TP-Link Smart WiFi 6 Router (Archer AX10) – 4 Gigabit LAN Ports, Dual Band 802.11AX Router, Beamforming, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Parental Controls, Dual-Core 900MHz Processor, Works with Alexa

A budget Wi‑Fi 6 router that punches above its class

I’ve been living with the Archer AX10 for several weeks as my primary home router, and it’s a reminder that you don’t need to overspend to get a stable, modern network. This is an AX1500‑class Wi‑Fi 6 router: dual‑band (300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz), four gigabit LAN ports, and a 900 MHz dual‑core processor. On paper it looks modest next to pricier AX3000/AX5400 gear, but in real use it delivers exactly what most homes need—fast, reliable wireless and simple management—without unnecessary extras.

Setup and first impressions

Setup took about 10 minutes start to finish using TP‑Link’s Tether app. The app walks you through connecting the WAN, creating your SSID(s), and updating firmware. You can keep Smart Connect on (single SSID with band steering) or split 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz into separate names. I prefer separate bands to keep smart home devices happy, and the AX10 handled that cleanly.

Design is understated: four adjustable antennas, a slim black chassis, and status LEDs that are bright enough to be useful without being obnoxious. Around the back you get 1x Gigabit WAN and 4x Gigabit LAN, plus WPS and reset. There’s no USB port, which keeps the hardware simple and the price low.

OneMesh support is built in, so you can pair it with compatible TP‑Link extenders for whole‑home roaming under one network name. If you know you’ll need coverage in tricky spots later, that’s a nice upgrade path.

Performance: better than the spec sheet suggests

For testing, I connected the AX10 to a gigabit cable modem in a two‑story, ~2,300 sq ft wood‑frame home.

• Wired: LAN speed testing hit 940+ Mbps to my desktop—no surprises there.
• 5 GHz, same room: my Wi‑Fi 6 laptop averaged 580–640 Mbps down and 35–40 Mbps up. That’s right in line for an AX1500 radio with an 80 MHz channel.
• 5 GHz, two rooms away (one floor up): 260–380 Mbps down. Streams stayed rock solid; no buffering or drops during 4K playback.
• 2.4 GHz, far end of the house: 40–80 Mbps down depending on congestion. That’s plenty for IoT, web, and HD streaming, and the longer range of 2.4 GHz helped in dead‑spot corners.

Latency stayed consistent. With multiple devices streaming, a quick set of pings to a nearby test server hovered in the low teens (ms), and online matches felt snappy. This is where Wi‑Fi 6 features like OFDMA and MU‑MIMO actually show up: the router schedules airtime more efficiently when many devices are chattering, so your phone’s speed test and your TV’s stream don’t step on each other as much.

Beamforming did its part too. Once I found a good central location—high on a bookshelf rather than tucked in a media cabinet—the 5 GHz signal stayed strong through several walls. If you’re replacing an older AC1200/AC1750 router, you’ll likely see both stability and throughput improve, particularly under load.

Day‑to‑day reliability

For me, the AX10 was a set‑and‑forget router. I left it up for two weeks straight without reboots, with roughly 30 devices on the network (mix of phones, laptops, cameras, smart speakers, and TVs). No random drops, no weird DHCP hiccups. Thermals were a non‑issue; the chassis gets warm but never hot.

Firmware updates are a quick in‑app check. I recommend running an update during setup—TP‑Link has been steadily refining features and fixing edge‑case bugs across the Wi‑Fi 6 lineup.

Features: the right basics, not the kitchen sink

The AX10 keeps the feature set focused:

• Wi‑Fi 6 essentials: OFDMA, MU‑MIMO, and 1024‑QAM improve efficiency and throughput, especially with many devices.
• Parental controls: basic but useful—bedtime schedules, site blocking by keyword/domain, and per‑device rules. It’s not a full security suite, but it covers the fundamentals for families.
• QoS/device priority: simple priority settings help when you need to favor a work laptop or console.
• Guest network: easy to toggle in the app, and you can link it to Alexa for voice control if you care to.
• OneMesh: add compatible TP‑Link extenders later for seamless roaming on one SSID.

There are a few constraints to be aware of:

• No WPA3: security is WPA2‑PSK. That’s still widely compatible and secure when you choose a strong password, but newer routers often include WPA3 now.
• 80 MHz max channel width on 5 GHz: you won’t see the very highest link rates some clients support with 160 MHz channels.
• No USB port: if you want to share a drive or printer from the router itself, this isn’t the model for that.
• No multi‑gig ports: everything’s gigabit, which is fine for the internet tiers most homes have today.

None of these were deal‑breakers for me at this price; they’re expected trade‑offs in the AX1500 class.

App and admin experience

Tether is one of the more approachable router apps. It covers the everyday tasks—seeing who’s connected, pausing internet on a device, toggling the guest network, running a speed test, and checking for updates. For more advanced settings (custom DHCP reservations, channel selection, port forwarding), the web interface exposes what you need without being overwhelming. I appreciated that the AX10 never buried essential toggles behind confusing menus.

If you’re inclined, voice control via Alexa can flip the guest network or run speed tests. It’s not a must‑have, but it worked as advertised.

Coverage expectations

Coverage is always the big question. In my layout, the AX10’s 5 GHz band reliably covered the entire main floor and most of the second floor. Very far rooms and the backyard edge dropped to 2.4 GHz, which remained usable. If you live in a larger home, have dense walls, or want patio/garage coverage on 5 GHz, plan on adding a OneMesh extender. The nice thing is you can start with just the router and grow coverage later without replacing the core.

Who it’s for—and who should look elsewhere

The AX10 is an easy recommendation if you:

• Want a stable, inexpensive Wi‑Fi 6 upgrade from an older AC router.
• Have up to about 600 Mbps internet and a typical small‑to‑medium home.
• Care about simple management, good app support, and reliable streaming across multiple devices.

You should consider a higher‑tier model if you:

• Need WPA3 security for compliance or future‑proofing.
• Have multi‑gig internet, want 160 MHz channels, or plan to push wireless file transfers to the limit.
• Require USB storage sharing, link aggregation, or advanced enterprise‑style features.

The bottom line

The Archer AX10 hits the sweet spot for a budget Wi‑Fi 6 router: fast enough to make a real difference, efficient under load, easy to run day to day, and thoughtfully upgradable with OneMesh if you need more coverage later. It doesn’t pretend to be a flagship, and that’s its strength—TP‑Link put the engineering where it matters for most homes.

Recommendation: I recommend the Archer AX10 for households that want a dependable Wi‑Fi 6 network without the cost or complexity of higher‑end gear. It offers solid performance on both bands, stable multi‑device handling thanks to OFDMA and MU‑MIMO, straightforward controls via the Tether app, and a clean upgrade path with OneMesh. If WPA3, USB, or 160 MHz channels are must‑haves for you, step up to a more feature‑rich model. Otherwise, this is an excellent, sensible upgrade that should serve you well for years.