they LOVE it. This is perfect for their house, and makes it so we can also work there whenever we visit.

One thing to note – when we set up our system, my husband spent hours trying to figure out why it wouldn’t connect. Nothing online addressed his issue, customer support couldn’t figure it out. He ended up flipping a switch / turning off a feature on the modem that literally nobody had addressed, just to see what happened, and it finally worked.

For this system, we had none of those issues connecting it to their modem / router combo.

After years of pain and suffering dealing with systems that are not systems … at last … one that works. We have to cover a facility and two acres … and this does the trick seamlessly. We have at last count over 3 dozen Wi-Fi devices that need fast and seamless internet.

We plugged in three Google devices on a CAT6 wired LAN with absolutely no problem to cover a 5000 SF facility with lots of solid wood walls and steel material. We also installed three outside yard units without LAN wire and two wireless gap fillers inside the house.

All 8 hooked up and are working without issue. I may be the exception but not one time have I had to do trouble shooting. It was plug and play the whole way … and I was really skeptical. The guest capability is very nice for friends that visit and additional peace of mind for us.

The units are nearly invisible with no antennas and blinking lights … the wife really likes that we can hide them away. Yes – I’m happy with my system.

Bought this as a replacement for my old Cisco router, which was getting pretty long in the tooth. I subscribed to a VPN service about 6 months ago, and had intermittent issues with internet connectivity.

I thought a new router would correct it. It didn’t. After digging into all the help sections and forums, found that the VPN service will not work reliably with a router that does not have native (firmware) OpenVPN client (not server) capability.

So I’m looking at purchasing another compatible router.

Excellent router that’s easy to set up. I had it working properly in 20 minutes. It’s used primarily for streaming content to no less than 3 TV’s throughout my home. The perfomance of the router has been flawless.

I highly recommend this router.

The A6 router has separate antennas for 2. 4 and 5G bands, offering a higher quality to the dual-band connections. It also supports the use of the one-mesh extender that TPLink has. Great deal for a dual-band router.

Simple but still technically sophisticated, all the normal settings. I’d beware of setting a specific channel on this or any other router. If your neighborhood is packed with others a fixed channel will get you dropped from your own router dye to conflicts with nearby strong signals.

This unit set up easily and functioned flawlessly. Place high up on a wall so no interior items (mirrors, furniture, metal file cabinets) block line of sight. If there’s solid metal between a user and the router, the user won’t connect easily, if at all.

Mine is dix feet up the wall, and I can walk 250′ to my outdoor mailbox and still have a “good” rated signal. I get “excellent” signals everywhere within my home. With radio signals (wifi is radio), higher is always better.

And I’d you have mirrors, signals get blocked or reflected, and play havoc with WiFi. Take down all unnecessary mirrors. It’s like lining your walls with Faraday cages, not good.

Before you do ANY configuration to this router, update the firmware! Update. The. Firmware. Once you update the firmware, ALL of the default settings are restored, so anything that you’ve already changed gets reset to square 1 and you’ve entirely wasted any configuration time to that point.

Firmware. Update. First! Regarding that update, I would also recommend downloading and copying the firmware. BIN file to a flash drive and connecting it to the router’s USB port, then pointing the GUI update utility there.

I allowed mine to update via the Web and at 100%, it froze and just sat there, with an admonishing warning NOT to interrupt power during the update process. After 40 minutes at 100%, however, it became quite obvious there was no more progress to be had, so I switched the router off and back on (it actually has a power switch,) and the device resumed normal operation again, updates and all.

PHEW! Once past that hurdle, getting the router setup was pretty easy, all things considered. I did have to finagle my ISP-supplied modem/WiFi router to act as only a modem (for which it was not designed,) which required a bit of trickery (thanks for nothing, AT&T) and simply pass all the inbound/outbound packets to and from this new TP-Link router, but once accomplished, everything has been golden.

You will likely not experience this issue unless the hardware supplied by your ISP is not designed to be used solely as a cable or DSL modem, but even if so, like my device, there are almost always workarounds you can implement.

Ohhhh, Google! The old AT&T Motorola WiFi had been dropping all the clients about one or two times every week, requiring a full powercycle of the device and a good 10+ minutes for broadband service to resume and a few more minutes for all the WiFi devices to reconnect, but since adding this new router into the mix, that issue has disappeared entirely.

Plus, all the WiFi clients now connect at much higher speeds than previously (400-800Gbps now vs. 200-350Gbps before. ) AT&T had already replaced their unit once before, which worked acceptably for awhile, but once it started demonstrating issues again, I simply took matters into my own hands, and I couldn’t be much happier with the results.

I’ve had little regret about purchasing this new WiFi router so far, and aside from the few small rough-edges listed in the Cons above, it’s been a very pleasant experience. The integrated antivirus and intrusion-prevention software is a great addition to individual client-based protection, and it’s included with the purchase! I can only hope TP-Link nor Trend Micro ever tries to start charging for the protection software updates, but no sign of that thus far.

