Design
TP-Link’s Archer AX73 has 6 antennas wherein 4 antennas are used for the 5Ghz network, while 2 antennas are dedicated to the 2.4Ghz network. It’s a sizeable device with several ventilation holes that keep it cool even during extended hours of intensive usage. The router sports 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and a single Gigabit Ethernet WAN port. There’s also a USB 3.0 port which can be used for file sharing and printer sharing. There is an LED status indicator on the router as well; this can be disabled if needed.
WiFi Performance
The Archer AX73 from TP-Link has a 4×4 transmit channel and up to 160Mhz bandwidth. It is powered by the Broadcom BCM6750 1.5Ghz triple-core CPU and 512MB RAM. TP-Link claims that this router can actually connect up to a whopping 200 devices simultaneously! The Archer AX73 really impresses in the long-range 5Ghz performance test. In fact, we feel it is faster and more robust than every single AX3000 wireless router that we’ve tested so far. It supports the latest WPA3 security, making it even more future-proof.
Firmware and Features
The firmware on TP-Link’s AX73 is really stable and reliable. We did not notice any bugs throughout our usage. The web interface is super simple to operate, and it is quite easy to set up the router. TP-Link’s Tether app offers a quick overview of one’s home network. The app is very well designed and is really responsive, too.
TP-Link HomeShield
TP-Link HomeShield is the tech giant’s latest commercial-grade firewall that has replaced the older HomeCare feature. It protects one’s devices from accessing malicious websites containing a virus or malware. It also has added protection for smart homes and IoT devices.
Advanced Parental Control
TP-Link’s all-new HomeShield parental control is really smart. It can filter content by category and determine usage time limitations as well. What we loved about it is its ability to display usage charts and children’s web history. It shows the top sites browsed as well as blocked sites attempted by each user. The upgraded HomeShield feature is not entirely free; TP-Link does provide 30 day free trial for the Pro tier. We were also impressed by TP-Link’s HomeSuite parental control capability, which offers a lot of transparency.
OneMesh Capability
It is possible to create a mesh WiFi network in bigger spaces with this router by adding a OneMesh extender like the TP-Link RE605X. The OneMesh extender works together with the router to create a more robust WiFi coverage. TP-Link OneMesh supports the 802.11k/v assisted roaming and also comes with band steering and AP steering capability.
Conclusion
Considering the price, it is available at, buying the Archer AX73 from TP-Link makes all the sense in the world. Its WiFi performance is so good that it is even better than some routers that cost more than twice as much. It is undoubtedly the fastest wireless router available at this price.
