For everyone who needs a router for a large home or office, the TP-Link Archer C2300 is a great option. Definitely the best TP-Link router for most people in 2024. Fast, cheap, and secure.
This router offers excellent Wi-Fi performance and it even includes antivirus protection. For people who need more power, we have to recommend TP-Link Archer C5400 v2 as a powerful gaming router and TP-Link Archer C3150 as a router for hassle-free 4k streaming.
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Nowadays, having a good router at home is a necessity.
It´s not just about connecting PC to Wi-Fi anymore. We all need a router to maximize internet speeds and connect all the smart devices in the home.
And good Wi-Fi router should do exactly that.
At the end of the day, one of the most important factors you should consider before buying a router for home use is the brand. You don’t want to spend $100 on a router that breaks in two months and is from a company with horrible customer support.
That´s why we are focusing on TP-Link today. A popular brand for network-related accessories from China.
Yes, from China, but this company produces devices with higher quality than you would expect.
Routers from TP-Link are definitely not that other “Made in China” crappy gadgets. They are above average.
So, is a router from TP-Link a good router? In short, TP-Link is a great brand for value buyers.
They offer a wide range of Wi-Fi routers for all needs and budgets. And here are the best TP-Link routers of 2024.
Best TP-Link Wireless Routers in 2024
Best Router Overall: TP-Link Archer C2300
TP-Link Archer C2300 Specs: Frequency: Dual Band 2.4GHz (600 Mbps) + 5GHz (1625 Mbps) | Wireless standards: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Connectivity: 4 x LAN, WAN, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 | Features: HomeCare (parental controls, QoS, antivirus), MU-MIMO, 3 external antennas, Link Aggregation for doubled wired speeds
Pros:
- Great performance
- Inexpensive
- Built-in antivirus protection
- Two-year warranty
Cons:
- Runs hot
The TP-Link Archer C2300 is a fantastic router with a focus on both speed and security. A great addition to your home network. It has a little bit of boring design, but don’t be fooled – the small and lightweight body is hiding one of the most powerful routers for home use you can buy.
The Archer C2300 is packed with the latest features and is very easy to set up.
The high-end features are definitely the reason why you should get this router. The HomeCare is the free service powered by Trend Micro that gives you in-depth parental controls, QoS to prioritize your devices, and basic antivirus to keep everything in your home Wi-Fi network safe.
You also get a link aggregation for a fast 2Gbit wired connection, VPN support and even ping testing for gamers.
Best Router For The Money: TP-Link Archer A7
TP-Link Archer A7 Specs: Frequency: Dual Band 2.4GHz (450 Mbps) + 5GHz (1300 Mbps) | Wireless standards: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Connectivity: 4 x LAN, WAN, USB 2.0 | Features: QoS, 3×3 external antennas, Alexa and IFTTT compatible
Pros:
- Cheap
- Great performance
- Simple, fast setup
- Alexa enabled
- Two-year warranty
Cons:
- Limited range
A perfect balance between price, features, and performance. The TP-Link Archer A7 is probably the best router for the money in this round-up. It´s not the fastest, largest, or most powerful router you can buy, but for the price under $75 (at the time of writing), the Archer A7 is a great deal.
It has a small and discreet design, a signal range enough even for a midsize home, and comes with parental controls and Quality of Service (QoS) – bandwidth prioritization – allowing you to connect up to 50+ various devices in your home.
As a bonus, you get a two-year warranty and the ability to control the router with Amazon Alexa voice control and IFTTT.
Best Budget Router: TP-Link Archer C1200
TP-Link Archer C1200 Specs: Frequency: Dual Band 2.4GHz (300 Mbps) + 5GHz (867 Mbps) | Wireless standards: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Connectivity: 4 x LAN, WAN, USB 2.0 | Features: MU-MIMO, 3 external antennas
Pros:
- Price
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Basic features
The market of low-cost wireless routers has a new king in the TP-Link Archer C1200. This cheap dual-band router is a well-made upgrade to the Archer C5. Powerful enough to allow smooth streaming of videos and games, or to watch streaming movies without hiccups during viewing.
You shouldn’t expect the fastest internet speed from this entry-level router, but it is still a suitable choice for small and medium-sized homes and a good router for users who don’t need many advanced features.
With Archer C1200 you get an affordable router good enough for standard wireless networking, good speed and performance, and a very good build quality.
Best Router For 4K Streaming: TP-Link Archer C9
TP-Link Archer C9 Specs: Frequency: Dual-Band 2.4GHz (600 Mbps) + 5GHz (1300 Mbps) | Wireless standards: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Connectivity: 4 x LAN, WAN, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 | Features: QoS, 3 external antennas, Beamforming technology
Pros:
- Great AC performance
- Good price
- Easy to set up
Cons:
- No VPN server
- Only vertical position
Press play and forget about buffering. The TP-Link Archer C9 is an excellent router powerful enough to handle 4k streaming or online gaming without lag. It is equipped with Beamforming technology which helps its dual-band antennas locate Wi-Fi devices and focus the wireless signal towards them. This creates a stronger and more reliable Wi-Fi connection.
