AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX21 V5)

This Wi-Fi 6 router delivers absolutely exceptional performance and has completely upgraded my home network experience. Setting it up is straightforward, and it immediately provides a noticeable boost in speed and efficiency across all connected devices. The processing power handles heavy traffic effortlessly, making it perfect for streaming, gaming, and managing multiple smart home devices simultaneously without any lag. The absolute standout feature of this unit is its phenomenal range and coverage. Even at a very far distance from where the router is placed, the Wi-Fi 6 connection remains incredibly stable, strong, and reliable. There are no frustrating dead zones or sudden drop-offs, just a consistently fast and rock-solid signal throughout the entire area. It is a fantastic, high-performing router that offers premium connectivity and complete peace of mind.

As A Spectrum Internet Customer I had a Spectrum Advanced WiFi router that does 2G and 5G on the same WiFi network. There is not a way to split the networks in two. If you have a cell phone that is compatible with device steering and you use to connect your 2G devices to, you can call or chat with their Internet Repair support team to set up a feature on your cell phone that may allow the 2G devices to connect but it can be a hit or a miss and it's too much of a hassle to keep calling/chatting to set this up with as the feature is enabled for only sixty minutes. If the 2G device is connected before the hour is over, it will remain connected but if it's not, you'll need to reach back out to try again and you'll also need to reach back out for other new 2G devices only that don't automatically connect to the 2G network. This is a major flaw for an "Advanced" WiFi router. Customers paying a monthly $5 fee to lease their routers should be able to either split the networks in two or leave them as a single network for band steering. Outside of this, the Spectrum routers are fine. However, it's just better to get your own router. It would be great if they offered more advanced routers with more features such as VPN's, hiding network SSID, splitting the 2G and 5G networks, guest network and more. I'd pay $5 more a month on top of the already $5 charge for this. This way customers can select which router they need for their home and still get customer support for it. As A New Customer For Echo Dot's This is the reason why I purchased my own router. I purchased four Echo Dot's, 5th generation, '22 release. All of them connected to the Spectrum WiFi router without issue and individually they operated great. However, the Echo Dot's have a "multi-room audio" feature where you can play music all throughout your home. This was my entire reason for getting these in the first place. This feature was a hit or miss. Sometimes it would work but most of the time only one or two would work and trying to get them all re-paired so I could say, "Alexa, play Discover Weekly from Spotify everywhere," was a huge inconvenience and took too much time. After going online and reviewing forums such as Quora and Reddit, I could see what the issue was. The Spectrum WiFi router would switch them between 2G and 5G based off of interference and signal strength throughout the day and if even just one Echo Dot was on a different network than the others, it would throw off the multi-room audio so that it wouldn't work. So the hunt for a dual band router began. TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX21) Review The TP-Link AX1800 Router has been amazing so far. It arrived on the same day that I ordered (Thank you Amazon and of course, most of all, the delivery drivers). When it first came in, the first thing I noticed was how ridiculously light it was which kind of made me nervous about the purchase. The router itself came very nicely packaged, nothing was damaged. I followed the instructions to the letter but the router was not showing any lights on there after plugging it in once the Internet modem came back online. I re-read the steps again and re-checked the power connections and tried unplugging from both ends but not luck. I honestly thought I got a dud. I looked on the back of the router and saw a button and pressed it in; all the lights began to show and I could begin the setup process. I use an iPhone and when I pulled up the TP-Link App to set up the router I couldn't help but notice its low star rating so I opted not to download the app and instead login using the IP address (the instructions provide you with this information and how-to as well). This is my first time ever logging into a WiFi router without the use of a mobile app and I have to say, it is significantly better and heavily preferred. I was able to turn off TP-Link Smart Connect so that I could have two separate SSID's for the 2G and 5G network. I could also see there was a whole new host of features that I did not have prior such as hiding your WiFi networks from neighbors and having a guest network. I also did a speed test and they all came back higher than normal and my computer noticeably moves faster when browsing the Internet and streaming video despite being roughly around the same speeds (before it was around 310mbps download/9mbps upload; now it is at around 360mbps/13mbps upload). Maybe the 50mbps DL and 4mbps UL makes a huge difference. I'm not entirely sure. I believe the difference really comes from the router provider a more stable/stronger connection than the Spectrum router. The signals itself are just healthier now. I also like that the TP-Link router has antennas, four of them to be exact, that you can see. The Spectrum routers don't have these and if they do, they're within the router itself. I believe routers with antennas that you can visibly see operate better and send stronger signals. Did This Resolve My Issue With The Echo Dot's? It absolutely did. I re-connected all four Echo Dot's to the 2G network, which was kind of a pain as well to do (but well worth the time and effort; it would've been significantly easier to do if I originally connected them to a dual band router in the first place) and ever since then I have had no issues with multi-room audio. Anytime I want to play music from all four Echo Dot's at the same time, they all play without issue. Which is great because I plan on purchasing more for a more surround system environment. Final Notes If you need a dual band WiFi router that is able to split the networks in two so that you can sign into them separately, this is it. And honestly, if you have a Spectrum router, this is a major upgrade for a fraction of the cost. Just make sure you keep it clean of dust, and keep it in a well-ventilated and cool area of the home and this will easily last you 2+ years. It saves you money and it works better. It's honestly a no-brainer. There is also a common misconception with spotty/slow Internet speeds. The majority of signal issues do not come from cable lines (confirm with your ISP provider first though that the signal levels look healthy coming into and from your Internet modem) but come from the equipment itself (modem and/or router) or from the devices you are using (assuming it is only occurring on one or two devices). Which is why upgrading your WiFi router and/or Internet modem can resolve the issues. I honestly don't have any issues with the Spectrum Internet modems. I think they're fine. They all come pre-built, meaning, you can't change any settings on them. Not a deal breaker for me. However, honestly, if I didn't have a Landline service with them, I would've purchased my own modem as well and long-term wise I will definitely consider it. The Spectrum Internet equipment are fine for the majority of homes. However, there is no one size fits all and if you're having issues with your equipment whether due to the lack of features available or signal issues (and confirmed with their Internet Repair team that there are no signal issues coming from the lines), this TP-Link router is an exceptional purchase.

