Review on Enhanced TP-Link AC1900 Wireless MU-MIMO WiFi Router - Dual Band Gigabit Routers for Home, Advanced Parental Controls & QS, Beamforming Technology (Archer C80) by Gopal Baltimore

This review was written on the same day I received my Archer C80 router after the initial setup was complete. I compare it to the 5 year old Netgear D6400 DSL modem/router combo that it replaced. I've been in IT for a long time and have been building my own routers for about 15 years. This is my first TP-Link router, I have used Linksys, D-Link, ASUS and Netgear devices before (in no particular order). --- There were a few bumps in setting up the new router, some new features I didn't have before, and other features that are limited but sorely lacking. --- The first thing I did after opening the box and connecting the new router to my network was create an admin password. and try to update the firmware. I had already downloaded the latest firmware while waiting for the device to arrive, but the first attempt to update just kicked me out of the management interface. The second attempt immediately after logging in went again as expected. I didn't have any similar bugs with Netgear until it started dying after a few years of use. Point to Netgear. --- The WiFi signal is significantly stronger on both bands than on my old router, tested with inSSIDer. I am impressed that I have a significantly stronger 2.4GHz signal with the new router despite the crowded environment. with a neighbor whose router had a tendency to pick up my old router's 2.4GHz signal and follow it as it tried to find a clear channel. So the gigahertz range is not congested in my area. Reference to TP-Link. ---Port forwarding was easier to set up on this router than on the 5 year old Netgear D6400 it replaced. This device has a toggle switch on the port forwarding page to enable or disable each item in the forwarding list; something very handy when there are ports that I use only occasionally. Contrast it with a Netgear device that couldn't disable the rule without removing it and left the port open and forwarded to an unused internal IP address to do the same. Article for TP-Link. --- Blocking websites is inconvenient. On the old Netgear, I could block any IP address or URL across all my connected systems. However, in this new TP-Link, I have to use their parental control interface. Each rule can only contain eight MAC addresses. So if I want to block a website from more systems, I need to create multiple rules ('user') and manually copy the websites I want to block to a new 'user'. for each set of eight MAC addresses. This can be cumbersome if you have a list of domains that you want to block (whether related to malware or through a child protection feature from pornography). This is further complicated by the fact that I can't add a MAC address to the parental controls rule if that device isn't already connected to the router. As a result, the first time I connect the system has full access to the internet, even though I don't want it. Having a list of all devices associated with MAC addresses, I'm pretty willing to set up device security before connecting to it for the first time, but TP-Link won't let me do that. oh that their MAC address whitelist protection feature allows me to add MAC addresses for network adapters that are not yet connected. I didn't add the computer I was on because it still thought it was in BLACKLIST mode even though I toggled the controls. into the router, after I thought I put it in WHITELIST mode, it still reported BLACKLIST, allowing a blacklisted device to connect for management. I was then able to go into whitelist mode and add the wired network I was connecting from. Now it appears to be set up correctly, but the fact that it was reported on the blacklist and still allowed said device to connect is worrying. I've never had an issue with whitelist/blacklist not working properly on any other router. Netgear's TOP point and a full star for that security issue alone. --- A feature I didn't have before TP-Link introduced me to it is ARP binding, which associates an IP address (logical network address) with a MAC address (physical network adapter address). I tested this by setting up a wired NIC on one of my systems with a MAC address cloned from another device I own and trying to keep the normal IP address. It reported an IP conflict even after a reboot, which usually resolves such a conflict, and thus it was denied access to the network. It looks like the feature is working. Point to TP-Link. Looks like I'll have to use this to even out the shaky MAC filtering. --- Another new feature for me is the ability to restrict local router management to specific systems, again by MAC address. I tested it and it works as expected. Rogue systems will not receive a response from the router's IP address. Point to TP-Link. --- Archer C80 can manually download the router's log. OTOH, the Netgear D6400 had an option to automatically email the log whenever it was full. Big note for Netgear. --- I also noticed a new feature called CWMP that was not included in the TP-Link router admin sim or user guide. This refers to allowing ISPs to control router management. Although this is disabled by default, there are still visible options that remain enabled but will force you to jump through undocumented hoops to disable them. Unlike other configuration pages that remove options associated with a disabled feature, CWMP leaves the Tell Me option enabled. after disabling CWMP and you cannot disable "Inform" without typing "ACS URL". It's enough to just type "https://", but to find out you'll have to dig around the Internet. After researching this on manufacturers forums, I found that their firmware development and tech support departments do NOT communicate with each other. Also, tech support has informed people that this option will be removed (or will be less difficult to confirm that it is disabled), but no actual changes have been made to the latest firmware that was released after the discussion . Severe loss of trust and a full star deduction for this article alone. The Archer C80 does not require an app to be downloaded to manage the device. Almost all modern devices from other manufacturers have such a requirement. Point to TP-Link. --- I've seen reports that Netgear now insists that in order to replace a router under warranty, users must now pay for premium phone support, which costs almost the same as a new router. TP-Link, OTOH, does not charge any additional fees, although recent forum posts seem to lack technical support. Point to TP-Link. --- So, my new router is set up and installed; I'm using it as I write this. It's a close race between the new router and the old one. I have mixed feelings about the inconsistencies in TP-Link's user interface, and while their tech support doesn't seem flawed, it does appear to be better than what I've seen from almost every other major router manufacturer in recent times . The jury's opinion on this is not yet available.