The TP-Link AX11000 is one of the fastest Wi-Fi 6 routers we’ve tested, and it’s filled with features, too, including a gamer-centric user interface, several ports, multi-gig WAN compatibility, and anti-malware capabilities.
If you are a dedicated gamer, the last thing you need is a sluggish router that will slow you down. Enter the TP-Link Archer AX11000 Next-Gen Tri-Band Gaming Router. Even for a Wi-Fi 6 router, the price of $399.99 is a little steep; nevertheless, for that money, you gain total control over the amount of gaming bandwidth you use. Additionally, it enables you to monitor the latency and resource use in real-time, which enables you to maintain your network operating at its optimum speed. The AX11000 not only performed exceptionally well in tests measuring throughput and file transfer times, but it also includes robust parental controls, a lifetime subscription to an anti-malware service, and a game acceleration utility. All of these features are integrated into a slick dashboard that is designed with gamers in mind. When you take everything into consideration, you have our new Editors’ Choice for Wi-Fi 6 routers, which joins our earlier recommendation, the Asus RT-AX88U.
TP-Link Archer AX11000 Next-Gen Tri-Band Gaming Router Specs
| Wireless Specification | 802.11ax |
| Total Rated Throughput | AX11000 |
| Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) | 8 |
| Number of USB ports | 2 |
| Number of Antennas | 8 |
| Number of Bands | 3 |
| Wireless Networking Security | WPS, WPA2, WPA3 |
| MU-MIMO | Yes |
| IPv6 Compatible | Yes |
| Quality of Service | Yes |
| VPN Client Pre-Installed | Yes |
| Supports DD-WRT | No |
| Anti-Malware Tools | Yes |
| Wireless Parental Controls | Yes |
| Link Aggregation | Yes |
| Beamforming | Yes |
| Guest Networking | Yes |
Design and Features
The AX11000 looks like a gaming router right down to its textured black cabinet and red accents on the antennae. It is larger than the Asus RT-AC5300 gaming router, which measures 2.6 by 9.6 by 9.6 inches, and it will demand a significant portion of dedicated desktop space. The dimensions of this product are 7.2 by 11.3 by 11.3 inches (HWD). It comes with eight high-performance antennae that are detachable but cannot be adjusted, as well as an LED indicator that flashes solid white when everything is operating as it should, solid red when the router loses Internet access, and solid orange when Wi-Fi is turned off. The wireless router has a nice appearance all things considered, but if there is one thing that can be said negatively about it, it is that no matter where you put it, it will take up a large amount of space.
A multitude of input and output ports may be found on the back panel. You’ll find a reset button, a power jack, and a power switch in this area, in addition to eight gigabit LAN connections and a 2.5-gigabit wide area network port. One of the USB 3.0 Type-A ports and one of the USB 3.0 Type-C ports may be found on the right side of the router. There is a quad-core CPU running at 1.8 gigahertz (GHz), 1 gigabyte (GB) of random access memory (RAM), and 512 megabytes (MB) of flash memory. The AX11000 is a 12-stream tri-band router that has the potential to achieve data transfer speeds of up to 1,148 megabits per second (Mbps) on the 2.4 GHz band, and up to 4,804 Mbps on each of the two 5 GHz bands individually. These data transfer rates are theoretical maximums. It makes use of the most recent 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 technology, which includes OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access), 1024 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), Target Wake Time, WPA3 encryption, 4X4 MU-MIMO data streaming, beamforming, DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection), and support for 160MHz channel bandwidth.
The TP-Link Tether mobile app as well as the web-based console both allow for the management of the AX11000; however, the web-based console provides a greater degree of control than the mobile app and also includes a Game Center dashboard. The Home screen of the console is displayed when it is first turned on. Along the top are buttons labeled with names such as Network Map, Game Center, Internet, Wireless, and Advanced. A panel that displays your Internet data (IP and MAC addresses, connection type), as well as another panel with SpeedTest gauges that indicate your Internet upload and download speeds, are both located below the map. The number of clients that are connected is also displayed on the network map.
When you click the option labeled “Game Center,” you will be brought to a dashboard that provides you with a variety of tools to assist you in maintaining the smooth operation of your network. It has a Performance panel that displays real-time CPU and memory utilization, a Network Traffic panel that displays real-time upload and download activity, and a USB panel that indicates the status of attached drives. All of these panels display data in real-time. A bigger Device Priority panel may be found below these three panels. It lists the names of all connected devices along with their respective real-time data rates. With the help of this control panel, you can quickly assign a device a priority for bandwidth usage.
