MU-MIMO is also supported, and it should help handling multiple devices at the same time, without needing to rely on the round-robin technique, but the compatibility is still an issue even today. This means that users will experience noticeable buffering fairly often. What about the fast web browsing? It always remained below the 1.5s limit, so all is decently well. The question is whether the clients were able to go to the 25Mbps limit and were they able to remain there? TP-Link AX5400 AX73 – Multi-client stress test using 5 client devices – 4K streaming & web browsing (5GHz, 80MHz). The focus is on the web browsing. The lower the score, the better. TP-Link EasyMesh-Compatible products can network with other devices that use EasyMesh. Failed connections may be due to firmware conflicts of different vendors. The EasyMesh-Compatible function is still being developed on some models and will be supported in subsequent software updates. It’s also worth mentioning that I tried to keep the same distance between the client devices and the server (same as when testing the other wireless routers), but since distance means little, I decided to share the attenuation that was detected at the client level. The ZimaBoard 832 is positioned the farthest since it’s connected to a TV (it works as an alternative to the built-in computer) and the signal strength is -65dB, while the other four clients sit in the same room as the TP-Link AX5400 – the attenuation was -33dB for the WiFi 6E PC and it ranged between -38 and -43dB for the other three client devices. 4K and 1080p Streaming – 5 Client Devices

Yet the ZTE still has its appeal. It’s attractive to look at, and not unpleasant to use, as long as you don’t expect too much from the app. Yes, there are any number of faster routers, but for a medium-sized household with medium-sized internet demands it’ll do a fine job.

Our Verdict

I see people referring to 2.4GHz and 5GHz as “2 different networks”. This is incorrect unless, for some specific reason, you either have VLANs linked to certain bands or you’re running a very advanced WLAN setup. The Tether app opens to a My Devices screen, which displays all installed TP-Link devices. Tap the AX73 router panel to open a Home screen with a network map, a list of connected devices on the wireless and guest networks, and buttons for Home, Clients, HomeShield, and Tools.

Visually, these two routers are almost identical, with most of the differences going on with the hardware and software inside. The one small difference is the USB port. You get a USB 3.0 port on the higher-end router, while the slower AX1800 router only gets USB 2.0. To be fair, not many people will make good use of the extra speed anyway. TP-Link AX3000 vs. AX1800: Speed and coverage Moving forward, I ran the same multi-client test but with the limit set to 25Mbps, essentially simulating what the user will need if it wants the maximum video quality from Netflix. As expected, the performance was a bit worse. TP-Link AX5400 AX73 – Multi-client stress test using 5 client devices – 4K streaming (5GHz, 80MHz). The lower the score, the better. You can manage the AX50 with the TP-Link Tether mobile app for Android and iOS devices, or you can use the web console. Both are easy to use, but the web console offers a few more advanced options such as DHCP Server, NAT Forwarding, Firewall, and IPv6 settings. Following the saga of testing the wireless routers in a better way than just relying on the single-client tests (which are the easy way out for most publications), I decided to put a second TP-Link router (the Archer AX5400) through the hurdles of the multi-client stress test. And yes, the principle is the same as it was with the TP-Link AX3200, the ASUS GT-AX6000 and the TUF-AX5400– we connect five client devices to a server computer and then simulate various types of traffic (at the moment, I have simulated 4K and 1080p streaming, web browsing and VoIP). Apart from that, we’ve had tons of Zoom meetings and didn’t experience any instability or disconnections.

While not the fastest router in its price range, this stylish model still has ample connectivity for most homes

Qam1024. Pretty much just look higher number is possible but also higher number means overlapping and signals smashing into eachother is much more likely so this is often not used to the fullest as its not issue free It’s worth mentioning the OFDMA implementation should be up/dl on both bands, but so far, the manufacturer hasn’t disclosed whether the Archer AX50 does supports OFDMA dl/ul on the 2.4Ghz band. So, as you can see, the focus is now towards a better handling of the bandwidth, as well as of multiple clients, while the throughput may seem to take a secondary priority. Specs wise, the router is powered by a Dual Core CPU with 512MB RAM, Beamforming technology, High Power FEM, OFDMA, FEM, and also the latest WPA3.

To test file-transfer performance, we move a 1.5GB folder containing a mix of music, video, photo, and document files between a USB drive and a wired desktop PC, both directly connected to the router, and time its read and write speeds. The Archer AX50 managed a write speed of 42MBps, which is decent, but not as fast as the Asus RT-AX86U (52 MBps) or the Linksys MR-7350 (74MBps). On the read test, the AX50 garnered a faster 44MBps, but that still couldn’t match the RT-AX86U (66MBps) or the MR-7350 (80Mbps).The real good network gear uses their own chips. Aka just licenced designs from arm. Since that allows them the most flexibility. ZTE proudly advertises that the Miracle has won multiple design awards, and it’s certainly a visually striking design. It’s cutely sized, with a footprint of 245 x 130mm, and while the overall shape is similar to the Honor Router 3, it’s more interesting to look at thanks to tasteful bevels on the casing and antennae, which create pleasing geometric patterns of light and shade. Use of 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and its features including OFDMA, HE160, and TWT requires clients to also support corresponding features. The 160 MHz bandwidth may be unavailable in the 5 GHz band in some regions/countries due to regulatory restrictions. Actual power reduction by Target Wake Time may vary as a result of network conditions, client limitations, and environmental factors. I know that a lot will say that these tests are not purely objective and yes, the results will differ depending on the amount of interference, the location and the type of client devices. Surely, there are better multi-client tests out there, such as the octoPal, but that will have an impact on the wallet and not many professionals bother with non-enterprise wireless networking devices since the cost is just too high. So yeah, netburn and net-hydra are the best we got for now. The main body is 260.2 mm wide, 135 mm deep, and 41.6 mm high, with four external antennae. The suggested utilization environment for a detached home is three floors, four stories for an apartment, and a maximum of 42 units. The unit is expected to be priced under 79 USD/EUR.

These feet have the role of keeping the device into place even after you have connected a few Ethernet cables, but the Archer AX50 will roam around on your desk, so it’s better to mount it on the wall – and yes, there are a couple of dedicated holes for mounting on the bottom side.

Performance Comparison

On the rear side of the TP-Link AX73, there are four buttons, one for turning Off/On the LEDs, one for enabling the WPS process, one for turning On/Off the WiFi and the last one is a recessed Reset button (press and hold it for about 10 seconds to return the router to its default settings). Further to the right, there are four LAN ports (all Gigabit), one WAN port (also Gigabit), a Power button and a Power connector. On the right side of the AX73, there’s a single USB 3.0 port for adding a printer or an external storage device. Internal Hardware Sure, I can definitely play around with the placement more but so far I have stable and solid connections around the house. Now let’s see if the 25Mbps limit was reached by all client devices and the performance is what you would expect. The WiFi 6E PC was well below it, while the WiFi 6 clients hovered at around 22Mbps – not great. 1080p Streaming and Browsing (+ VoIP) – 5 Client Devices Four high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable WiFi throughout your home.