TP-Link AX3000 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX55 Pro) - Multi Gigabit Wireless Internet Router, 1 x 2.5 Gbps Port, Dual Band, VPN Router, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, USB Port, WPA3, Compatible with Alexa

TP-Link AX3000 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX55 Pro) - Multi Gigabit Wireless Internet Router, 1 x 2.5 Gbps Port, Dual Band, VPN Router, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, USB Port, WPA3, Compatible with Alexa

 

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Customer reviews

Steven Sabin
5.0 out of 5 stars Just works and delivers the full 500 Mbit/s I'm paying for
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2023
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000 w/ 2.5Gbps PortVerified Purchase
I bought a Deco X55 back in July 2022 after my 11-year-old Apple AirPort Extreme / Time Capsule just couldn't keep up with all my connected devices (now numbering 27 including IoT lights, etc).

Although I liked the Deco, it was a bit harder to set up than it should have been. I will separately comment on that product instead of including it here.

Suffice to say that I could never achieve the full 500 Mbit/s speeds I was paying for and instead would get in the mid 400's if I was lucky and often it fell to the high 300's. I put devices that didn't need the bandwidth, such as IoT light switches, thermostats, etc. on the 2.4 Ghz band. But still, even with my computer 4 feet from the Deco, I could never hit 500. The forcing function for me was the Deco did not have a USB port and I wanted to hook my 6TB external hard drive to the router so it would be accessible by my iPad and two computers "over the air".

The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to set up. I used the tether app and it did not skip a beat. Very intuitive and it just worked, first time, out of the box when I followed the guidance of the app on my phone.

The second thing I noticed was the speed. Routinely getting 520-540 Mbit/s speeds from the devices where I need it, like Apple TV, iPad, and my laptops.

The third thing I noticed was the signal strength. I guess that is to be expected since it has 4 antennas instead of the hidden one in the Deco's little white cylinder that is aesthetically pleasing but just simply not as powerful.

The Archer AX3000 also has two processors so whether it is signal strength, processing power, or a combination of the two, every device in my house that needs to have a high-speed connection has it - no matter where I am at within the 1800 sq. ft. structure.

I place the router on top of a tall bookshelf and I like that I can see the LEDs without standing on a step stool. The Deco didn't permit that because of where the LED was located; I had to stand on the couch to see if the light was red or green.

Both the Deco and the Archer AX3000 were good at keeping devices connected without dropping them and with staying connected to my cable modem. My old Apple AirPort would drop its connection to the modem about 3-4 times per week, and that is what prompted me to start looking for something more reliable. Also, the Time Capsure (2TB hard drive) was starting to faintly squeal on occasion, and I think that was the fan. It tended to get very hot and it was clear to me that it was being taxed too heavily with so many devices. It started it's life in 2012 with only 5 connections (iMac, 2 phones, 1 iPad, 1 printer) and this gradually increased to 5X as many devices. I am today at 27 and counting and the Archer AX3000 has no trouble keeping up.

I like the Tether app and the ability to give names to my connected devices, to see what band they are on, and to assign icons.

Connecting my external hard drive was also pretty straightforward and most of my issues were in understanding how to enable Win 11 and my ipad to use SMB and FTP to access the HDD - not any failing of the router.

The price was reasonable ($135) and I could not be happier with the upgrade. Now, to put my Deco X55 on eBay and find it a new home. It was a good little device for the 6 months I had it, but my home is small enough that it doesn't need a mesh device and satellites, and now that I have compared it to the Archer AX3000 it is clear that the Deco cannot match the performance. I pay for 500 Mbit/s through my ISP (Spectrum) and I am finally getting not only the full 100%, but actually about 110% in most cases.
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Baibhav Bhattarai
5.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Leap Forward in Home Networking with the TP-Link AX3000 (Archer AX55 Pro)
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000 w/ 2.5Gbps PortVerified Purchase
As someone who relies heavily on a robust home network for both work and entertainment, upgrading to the TP-Link AX3000 WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX55 Pro) has been a game-changer. The Archer AX55 Pro offers impressive speeds that are a significant step up from older routers, making it ideal for households with multiple devices.

