Tp-link Archer AX90

Tri, tri and tri again

Tri-band router sends all the right signals

Most routers that conform to the latest Wi-fi 6 standard are dual-band models, with a 5GHZ radio that works with your fastest Wi-fi devices, and a 2.4GHZ radio that communicates with older devices that aren’t compatible with 5GHZ networks.

However, if you have a busy family network, and want to ensure that you keep some fast networking bandwidth clear for important home working or uninterrupted media streaming, a tri-band router with a third radio is one way to do it. The downside is that they generally cost more. The tri-band Netgear Nighthawk AX12, for example, costs £340 ( www.snipca.com/39201), while Netgear’s cheapest dual-band Wi-fi 6 router costs less than £100 ( www.snipca. com/39218).

A versatile and affordable router for busy households

With the Archer AX90, Tp-link has come up with a clever way to keep the cost down. Instead of using two matching high-speed 5GHZ radios as the Nighthawk AX12 does, the AX90 combines one high-speed 5GHZ transmitter (offering a theoretical maximum speed of 4.8Gbps) with a slower 5GHZ one (up to 1.2Gbps), alongside the slower 2.4GHZ radio (574Mbps). The result is a £200 router with the versatility of a tri-band model.

To make room for all of these radios, the router’s eight external antennas are fixed to the unit’s edges. Round the back, you’ll find a pair of USB ports (for sharing storage) and five Ethernet ports, including one that supports speeds up to 2.5Gbps.

As is usual with Tp-link routers, you can set it up using either a browser-based

SPECIFICATIONS

Tri-band Wi-fi 6 • AX6600 speed rating • 5x Gigabit Ethernet ports • 2x USB ports • WPA3 • 174x207x311mm (HXDXW) • Three-year warranty www.snipca.com/39200 interface that’s hosted on the router or the Tether mobile app. The latter is the easier option: we used the app on an Android phone and it let us simply scan the QR code on the underside of the router to connect. The router doesn’t have its own modem so needs cabling to an existing modem or router via Ethernet.

So how did it work in practice? Both the 5GHZ radios performed excellently at short range, when there’s just a single wall or floor to penetrate. Once we moved further away, the difference between the two became very clear. The slower radio kept up a solid signal all around the house, but transfer speeds were only in line with what we’d expect from a much cheaper router. On the faster band, however, the router acquitted itself superbly, with transfer speeds rivalling those we’ve seen in more expensive routers, including the Netgear Nighthawk AX12.

This makes it a great affordable alternative. It requires a little more setup to ensure your individual devices are using the most appropriate radios, but it’s great for busy households that need a wider choice of network options in an affordable router.

VERDICT A tri-band Wi-fi 6 router that gives you more options and greater control over a busy network, helping to ensure your Wi-fi speed is always at its optimum ★★★★ ★

ALTERNATIVE

Netgear Nighthawk AX12 £340 This tri-band Wi-fi 6 router has two high-powered

5GHZ radios, but it’s a lot more expensive