A menu that comprises tabs for Game Accelerator, Game Protector, Smart Game Assistant, and Game Diagnostics may be found on the left side of the screen. The Game Accelerator option gives you the ability to lower latency and increase overall game performance for whichever client you choose. The Game Protector option is where you go to customize TP-Link HomeCare’s parental controls and anti-malware protection for your gaming environment. These are the same Trend Micro powered controls that come included with TP-Archer Link’s AX6000 router. They provide age-specific website filters in addition to lifetime protection against viruses, phishing attacks, ransomware, and other forms of dangerous material. Ping and Traceroute tests may be done using the Game Diagnostics option to assist in locating issues that may be occurring with the network. Among the additional options are those for the VPN Server and Port Forwarding.
If you click the Internet button, you will be taken to a screen where you can edit the settings for Internet Type and MAC Clone. If you click the Wireless button, you will be taken to a screen where you can edit SSIDs and passwords, enable or disable OFDMA, enable or disable Smart Connect (band steering), and configure guest networking. If you click the Advanced option, you will be sent to a page where you may configure advanced wireless and LAN settings, as well as other features such as the firewall, Network Address Translation (NAT) forwarding, and access control. You may also access the Administrator settings from here, which will allow you to inspect the system logs and upgrade the firmware.
Full Specs
| WIRELESS | |
|---|---|
| Standards | Wi-Fi 6 IEEE 802.11ax/ac/n/a 5 GHz IEEE 802.11ax/n/b/g 2.4 GHz |
| WiFi Speeds | AX11000 5 GHz: 4804 Mbps (802.11ax, HE160) 5 GHz: 4804 Mbps (802.11ax, HE160) 2.4 GHz: 1148 Mbps (802.11ax) |
| WiFi Range | 4-6 Bedroom Houses8× Detachable High-Performance Antennas 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 High-Power FEM Improves transmission power to strengthen signal coverage 4T4R Multiple streams in the same band strengthen the fault tolerance in transmission |
| WiFi Capacity | Very HighTri-Band Allocate devices to different bands for optimal performance 4×4 MU-MIMO Simultaneously communicates with multiple MU-MIMO clients OFDMA Simultaneously communicates with multiple Wi-Fi 6 clients Airtime Fairness Improves network efficiency by limiting excessive occupation DFS Access an extra band to reduce congestion 12 Streams Connect your devices to more bandwidth |
| Working Modes | Router Mode Access Point Mode |
| HARDWARE | |
|---|---|
| Processor | 1.8 GHz 64 Bit Quad-Core CPU |
| Ethernet Ports | 1× 2.5 Gbps WAN Port 8× Gigabit LAN Ports Static Link Aggregation (LAG) available with 2× LAN ports |
| USB Support | 1× USB-C 3.0 Port 1× USB-A 3.0 Port Supported Partition Formats: NTFS, exFAT, HFS+, FAT32 Supported Functions: Apple Time Machine FTP Server Media Server Samba Server |
| Buttons | Wi-Fi On/Off Button Power On/Off Button LED On/Off Button WPS Button Reset Button |
| Power | 12 V ⎓ 5 A |
| SECURITY | |
|---|---|
| WiFi Encryption | WPA WPA2 WPA3 WPA/WPA2-Enterprise (802.1x) |
| Network Security | SPI Firewall Access Control IP & MAC Binding Application Layer Gateway HomeCare™ AntivirusMalicious Site Checker Port Intrusion Prevention Infected Device Isolation Notification and Log |
| Guest Network | 1× 5 GHz Guest Network 1× 2.4 GHz Guest Network |
| VPN Server | OpenVPN PPTP |
| SOFTWARE | |
|---|---|
| Protocols | IPv4 IPv6 |
