TP-Link Archer AX6000 is the first router from TP-Link and one of the first on the market to support the new Wi-Fi 6 standard. A very powerful and efficient model with impressive technical characteristics. In addition to supporting the 802.11ax standard, this router is equipped with an ultra-fast WAN port (up to 2.5 Gb / s), 8 LAN ports and two USB 3.0 ports. All this is assembled in a beautiful case and is powered by a 1.8 GHz CPU, which is assisted by two more coprocessors.
This is an AX6000 router. AX is an index of the new 802.11ax standard. And 6000 is the aggregate wireless dual band speed. Up to 1148 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, and up to 4804 Mbps on 5 GHz. Of course, such a connection speed is possible only under ideal conditions and using a client with the same technical characteristics. This speed of a wireless connection is achieved primarily thanks to Wi-Fi 6. Moreover, in addition to speed, the new standard increases network bandwidth and optimizes its performance in a busy environment. I talked about all the possibilities of Wi-Fi 6 in a separate article - Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) - what is it? Everything you need to know about the new Wi-Fi standard. All these technologies, including the new modulation 1024QAM, OFDMA, BSS Color, were received by TP-Link Archer AX6000.
8 high-gain antennas are responsible for wide wireless coverage. This will be enough for a stable coverage even in a large house or apartment. And BSS Color technology (which became available in Wi-Fi 6) will help ensure a stable connection even if there are many neighboring Wi-Fi networks around.
The wired part has also become much more interesting. The WAN port now supports speeds up to 2.5Gbps! The only thing left is to find an Internet provider that will provide such an Internet connection speed. There are now 8 LAN ports. All of them are naturally gigabit and with the possibility of link aggregation (combining two LAN ports into one to double the speed). And don't forget about the two USB 3.0 ports. One port is regular (type A) and the other is Type-C.
Other specifications and features of the Archer AX6000:
- High speed wireless network thanks to 1024 QAM and Long OFDM Symbol technologies, which became available in Wi-Fi 6.
- Higher network performance with OFDMA and MU-MIMO. Now the network will work quickly and stably even with a large number of devices connected.
- Increased Wi-Fi coverage thanks to Beamforming and RangeBoost technologies. And BSS Color optimizes network performance in places with a busy range (where there are many neighboring networks).
- 8 LAN ports and ultra-fast WAN port.
- Two USB 3.0 ports for connecting USB storage devices.
- Powerful processor, two coprocessors and 1 GB of RAM.
- Band Steering function, which is responsible for switching connected devices to a less congested frequency.
- TP-Link HomeCare is a security system. It includes antivirus, QoS (traffic prioritization) and parental controls.
- Full backward compatibility. Even old laptops, smartphones, etc. can be connected to TP-Link Archer AX6000.
- Very easy setup via Tether app or web interface. What's more, the Archer AX6000 has built-in Bluetooth, which makes the process of setting up your router from your phone even easier and more intuitive.
- Supports remote control of the router via TP-Link cloud.
The appearance of TP-Link Archer AX6000 is no less interesting than the technical characteristics. So I propose to open the box and see what's inside.
Completion and appearance
The router comes in a large box. It is the same as that of other top models from TP-Link. The box contains all the information you need about the router. Inside there is another white box made of thicker cardboard.
Package contents: router, power adapter (12V 4A), network cable and several instructions. Also included is a card with the factory network name and password. There is also a place where you can write down your network name and password after changing these parameters in the router settings.
And this is how TP-Link Archer AX6000 itself looks like (with folded antennas):
The router is very beautiful. The main part is made of black matte plastic. These are mainly cooling grilles. They are both on the top and on the sides and bottom. Such powerful iron should cool well. There are glossy plastic inserts on top, and in the middle there is a gold insert with the TP-Link company logo. This insert has multi-color LED backlighting. This is an indicator of the operation of the router. For example, when the router boots up, there is a beautiful blue animation. And when the router is not connected to the Internet, the backlight is orange.
Non-removable antennas. Rotates 90 degrees in only one position. Are fixed tightly.
There are three large buttons on the front: WPS, Wi-Fi (to turn off / turn on the Wi-Fi network) and LED (to turn off / turn on the LED indicator).
There are two USB ports on the right. USB 3.0 and USB-C.
The rest of the ports and connectors are located on the back. The first thing that catches your eye is of course 8 LAN ports, which are located in two rows. WAN port that is signed as "2.5 Giga WAN". There is also a Power connector, a Power On / Off button and a Reset button.
TP-Link Archer AX6000 can be wall mounted. There are special holes at the bottom. If you fold the antennas, then it looks great on the wall. However, with folded antennas, it will be difficult to get to the top row of LAN ports. There are also rubber feet and a sticker with factory information on the bottom.
Interesting and unusual design. I really liked the appearance of the router. Excellent build quality and plastic.
The web interface of TP-Link Archer AX6000 is multilingual. It looks like this:
You can also use your mobile phone to access the settings by installing the Tether application on it.
