19

out of

37

Router

True Score Methodology v1.0

TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 Review

Name: TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200
Brand: TP-Link

By

Nikshep Myle

2/8/2024 5:53 AM

True Score

81

Absolutely Fresh

80

2

Experts

87

18.5k

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Expert Pick

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

(

2

)

The budget TP-Link Archer A6 is good for small households with meager data consumption. Although there are handy parental controls, you get a rather slow WiFi speed for the price.

$49.99

See Deal

See all stores

We’re reader-supported. Commissions finance our mission. Our ‘True Score‘ system independently powers ratings. Learn more

Table of Contents

Product Snapshot
Overview
Consensus
- {post.0.post_title} Specs
- Test Results
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Router

Product Snapshot

Overview

The TP-Link Archer A6 is a dual-band WiFi 5 router launched in 2019. It supports MU-MIMO and has 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands but misses the 6GHz band found on the best routers. Along with WPA, WPA2, and WPA3 security measures, it has basic parental controls (URL filtering and time controls). The router has four antennas but doesn’t have backhaul, and it’s not a standalone mesh system. You can manage the router through the TP-Link Tether app (Android and iOS) or a web browser.

Consensus

our Verdict

The TP-Link Archer A6 is an affordable (entry-level) but slow dual-band router suitable for small homes with low data consumption. Its download speeds of 26.2Mbps over 2.4GHz are the slowest on our certified, tested list, while 284.5Mbps over 5GHz is only slightly better, ranking in the bottom fourth. Nonetheless, it can manage limited 4K streaming over its 5GHz band.

Although throughput isn’t blazing fast, there’s just a 38% dip in throughput at the 30-foot range on the 5GHz band. Its wireless range of 30.5 meters is sufficient for three-bedroom houses and ranks in the mid-third of our verified, tested roster. Setup is simple and can be done over the web or through the Tether app, taking just a few minutes. The basic but handy parental controls let you restrict sites, set time limits, etc.

Reason to Buy

Good range
- Its 30.5-meter range is adequate for three-bedroom homes. It ranks in the mid-third of our verified, tested routers.
Simple setup and handy parental controls
- Setup is convenient over the web browser or the Tether app (Android and iOS). You get clear instructions with illustrations.
- The parental controls are handy, allowing you to restrict site access based on specific keywords, check all visited websites, and limit internet usage time.

Reason to Avoid

Slow WiFi speeds
- The router is fine for 4K streaming over its 5GHz band but not the 2.4GHz band. Its slow download speeds of 26.2Mbps over 2.4GHz ranks lowest among our verified, tested routers, and 284.5Mbps over 5GHz ranks in the bottom fourth.
- Its throughput isn’t impressive, but even at a 30-foot distance, the 5GHz band offers satisfactory speeds (530Mbps close-range vs 204Mbps at 30 feet).
No USB port
- No USB ports limit wired connectivity.

TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 Specs

	# of LAN Ports	4
	# of Phone Ports	n/a
	# of WAN Ports	1
	App Compatible	Yes
	Available Storage	n/a
	Band Technology	Dual
	Data Encryption Type	WPA3
	Energy Star Certified	No
	Frequency Bands	2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz
	Integrated Modem	No
	LAN Ports	–
	MU-MIMO Support	Yes
	Mesh System	Yes
	Number of Antennas	5
	Parental Controls	Yes
	Processor Cores	Dual
	Processor Speed	0.75Ghz
	Quality of Service Prioritization	Yes
	WiFi Range	n/a
	WiFi Speed	1.2 Gb
	Wired Speed	1000 Mb
	Wireless Standard	AC

All Specs

Test Results

2.4 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)	26.2
2.4 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)	0
5 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)	284.5
5 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)	64
Router Range (ft)	100
Latency (ms)	0
6 Ghz Download speed (Mbits/s)	0
6 Ghz Upload speed (Mbits/s)	0

