TP-Link - Archer AX73

Hi. I’m pretty happy with my TP Link, I’m just struggling to decide if this Netgear AX12 will perform better. I’m not looking to upgrade, just wondering about these two routers specifically.

My experience with the AX73 after using it for 3 years is that IPv6 doesn’t work. The first year was fine, but once I turned on the IPv6 feature, the internet would disconnect, even though my ISP supports IPv6. Also, TP-Link hasn’t released any official firmware updates for the last 2 years. The customization options are really limited too. As for the range, it’s actually very good. My house is made of brick, but the Wi-Fi signal still covers well without much loss.

Here’s a breakdown of the best router options for your 300-400 Mbps connection in a 2-3 BHK home, with a focus on future-proofing, reliability, and performance. I’ll also clarify whether Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 6 is the better choice for your situation. Should You Choose Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, or Wi-Fi 7? 1. Wi-Fi 6 is sufficient for most homes and supports high speeds, excellent device management, and widespread compatibility with current devices. • Your iPhone 11 and MacBook Air 15” (2023) don’t support Wi-Fi 6E, so Wi-Fi 6 will be optimal in the short term. • It’s also budget-friendly and works well for 2-3 BHK homes. 2. Wi-Fi 6E adds the 6 GHz band, which provides higher bandwidth and less interference. • However, it’s only useful if your devices support 6 GHz (future upgrades will). • It’s worth considering for future-proofing, especially if the price difference isn’t too high. 3. Wi-Fi 7 is emerging but not necessary right now. Few devices support it, and the routers are expensive. Key Features to Look For • Speeds: Look for routers rated for at least 1 Gbps to handle your connection with headroom for upgrades. • MU-MIMO and OFDMA: Ensures smooth handling of multiple devices like your phones and laptops. • Coverage: Ensure coverage for your 2-3 BHK space (mesh systems are unnecessary unless walls are very thick). • USB Port: Useful for storage or printer sharing, though optional. • Built-in VPN Support: Some routers offer built-in VPN servers, but many require a subscription. Recommendations 1. TP-Link Archer AX73 (AX5400) • Wi-Fi 6: Dual-band router with up to 5400 Mbps speed. • Devices: Handles 30+ devices with MU-MIMO and OFDMA. • USB Port: Yes, supports file sharing and media streaming. • VPN Support: Built-in OpenVPN support. • Price: Around $170. • Why It’s Great: Affordable, reliable, and offers great range and speed for a 2-3 BHK. 2. ASUS RT-AX58U (AX3000) • Wi-Fi 6: Dual-band with up to 3000 Mbps speed. • Devices: Strong MU-MIMO and beamforming for device management. • USB Port: Yes. • VPN Support: Built-in OpenVPN server support.

TP-Link Ax73 v.1 best router I’ve ever had. It has been working non stop the past 3 years - 3 year warranty too. What are you talking about ?

**All TP-Link i have stopped receiving updates in the first 2 years since I bought them.** And I have quite new ones like Archer AX73. I suspect they do everything in their power to let your router opened to Chinese state hackers simply by not providing updates anymore as soon as possible and hiding this behind revision bs. Most of the people use routers for much more than 2 years, your typical to-link updates window. Of course they never officially say they dropped support for a specific model - they simply don’t provide updates anymore. If you have like review 1 bought 2 years ago and now they sell exactly the same product but with review 2, review 1 usually don’t get updates anymore so the update window is far more worst than it look at a superficial search. Because of all this i decided only to buy unmanaged switches from tp-link from now on and stay away from anything that requires constant updates from them. I must be true and say they make some very good cheap home unmanaged switches. **ASUS? I still get updates for my 4-5 years old models.** They may not be the perfect one but at least they try to make it better & they respect their buyer more. Another thing i like about ASUS is the fact that many models support AsusMerlin & OpenWRT. So you have 2 alternative firmware to choose from. But of course, If your data doesn’t value s\*\*\* and you want your network to be an open book buy tp-link.