Performance
The standout feature for me has been the 1 x 2.5 Gbps Multi Gigabit port which provides ample bandwidth to handle streaming, gaming, and large file downloads simultaneously without a hitch. WiFi 6 technology ensures more efficient data encoding, leading to faster speeds, greater capacity, and reduced network congestion. I've noticed a marked improvement in the performance of my smart home devices and streaming services.

Range & Coverage
The range is another area where the Archer AX55 Pro shines. It covers my entire 2,500 sq ft home with consistent signal strength. The four high-gain antennas and Beamforming technology effectively focus signal strength towards connected devices, enhancing coverage and stability.

Setup and Interface
Setting up the router was straightforward. TP-Link's Tether app is intuitive, making initial configuration and ongoing management quite simple. The interface allows for detailed control over your network settings, from basic operations to advanced routing and security features.

Security
Security features are robust, with WPA3 encryption, advanced parental controls, and comprehensive threat protection. It offers peace of mind, knowing that your network is guarded against potential threats.

Considerations
However, there is a slight caveat; the router does run a bit warm during peak usage. While this hasn't affected performance, it's something to keep an eye on if the router is placed in a confined space.

Conclusion
Overall, the TP-Link AX3000 (Archer AX55 Pro) is an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home network with the latest technology. It provides a powerful, secure, and scalable wireless network environment. Ideal for tech-savvy households where multiple devices need to operate seamlessly. The minor issue of the router running warm is not a dealbreaker but something to consider when setting up your home network layout.
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Sappo Guapo
5.0 out of 5 stars Works very well.
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2024
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000Verified Purchase
First router disconnected from PC after two weeks and would not reconnect. Returned and ordered a replacement. Works very well. Very easy to set up and good signal strength.
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Al A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Huge Improvement in wireless speeds and over-all wifi signal strength and coverage!
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2022
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000Verified Purchase
Update 5/21/24:
We just dropped our ISP and went with a new Fiber Optic 1GB ISP just on our street. no matter if you have a cable modem or a Fiber Optical connection, they all terminate to a standard ethernet connection. Our old cat 5e/6 ethernet cable works fine with this and were are getting ~800mbps upload and 725 mbps download speeds on wifi. (wired ethernet will almost always be fastest, but, our speeds are excellent for our wifi setup with the AX3000). I swapped out the WAN cable from my old Motorola cable modem, plugged in the ethernet cable from our Fiber Optic box, rebooted the AX3000 and bingo, back in business. It was that easy. The tech doing the installation here said he wished others would choose the right Router for higher speed internet services and he said he knows about the TP-Link routers and that the AX3000 was a great choice for our new internet service.
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After about 10 years with an apple airport extreme that was working well, but, was outdated and no longer supported with firmware updates by Apple nor have adequate range in our house for Wi-Fi, I decided to look on Amazon for a newer and higher speed Wi-Fi six router.

I tried a couple of other brands of wifi 6 routers, but, they just did not work out that well and lacked the desired GUI and setup screens I wanted. The TP Link AX 3000 router was my next choice to try and its GUI, setup and performance has been superb since set up.

We use Xfinity\Comcast Internet service and our plan has a maximum of 450 Mbps download/12 mbps upload and right after setup, this router is seeing about 150 Mbps more speed using wireless in the house then AirPort Extreme could do even standing next to it. The AX3000 gives us our plan speed!

I tried many varied settings for the airport extreme to see if I could get more speed out of Wi-Fi including trying different channels for 2.4 and 5 GHz, as well as a few changes for ipv4 and ipv6 settings and nothing I've tried could raise the numbers at all and at best, speeds were best about 250 mbps for Wi-Fi when within a room away from or even standing next to the router. The attached pic for a speed test for the AX3000 was done a room away from the AX3000 which is mounted high in a closet situated in the middle of the house (in a hallway) for best signal everywhere inside. The wifi speeds I am seeing now are close to what my wired ethernet speeds are and at the speed our plan is. That's impressive!

