The TP-Link Archer C8 is an 802.11ac dual-band router that runs an 802.11n network on the 2.4GHz frequency with a throughput maximum of 450Mbps and a separate 802.11ac network on the 5GHz frequency with a maximum throughput of 1300Mbps.
TP-Link Archer C8 Pros and Cons
TP-Link Archer C8 Design
Archer C8 with its Broadcom BCM4708 @ 800 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM and 16 MB storage, effortlessly meets various business needs. It provides seamless performance for daily browsing, streaming and connection utilization. If you’re after a reliable and cheap upgrade, you can do far worse than this router.
The Archer C8 router is bolted to a metal bracket, holding it in a near-vertical position. The 221 x 86 x 168.5mm (W x D x H) body is made from smooth white plastic which is fingerprint-proof but can easily be scratched or scuffed. Power status, wireless network status, device status which is connected to switch ports, internet connection status, the device that is connected to either USB port’s device status, WPS pairing status are all indicated on LEDs lightens on the top front edge of the router.
The Archer C8 allows for four LAN Wired device access via Gigabit Ethernet and one access for modem (WAN) connection. The router also sports one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port, that can be used for sharing files and media on local network. Take a printer for example – if you connect it a USB 2.0 port, you can still use the USB 3.0 port for an external storage.
TP-Link Archer C8 Feature
- Supports 802.11ac standard – the next generation of Wi-Fi
- Simultaneous 2.4GHz 450Mbps + 5GHz 1300Mbps connections up to 1.75Gbps total available bandwidth
- Three dual-band detachable antennas for max coverage omni-directional wireless coverage and reliability
- Beamforming technology provides a highly efficient wireless connection
- USB 3.0 + USB 2.0 Portal Locally share a printer and files & media with networked devices or remotely access via FTP server
TP-Link Archer C8 Specifications
| Brand | TP-Link |
| Model Name | Archer C8 |
| Special Feature | WPS |
| Frequency Band Class | Dual-Band |
| Standards and Protocols | Wi-Fi 5 IEEE 802.11ac/n/a 5 GHz IEEE 802.11n/b/g 2.4 GHz |
| WiFi Speeds | AC1750 5 GHz: 1300 Mbps (802.11ac) 2.4 GHz: 450 Mbps (802.11n) |
| WiFi Range | 3 Bedroom Houses |
| Processor | Dual-Core CPU |
| Ethernet Ports | 1× Gigabit WAN Port 4× Gigabit LAN Ports |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 8.7 × 3.4 × 6.6 in (221 × 86 × 168.5 mm) |
| Package Content | Wi-Fi Router Archer C8 Power Adapter RJ45 Ethernet Cable Quick Installation Guide |
TP-Link Archer C8 Performance
To get a better idea of the performance of the TP-LINK Archer C8, we compared it with the ASUS RT-AC56U. The ASUS router is from the previous generation of the Archer C8, and you can find it for a similar price in many stores, making these two devices comparable in performance. First, we took inSSIDer and went around the flat to check on the strength of the wireless signals. The graph below indicates the changes in signal strength in different rooms when connecting to the 2.4 ghz wireless network. The TP-LINK Archer C8 holds fairly good signal strength all over the flat. However, the ASUS RT-AC56U obtained better signal strength at rooms near to the router while the TP-LINK Archer C8 get the best signal at rooms far from the router.
Next, we ran download speed tests with SpeedTest. Both routers provided fairly good down speeds on the 2.4 GHz wireless network except in the most distant room in the apartment, where both routers stumbled. When it comes to upload speed, the TP-LINK Archer C8 came out top. Curiously, in many rooms its average upload speed was higher than its download speed.
Using SpeedTest, the ASUS RT-AC56U is overall faster than the TP-LINK Archer C8 in terms of download speeds on the 5 GHz wireless network.
Finally, we used LAN Speed Test Lite to test download and upload speeds between two computers over the network by sending a 350 MB file from one PC to another for both procedures. We first conducted tests on the 2.4 GHz wireless network. As you can see in the follow screenshot, the ASUS RT-AC56U was faster in the room right next to the router, while the TP-LINK Archer C8 was faster in the room further away.
The TP-LINK Archer C8 provides exceptional stability of wireless connection. This means that you will get a good signal, fast download speeds, and surprisingly good upload speeds. For heavy P2P users, you will find one to like if you use it for that.
TP-Link Archer C8 Firmware
Some of the extra features that come with the TP-LINK Archer C8 include:
Guest Network – TP-LINK has some really great settings to let you create a guest network for your home network. You will be able to finely tweak the setting.
Parental Controls – A minimal set of controls to allow you to control internet access on your childrens’ devices. We thought its interface was rather difficult to use, compared to those in routers by other vendors.
Access Control This router also supports creating various advanced rules for network traffic, such as: You can create rules based on IP addresses, MAC addresses, protocols and schedule.
TP-LINK Tether – A free Android and iOS app that you can use to control your router from your mobile phone.
TP-Link Archer C8 Verdict
TP-Link AC1900 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A8) -High Speed MU-MIMO Wireless Router, Dual Band Router for Wireless Internet, Gigabit, Supports...
Amazon.com
