TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router V4 (Archer AX21) – Dual Band Wireless Internet, Gigabit, Easy Mesh, Works with Alexa - A Certified for Humans Device

I recently upgraded to the TP-Link AX1800 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX21) and couldn’t be happier with the performance. Setup was a breeze, and the TP-Link Tether app made the whole process super smooth and quick. Right out of the box, I was able to get everything up and running without any hiccups.The speed and coverage are impressive! With the WiFi 6 technology, I’ve noticed a significant boost in speed, even with multiple devices connected at the same time. Whether it’s streaming 4K videos, online gaming, or just browsing, everything runs flawlessly with no lag or buffering.One of the standout features is the dual-band capability. It ensures that all my devices get the best possible connection. The gigabit ports are also a great addition for my wired connections, providing blazing-fast internet speeds.The build quality feels solid, and the design is sleek enough to blend in nicely with my home decor. The parental controls and guest network features are added bonuses, making it a great fit for family use.Overall, the TP-Link AX1800 has exceeded my expectations. If you’re looking for a reliable, high-performance router, this one is definitely worth the investment.

As A Spectrum Internet CustomerI 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'sThis 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) ReviewThe 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 NotesIf 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 !