The TP-Link AC1900 is not the fastest router out there by any means but it can deliver speeds you’d hope from a good router that is connected to several smart devices.
Overall, the Archer C9 is a reliable, rock-solid, easy-to-use router at a surprisingly affordable price.
Best Performance: TP-Link Archer C3150
TP-Link Archer C3150 Specs: Frequency: Dual-Band 2.4GHz (1000 Mbps) + 5GHz (2167 Mbps) | Wireless standards: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Connectivity: 4 x LAN, WAN, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 | Features: HomeCare, QoS, 4 external antennas, Beamforming technology, MU-MIMO, Link Aggregation
Pros:
- Strong, consistent signal
- Good performance
- Advanced security tools
Cons:
- Not support third party firmware
- After 3 years, you have to pay for the antivirus
The second (upgraded) version of the TP-Link Archer C3150 comes with support for the latest wireless networking standards, updated hardware and excellent speeds for both Wi-Fi bands – 2.4GHz and 5GHz. What´s more, not only hardware, also software received several improvements.
Be prepared to use advanced security tools with TP-Link´s HomeCare which comes with an antivirus, parental controls, and Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritizing your devices. You can block sites, set time limits and keep kids safe online.
The Archer C3150 V2 can also automatically protect every Wi-Fi device in your home, including IoT and smart products, from viruses and hacking. Overall, the Archer C3150 is a great router for a large home with many walls and many simultaneously connected devices.
Whether you are watching Netflix, streaming your favorite video or gaming online – or all at the same time – everyone in your home can enjoy a smooth experience by doing what they love.
Best Router For Gaming: TP-Link Archer C5400 V2
TP-Link Archer C5400 V2 Specs: Frequency: Tri-band 2.4GHz (1000 Mbps) + 5GHz (2167 Mbps) | Wireless standards: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Connectivity: 4 x LAN, WAN, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 | Features: HomeCare, MU-MIMO, Tri-band Wi-Fi, 8 external antennas, Alexa voice control, IFTTT
Pros:
- Fast and powerful
- Easy to set up
- Great 5Ghz performance
- Alexa and IFTTT compatible
Cons:
- Expensive
It isn’t the cheapest gaming router available, but it´s still great value. The TP-Link Archer C5400 v2 is an incredibly fast and powerful router that packs almost all the networking functionality any gamer needs – and it works with Alexa and IFTTT.
Thanks to its user-friendly app and interface, this router is easy to set up and configure even for a beginner, yet still has enough advanced features and powerful hardware to offer a lag-free experience for online gaming.
However, the main reason to get this expensive Alexa-enabled tri-band router is the Wi-Fi performance.
The Archer C5400 has enough power to cover large buildings with fast and reliable Wi-Fi, plenty of management settings to properly configure your home network, and includes anti-malware tools, advanced parental controls, and user-friendly QoS settings.
Best Router With Touch Screen: TP-Link AC1900 Touch P5
TP-Link AC1900 Touch P5 Specs: Frequency: Dual-Band 2.4GHz (600 Mbps) + 5GHz (1300 Mbps) | Wireless standards: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Connectivity: 4 x LAN, WAN, USB 2.0 | Features: 3 external antennas, One-minute touchscreen setup, 4.3-inch color touchscreen (480 x 272 pixels)
Pros:
- 4.3-inch touchscreen
- Easy to set up and configure
Cons:
- Middling 2.4GHz range performance
If ease of use is the most important factor when deciding which dual-band router to buy, then the TP-Link AC1900 Touch P5 should be on your shopping list.
The router has a 4.3-inch color touch screen with a resolution of 480 x 272 pixels that allows you to set up and configure your home Wi-Fi network so easily. You don’t have to log in with a PC or laptop to do so.
The Touch P5 performance is on the same level as witch other AC1900 classed siblings and is good enough for hassle-free 4K HD video streaming and online gaming at the same time.
TP-Link Router Buying Guide and FAQs
TP-Link is a great brand for value buyers. This Chinese company has a wide range of wireless routers for every budget. TP-Link routers are well known because:
- Affordable
- Easy to setup and configure
- Strong signal
- Secure
- Lightweight
- Compact
How To Choose The Best TP-Link Router For Your Home Wi-Fi
Choosing the right router is becoming more important than ever before. They are the foundation of your home network, they control the internet speed and range of your wired and wireless connection.
Unfortunately, wireless routers can be confusing to shop for most people. That’s why when Wi-Fi is working, most of us don’t want to mess with it.
However, at some point, you will need to upgrade your home network. And when you do, these are the things you should know before buying a new router.
