[SOLVED] TP Link - What are they like?

ChrisAB

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Mar 17, 2017
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Hi Guys.

My router has packed up now totally so im in search of something future proof and backward compatible from Wifi 6.

This is the router if decided upon....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-AX1...=TP-LINK+Archer+AX11000&qid=1614806690&sr=8-1

The reason im asking what are TP Link like is that ive not had much to do with them, ive generally used ASUS or Netgear. Netgear Never again mind u....

Please tell me what u think of the router and your experiences with TP Link as a whole.
 
Solution
If you really want to future proof, separate your router and wifi. This way you can upgrade each independently of the other. You'll also get better performance since you're not dealing with 'jack of all trades, master of none'.

As far as TP-Link as a brand and specifically as a router, I would put them almost on par with Asus since that's basically what I found them pitted against when I was looking for a router to use as an AP for our setup (We got the Archer c5 almost 5 years ago now and it's solid. My wife also has a c8 as well in router mode. Both do a fine job.)

Their unmanaged switches are a little bit on the basic side, but do their job well, and typically have a lifetime warranty which is nice.

Here's my brand perception...

punkncat

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Ambassador
I have had mixed luck with TP Link as a brand. I have a switch, that is in use, by them right now and it's great. Not much to go wrong with one of those. I have used a router/modem of theirs and it was semi junk, particularly on the WiFi side. I later took it apart for parts and it's antenna (there were three). I attempted to use a simple range extender they put out at it was pure trash from the start. I don't think many of them aren't TBH.
 
If you really want to future proof, separate your router and wifi. This way you can upgrade each independently of the other. You'll also get better performance since you're not dealing with 'jack of all trades, master of none'.

As far as TP-Link as a brand and specifically as a router, I would put them almost on par with Asus since that's basically what I found them pitted against when I was looking for a router to use as an AP for our setup (We got the Archer c5 almost 5 years ago now and it's solid. My wife also has a c8 as well in router mode. Both do a fine job.)

Their unmanaged switches are a little bit on the basic side, but do their job well, and typically have a lifetime warranty which is nice.

Here's my brand perception between Asus, Netgear, and TP-Link for the following:
router with wifi - asus or tplink
switch - netgear or tplink
powerline - netgear
managed switch - netgear
nic - netgear or tplink, maybe asus if 10Gb
straight access point - tplink or netgear
straight router - netgear or tplink

Hope this helps!
 
Solution
I would not put TPlink anywhere near the same level as Asus. I've not had good luck with TPlink routers and ASUS tends to have more features in their firmware depending on what model you get. Perhaps TPlink is on par with Asus's cheapest routers, but not their higher end routers.

Also, Netgear used to be awesome, but in the last few years their software has turned to garbage, especially in their network storage and routers. I wouldn't rely on netgear too much these days for their newer products. I currently have a netgear multi-gigabit managed switch and it has constant drop outs. I can't wait to get rid of it. For their legacy products that haven't changed their software in years, netgear is fine. But not their new products with totally new software.
 
I would not put TPlink anywhere near the same level as Asus. I've not had good luck with TPlink routers and ASUS tends to have more features in their firmware depending on what model you get. Perhaps TPlink is on par with Asus's cheapest routers, but not their higher end routers.

Also, Netgear used to be awesome, but in the last few years their software has turned to garbage, especially in their network storage and routers. I wouldn't rely on netgear too much these days for their newer products. I currently have a netgear multi-gigabit managed switch and it has constant drop outs. I can't wait to get rid of it. For their legacy products that haven't changed their software in years, netgear is fine. But not their new products with totally new software.
Anyone spending money on asus top end routers is wasting a lot of money as you can buy complete enterprise kits for the same money.

Net gear is one of the few companies that's both in the consumer and business spaces, and their higher end business products seem to be solid enough. If that's not trickling down to their other products though, then that will be an issue--but no one else in the consumer space besides linksys/cisco has this type of expertise.
 
Anyone spending money on asus top end routers is wasting a lot of money as you can buy complete enterprise kits for the same money.

Net gear is one of the few companies that's both in the consumer and business spaces, and their higher end business products seem to be solid enough. If that's not trickling down to their other products though, then that will be an issue--but no one else in the consumer space besides linksys/cisco has this type of expertise.

Asus is consumer grade equipment but it's software is based on OpenWRT. Being consumer based, the software is much simpler and easier to use for most layman. I wouldn't want most of my friends using commercial grade routers because it would be too overly complex for them.

Netgears consumer product have taken a turn for the worse. Their software team just isn't that good anymore.

I haven't seen issues with Linksys equipment, so it's still trusted for me.

I'm using Ubiquiti for my house now. Mainly because I needed to build my own x86 router for gigabit internet traffic shaping.
 
Cisco sold linksys stuff to belkin 8 or 9 yrs ago. Not sure what impact that had, belkin is still pretty much low end. I stopped looking at linksys when cisco had the grand idea that the routers should only be able to be configured via their cloud sites. They got a lot of complaints and allowed 100% offline configuration but that was a large enough mistake for me to never consider linksys again.
 
Asus is consumer grade equipment but it's software is based on OpenWRT. Being consumer based, the software is much simpler and easier to use for most layman. I wouldn't want most of my friends using commercial grade routers because it would be too overly complex for them.
I have some asus routers and they're not any more complicated than the enterprise ones I work with, except the enterprise ones will absolutely stomp the asus in terms of performance and are generally the same price or cheaper if you know where to look.
 
I have some asus routers and they're not any more complicated than the enterprise ones I work with, except the enterprise ones will absolutely stomp the asus in terms of performance and are generally the same price or cheaper if you know where to look.


No, i'm saying Asus is much simpler. When you first buy it, there's a wizard that runs you through like 10 easy steps to create your wifi network. It's dead nuts simple for consumers.

WIth every commercial grade router I've used, I have to go through every page and change things to what I want. Then I go back through every page again to make sure I didn't miss anything. There are so many options that it would confuse normal people that just want good performance but don't know anything about networking.
 
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2.5g is kinda non standard. I am not sure why these exist. 10g ports cost almost the same.

If there is any way possible I would just buy something inexpensive that can meet your needs for the next 6 months to a year. By then there will be lots of wifi6e equipment on the market and maybe more ISP that actually offer more than 1gbit internet. I suspect the price will drop enough on wifi6e equipment that you will still save including the cost of a router you just toss out.

Unless you can actually use the features of wifi6 and a 2.5g port it is waste of money. Wifi6e is going to be a massive improvement in wifi mostly because of all the extra bandwidth that allows people to not stomp on each other. The current problem with wifi is everyone is trying to use all the bandwidth for themselves and everyone just kills each others performance.
 

ChrisAB

Honorable
Mar 17, 2017
98
12
10,545
2.5g is kinda non standard. I am not sure why these exist. 10g ports cost almost the same.

If there is any way possible I would just buy something inexpensive that can meet your needs for the next 6 months to a year. By then there will be lots of wifi6e equipment on the market and maybe more ISP that actually offer more than 1gbit internet. I suspect the price will drop enough on wifi6e equipment that you will still save including the cost of a router you just toss out.

Unless you can actually use the features of wifi6 and a 2.5g port it is waste of money. Wifi6e is going to be a massive improvement in wifi mostly because of all the extra bandwidth that allows people to not stomp on each other. The current problem with wifi is everyone is trying to use all the bandwidth for themselves and everyone just kills each others performance.

I disagree 2.5GB is a non standard since so many routers and ethernet cards are appearing on the market supporting it.