All Tests

Get the Winner of the Day Direct to Your Inbox

Product Comparison

	TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 Review	TP-Link Archer AX10 Review	TP-Link Archer AX21 Review	Synology WRX560 Review
True Score	81	77	76	87
Ranking	# 19 / 37	# 30 / 37	# 33 / 37	# 2 / 37
Market Context	The TP-Link Archer A6 is a dual-band WiFi 5 router launched in 2019. It supports MU-MIMO and has 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands but misses the… The TP-Link Archer A6 is a dual-band WiFi 5 router launched in 2019. It supports MU-MIMO and has 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands but misses the 6GHz band found on the best routers. Along with WPA, WPA2, and WPA3 security measures, it has basic parental controls (URL filtering and time controls). The router has four antennas but doesn’t have backhaul, and it’s not a standalone mesh system. You can manage the router through the TP-Link Tether app (Android and iOS) or a web browser.	TP-Link Archer AX10 has greater total bandwidth than the TP-Link Archer A6, making it more suitable for data-intensive activities. (The AX10’s bandwidth is 1201Mbps over… TP-Link Archer AX10 has greater total bandwidth than the TP-Link Archer A6, making it more suitable for data-intensive activities. (The AX10’s bandwidth is 1201Mbps over 5GHz and 300 Mbps over 2.4GHz. The A6 is a bit lower at 867Mbps over 5GHz and 400Mbps over 2.4GHz). The AX10 is better for 4K streaming and competitive gaming than the A6, thanks to its fast download speeds. (The AX10 can download 67.89Mbps over 2.4GHz and 423.985Mbps over 5GHz. The A6 is much slower at 26.2Mbps over 2.4GHz and 284.5Mbps over 5GHz). For more information, read our TP-Link Archer AX10 review.	The TP-Link Archer AX21 has a faster close-range and long-range throughput than the TP-Link Archer A6. (The AX21 has a close-range throughput of 120Mbps over… The TP-Link Archer AX21 has a faster close-range and long-range throughput than the TP-Link Archer A6. (The AX21 has a close-range throughput of 120Mbps over 2.4GHz and 694Mbps over 5GHz, and a long-range throughput of 40Mbps over 2.4GHz and 309Mbps over 5GHz. The AC6 has a close-range throughput of 68Mbps over 2.4GHz and 530Mbps over 5GHz and a long-range throughput of 39Mbps over 2.4GHz and 204Mbps over 5GHz). The AX21 also has faster download speeds than the AC6. (The AX21 reaches 40Mbps over 2.4GHz and 309Mbps over 5GHz. The AC6 is slower at 26.2Mbps over 2.4GHz and 284.5Mbps over 5GHz).	The Synology WRX560 has slightly better-wired connectivity than the TP-Link Archer A6 for increased network capacity and performance. (The WRX560 has 1 x 2.5 GbE… The Synology WRX560 has slightly better-wired connectivity than the TP-Link Archer A6 for increased network capacity and performance. (The WRX560 has 1 x 2.5 GbE WAN, 4 x Gigabit LAN, and 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports. The A6 has 1 x Gigabit WAN and 4 x Gigabit LAN ports but no USB ports). The A6 has a good wireless range of 30.5 meters, but since the WRX560 is a mesh router, it offers scalable coverage that can exceed the A6’s range. To see if this mesh router is suitable for you, read our Synology WRX560 review.
# of LAN Ports	4	4	–	3
# of Phone Ports	n/a	n/a	–	n/a
# of WAN Ports	1	1	–	1
App Compatible	Yes	Yes	–	Yes
Available Storage	n/a	–	–	n/a
Band Technology	Dual	Dual	–	Dual
Data Encryption Type	WPA3	WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK	–	WPA3
Energy Star Certified	No	No	–	n/a
Dig Deeper		TP-Link Archer AX10 Review →	TP-Link Archer AX21 Review →	Synology WRX560 Review →

All Stores

Updated every 24 hours

$49.99
Availability
In Stock
Free Shipping
No
See Deal
$59.48
Availability
In Stock
Free Shipping
No
See Deal

Score Card

E

Expert Score

80

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

87

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

81

Expert Score Breakdown

Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight.

85.3
Category Trust Score
70
The TP-Link Archer A6 is a budget-priced dual-band router that offers some features usually found… read more
By:
John R. Delaney
80.27
Category Trust Score
84
The TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 is an entry-level gigabit router that gets the job done… read more
By:
Jeremy Laukkonen