What I'm seeing with the AX3000 for general Wi-Fi speeds are between 400-425 Mbps. I am also noticing a huge improvement in the Wi-Fi signal strength over-all. I can be at either end of my house or even out in the backyard now and still have plenty of signal and Internet speed to use.

I could not do that with the airport extreme in which the wifi signal strength fell off much quicker by distance whether I was in the house, or in my backyard (where there was a weak signal to connect to, if I could connect at all from outdoors).

We have a metal enclosed patio room and due to the metal walls, the Airport Extreme just could not reach there well out there from its closet/hallway location and internet speeds were reduced to around 200 or sometimes a lot lower mbps. I used a wifi extender out there as needed (with the Airport Extreme), but, as tested, the AX3000 has very adequate signal and speeds out there as well. Wifi speeds drop just a little out there using the AX3000 at around 375 mbps vs the 400+ mbps indoors and away from any metal. Impressive! No extender needed for my setup.

A few reviewers noted, there's some special settings required for the AX3000 and some cable company ISPs. We have Comcast/Xfinity and I ended up having to mimic the MAC address of our old router to be able to finally connect. Having the ability to use default, clone or a unique MAC address on the AX3000 made the setup so much easier. Comcast does have an app where you can switch over to the new router basically where you will update the MAC address (to the Comcast server for your internet connection) for the new router so it works with your cable modem. I chose to work around that so I wouldn't have to use any app and that works better for me if I ever have to put the airport extreme temporarily back into use because I'll be using the same MAC address as I am now.

Some of the routers I tried previously had no way to just put in their IP address and do the setup using a browser. These routers required an app to setup the router. The AX3000 lets you set up either directly at it's IP address using a browser or by using the free TP-Links "TETHER" app.

One feature I really like in the advanced settings for the AX3000 is that you can choose either to have the IPV4 and IPV6 channels separate (using two separate WiFi network names for the 2.4 and 5 GhZ) or combine them into just one name and the router in that case will choose which one (2.4 or 5 GhZ) to connect to based on the signal quality, the device wifi capabilities and the location of your devices. My air airport extreme only allowed a separate 2.4 and 5 GHz Network to select from, but, with the AX3000 you can combine both into one (network name) and let the Router handle the best and fastest way to connect to each of your devices. That's nice for me because one name to connect you for Wi-Fi and your Network is all you need. It just simplifies things a little bit. The setup for the Guest network is similar.

The AX3000 does have a very significant amount of adjustment and settings in the advanced mode, and I did change a couple things there, including the DNS servers that we normally use. Are use open DNS servers, using a primary and a secondary DNS and I put those into the router settings so that's where I'm connecting to (and then to Comcast). I have found better Internet speed overall when I'm using a public DNS rather than going directly to Comcast service. Your mileage may vary!

I also use TunnelBear VPN here and the AX3000 has the option to basically always login and connect through the TunnelBear VPN servers which is really nice. Again because it's a much outdated model, my Apple Airport Extreme did not allow that but with the AX3000 I have the option of having a VPN on 100% using the router to connect to the VPN servers and not having to deal with turning it on it on each device using an app...very nice!

Be advised that typically using a VPN will slow down your Internet connection a little because then you have a third-party access point in the loop that you're utilizing for your connection, but, for me, I have found that my VPN service does a superb job of keeping the Internet speed up substantially over a few others that I tried in the past which degraded speeds substantially. Given the large speed improvement using the AX3000, I'm fine with loosing some speed with a VPN. Also be aware the AX3000 has a full VPN setup that can b used to connect to your VPN through your router, rather then the need to install and use an app on each of your devices. VPNExress is supported in the AX3000 internally so if you have an active account with VPNExpress, you are good to go! My TunnelBear does not support router installation for it's app so I'm still using their app on each device to turn it on or off.

