Logging In To Your TP-Link Router

TP-Link routers generally have a standard router interface across their models, meaning It is easy to upgrade while staying familiar with the router’s maintenance page. However, if you have never used a TP-Link router before, you shouldn’t worry as getting into the router’s interface is simple.

Who Are TP-Link?

TP-Link is a supplier of networking devices, who, since being founded by two brothers in 1996, have provided their products worldwide to both domestic and commercial customers. They gained international traction in 2005, and from there, TP-Link has been ranked as the number one provider of WiFi devices multiple times. Their products have a focus on stability, performance, and value. From their headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, TP-Link is always expanding its range of devices to keep ahead of tomorrow’s demands.

Their products consist of routers, WiFi range extenders, WiFi access points, port switchers, smart home accessories such as security cameras and lighting under the brands of Kasa Smart and Tapo, and more. All products from TP-Link get made in house, as opposed to other competitors who outsource to third party manufactures. That control over the components and supply chain contributes to the high quality of their products, though they are still generally affordable without outsourcing. TP-Link can also boast that they are the manufacturer of Google’s OnHub router. TP-Link’s expansion into smart home products came with the slogan “reliably smart” and a new logo.

For newer models of their routers, TP-Link has developed a dedicated app for iOs and Android called TP-Link Tether. This app lets users control their routers from their phones, with a simple interface. From security settings to the WiFi Network name can all be changed from your phone, while also monitoring your connected devices. Tether is not just compatible with TP-Link’s routers, but their WiFi range extenders as well.

Comparing TP-Link’s Routers

TP-Link has an extensive range of products, all with unique model numbers that won’t mean anything to someone unless they know what they are looking for. For example, the newest range of routers is the TP-Link AX-series, which is named due to the WiFi 802.11ax that it provides to connected devices.

• AX11000
• AX6000
• AX50
• AX3000
• AX10
• AX1500

These are powerful routers with quad, tri, and dual-core processing. The AX11000 features tri-band with the rest offering dual-band. All come with a USB 3.0 port and Gigabit ports.

The next series down, the A series still offers high performance though not as high as the 4000 and 2000mbps of the AX series. The A-series, based on WiFi 802.11ac, the same as the C series detailed below, consists of:

• A20
• A10
• A9
• A7
• A6
• A5

The TP-Link A-series of routers promotes tri and dual-band, comes with Gigaports, with one model offering a USB 2.0 port. With an A-series router from TP-Link, depending on the exact model, you can expect to get around 1700mbps on the main band.

The TP-Link C-series is similar to the A-series, in that it also works with WiFi 802/11ac. The specs are slightly less than the series above. Current models of the C-Series available from TP-Link include:

• C5400X
• C4000
• C3000
• C90
• C59
• C50
• C20
• C8
• C7
• C6

The C5400X, C4000, and C3000 are tri-band routers, with the rest of the models offering dual-band. The three tri-band routers offer around 2000mbps, with the rest offering closer to 1000mbps. Like the A-series, the C-series of routers comes with Gigaports and USB 2.0 ports.

The last series of routers offered by TP-Link is the TL-series of routers. This range of routers is on the lower end, with an average 300mbps. However, this range is also home to a travel router, which can be useful for browsing securely from a network you are not familiar with. They do come with a USB port, though simplicity is their primary purpose. The models in this series are:

• TL-WR902AC
• TL-WR940N
• TL-WR802N
• TL-WR841N

The fact that the TP-Link TL-series of routers are small in size means they are easy to move around, though their lack of power limits their usage to anything more than simple web browsing.

Both the AX11000 and the C5400Xcome with online gaming in mind. They both have high Mbps and are tri-band, meaning devices that require higher Mbps can make use of the speed without interrupting other devices. The high Mbps combined with a quad-core processor ensure that you are always getting the best performance.

What Should You Look For In A TP-Link Router?

Routers, including those that come from TP-Link, are continually evolving. TP-Link’s routers come with Gigabit ports, which means the ethernet ports of the router can accept a billion pieces of data per second. In reality, you will never use close to this amount, though you can rest assured that your data is never getting slowed by port restrictions.

Some of the routers listed above come with tri-band and dual-band. Dual-band and tri-band indicates how many signals the router can broadcast. Older devices can only accept specific WiFi signals, such as WiFi 802.11n, so having two or three different signals means your router can accommodate a variety of WiFi types. Devices that support the newest 5ghz signal will connect to that network, and older devices that use the 2.4ghz will connect to the other network. A tri-band router might have two 5ghz networks, which gives connected devices more speed to use, by spreading the workload between the two networks.

Routers now more commonly come with USB ports, with the newest routers supporting USB 3.0, with nearly all TP-Link routers having some form of a USB port. The USB port is an access point for a printer, for a storage device to form a network storage service, or to perform software upgrades.