So it been about 5 years since I bought a router. My old Netgear R6020 worked as expected , No issues other than the fact that I was mislead that it would be faster than 100mb. Recently , I added a lot of devices to my home network. Running speed tests I could get as high as 90mb...Research told me that this Netgear router was in fact a 100mb router... I am paying for a 150mb internet speed...I searched many routers and decided on this one. Setup was fairly easy ...And making a TPLINK account lets me control this router from anywhere. That's a pretty awesome feature to have . So , I used the same Network logins as my previous router , Enabled the smart device , and let the router do its job. Some people had issues with the smart network feature , but I updated the firmware , let it boot up , and all 13 of my devices were instantly connected. They are a mix of wired , 2.4 , and 5g devices. All 5g devices connected properly. Now , the test I was waiting for . The speed test...All speed tests now result in over 160mb ...I am a happy camper . The phone. Computer , video cams , are all faster and the signal strength is great. I am so glad I chose this router , and I think you will be happy with it also ! UPDATE : After playing with all the settings for a couple weeks , I chose to disable " smart connect " and run the same name and password SSIDs for the 2.4 and 5g . Enabling Smart with multiple devices let's the router control the network...With it off it lets the device control it . Some of my dual frequency devices were dropping to the 2.4 network ( which my security cameras are on ) with smart connect enabled....A flick of the switch and now that the devices choose the network , 5g devices tend to stay on the 5g network all the time. Performance and range have been perfect so far , any other issues and I will update ! And as Promised , here's my update : After 1 year of using this router with 13 devices connected 24/7 ,I can say this router is a beast ! No issues , great string signal everywhere in my house and yard ....But it , and you won't be disappointed..The APP is fun to play with when you are not home , and is very easy to use. I have stuck with the smartsetting off , and let my device pick the network...My 5g devices stay on 5g then , and my 2.4 network has less traffic this way .... Update : It's been a year since I bought this router and not once has it failed me ...It's a workhouse, and I have 15 devices using it ...You will not be unhappy with this inexpensive long range dual band router !

First thing you should know is that IPhone 11s don't work with Spectrum's routers. I purchased the TP-Link AX 1800 only after Spectrum sent out repairmen four separate times. Each guy had his own theory about why my cell kept having calls dropped, if the phone rang at all. The first guy said that the squirrels ate into the wiring outside; the next guy told me that the power coming off the pole was not powerful enough; the next guy told me that the power was meant to be low and went under the house, and said that he'd found the signal was split, but that he fixed it. The next guy replaced the modem. I went into the office and was told to get a landline, and that it would cost only $25 a month, and that I could cancel within the first 30 days and pay nothing. When I got my next bill, it was $250, and when I cancelled, they couldn't figure out how to credit back the money. Completely untrained idiots. Anyway, long story short, if you are unfortunate enough to have Spectrum providing your internet service, go to Amazon and purchase this router. It works great in a 2000 sq ft house, and hopefully this review will find you before you have to go through the same frustrating incompetence that I experienced with Spectrum!

I was genuinely impressed by how simple this router was to set up. The TP-Link AX1800 connected in just a few minutes and delivered a strong Wi-Fi signal. Streaming, web browsing, and use of multiple devices simultaneously were smooth and interruption-free. The Wi-Fi 6’s modern, sleek design is a nice bonus. For the price, this router delivers excellent value and dependable performance. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable upgrade to their home Wi-Fi.

Fantastic router! I received the Archer BE230 / BE3600 router and it's working very well! It was fairly easy to setup, but I'm experienced with setting up routers, so it was easy for ME. :) I love the quad-core processor and since I re-entered my existing network's SSIDs and passwords, all of my wireless devices got connected without any issues at all. I'm very happy with this router, especially at this price!

Easy to set up and works well. The Wi-Fi connection is stable and the speed is good for everyday use. The TP-Link app also makes the setup and management pretty straightforward. Overall, a solid router for the price.

Three key points about this router: 1) It claims to be a Gigabit Router, but simply is not... I put it behind a true Gigabit Gateway where other gigabit routers I have actually Do indeed hit very near the gig mark. Highest this one hit was 363M... about 1/3 there... 2) Setup claims to be easy. It is FAR FROM easy for a techie like me who knows his routers and knows what he wants to do with them. Its "security" consists of forcing you to connect via http instead of https... DEFINITELY a no-no! And even once you agree to allow that, it jumps thru a bunch of hoops before it allows the thing to work, which brings me to the third point: 3) Far too dependent upon app control or allowing the vendor access to the router... neither of which would be my favorite way to control a gateway router! So... maybe I should have guessed that for this price, I wouldn't be finding something of much quality. It tries, and it crams a lot into its feature list. But I can't get beyond all of its problems, so just am not keen on keeping it at all! Portability? Sure, it's lightweight and can be carried around. Range? Not very impressive, given that I'm less than 15 feet from it yet in setup it's telling me "move closer to the router... can't detect it!!!" And Speed? Abysmal. Just absolutely inferior and not to be tolerated. It tries to be a big-boy router. But it's got a long way to go before it's ready for the big time. It's cheap, so might find lots of fans. But one of them will not be me.