Wireless standards – Wi-Fi is a global standard, and to ensure that different smart devices can connect without issue, some specifications are very important. Every router has a numerical classification of “802.11”, which is the international Wi-Fi standard, and the letters a, b, n, or ac. The versions are all compatible with each other, but connecting to an earlier version means your device will be capped at a slower speed.
Technically, 802.11ac is supporting simultaneous connections on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands. It offers compatibility with 802.11b/g/n and bandwidth rated up to 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band plus up to 450 Mbps on 2.4 GHz.
The newest home wireless routers are compliant with the – 802.11ac.
If you want to prepare your network for future upgrades, an 802.11ac router is the way to go. The 802.11ac router has the latest technology, gigabit speeds and coverage for homes of up to 2,500 square feet.
Dual or Tri-Band Router – By default, older devices connected are using the 2.4GHz band, so you can run into signal distortion. Dual-band routers can broadcast a 5 GHz signal and a 2.4 GHz signal. Devices that support modern 5GHz Wi-Fi will connect to the faster one, while older devices will connect to the slower, but more compatible 2.4 GHz signal.
Tri-band routers broadcast three different signals – a 2.4 GHz signal and two separate 5 GHz signals. This offers more speed to share among your devices in a modern smart home.
For most people who live in a crowded neighborhood or a more populated area, a dual-band router is the best option.
Range – For smaller homes or apartments, one router with a few antennas will get the job done. But there is something you should know: The position of the router is extremely important.
So, where should you put your router to get the best possible coverage? Put it in a central location, ideally, high up on a shelf, away from other gadgets or obstructions.
You should also know that buying a more expensive router can give you a better range, but it doesn’t mean the signal will reach all the corners of your home.
Sometimes the best way to get rid of the dead spots of your home network is to buy an affordable router and a couple of power-line adapters will do a better job.
Quality of Service (QoS) – An excellent and underutilized tool that allows your router to set priorities for certain devices or types of traffic. It does mean that your video streaming or online gaming will not freeze and stutter because somebody is downloading files, watching Netflix or is web browsing in your home at the same time.
How To Setup TP-Link Wireless Router
Don’t worry, even a beginner can set up a TP-Link router. The process is simple and very fast. You can do it either using a web browser or with the TP-Link Tether app.
Setting up a TP-Link router is easy thanks to a Quick Setup option in the main menu, but you just need to follow these steps.
How To Change Wi-Fi Name and Password on TP-Link Router Under A Minute
Basic setup:
Set up your hardware connection – Use an Ethernet cable to attach your modem or active data jack to the blue port of the TP-Link router.
Plug in the router and power on using the Power On/Off switch on the back of the device.
Connect to the wireless network. You will find the default SSID and WPA2 key on the bottom of the router.
Open an Internet Browser like Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Internet Explorer.
Internet browser type 192.168.1.1 to access the Tp-link router configuration page or navigate to tplinkwifi.net. If you have an issue accessing the configuration page, try to use another default address for TP-Link we have listed here – Default router IP addresses.
Enter the default username and password. For TP-Link routers, the username and password are “admin”. Click Login.
Find the Quick Setup option in the center panel.
Click Next to get started.
Follow the instruction.
In the Wireless Network Name field, type the SSID – the name of your wireless network.
In the WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK field, type the password that you want to use with your wireless network.
Click Next.
Click Finish.
Now you have to sign in to your home Wi-Fi network using your new SSID and password.
How To Change TP-LINK Default Router Login and Password
As you already know, the default username and password which are used to login to the configuration page of the TP-Link router are both “admin”. That applies to all TP-Link routers.
For additional security, you have to change the default username and password. This will make more difficult for someone to change settings and get access to your network.
Navigate to tplinkwifi.net
Enter the default username and password. For TP-Link routers, the username and password is “admin”. Click Login.
Find System Tools in the menu on the left side, then click on Password.
In the Old Username and Old Password fields – enter “admin”
Enter a new username and password in the New Username, New Password, and Confirm New Password fields.
Save.
At this point, you have already configured the router for standard home use and a good idea is to test if it gives you the best possible internet speed you can get in your location. We´ve prepared a simple guide about How To Test Your Router Speed.
Where Should I Put My TP-Link Router?
When it comes to improving your Wi-Fi coverage, the quickest way isn’t to get new hardware, but a new location for the router you already own. Yes, the router´s position can make a huge improvement to your home Wi-Fi network´s performance. Check out this video for some useful tips.
You Might Also Like
- Best DD-WRT Routers To Upgrade Your Home Network
- Best Routers With Parental Controls
- Best Netgear Routers For Home
Sources:
- What Are Dual-Band and Tri-Band Routers?, HowToGeek
- 802.11 Standards Explained: 802.11ac, 802.11b/g/n, 802.11a, Lifewire
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