The only true downside I’ve experienced is I wish I had done this sooner.

I really like this router, of course there is some sacrifices by the price you pay, namely the wired ports are 10/100M and the USB is 2. 0, but this is clearly stated in the specs section (at least in newegg) so no surprises there unless you don’t pay attention.

Setting up was relatively easy , tested the USB sharing capabilities, simple but really good so far. Range is good and stable for a small to medium apartment/office but be aware of obstacles and location of the router for using the 5GHz band.

Great for a budget initiation to the ac1200 world with some simple but useful media server/usb sharing capabilities. Edited because, recently, after a little “shifting” at the office, we are using the Printer share capabilities.

So far works great with an all-in-one HP printer. Only a little extra step for using the scanner (you have to “capture” the printer using their app, this happens automatically for printing) and the app itself is very simple (great for not eating your OS resources).

The bad side is that such app is for Windows and Mac only (so far). and since seems like a proprietary comm protocol between the app and the router to simulate the USB-Network bridge, there is no manual configuration nor app/driver for linux :(.

Very good value for money router. I have been using it for 2 weeks already, and the router is rock solid: no restarts, no connection drops. We are two people working from home with constant video meetings, plus we have close to 10 devices hooked on the router most of the time (work laptops, personal laptops, phones, tablets, chromecast, etc.

) and the router seemed not to be bothered at all by it. The network coverage is solid, although it drops quite fast with the distance and walls between the router and the device. Anyhow, for the given price range I must say I cannot ask anything more from the router.

Some figures: I have a 100/100 Mbps connection. In the same room wit the router I am measuring around 95/95 Mbps which is acceptable. In my office, which is a complete hallway away (and 3 walls between my computer and the router) I am constantly measuring 80 Mbps (down/up), which is more than acceptable in my book.

Overall, does not get much better for 490SEK, thus the 5* rating despite the certain shortcomings pointed above.

I used to have two of the older versions of this router. So I’m glad to see that TP Link has been continuously updating their routers and other devices. This is the latest version of the TP Link AC1200 Archer C6.

The major upgrades it has received is definitely a welcome addition and a necessity for any modern mid range to high end router. The most recent upgrades this router has received are MU-MIMO and beamforming.

The best thing about this line of TP Link routers is the range. This model features MU-MIMO dual band wi-fi and four gigabit Ethernet ports. MU-MIMO, which is short for Multi User-Multiple In Multiple Out, is basically a wireless protocol newer routers use to allow them to send and receiver more wireless signals while maintaining signal strength and speed.

These routers have excellent range for what they cost. I’ve had the opportunity to test over twenty routers in the past few years, ranging from low end to the best of the best. That includes every model in this line of TP Link routers, and they consistently have the best value in regard to their maximum range and overall maximum bandwidth.

Both their 5 GHz and 2. 4 GHz band have impressive range. Which is a necessity for me as I have an old house. It’s construction tends to inhibit wireless signals. The signal from this router cuts through it better than most, and extends to the edge of my property, which is about another 20 yards on either side of the house.

It’s nice having that strong wireless signal outside when I’m mowing the lawn or sitting in my car while I wait for my teenage daughter to finish getting ready. The addition of beamforming to this router has improved the signal strength even further versus the older version.

Basically, beamforming allows the router to maintain a stronger connection to your devices compared to a standard router, although, beamforming is most effective when you’re device is either stationary or staying relatively still.

Setup with this router is relatively simple and straight forward. This TP Link router doesn’t come with an install disc anymore, so you have to use the web based setup. For first time wireless access you’ll need the Pin on the bottom of the router, that’s your password.

To access the web based setup you can just type tplinklogin. net in the address bar of your web browser or you can use the routers IP which is 192. 168. 0. 1 It’s not a bad idea to check out the web based setup, even if you’re not an advanced user.

All the various functions and settings are there for you to explore. If you’re not experienced in networking, then it’s best to leave most of the features at their default setting. But it’s a good way to start learning and if you’re curious about any of it, you can contact TP Link support for help, check out the manual, read the FAQ section on the TP Link website, or get on the forums online and ask questions.

TP Link support is free and easily accessible during normal business hours. If you have a need for guest network, you can enable it in the advanced web based setup. There are settings for parental control, not too advanced, but you can block user specified websites.

If you search hard enough you can find lists of inappropriate sites to add to the parental filter list, but be prepared to put in a significant amount of time if you’re serious about blocking sites through this routers parental control feature.

There is also an app you can get, TP Link Tether, for either Apple or Android. It gives you access to some of the routers basic functions. You can see what devices are connected to your network and block any unwanted access, manage your parental control and manage your primary and guest networks.

It definitely has the potential to be useful. It would be nice to see them improve on that app with greater control over your routers advanced features. But you can still easily access the routers web based setup using any web browser.

My sole complaint with this router is instead of going from USB 2. 0 to USB 3. 0, they ditched the USB ports entirely. So you no longer have the option to connect a network printer to your router or setup a media server using your external hard drive.

