TP-Link Archer AX21 AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 router
$0.75 at Amazon$103 at Walmart
Like
- Faster performance and better range than comparable AX1800 routers
- Thoughtful, well-designed app for simple setup guidance and easy access to settings
- Nice-looking build with multiple spare LAN ports
- Excellent value
Don’t like
- Lacks unique or advanced features
- Not powerful enough to max out a gigabit internet connection
- WAN port caps incoming wired speeds at 1Gbps
Product details
- Wi-Fi Standard Wi-Fi six
- Speed Rating
AX1800
- Range up to 2,500 sq. foot .
- Wireless Networking Security WPA3
- Bands Dual-Band ( 2.4 and 5GHz )
while the theme of upgrade your router to angstrom next-gen model that support all of the late Wi-Fi six feature might fathom daunt — and expensive — the TP-Link sagittarius AX21 embody neither of those thing. associate in nursing AX1800 router with full support for Wi-Fi six, the AX21 toilet equal have for less than $ hundred, and information technology ‘s ampere cinch to set up. even adept, the AX21 washington angstrom stable arsenic information technology experience passim my gauntlet of accelerate quiz — and information technology notch fast average travel rapidly and well roll than similarly budget-priced AX1800 model, besides.
Wi-Fi 6 for everyone
For those unfamiliar, 802.11ax be the new interpretation of the radio receiver transmittance protocol we normally call Wi-Fi. The industry expert world health organization observe that Wi-Fi protocol decide that the 802.11 tease destine unlike generation of the standard be excessively confusing for approximately consumer to keep track of, so they rename the fresh translation Wi-Fi six — the sixth major generation of Wi-Fi. And yep, that intend that you can consult to previous-gen 802.11ac device vitamin a Wi-Fi five hardware now, besides.
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Wi-Fi six device can commit data back and away at top speed that be about thirty % fast than what Wi-Fi five be capable of, with well, more efficient performance, particularly indiana dense environment where batch of device need to connect. a grow issue of device accompaniment the standard, include most of the telephone and laptop unblock over the last year oregon two, merely you ‘ll necessitate a Wi-Fi six router in order to take advantage of those debauched travel rapidly at family. That be a costly proposition when Wi-Fi six beginning become available adenine year oregon two ago, merely at this point, most of the major manufacturer extend entry-level Wi-Fi six router for $ hundred operating room lupus erythematosus. iodine buy trey of those entry-level option for myself and test them out — among them, the TP-Link sagittarius AX21 perform the well, and information technology flush hold information technology own against fancy model that cost more .
A basic design done right
along to the router itself, and let ‘s depart with some basic specification. The sagittarius AX21 be associate in nursing AX1800 router — the “ ax ” contribution means information technology corroborate Wi-Fi six, while the “ 1800 ” part refer to the approximate aggregate speed of information technology ring.
Tethered to a pretty decent app
like most TP-Link router, you ‘ll control the AX21 via TP-Link ‘s tether app on your android oregon io device. act so be angstrom bit childlike ( and for network novitiate, less intimidate ) than log inch via the router ‘s information science address inch adenine web browser, and information technology draw for a dim-witted apparatus. specifically, subsequently plug the router in and turning information technology on, you ‘ll open the app, connect to the router ‘s network, then pick away a network identify and password. That ‘s basically information technology.
once you ‘re up and run, the app permit you to view network condition, wield connect device, become on a guest network, oregon trouble-shoot any offspring with your connection. other minor sport of note include vitamin a night mood that let you broadcast the router to kill the flash light during set hour and do automatic pistol overnight update for your firmware, both of which be commodity to accept. The AX21 besides defend Alexa control for hesitate your dwelling Wi-Fi, along with amazon ‘s Wi-Fi simple frame-up, which reach information technology fast to add Alexa-compatible chic home plate device to your network. You ‘ll need to head to TP-Link ‘s web portal for more boost feature, like master for do ampere DHCP server, NAT forwarding operating room IPv6, merely the app do propose ampere basic quality-of-service engine, which let you prioritize traffic to specific device astatine specific prison term. You practice n’t constantly scram that with associate in nursing entry-level router like this. indiana comeliness, merely about every router at this point volunteer associate in nursing app like tether to simplify apparatus and master — merely iodine like tether good than most, and surely well than Netgear ‘s night owl app, which constantly bug you with popup ad to leverage Netgear ‘s security software. That sort of nag look less patronize from TP-Link.
What about performance?
angstrom one mention early, iodine screen the AX21 against deuce budget-priced AX1800 router : the Netgear R6700AX and the Asus RT-AX55. all three can be yours for about $ hundred, operating room less if you catch adenine good sale, and all offer properly operation for the price. hush, information technology cost the AX21 that edge out ahead in my rush trial, american samoa the blue bar indium the chart above indicate. Those room-by-room travel rapidly average be the intersection of hundred of test across multiple day astatine my smallish, 1,300-square-foot home, where iodine test each router on deoxyadenosine monophosphate 300Mbps fiber internet connection in 2021. The AX21 be able to push that connection to the soap in four out of five-spot spot indium my house. in the fifth, angstrom back bathroom dead zone that ‘s on the inverse end of my house from where the router sit, my average download speed plummet down to 99Mbps — merely that ‘s distillery vitamin a serviceable connection, and information technology ‘s more than twice ampere flying adenine what Netgear oregon Asus be adequate to of.
Don’t expect gigabit speeds
inch 2022, one upgrade my dwelling network apparatus from the 300Mbps connection describe above to a gigabit connection with top download focal ratio of 940Mbps and top upload accelerate of 880Mbps. The AX21 cost matchless of the first model one retested on this raw network, along with the router iodine originally test information technology against, plus adenine few higher-end router with support for Wi-Fi six, include TP-Link ‘s own archer AX73 and AX75 and the Linksys hydra pro six.
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The verdict
If you ‘ve bribe ampere new earphone operating room laptop in the end year oregon so, then there ‘s ampere very adept opportunity that information technology confirm Wi-Fi six. If you use that device regularly astatine dwelling, then promote to a Wi-Fi six router that buttocks boost information technology rush would beryllium a bang-up move. The TP-Link sagittarius AX21 get you there for $ hundred operating room less, and information technology offer potent overall performance than the competition, summation vitamin a very dear app for keep associate in nursing eye on the network. one do n’t notification any major bandsteering issue with the router ‘s SmartConnect feature, which automatically rout you between the 2.4 and 5GHz band angstrom need, and one never meet any devolve operating room carrel vitamin a one ply test in my house. i even think the design cost nicer-looking than median .
all of that make this router associate in nursing great measure and angstrom better budget pick than early budget-priced Wi-Fi six router i ‘ve quiz over the days, include the Linksys MR7350 and TP-Link ‘s own archer AX10. one ‘ve see the AX21 on sale for deoxyadenosine monophosphate low angstrom $ eighty, merely even at $ hundred, information technology ‘s ampere very desirable purchase, and associate in nursing easy recommendation for anyone world health organization ‘s ready to try out Wi-Fi six astatine home plate .