Specifications
TP-Link’s Archer AX20 is powered by a Broadcom BCM6755 1.5Ghz Quad Core CPU and claims to support a maximum link speed of up to 1201Mbps on a 5Ghz channel and 574Mbps on a 2.4Ghz channel. It comes with support for the latest WPA3 Wi-Fi security standard. In the box, we found the router, a CAT5E Gigabit LAN cable, a power adapter and the router’s instruction manuals. TP-Link has also added a type of reminder card in the box for users to update the driver of the WiFi adapter in their devices to make sure they work better with the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology.
Design
The Archer AX20 is a smartly designed device that comes with several status indicators on the front side that showed us the current status of our Internet connection. The internet LED is a multi-colour one that changed to orange whenever our internet connection was not working properly.
On its rear side, the Archer AX20 has 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and a single Gigabit Ethernet WAN port. It also has a single USB port which makes it possible to connect an external USB hard drive and access it wirelessly from other systems.
The bottom of the router is full of vents for cooling. While it is possible to wall mount the Archer AX20, we had to do it using our own screws. It has 4 non-removable antennas that are directly connected to the PCB.
Performance and Features
We tested the router’s performance on our laptop that has Wi-Fi 6 support powered by an Intel AX200 Wi-Fi adapter. Within a short range, the speed exceeded 800Mbps which was pretty amazing, but with a higher distance, the speed reduced a bit. However, it performed way better than most other routers doing the rounds in the market today.
We totally recommend enabling the smart connect feature on the Archer AX20 as it really enhanced our experience with the router. This feature combines both the 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz channels under a similar name and the router then automatically decides the better one based on the signal’s conditions.
Super Simple App Usage
We downloaded the TP-Link Tether app to use with the Archer AX20 and it helped us see what devices were connected to it at a particular time and their usage as well. We were also able to perform some advanced configurations from the app which turned out to be quite handy. Furthermore, linking the router to our TP-Link account allowed us to access the router settings even when we were outside our premises and not connected to the Wi-Fi. I think this is a great feature to manage your home network remotely.
Verdict
TP-Link’s latest router, the Archer AX20 meets all the important requirements of a good wireless router. It provides excellent speed, strong coverage and incredible stability. Moreover, it’s affordable, making it one of the best mid-range routers of the year.