👆🏽This. Also use an app like WiFiAnalyzer and check for less congested channels. TP-LINK AX73 supports 'Zero Wait DFS' so you can pick a higher value channel that most routers don't support or avoid because of the wait time for radar scan. Zero wait DFS fixes this. For example, at my office block, there are many APs and most lower channels (48 and below) are heavily congested. I use channel 112. It comes with the risk of getting interrupted if radar is detected but it rarely happens. But when it does, it is only momentarily because of Zero wait. Sorry for the rumbling but just sharing an idea.

I think your Archer X73 would do just fine as a stand-alone access point. You might as well use it since you already have it. Just configure it as a dumb AP and take advantage of its Wi-Fi 6 radio. Why spend more on something you already have? If you want, run a wire to it somewhere further away from the pfSense box and locate it somewhere strategic or central in the area where you expect wireless devices will connect to it. Cheers! ☺

I'm currently using an Tp-Link AX73, wifi 6. I was poking around Verizon's site and as a long time customer, they have a deal where they'll knock $5 a month off the bill and throw the CR1000A wifi 6e router for free for 2 years. Is it worth swapping out the AX73 for the CR1000A? Like, is 6e any kind of improvement over 6?

Return the decos and get another AX5400 and use easy mesh capabilities. What model do you actually have the AXE75 which has the 6ghz channel or do you have the AX75 or AX73 which both do speeds of 5400gbps but are just wifi 6 capable? Either way, all three of those models are easy mesh capable, which would probably be a lot better than having the Deco’s with the same Wi-Fi name and password even though it’s the same network topology it’s still different hardware and it’s probably gonna cause issues. That’s why I suggest the easy mesh route because that keeps the routers pretty much the same and eliminates the Deco hardware.

Return the decos and get another AX5400 and use easy mesh capabilities. What model do you actually have the AXE75 which has the 6ghz channel or do you have the AX75 or AX73 which both do speeds of 5400gbps but are just wifi 6 capable? Either way, all three of those models are easy mesh capable, which would probably be a lot better than having the Deco’s with the same Wi-Fi name and password even though it’s the same network topology it’s still different hardware and it’s probably gonna cause issues. That’s why I suggest the easy mesh route because that keeps the routers pretty much the same and eliminates the Deco hardware.

I would just leave them for now but when able to grab another AX73 and run easy mesh with those 2 routers. It would give you better range and coverage with just those 2 routers than the 3 decos and the AX73

Return the decos and get another AX5400 and use easy mesh capabilities. What model do you actually have the AXE75 which has the 6ghz channel or do you have the AX75 or AX73 which both do speeds of 5400gbps but are just wifi 6 capable? Either way, all three of those models are easy mesh capable, which would probably be a lot better than having the Deco’s with the same Wi-Fi name and password even though it’s the same network topology it’s still different hardware and it’s probably gonna cause issues. That’s why I suggest the easy mesh route because that keeps the routers pretty much the same and eliminates the Deco hardware.

Return the decos and get another AX5400 and use easy mesh capabilities. What model do you actually have the AXE75 which has the 6ghz channel or do you have the AX75 or AX73 which both do speeds of 5400gbps but are just wifi 6 capable? Either way, all three of those models are easy mesh capable, which would probably be a lot better than having the Deco’s with the same Wi-Fi name and password even though it’s the same network topology it’s still different hardware and it’s probably gonna cause issues. That’s why I suggest the easy mesh route because that keeps the routers pretty much the same and eliminates the Deco hardware.

I would just leave them for now but when able to grab another AX73 and run easy mesh with those 2 routers. It would give you better range and coverage with just those 2 routers than the 3 decos and the AX73

I have a TP-Link AX73. Its a Wi-Fi 6 AX5400 router. I paid £75 from a company that sell TP-Link refurbished(Pacetech) TP-Link are aimed at the average home user that wants a plug and forget workhorse. They are great value for money. But not really for advanced users that need fine tuning. Example.. I have Sky TV and wanted to switch my internet from Virgin Media Sky FTTP needs some authentication "Mer 61" and TP-Link don't have the funtion but Asus and Neatgear does. But Vodafone allows TP-Link without any drama. If money is no issue then the higher end Asus router is best.