Moving to a new router is always a bit of trial and error and tweaks to get it right and become familiar with a new GUI and protocol on the new router. The AX3000 took some time to tweak, but, once that's done, you going to be very happy with the maximum speed it will give you as well as the great signal coverage it has.

Be sure to back up each time you change some settings. Its far easier to do that then try to remember all the changes you just made that did not work out. Backup and restore is the way to go.

So far, so good and I'm very impressed with this new wifi 6 router. I'll update this review as required while this model is still current and available to buyers.

5 Stars all around!
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DMC
5.0 out of 5 stars This router checked all my boxes - and was on sale, too!!
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2024
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000Verified Purchase
This router met nearly all of my specifications: 1. WPA3 security, 2. WIFI 6, 3. Can be used as a wireless access point, 4. Faster than my ISP connection, 5. Did not have to phone home to set it up.

I should have put the use as an access point first because that was my primary purpose, but I have to also say it was very easy to set it up this way. my new connection is lightning fast. it just took about about 10 minutes to jump around the on-line manual, and BINGO the connection was active. All our devices are solidly connected and I don't think any device had a dropped connection yet. I have used many TP-=Link products in the past (all wired) and have been very happy. Let's hope their wireless products are as good. As for right now I will say Great Job TP-Link.

Will update if there are changes.
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LiL
5.0 out of 5 stars Great router
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2024
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000Verified Purchase
I don’t know why people give this a bad review it’s a very good router. We had slow downs & a lot of buffering before we upgraded to this router. Now we have faster connections & no more buffering. It was very easy to install & has the same features the previous model had like checking how many devices are connected, blocking devices & setting the time for the LED lights to turn off. If you have very old devices you may have trouble connecting to the router so check before you buy if your stuff is compatible. But unless you have 25-20yr old devices you really should get better connections to your WiFi with this router.
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trs
5.0 out of 5 stars Solid performer
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2023
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000Verified Purchase
[updated]

I updated from a TP-Link Archer C7. I have an Arris SB8200 modem. Here are a few notes.

The AX55 signal strength seems a little better, especially in the 5 GHz band. It also adds 802.11ax and WPA3 security as well as "Smart Connect" which allows you to combine 2.4G and 5G bands under a single SSID and have the router decide which to use with each client. You could just give the separate bands the same SSID with any router. In that case each client would decide which band to use. The router login no longer uses a username, only a password.

I have now tried "Smart Connect" with 2 TP-Link routers in 2 different houses and I am not impressed. On both I eventually had to separate the 2 bands. It was especially dysfunctional on mobile devices (phones, laptops, etc.). It doesn't seem to switch bands very easily as you move around. Even stationary
devices seem to bounce inexplicably between the two bands, which can have very different signal strengths.

The wi-fi encryption settings can be a problem depending on your equipment. The options are:

None
WPA2-PSK[AES]
WPA2-PSK[AES]+WPA-PSK[TKIP]
WPA3-Personal
WPA3-Personal+WPA2-PSK[AES]
WPA2-Enterprise
WPA/WPA2-Enterprise

I wouldn't touch either WPA or TKIP. Previously I used only WPA2-PSK[AES]. I would have liked to have used WPA3-Personal+WPA2-PSK[AES] here, but I have an older 2.4G printer with WPA/WPA2[AES or TKIP]. It would not connect unless the router was set to WPA2-PSK[AES] or WPA2-PSK[AES]+WPA-PSK[TKIP]. In the end, I set the 2.4G band to WPA2 (only) and the 5G band to WPA2+WPA3.

Configuration and Installation
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Installing the router was pretty straightforward. I turned off wi-fi on my laptop, wired it (DHCP) to one of the router's client ports, browsed to 192.168.0.1, and logged in (password is on the bottom of the router). Alternatively, you could leave your wi-fi enabled and connect to the router's default SSID, also on the bottom. Doing it over wi-fi is just a bit more risky.

I configured it entirely through the web interface using the Advanced menus. I changed the password and IPv4 address and left it with a temporary SSID while walking through all the other settings. After that was done, I shut down my old router, changed the temporary SSID and passcode on the new router to the permanent ones, shut down the new router, and connected it to my modem.

