Value is the name of the game for the TP-Link Archer AX6000 router. Coming in at $100 less than Wi-FI 6 competitors, like the Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 and the Linksys MaxStream MR9600, it’s a good all-around router to build a home network around.

Our TP-Link Archer AX6000 review shows that it should provide more than enough bandwidth for all but the most craven gamers. (We even named it the ideal nonm-gaming option on our best gaming routers page.) By adding in router-based security and 8 wired Ethernet ports, the Archer AX6000 stands alone on connectivity, proving itself to become as good with wired devices as it is with Wi-Fi. It’s one of the ideal Wi-Fi 6 routers available, if you would like to upgrade over older wireless-AC models, and it earns a welcome spot on our list of the ideal Wi-Fi routers you can buy.TP-Link Archer AX6000 review

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review: Design

In a world of look-alike routers, the TP-Link Archer AX6000 stands out with a squarish design that at 10.3 x 10.2 x 2.4 inches is bigger than the Linksys MR9600. Slide up its eight pivoting antennas and the Archer AX6000 is an additional 2.3-inches taller. The antennas can’t be replaced or aimed.

It has soft rubber feet, inserts underneath for wall mounting and the whole top and bottom have vents to keep the router from overheating. Even when we tested it with a heavy workload, the case never got hotter than 98 degrees Fahrenheit.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review

Depended on Broadcom’s BCM43684 Wi-Fi chipset, the Archer AX6000 uses the same underlying technology as the Linksys MR9600. It has a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 128MB of flash storage space for firmware and settings instead of the RAX80’s 512MB.

The Archer AX6000 combines ultra-wide 160MHz channels with beamforming technology to efficiently move data back and forth to several devices at the same time. Its dual-band 802.11 AX design creates 5GHz and 2.4 GHz networks that are rated at 4.804 Gbps and 1.148 Gbps. This puts it a step behind tri-band routers, which have an extra 5GHz band for extra bandwidth.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review

Compared to some of its flashy competitors, the Archer AX6000 has a single understated LED on top that lights up red while starting up and turns to blue when everything is OK. It can be turned off with a switch on the router’s side and is close to the router’s WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) key for quickly adding devices to the network. The device also has a button for turning off the Wi-Fi transmissions, effectively changing the tp-link Archer AX6000 into a wired router.

TP-Link outfits the router with both a single USB 3.0 and a USB C port, for connecting to a printer or external hard drive. The Archer AX6000 also has eight LAN connectors, arranged in two rows of four ports. That’s twice as many as the Linksys MR9600 and three more than the Nighthawk RAX80. On the downside, it’s a tight match for the top row of four networking ports, making the cables frustratingly hard to remove.

All of the networking ports can manage gigabit per second data flow, making it the router to get if you have lots of wired accessories, such as printers, scanners and networked hard drives. The Archer AX6000 can handle 2.5 Gbps WAN input from many of the newer broadband modems and aggregate two LAN ports for a peak flow of 2Gbps; but limits you to using two specific ports for aggregation.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review: Performance

Using Ixia’s ixChariot’s network simulation software in a 100-year old house, the Archer AX6000 performed sufficiently, peaking at a highest throughput of 884.4 Mbps with the getting device set up 15 feet from the router. This falls short of the Netgear Nighthawk RAX80’s 1.389 Gbps of throughput, but surpassed the Linksys MR9600’s 822.0 Mbps at the same distance. In short, it provides a nice speed boost compared to Wi-fi 5 (802.11 ac) routers, as seen in our Netgear Nighthawk AC2300 (RS400) review (at 566.7 Mbps) or TP-Link Archer C2300 review (at 682.3 Mbps).

The Archer AX6000 offered 396.4 Mbps at 50-feet, making it the leader of the Wi-Fi 6 pack at middle distances compared to the Linksys MR9600 (at 363.3 Mbps) and the Nighthawk RAX80 (at 277.1 Mbps). As expected, the bandwidth available fell off with distance. The tp link Archer AX6000’s throughput fell off to 149.9 Mbps at 75-feet, where it barely beat out the Nighthawk RAX80’s 142.3 Mbps but was second best next to the MR9600’s 227.0 Mbps.

The Archer AX6000’s range was 85-feet and it lost out on a throughput reading at our terminal distance of 90-feet. By contrast, the Nighthawk RAX80 delivered 20.8 Mbps at that distance.

It fell short of the mark when we tried to move data via a wall, with 738.0 Mbps of throughput. The RAX80 managed 30 percent more bandwidth at 1.077 Gbps. When the signal must travel upstairs to a bedroom, the system registered 667.3 Mbps upstairs, about what the RAX80 and MR9600 provided.

After using the Archer AX6000 for more a week of email, Web surfing, video watching and online gaming, it provided trustworthy bandwidth. It stood up well to our four-system saturation test that uses a Macbook Air, iPad Pro, Dell XPS 15 and an HP Elitebook. While one of the systems streamed YouTube video and another played Internet radio, the third machine played Spotify music and the fourth one moved data onto and off of a networked RAID system. While this was going on, the videos came through without skips, freeze ups or out of synch audio.

