I purchased one of these in March 2015 to replace and old Linksys 802.11g WiFi router that was failing, after trying a Netgear unit that just didn't do it for me, and loved it! It's an attractive unit, though a fingerprint magnet if you leave it where it can be touched. This unit is impressively fast and can handle a heck of a lot of devices.
I have around 18 devices attached to it at any given time. Typically these are 3 Bose SoundTouch speakers (the 130 + two 10s + WiFi/Internet adapter), 2 to 3 laptops, 2 tablets (Android and Amazon Fire), a PS3, Xbox 360, a Panasonic smart Bluray player and Viera Smart TV, a high end PC, 3 smartphones (iPhone 6, Android and BlackBerry Z30), an Amazon Fire TV (with Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix subscriptions) and an Amazon Echo - it handles them all, and more, without a hiccup. When guests come over there are no hassles at all.
I have all of this running on a 32MBit unlimited internet link.
My first unit was replaced by Amazon hassle-free when it failed after 6 months even though it was outside the stated warranty period and they weren't under obligation to do so. (Amazon has always treated me right - which makes me a loyal customer.) It started to act erratically and required constant reboots, and would cause various networked devices in my household to act up, even to freeze. The new unit has been running for 2 or 3 months without a hitch, stable and reliable as you would want it to be, which led me to realise there were issues with the first one from the beginning, though I hadn't realised it. The 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports are a fantastic addition, I have it paired with an 8-port TP-Link Gigabit switch and performance is top notch.
Interestingly, at the local TP-Link office the staff use the Archer C7 as their office router. That says a lot right there, and they have 20+ devices attached to it. That said, TP-link service wasn't exactly falling over their feet to replace the unit for me or help me get it repaired when they learned I bought it on Amazon, though they did have have a tech check it and informed me that it was permanent failure and replacement was the only option. They told me to email the repair centre in China for help, and wished me good luck. Their service is a tad poor, as has been noted elsewhere in the reviews and comments.
I stream Deezer (discounted Bose offer), Pandora, Internet Radio services and YouTube, sometimes from 2 or 3 different devices at the same time - it's never been an issue.
The web interface is easy to use, and it's easy to do firmware updates. It was simple to set up, though I wish there was a VPN option. I would love to connect the Archer C7 to my VPN server as a client and then connect my mobile devices through it. This is the one feature I feel it is lacking. Other than that this is a great unit, with excellent performance.
The 5GHz signal does not reach as far or penetrate as well as the 2.4GHz signal - which is normal. Still, it's powerful and I have no issues in my apartment. despite the walls. I moved the 2.4GHz Channel to one that is unused by other WiFi routers in my vicinity (you can select 1- 14) and have a constant, steady signal.
Other reviews discuss other features and so on, but this is what I use it for with at minimum 18 devices and over 20 on occasion.
Should you buy it. Yes.
If it breaks, will Amazon replace it? Yes
Can it do what it says on the box? Yes, and then some.
** For those who may consider replacing the firmware with OpenWRT, the V2 firmware works perfectly with the replacement. The caveat, as I have learned is that performance (overall link speed, not range) may be affected. I would recommend the stock firmware for optimal performance. This affects the Gigabit Ethernet throughput as well as the WiFi from what I can gather.
I've just bought another TP-Link, the C20i AC750 as a Christmas gift for a friend who needs a replacement router. So despite my first router having hardware failure and the questionable service, I'll risk it. The Archer C7 experience has left me feeling positive about their products.
| Standing screen display size | 9.6 Inches |
|---|---|
| Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
