The TP-Hyperlink AC2600 Wifi Dual Band Router Archer C2600 ($249.99) may be the most recent Wi-Fi router to provide Multi-Consumer Multiple Input Several Output (MU-MIMO) information streaming. Much like the Amped Cellular Athena High Strength AC2600 Wi-Fi Router RTA2600 ($278.88 at Amazon) and the Linksys EA8500 Max-Stream AC2600 MU-MIMO Wise Wi-Fi Router , the Archer C2600 uses Qualcomm’s VIVE 802.11ac technology to serve several devices simultaneously without sacrificing bandwidth.
Nevertheless, MU-MIMO just works together with compatible customer devices, which you can find precious few around this composing. The C2600 supplies a solid collection of configurations in a user-friendly management user interface and carried out relatively nicely on our 5GHz close-proximity and MU-MIMO-throughput assessments, but its 2.4GHz throughput and variety performance are no match up for the Editors’ Option, D-Link’s DIR-890L/R).
Design
The Archer C2600 is filled with the most recent Wi-Fi technology, including a dual-core 1.4GHz processor chip, Qualcomm’s 802.11ac MU-EFX chipset, and 2 radio bands with optimum data prices of 800Mbps on the two 2.4GHz band and 1,733Mbps about the 5GHz band. The sleek-looking cabinet includes a two-tone gloss-black/matte-dark finish with a slim band of silver trim round the outer advantage. It steps 1.5 by 10.4 by 7.8 ins (HWD).
You can find four adjustable and removable antennas guiding the router, alongside four gigabit Ethernet ports, a WAN (Internet) port, a power jack, and an electrical switch. I love that both USB 3.0 ports are installed on the right part of the router where they’re an easy task to reach. They’re joined by way of a Wi-Fi On/Off button, a Wi-Fi Guarded Setup (WPS) switch, and a Reset key. A strip of silver trim near the top of the router keeps Directed indicators for Power, Web, and both 2.4 and 5GHz bands.
Specifications
WIRELESS | |
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Standards | Wi-Fi 5 IEEE 802.11ac/n/a 5 GHz IEEE 802.11n/b/g 2.4 GHz |
WiFi Speeds | AC2600 5 GHz: 1733 Mbps (802.11ac) 2.4 GHz: 800 Mbps (802.11n) |
WiFi Range | 3 Bedroom Houses4× Fixed High-Performance Antennas (External and Internal) Multiple antennas form a signal-boosting array to cover more directions and large areas Beamforming Concentrates wireless signal strength towards clients to expand WiFi range |
WiFi Capacity | Medium Dual-Band Allocate devices to different bands for optimal performance 4×4 MU-MIMO Simultaneously communicates with multiple MU-MIMO clients Airtime Fairness Improves network efficiency by limiting excessive occupation |
Working Modes | Router Mode Access Point Mode |
HARDWARE | |
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Processor | Dual-Core CPU |
Ethernet Ports | 1× Gigabit WAN Port 4× Gigabit LAN Ports |
Buttons | Wi-Fi On/Off Button Power On/Off Button LED On/Off Button WPS Button Reset Button |
Power | 12 V ⎓ 1.5 A |
SECURITY | |
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WiFi Encryption | WEP WPA WPA2 WPA/WPA2-Enterprise (802.1x) |
Network Security | SPI Firewall Access Control IP & MAC Binding Application Layer Gateway |
Guest Network | 1× 5 GHz Guest Network 1× 2.4 GHz Guest Network |
VPN Server | OpenVPN PPTP |
SOFTWARE | |
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Protocols | IPv4 IPv6 |
Parental Controls | URL Filtering Time Controls |
WAN Types | Dynamic IP Static IP PPPoE PPTP L2TP |
Quality of Service | QoS by Device |
Cloud Service | OTA Firmware Upgrade TP-Link ID DDNS |
NAT Forwarding | Virtual Servers Port Forwarding Port Triggering DMZ UPnP |
IPTV | IGMP Proxy IGMP Snooping Bridge Tag VLAN |
DHCP | Address Reservation DHCP Client List Server |
DDNS | TP-Link NO-IP DynDNS |
Management | Tether App Webpage |
PHYSICAL | |
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Dimensions (W×D×H) | 8.5 × 6.5 × 1.4 in (216 × 164 × 36.8 mm) |
Package Contents | Wi-Fi Router Archer A10 Power Adapter RJ45 Ethernet Cable Quick Installation Guide |
OTHER | |
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System Requirements | Internet Explorer 11+, Firefox 12.0+, Chrome 20.0+, Safari 4.0+, or other JavaScript-enabled browser Cable or DSL Modem (if needed) Subscription with an internet service provider (for internet access) |
Certifications | FCC, CE, RoHS |
Environment | Operating Temperature: 0℃~40℃ (32℉ ~104℉) Storage Temperature: -40℃~70℃ (-40℉ ~158℉) Operating Humidity: 10%~90% non-condensing Storage Humidity: 5%~90% non-condensing |
TEST DATA | |
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WiFi Transmission Power | CE: <20dBm(2.4GHz) <23dBm(5GHz) FCC: <30dBm |
WiFi Reception Sensitivity | 5GHz: 11ac80M MCS9: -64dBm, 11ac80M MCS0: -89dBm 11ac40M MCS9: -68dBm, 11ac40M MCS0: -92dBm 11ac20M MCS8: -72dBm, 11ac20M MCS0: -95dBm 54M: -78dBm, 6M: -96dBm 2.4GHz: 11n40M MCS9: -68dBm, 11n40M MCS0: -93dBm 11n20M MCS8: -73dBm, 11n20M MCS0: -96dBm 54M: -78dBm, 6M: -97dBm |
Pros
- Easy to install.
- Uses Multi-User Multiple In Multiple Out (MU-MIMO) technology.
- Lots of management features.
- Good 5GHz throughput on our tests.
Cons
- Pricey.
- Range and 2.4GHz performance in testing are middling.
Wi-Fi 6 Router under $100
The TP-Link Archer AX10 offers Wi-Fi 6 networking to your house for less than $80, albeit it doesn’t support 160MHz channel width or WPA3 encryption, so you won’t enjoy all of the benefits of this latest technology. Multi-gigabit LAN, link aggregation, and USB connection are also missing. However, you’ll be hard-pressed to find these features on any router under $100. With that in mind, and its solid throughput on the 5GHz radio spectrum, the AX10 is a good Wi-Fi 6 cheap buy.