It was unsatisfying to note that the Archer AX6000 lacks a power-saving idle mode. When it was not doing anything, it used the same 9.9 watts of power as when it was furiously moving data back and forth. It adds up to estimated annual power bills of $11.30. That’s significantly more expensive to operate than the Linksys MR9600’s $6.80.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review: Setup

Using my iPad Pro and the TP-Link Tether app to get the Archer AX6000 online and distributing data took all of five minutes. On the downside, the app only operates in vertical orientation, meaning it was likely intended for use with a phone; there are iOS and Android versions. Additionally, you can use the Web browser of a computer that’s linked to the Archer AX6000, but it’s less visually satisfying.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup

After entering an administrative password for allowing access to the inner workings of the router, I followed the illustrated instructions that started with unfolding the device’s eight antennas. After that, I restarted my modem, plugged the router into my broadband connection and its power adapter.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup

After waiting a minute for the router’s LED to shine red (if there’s a problem) or blue (if it’s all set up), the device was ready for configuring. At this point, the app shows a summary of the router’s default settings.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup

To change the wireless network names and passwords, something we wholeheartedly recommend, enter the new data and save the changes. The tp link Archer AX6000 is one of the rare routers that doesn’t need a full restart if you change its parameters. It loses contact for a minute and then is back online.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review: Configuration

Rather than being restricted to either an app or a browser connection for making configurational changes and monitor the data flow, the Archer AX6000 offers both. Unfortunately, you can have both connected at once, leading to errors when two logins conflict with each other.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

While the Tether app is visual and can make minor changes to the router’s settings, it lacks many of the advanced configuration choices that the browser approach offers. When connected by a browser, the router provides a cornucopia of choices that will warm the hearts of power users and potentially scare networking newbies. Actually, there are so many choices that you should be ready to zoom in and out or scroll up and down to take it all in.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

The browser’s Standard controls enable rudimentary changes to be made, like updating the network name, password and hiding the network from users attempting to log in. It also offers a Speed Test for checking on connectivity and shows how many devices are currently connected.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

By contrast, the Advanced section is among the most complete sections for tweaking and optimizing a router. It includes a helpful Status page that not only has figures on processor and memory usage, but help with troubleshooting. On top of the ability to run as an IPv6 router, there’s an Operation Mode for changing the router into an access point, along with options for encryption (WPA/WPA2-Enterprise, -Personal or no security), Wi-Fi mode (802.11 ax only or 802.11 b, g, n mixed) and channel width (up to 160MHz).

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

The Archer AX6000’s System Tools bring this to a new level. In addition to controlling the LED light, there’s a diagnostic section for checking on problems and you can schedule a reboot every night if you like. The System Parameters page is a gem for those who want ultimate control of often-hidden controls and opens a world of fine tuning for the Archer AX6000 with adjustments like RTS Threshold and Beacon Interval.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

My favorite is the Traffic Monitor that provides in-depth statistics on all incoming and outgoing data, including the ability to zoom in on a single system’s data use. In short, it can point the digital finger at the house’s data hog.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

Security is front and center with the tp-link Archer AX6000’s Firewall and the ability to create a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The router’s built-in antivirus protection uses software from Trend Micro. It’s part of the system’s firmware, so it’s all automatic, and can block malicious content, prevent intrusion from hackers and quarantine infected systems. Unlike Eero’s $99 a year malware protection, TP-Link’s is free forever.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

There are powerful parental controls that can be customized for each child in a household. The Archer AX6000 adds Quality of Service software that help me set my computer with the network’s top data priority.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review Setup configuration

The system responds to Alexa commands, like “prioritize gaming” or “restart router”. It can be used to set up If This, Then That (IFTTT) scenarios for home automation devices, such as thermostats (lower temperature after midnight) and lighting (turn on outdoor lights at 8 P.M.).

The router’s Guest network can permit Web access only. If you’ve plugged a USB drive into the TP Link Archer AX6000, you can manage access to its contents as well as help setting up a networked storage of Time Machine backups of Apple Macs.

With a 2-year warranty and support policy, the Archer AX6000 is far ahead of Netgear’s 1-year warranty and 90 days of support. The TP-Link Web site has numbers of resources for help setting the Archer AX6000 up and keeping it running. There are videos, FAQs, Firmware updates and GPL open source code. There’s even an emulator that looks exactly like the browser interface to try out things before making them permanent.

TP-Link Archer AX6000 review: Verdict

With eight wired networking ports and the ability to pair two together to create a 2Gbps stream of data, TP-Link’s Archer AX6000 router leads the way for Wi-Fi 6 routers that are just as good with wired devices as they are at Wi-Fi, though it can be hard to unplug some of the cables. Its Wi-Fi transmissions were more than adequate for most family uses and far better than 802.11 ac routers, but fell short of the pace set by the Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 winged router when it came to delivering high-performance data streams. In other words, discriminating gamers or data hogs run the risk of being disappointed.

Think about the Archer AX6000 as the value router for the first generation of Wi-Fi 6 devices. That’s because at $300 it can save $100 compared to the Nighthawk RAX80, Linksys MaxStream MR9600 and other high-performance routers.