The previous versions USB ports performance were lackluster at best, however, that was something they could have easily fixed. This is a great mid range router with a lot of options. Although, I personally recommend the TP Link AC1750 Archer C8, which doesn’t cost much more than this one.

It has USB 3. 0 ports, it also has slightly improved overall range. For the average user, especially if you don’t have a lot of simultaneous connections or a large area to cover, this model will be fine.

But for the advanced user, the AC1750 is the superior router both in terms of performance and value.

This is very poor quality. I’m returning it after trying to use it several times. We have admittedly relatively slow internet. My old TP link router seemed like it could use an update as speeds have increased since I purchased it well over 4 years ago.

We average about 10 Mbps DSL internet (an increase from about 3 Mbps 4 years ago) and we do not stream HD, only SD. Plus, I figured well over 4 years could likely be about the end of the life span of a router and I don’t want stuck without WiFi.

So, I ordered this “updated” version and it boasted that it’d improve WiFi speeds. I was initially excited. It worked fine for two devices at once, but totally blocked out using 3 devices. We could not stream 3 devices (SD) at once on this router.

No matter what I tried — reset, WiFi extender sync’d, still no dice. I plugged back in my old WiFi router (to see if it was internet speed at issue as we do live rural and sometimes our internet gets slower than our normal kinda slow) and almost immediately everyone could stream (SD) at once.

I even tried downloading something on WiFi and opening a bunch of youtube videos on old WiFi router at the same time and it handled it fine. I plugged this router back in and set everyone up onto the WiFi and we again could not stream more than 2 devices at once.

Also, it could not handle a wireless download or YouTube videos whilst streaming anything – immediately the streaming would freeze. Plugged in old router, again we could all stream (SD), watch YouTube, browse, download, upload.

Like I said, I’m sending this back. I think I’ll just buy another of my old router. My old router is a TP-Link N300 and although I sometimes have to reset it and it does need a WiFi extender to cover our whole home — it works fine for us.

I don’t often write reviews but I’m so thrilled with this product I felt I should. I ordered it on a Sunday and it arrived on a Wednesday. The set up is easy! You download the app on your phone (as you need to use cell data until you have one canister set up).

The app has very simple instructions. You plug the first canister into an electrical socket and into your modem using a cord provided and set a password. That’s it! You now have internet back. You then take the second canister into another room (with your phone) plug it into an outlet, turn it on and then use your phone to connect it.

Repeat for the 3rd canister. You will now have internet throughout your home. The hardest part is signing all your devices into the new network but you’d have to do this with any new router or system.

We are currently experiencing wifi speeds similar to hardwire. We have cogeco and are getting over 100mbps throughout the house that used to have many dead spots. The best part, in my opinion, is the parental controls.

You are able to assign devices to family members and set time limits or bedtime hours and the app will shut off the internet to these devices. For example you can shut internet to the Xbox and iPad for one child but still let them watch Netflix on the smart tv.

I was able to even pause one child’s internet until they finished their homework!! This is only day 3 but I highly recommend this system. I was worried I should have purchased a more expensive system but so far so good!!!.

Pros: We are a family of 5, living in a 4 bed, brick built dorma bungalow with Virgin media 100Mb broadband. Until buying the Deco I was getting nothing but complaints from the Xbox-ers about lagging, games cutting off a crucial moments, not being able to play on Xbox if somebody else was already on Xbox.

So many issues. Similar with work MS Teams meetings being cut off at the most inopportune moments. Many calls to Virgin with no resolution, I did my own bit of research. Now I must advise that I am not technically minded in the slightest.

I started off with zero clue of what I wanted. I found these Decos and given the other reviews figured they’d be worth a try. GAME CHANGER!! No complaints at all from any family member within any part of the house doing anything they want or need.

Streaming is seamless, work meeting uninterrupted. AMAZING!! As I said, I’m not technically minded so was worried how I might manage the set up – easy peasy. Honestly cannot recommend these enough to people in similar situations to mine.

Cons: The units are quite big so no way of blending them in to your home decor but that said, they’re not the ugliest things I’ve ever seen and frankly it’s a small price to pay for harmonious children.

One of the interesting characteristics about this mesh system is that it’s actually beneficial if you don’t know how these kinds of devices work. Those who have experience with networks and routers will find this mesh system somewhat hard to grok.

So, when installing it, it’s best to dumb yourself down and just follow instructions and not overanalyze why. Otherwise you will likely follow the same sequence I hdi, which was to set up the mesh, have it not work for reasons I honestly cannot fathom, then reset the whole system and start again.

The second time through it seems to make more sense (in its own odd way). I was eventually able to make the system work. The hardest part was getting it to work with an Amazon Smart Thermostat. So my advice is this; if you are unlucky you may have to spend a significant amount of time ironing out all the kinks.

That said, with sufficient patience I was able to make it work with my entire complement of wireless devices. Price is right too. Overall, I am quite pleased.