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The TP-Link Archer C7 is a budget dual-band router suitable for homes with fewer devices and low data consumption. However, despite the handy parental controls, its download speeds and throughput are slightly slow.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The TP-Link Archer C7 is an entry-level dual-band WiFi 5 router launched in 2013. It has a maximum bandwidth of 450Mbps over the 2.4GHz band and 1.3Gbps over the 5GHz band, but unlike the best routers, it doesn’t have 6GHz, MU-MIMO, backhaul, and mesh support and is missing WPA3. It has three antennas and has 1× Gigabit WAN, 4× Gigabit LAN, and 1× USB 2.0 (FAT32 and NTFS) ports.
There is VPN and WiFi encryption (WPA, WPA2, and WPA/WPA2-Enterprise), and it has a latency of 135.5ms. The router can be managed using the Tether app (available on iOS and Android) and has basic parental controls.
Consensus
our Verdict
The dual-band TP-Link Archer C7 is an averagely fast router with a close-range throughput of 360.6Mbps across its 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Its download speeds, too, are average at 81.4Mbps (2.4GHz) and 298.8Mbps (5GHz), ranking in the mid and bottom-third, respectively, of our tested certified routers, but it’ll be adequate for households that need speedy and reliable internet across a few devices. The 41.3-meter range is great for most three-bedroom homes, but moving beyond 15 feet away from the router sees a major drop in the throughput.
Set up is simple and versatile, taking around 5 to 10 minutes, and you can do it using a web browser or smartphone. And unlike other routers that require a subscription to access parental controls, the C7 has it for free.
ReasonS to Buy
Average WiFi speeds
With a close-range throughput of 360.6Mbps across 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, the TP-Link Archer C7 is apt for homes with low data consumption and not many devices.
It can manage 4K streaming and competitive gaming, but AR/VR streaming could prove demanding, especially with multiple devices consuming data simultaneously.
Impressive range
Its 41.3-meter wireless range is excellent and will cover most three-bedroom houses, ranking in the top third of our certified tested routers.
Hassle-free set up
Set up is basic and versatile, taking only 5 to 10 minutes. You can do it over a smartphone or web browser.
Reason to Avoid
Below-average download speeds
Its download speeds of 81.4Mbps over 2.4GHz and 298.8Mbps over 5GHz rank in the mid and bottom-third, respectively, of our verified tested routers list.
Although sufficient for 4K streaming and competitive gaming, it can’t sustain high speeds if too many devices are on the network.
Limited throughput range
Moving beyond 15 feet away from the router significantly decreases WiFi speeds, especially the 5GHz band.
TP-Link Archer C7 Specs
# of LAN Ports
4
# of Phone Ports
n/a
# of WAN Ports
1
App Compatible
Yes
Available Storage
128 MB
Band Technology
Dual
Data Encryption Type
WEP, WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK
Energy Star Certified
No
Frequency Bands
2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz
Integrated Modem
No
LAN Ports
4 Gb Ethernet
MU-MIMO Support
n/a
Mesh System
No
Number of Antennas
3
Parental Controls
Yes
Processor Cores
Qualcomm
Processor Speed
0.72Ghz
Quality of Service Prioritization
Yes
WEP
–
WiFi Range
2500 sq.ft
WiFi Speed
1.75 Gb
Wired Speed
1000 Mb
Wireless Standard
AC, N
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Routers based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
2.4 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)
81.4
2.4 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)
88
5 GHz Download speed (Mbits/s)
298.8
5 GHz Upload speed (Mbits/s)
0
Router Range (ft)
135.5
Latency (ms)
25
6 Ghz Download speed (Mbits/s)
0
6 Ghz Upload speed (Mbits/s)
0
All Tests
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The TP-Link Archer C7 is an entry-level dual-band WiFi 5 router launched in 2013. It has a maximum bandwidth of 450Mbps over the 2.4GHz band…
The TP-Link Archer C7 is an entry-level dual-band WiFi 5 router launched in 2013. It has a maximum bandwidth of 450Mbps over the 2.4GHz band and 1.3Gbps over the 5GHz band, but unlike the best routers, it doesn’t have 6GHz, MU-MIMO, backhaul, and mesh support and is missing WPA3. It has three antennas and has 1× Gigabit WAN, 4× Gigabit LAN, and 1× USB 2.0 (FAT32 and NTFS) ports.
There is VPN and WiFi encryption (WPA, WPA2, and WPA/WPA2-Enterprise), and it has a latency of 135.5ms. The router can be managed using the Tether app (available on iOS and Android) and has basic parental controls.
With quicker download speeds of 485.2Mbps over the 5GHz band and 98.635Mbps over the 2.4GHz band, the TP-Link Archer AX55 is more suitable for data-intensive…
With quicker download speeds of 485.2Mbps over the 5GHz band and 98.635Mbps over the 2.4GHz band, the TP-Link Archer AX55 is more suitable for data-intensive activities than the TP-Link Archer C7 (298.8Mbps over 5GHz and 81.4Mbps over 2.4GHz). But while the AX55 has a range of 36.58 meters, the C7’s 41.3-meter coverage is better. For more information, read our TP-Link Archer AX55 review.
The TP-Link Archer AXE75 is a more powerful triband router compared to the dual-band TP-Link Archer C7. Although the C7 has a speedier throughput of…
The TP-Link Archer AXE75 is a more powerful triband router compared to the dual-band TP-Link Archer C7. Although the C7 has a speedier throughput of 360.6Mbps on the 2.4GHz band (vs. the AXE75’s 120Mbps), the AXE75 is much faster overall with a throughput of 918Mbps on the 5GHz band and 921Mbps on the 6GHz band. Its fast throughput and three bands make it more suitable for households where many devices simultaneously consume large amounts of data. To learn more, read our TP-Link Archer AXE75 review.
The TP-Link Archer C7 has a wider range of 41.3 meters compared to the Netgear Nighthawk XR700 (25.11 meters), making it preferable for bigger homes….
The TP-Link Archer C7 has a wider range of 41.3 meters compared to the Netgear Nighthawk XR700 (25.11 meters), making it preferable for bigger homes. But the XR700 has better-wired connectivity options with 6 x Gigabit LAN, 1 Gigabit x WAN, and 2 x USB 3.0 ports, while the C7 has only 4 x Gigabit LAN, 1 Gigabit x WAN, and 1 x USB 2.0 ports. Read this TP-Link Archer GX-90 review for another Triband router option. Check out this TP-Link Deco X20 review for improved WiFi coverage.
