TP-Link Archer AC1750 WiFi Router - Dualband Gigabit, Qualcomm inside, Works with Alexa(A7), Black

I just finished installing the A7 TCP-Link 1750AC router replacing a 6 year old Linksys E2500--having had to replace my modem earlier in the week after it failed and went into a reboot loop. The Linksys worked but not reliably of late and it was slow for a dual band router. I opted to use the quick install and then tweak later using the full featured web interface. The install using TP's Tether app from my iPhone worked but not without a few missteps--a failure to connect to the router at first using the 5G SSID worked once I tried with the 2.4G. A second hiccup occurred when binding the router--it froze and I had to go back and repeat the step. I could have just logged in to the router from a laptop but wanted to see how well the app worked. I highly recommend this approach for newbies--as the steps involved and required knowledge of how routers work could prove a bit daunting for a total novice. That said, once installed and configured with the same SSID and password as my old router to save having to reconfigure a lot of devices (including a Netgear extender) everything worked and the entire process took less than 45 minutes. Once I had everything working I logged in to the full web app giving me access to the router through a thoughtfully designed interface . I made my security tweaks, set up a guest network, enabled Alexa control and tested every device to be sure all was in good order and then made a backup of the configuration--having been forewarned that a firmware upgrade would cause me to lose what I had just done. As it happened a firmware upgrade was indicated so I chose the automatic upgrade option but to my surprise everything stayed intact iso I did not have to resort to a restore from the backup--still I am a belt and suspender guy having sent too many years in IT and learning the lesson early on that what can go wrong will. So--the big payoff was the throughput. I used an app called Speedtest and was a very pleased to see a 3x improvement in download-regardless of which server I selected. Upload was slightly better but that is not generally an issue. My TV, Sonos products, 2 iPhones, extender, 2 computers and 2 Kindles all worked without any changes needed ( the virtue of keeping my SSID and passwords the same as before). Performance is obviously much improved. I would have given this a 5 star but for the two hiccups and a little more clarity in the basic quick setup about a few functions. Otherwise as the title say it was a near perfect install and if this router lasts as long as the linksys. Range has also improved greatly and I may not need the extender to get from the router to the most distant room but as the router is in a utility closet where the modem, Sonos bridge and a few other devices live I'll keep it up. Our house is about 2,500 sq. ft if that gives you an idea of range. The signal is robust from every room.

I don't know if it's the best but it's pretty amazing !Without going into details, I will say it just that everything advertised is true for a very good price. Very good web interface to setup, a good app for your phone (TP-Link Tether), easy to setup.The great thing is that you can have separated logins for 2G and 5G, for regular use and guests, and you can individually turn them on/off, this is a sweet thing.For all the technical details just read the description here or on their website and enjoy. They have a more detailed manual on their website.Important note : Intel Wi-Fi cards for laptop requires 160 Mhz band to reach 1300 mbps which AC A7 does NOT have. So, if you Wi-Fi card is Intel on your laptop you will be limited to 866 mbps at 5G even if the Wi-Fi card specification says it can reach more because it requires 160 Mhz band and T-Link Archer A7 does not have. This is a great router, but if you looking for 1300 mbps on 5G I not sure how it is possible.Another important note: On phones probably you get much less than 1300 mbps. In my case, a iPhone 11, I can reach max 550 mbps.Any way it improves the speed. Compared with my old router and my Wi-Fi router provided by ATT, it was a big difference.The USB port works great for a shared drive, I could never make it work with other routers. If you install the app FE File Explorer on your iPhone you can easily save or transfers pics or any file back and forth to your computer through the shared drive without the hassle of clouds and emails, this app also works like a browser and music player on the shared drive. I particularly hate clouds :) , I prefer to have my private cloud.I ordered and will receive today a TP-Link Wi-Fi extender with OneMesh, actually a luxury for the size of my apartment :) , I will update later if it works fine.