I have not as yet found anything I can do with the Tether app that I can't do, and more easily, with the web interface.

The router would not connect to the internet when I powered it on until I remembered that the modem has to be rebooted to pick up the router's MAC address. It won't connect to a new router until then. I powered off both, powered up the modem, waited until it was fully up, and then powered up the router. It connected immediately and has been running fine since then.

Once connected, I reviewed the internet (IPv4 and IPv6) status and settings. For Comcast, at least in this area, the IPv6 WAN connection type is Dynamic IP(SLAAC/DHCPv6) with DHCPv6 and prefix delegation selected. The LAN type is SLAAC+Stateless DHCP. I prefer to use Google's public DNS servers (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4, 2001:4860:4860::8888, and 2001:4860:4860::8844), I've set those to override the Comcast-provided defaults.

Performance
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I have 400 Mbps Comcast service with an Arris SB8200 modem. The modem indicates DOCSIS 3.1 service on the downstream side, but not on the upstream side. My laptop wireless NIC is an Intel AC7265 dual-band b/g/n/ac adapter.

On a wired connection to the router, I get download speeds of 475+ Mbps. 480 would be the most I would expect given Comcast's typical practice of over-provisioning by 20%.

On 5G wi-fi with 40 MHz channels, I get 475 Mbps next to the router and about 20' away in the same room. I get 355 Mbps in the next room, which is 73% faster than with the Archer C7.

On 2.4G wi-fi with 20 MHz channels, I get 100 Mbs in the next room and 45 Mbs 2 floors up on the opposite side of the house. That's 25% and 80% faster than with my Archer C7.

Those who have unexpectedly slow wi-fi performance and who have "Smart Connect" enabled may be connected via the 2.4 GHz band without realizing it. Another reason not to use that feature.

I live in a crowded wi-fi neighborhood with people who think it's a good idea to use 40 or 80 MHz
channels in the 2.4 GHz band. Don't do that. It makes all your neighbors' performance worse and
doesn't really help yours.
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DrJ 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars Great technical support from Kurt S.
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2024
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000 w/ 2.5Gbps PortVerified Purchase
I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out why I couldn't get my full network speed through the router (wired or wireless) after my service was upgraded. Contacted customer service late on a weekend evening and got through via live chat to Kurt S. Kurt patiently walked me through different settings until we found a QoS setting for the router that was only accessible via the Tether app. It seems I had set QoS limits based on my prior internet service plan and forgotten about it. My fault, but good to know you can reach good tech support. I wish the QoS settings were available via the web interface, but they seem to be in the HomeShield settings that are a paid upgrade. But they are accessible in the Tether app if you know where to look. If you don't, Kurt S. does.
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Dawn Donaldson
5.0 out of 5 stars Trouble joining router from iphone
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2024
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000Verified Purchase
1 I would recommend that you put the link for users manual in the start up guide you put in the box
2. I got confused about the password I needed to use to connect my router to my network. I set up a password for the app and then when I couldn’t figure it out I went to the web site and tried again. I finally figured out it was the passcode on the bottom of the router. That needs to be clarified in the documentation. I was on my iPhone/settings/wifii/join (enter password)
My previous wifi had me create my router password
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Vicente
5.0 out of 5 stars Best upgrade I’ve made in a while
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2024
Style: WiFi 6, AX3000Verified Purchase
This router has increased my home network’s capabilities by an order of magnitude. I especially like the fact that I can run the VPN client within the app and connect to my NordVPN account. It allows me to choose which devices are connected to the VPN server. On my Apple TV, I choose to use the VPN so that I can get in-market sports games without subscribing to regional cable Sports network. It has complete visibility of all the clients that are connected to the router itself. You can instantly detect if some device is connected that shouldn’t be. I probably still only using about half of the capability. I am so much better off owning this modestly-priced router, rather than going with my Internet service providers “advanced Wi-Fi router“ and the $7 a month rental fee associated with it

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