| Game Center | Game Accelerator Detects and optimizes gaming streams to keep latency as low as possible Game Statistics Check real-time latency, system utilization, and game duration on a redesigned dashboard to tweak every detail Game Protector Keep your accounts and system safe with HomeCare™ antivirus protection |
| Service Kits | HomeCare™ |
| OneMesh™ | OneMesh™ Supported Without replacing your existing devices or buying a whole new WiFi ecosystem, OneMesh™ helps you create a more flexible network that covers your entire home with TP-Link OneMesh™ products. |
| Parental Controls | HomeCare™ Parental ControlsCustom Profiles Content Filtering App Block URL Filtering Time Limit Time Schedule (Bedtime) Log Insight |
| WAN Types | Dynamic IP Static IP PPPoE PPTP L2TP |
| Quality of Service | Game Accelerator QoS QoS by Device HomeCare™ QoSQoS by Application |
| Cloud Service | Auto Firmware Upgrade OTA Firmware Upgrade TP-Link ID DDNS |
| NAT Forwarding | 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 Check Web Emulator> |
| PHYSICAL | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 11.3 × 11.3 × 7.2 in (288 × 288 × 184 mm) |
| Package Contents | Wi-Fi Router Archer AX11000 Power Adapter RJ45 Ethernet Cable Quick Installation Guide |
| OTHER | |
|---|---|
| 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, 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 | |
|---|---|
| WiFi Transmission Power | FCC: <30dBm(2.4GHz & 5.15GHz~5.25GHz & 5.725GHz~5.825GHz) <24dBm(5.25GHz-5.35GHz & 5.47GHz-5.725 GHz) |
| WiFi Reception Sensitivity | 5 GHz_1: 11a 6Mbps：-96dBm, 11a 54Mbps:-78dBm 11ac VHT20_MCS0:-95dBm, 11ac VHT20_MCS11:-65dBm 11ac VHT40_MCS0:-93dBm, 11ac VHT40_MCS11:-62dBm 11ac VHT80_MCS0:-90dBm, 11ac VHT80_MCS11:-59dBm 11ac VHT160_MCS0:-87dBm, 11ac VHT160_MCS11:-54dBm 11ax HE20_MCS0:-94dBm, 11ax HE20_MCS11:-62Bm 11ax HE40_MCS0:-91dBm, 11ax HE40_MCS11:-59dBm 11ax HE80_MCS0:-88dBm, 11ax HE80_MCS11:-57dBm 11ax HE160_MCS0:-84dBm, 11ax HE160_MCS11:-54dBm 5 GHz_2: 11a 6Mbps：-96dBm, 11a 54Mbps:-78dBm 11ac VHT20_MCS0:-95dBm, 11ac VHT20_MCS11:-65dBm 11ac VHT40_MCS0:-93dBm, 11ac VHT40_MCS11:-62dBm 11ac VHT80_MCS0:-90dBm, 11ac VHT80_MCS11:-59dBm 11ac VHT160_MCS0:-87dBm, 11ac VHT160_MCS11:-54dBm 11ax HE20_MCS0:-94dBm, 11ax HE20_MCS11:-62Bm 11ax HE40_MCS0:-91dBm, 11ax HE40_MCS11:-59dBm 11ax HE80_MCS0:-88dBm, 11ax HE80_MCS11:-57dBm 11ax HE160_MCS0:-84dBm, 11ax HE160_MCS11:-54dBm 2.4 GHz： 11g 6Mbps：-97dBm, 11a 54Mbps:-79dBm 11n HT20_MCS0:-97dBm, 11n HT20_MCS7:-78dBm 11n HT40_MCS0:-95dBm, 11n HT40_MCS7:-75dBm 11ac VHT20_MCS0:-96dBm, 11ac VHT20_MCS11:-67dBm 11ac VHT40_MCS0:-94dBm, 11ac VHT40_MCS11:-64dBm 11ax HE20_MCS0:-96dBm, 11ax HE20_MCS11:-64dBm 11ax HE40_MCS0:-93dBm, 11ax HE40_MCS11:-61dBm |
PROS
- Easy to install
- Lots of gamer-friendly settings
- Numerous ports
- Multi-gig WAN. Link aggregation
- Lifetime malware protection
- Solid parental controls
CONS
- Expensive
- Bulky
Conclusion
The TP-Link AX11000 Next-Gen Tri-Band Gaming Router certainly does not qualify as a budget router, but it is extremely quick and filled with features that will assist you in taking your online gaming to the next level. The router costs just under $400. In addition to fast throughput and file transfer capabilities, it provides link aggregation, a USB C connection, eight gigabit LAN ports, and a 2.5 Gb WAN connector for those who are fortunate enough to already have a multi-gig switch or modem. Additionally, it includes a lifetime subscription to TP-HomeCare Link’s service, which provides anti-virus protection, parental controls with content filtering, and device prioritization. This service is managed through a slick gamer-themed dashboard that allows you to monitor latency and system resources. As a result of all of these factors, our Editors’ Choice for high-end Wi-Fi 6 routers is the AX11000.
