Top 5 Reasons Why I Love the TP-Link AX11000 Gaming Router
A month ago, I had the privilege of bringing the TP-Link AX11000 gaming router into my home to test out this amazing device. I had nothing but good things to say in the impressions piece I wrote and since then, I’ve had nothing but good experiences with this incredible tech. All the things that impressed me a month ago continue to impress. I can honestly say I haven’t had one issue so far. I haven’t had to reset it or adjust the settings, or really anything. The internet connection is strong and stable throughout the house, ensuring my family can enjoy their respective online entertainment without issue. The only time I experience lag online, it’s usually also experienced by others I’m playing with, meaning it’s other factors and not this router. If you’re in the market for a gaming router, you’ll definitely want to consider the AX11000. Here are five reasons why I love this router.
1) The Tether App
TP-Link routers all make use of their handy Tether app which is available on iOS and Android devices – and the AX11000 is no different. The app features a sweet red-on-black aesthetic that makes me feel like a badass while I’m tweaking my router settings. The app will allow you to take a look at all the different devices attached to each of the three bands – so if you see your neighbour hitching an unwelcome ride on your bandwidth, you can give them a swift block. The Homecare tab allows you to adjust Parental Controls, QoS, and Antivirus (which is provided by industry experts Trend Micro). Finally, there’s a Tools tab that gives you a handful of additional options to ensure the router is set to your liking. The app does have a couple of limitations; features such as Port Forwarding will need to be completed from the web management page, however, you can still access that page from your mobile phone too.
2) Ease of Set-up
Setting up the TP-Link AX11000 was an absolute breeze. It took me no more than 15 minutes to have everything up and running. In fact, the hardest part for me was getting my service provider to turn their provided modem/router on to “Bridge Mode”. You’ll have to manually install all eight antennas, but they just pop in with minimal effort. Next, you’ll attach the required cables as directed – no different than any other router. Finally, you’ll finish everything up with the convenient Tether app mentioned above. In fact, you can see how easy it is by watching TP-Link’s 3-minute video below.
3) Constant Stability
As mentioned, I’ve now been using the TP-Link AX11000 for over a month now and I have had zero issues with connection. For gaming, my NAT type is consistently set to open – ensuring I get the absolutely best, lag-free experience. Am I better at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare because of this router? Probably not – but my online experience seems a lot more consistent. If you read our previous impressions piece, you’ll note that I didn’t have to adjust anything to get my NAT type open, everything was done automatically during my initial set-up with the Tether app. That’s not to say I never have lag issues in games, but there are a bunch of other reasons for lag – such as server-side issues, but these will happen regardless of how good your router is.
4) No Dead Spots
While our previous router was pretty good for the size of our house, there were still some noticeable areas that caused the internet to work a little slower. Not so with the AX11000. As far as I can tell, every part of my house has a steady, strong internet connection ensuring that everyone in my house can enjoy the internet wherever they are. No more choppy Netflix in the bedroom, no more laggy gaming on the toilet, and no more extended buffering while watching YouTube in the garden. The AX11000 range is impressive.
5) Future Proofed
No one can predict the future. To be honest, the way 2020 has gone, it’s hard to imagine there is a future for any of us. However, assuming we get all get out of 2020 in one piece, we’ll be able to enjoy brand new technologies designed to connect us even better than ever. One such technology is the new 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard, also known as Wi-Fi 6, which allows compatible devices to transmit more data at any given time. The AX11000 has this technology built-in, so as more of your devices make use of Wi-Fi 6 – such as mobile phones and hopefully the next generation of game consoles – you’ll be ready to make use of those superior data transfers. It’s always nice to know the tech you’re buying now is future-proofed, and this router fits nicely into that category.
And that concludes the top 5 reasons I love the TP-Link AX11000. It’s an absolutely amazing device. Yes, the unit isn’t cheap. However, what kind of price would you really put on the ability to have fast and consistent online gaming? Lag sucks, so why not spend the extra money to minimize the amount of lag you need to deal with? Plus it comes with some impressive peace-of-mind features such as Trend Micro antivirus protection and extensive parental controls – you won’t always need to babysit your kid’s online experiences. If you’re in the market for a new router, make sure the AX11000 is in the conversation. You owe yourself the best in online experiences.
***TP-Link AX11000 was provided by TP-Link***
Thank you for keeping it locked on COGconnected.