TP-Link Archer AX90 AX6600 router is a big step up from the tri-band Archer AX3200. It is compatible with multi-gigabit internet (up to 2.5 Gbps) plans, and is also compatible with wired internet plans of 1000 Mbps or more. The Archer AX90 has a performance so good it can even compete with those of the NETGEAR RAX200 or ASUS GT-AX11000. And at $220, it’s a great deal right now. If you’re in the market for a high-performance, budget-focused, tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router, the TP-Link Archer AX90 is going to be it.
TP-Link Archer AX90 Router Pros and Cons
TP-Link Archer AX90 Router Design
The TP-Link Archer AX90 router is stylish and would look good in any home or office. The first thing you’ll notice is its eight super antennas attached, promising comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage, so your signal should be strong wherever you are in the house. Smaller than the Archer AX11000 (7.2 x 11.3 x 11.3 inches), the Archer AX90 router comes in at 6.8 x 12.2 x 8.1 inches. The casing is completely black with a fancy looking grille pattern on the top and it also comes with eight non-detachable antennas. The WPS, LED (On/Off) and Wi-Fi (On/Off) buttons are located close to the lower edge of the front panel. Above them you’ll find and LED indicator light; it will light up solid blue when the router is connected properly and a solid red when the connection is down.
On the router’s back, there’s a smattering of I/Os, including the 2.5 Gbps port, a gigabit WAN/LAN port, three more gigabit LAN ports, and a USB 2.0 port. There’s also a reset button, a power jack and a power switch. There is a second USB port that is a 3.0 port located on the right side of the router. The TP-Link Archer AX90 router features quad-core 1.5 GHz processor, and it is an 8-stream AX6600 tri-band router. In all you get 574 Mbps max in the 2.4 GHz frequency and 1,201 Mbps in one of the 5GHz bands and 4,804 Mbps in the 2nd 5GHz band. It is a Wi-Fi 6 unit designed to work with the 802.11 ax tech such as 160Mhz channel bandwidth, WPA3 encryption, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), Target Wake Time, 4×4 MU-MIMO data streams, beamforming, and Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS).
TP-Link Archer AX90 Router Feature
- AX6600 Tri-Band High Speed Wi-Fi – 4804 Mbps (5 GHz) and 1201 Mbps (5 GHz) and 574 Mbps (2.4 GHz).
- Ultra Connectivity – 1 × 2.5 Gbps WAN port, 1 × 1 Gbps WAN/LAN port and 3 × Gigabit LAN ports and 2 USB ports provide high-speed wired connectivity; Compatible with every major OS and works well with a Wi-Fi 6 accessory; The 2.5 Gbps WAN or LAN port and 1 Gbps WAN or LAN port can’t be used as WAN port at the same time. Full One-Year WarrantyNOTEOutput power specifications are based on the maximum possible radio output power plus antenna gain. Dimensions 226 x 179 76mm (8 9 x 7 05 x 3in ).
- More Devices: Wi Fi 6 technology communicates more data to more devices using the 2.4 GigaHertz and 5 GigaHertz bands to reduce congestion; 3.5 x more data transmission capacity (versus Wi Fi 5) EOF Template (color, range, feature, etc)
- TP-Link HomeShield – TP-Link’s premium security services; keep your home network safe with cutting-edge features for network and IoT protection; robust parental controls and privacy protection Network security Scan; of all new devices that are connected to the network 1. Network Security Scan 2. Parental Controls: free stuff is all you need 3. QoS 4. Weekly or Monthly Reports 5. IoT Device Identification. Subscribe TO HomeShield Pro if required $5.99 per month 1-month free trial.
- Stronger Security – The WPA3 standard provides enhanced Wi-Fi encryption, Protecting your network.
- TP Link OneMesh Supported Flexibly Create a Whole Home WiFi with Archer AX90 by OneMesh Range Extender, or Deco WiFi; Overall connectivity; OneMesh AP Mode to easily expand high performance WiFi coverage.
TP-Link Archer AX90 Router Specifications
| Brand | TP-Link |
| Model Name | Archer AX90 |
| Processor | 1.5 GHz Quad-Core CPU |
| Standards and Protocols | Wi-Fi 6 IEEE 802.11ax/ac/n/a 5 GHz IEEE 802.11ax/n/b/g 2.4 GHz |
| WiFi Speeds | AX6600 5 GHz: 4804 Mbps (802.11ax, HE160) 5 GHz: 1201 Mbps (802.11ax) 2.4 GHz: 574 Mbps (802.11ax) |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 12.2 × 8.1 × 6.8 in (311 × 207 × 174 mm) |
| Special Feature | Beamforming, QoS, WPS, Parental Control |
| Frequency Band Class | Tri-Band |
| Compatible Devices | Laptop, Gaming Console, Security Camera, Personal Computer, Tablet, Smartphone |
| Included Components | Power Adapter, RJ45 Ethernet Cable, Wi-Fi Router Archer AX90, Quick Installation Guide |
TP-Link Archer AX90 Router Performance
With my iPhone, I tried the Archer AX90’s performance, this one landed the same as the Archer AX73, which I wasn’t surprised at all. Both devices were able to achieve more than 800Mbps on WiFi over the 5GHz band, and more than 500Mbps on upload to the Ookla Speedtest app on my 1Gbps network connection. Due to the extensive WiFi coverage I could perform long-distance speed tests on a laptop with an Intel AX200 WiFi adapter and obtained excellent results also. Speed was solid and slightly faster than the Archer AX73.
To test TP-Link tri-band router performance, I wirelessly connected three laptops to the router and copied a file from my server to each with a speed of up to 100Mbps. Next I ran a speed test through the Ookla Speedtest app on my iPhone. Based on the factory default settings alone and Smart Connect being its own default setting, I tested both the Archer AX90 and Archer AX73 side-by-side.
Unsurprisingly, the TP-Link Archer AX90 router aced it with manners way ahead of the Archer AX73. A second 5GHz band helps balance network demand. This would be especially helpful while network usage is high and more devices are connected to the router.
TP-Link Archer AX90 Router Hardware
The firmware of the TP-Link Archer AX90 isn’t any different from that of a modern TP-Link router. It’s slick, it performs like a beast and doesn’t have any unnecessary features that might drag down the router performance. Therefore, the Archer AX90 is extremely stable and reliable. It’s even got a cloud-based app for remote router management. Tether app helps you customize and manage devices and computer networks in your home, even when you’re not there. That is because the app is linked to your TP-Link cloud account, and secured with your personal TP-Link ID. There are some simple settings and management you can handle within the app.
The Archer AX90 is equipped with the latest WPA3 WiFi security, just not something I would suggest getting unless you know for a fact all of your devices are compatible. It also includes the TP-Link HomeShield antivirus protection by Avira. The antivirus protection prevents unwanted bugs from infecting your website. That is, all devices linked to the router get additional network security coverage. The Avira database also supports it and received updates from TP-Link. It is not a full featured antivirus and only acts as extra firewall protection.
TP-Link Archer AX90 Router Verdict
TP-Link AX6600 Tri-Band WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX90), 8-Stream Gigabit Router, VPN Router, MU-MIMO, 2.5G WAN Port, 1.5GHz Quad-Core CPU
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