TP-Link Archer D9

NO VDSL, BUT IT’S A SOLID MID RANGE MODEM ROUTER.

ONE OF THE oldest products on review here, the TP-Link Archer D9 is the sole DSL router in this review that does not support VDSL, and for a lot of people, that is an instant disquali cation. But if you don’t anticipate being moved over to FTTN any time soon it’s still a decent choice. It’s not going to set your world on re, but there are no major red ags here. (As a side note, TP-Link does have new and upcoming VDSL-capable modem routers, but we couldn’t get one that supports 802.11ac in time for this review).

It’s a slightly weird-looking beast with detachable antennae that stick straight up from the top of the router. With its 3X3 antenna setup, it’s capable of 1,300Mbps 802.11ac, and even with the relatively modest 3dBi antennas in use it performed well when we tested it, hitting numbers on par with the newer routers even at range.

e rmware holds no major surprises and doesn’t have any really notable features that set it apart from the rest of the consumer crop. In recent generations, however, TP-Link has improved the setup and con guration of its routers considerably. e web console is still a little raw, but if you want to use a straightforward and simple setup wizard, then TP-Link provides them for both PC and mobiles. Its mobile app (TP-Link Tether), in particular, is improved — providing access to most of the features of the router, including parental controls and user restrictions. Not everything is there, but most of the features that will be commonly accessed by regular users are covered, and there’s a handy visualisation of connected devices.