TP-Link Archer C2300 Review (AC2300 Wireless WiFi Router)

The TP-Link Archer C2300 is the best Wi-Fi router with the latest MU-MIMO technology. This wireless router has a new processor, improved clock speed, and increased flash memory along with some other new features.

Unlike the Archer C2600, which is a 4 x4 Wi-Fi router, the TP-Link Archer C2300 is a 3 x 3 router, which shares some common features with the TP-Link Archer C3150. Also, many people consider the C2300 a better router than the C2600 device.

We have previously reviewed the C2600 router and found it an amazing router with excellent Wi-Fi performance on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. We have tested the new C2300 router. Now, we are going to share our experience with it. Read on!

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Specifications

Size: 8.5 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches

Antennas: 2 detachable & omnidirectional

Wi-Fi Spec: 5 GHz 802.11ac dual-band

Ports: 1x USB 2.0 and 1x USB 3.0

Peak Performance: 1,625 Mbps

Range: 3,500 sqft.

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Unbox Video

Unboxing New TP-Link Archer C2300 Wireless Router

Networking

Like we said the C3150 V2 by the TP-Link shares some features with the C2300. It is a dual-band and three-stream router. It supports the MU-MIMO technology that follows the communication with 3 devices simultaneously.

Traditionally, routers would serve only one client at a time. Today, the MU-MIMO improves the effectiveness of the network. We have tested the router on our PC with a compatible WI-FI adapter. We tested it in different locations of the house.

First, we tested the C2300 on the 2.4 GHz radio frequency band, which is on the 802.11n standard. At 5 feet, we measured an average speed of 139 Mbps. At 15 feet, the speed went down to 122 Mbps. Further, we increased the distance to 30 feet.

At 30 feet, we measured an average speed of 95 Mbps. Then, we switched to the 5 GHz radio frequency band on the 802.11 ac standard and performed the test in different locations of the house. At 5 feet, the average speed measured was 567 Mbps. The peak speed at this close range was 570.4 Mbps, which is slightly higher than the average speed.

We increased the distance to about 15 feet and measured speed of 474 Mbps. Finally, we tested the speed of the device at 30 feet distance. Not surprisingly, the speed went down to 227 Mbps, which we think is a good speed considering the distance.

Next, we tested the storage performance of the router. We sent and receive a folder of 1.5 GB size that contained multimedia files. We measured the speed of 65.8 Mbps for reading and 46.6 Mbps for writing the folder.

Design

The design of the TP-Link Archer C2300 is not very different from other routers in the AC series. When it comes to the design and shape of the router, the case is somewhat similar to the Archer VR600 router. It has a close resemblance to the C2600, which means the same black exterior made of plastic.

The top of the router has two sections. One section has a black glossy finish while the other one has a lot of cut-outs that look like diamonds. Both parts vertically intersect each other by a narrow section, which is dedicated to the LED lights as well as the button that turn ON and OFF the LEDs.

The router measures 8.5 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches. The weight of the router is 2.8 pounds. This makes it different from other routers. It is a bulkier and compact router. On the backside of the AC2300 router, you will see the power port, the ON-OFF power button, the internet port of the 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit internet port, 4 Gigabit LAN ports and 3 antenna sockets.

Also, the antennas of the C2300 are omnidirectional and detachable. On the left side of the router, you will see the ON-OFF button for Wi-Fi. You can press it for 2 seconds to either turn on or off the wireless feature of the router.

Also, you will see a Reset button, which can be pressed for 5 seconds to have the device back to the default factory settings. Besides, there is 1 USB 2.0 port and 1 USB 3.0 ports along with a WPS button.

Hardware

The TP-Link Archer is the best Wi-Fi router and powered by a dual-core Broadcom BCM4906 1.8 GHz clocked CPU, which is backed by 512 MB of Ram – i.e. BCM4906 Ethernet chipset and 128 MB of flash memory – i.e. ESMT F59L1G81MA-25T. Also, the2.4 GHz radio band wireless performance is delivered by the BCM4360 3 x 3:3 Broadcom chip.

The performance of the chips is improved further by using NitroQAM technology. The chipset uses 1024 QAM modulation, which increases 25% of the performance compared to the old 256-QAM. So, using the 802.11ac, you will get higher throughput.

The C2300 router likewise uses the TurboQAM, which is a more common technology to maximize the transfer rate of 200 Mbps per data stream on the 2.4 GHz radio frequency band. Therefore, the maximum speed at 2.4 GHz is 600 Mbps and on the 5 GHz, the maximum theoretical speed is 1,625 Mbps.

Installation

The installation and setup procedure of the TP-Link AC2300 is easy and simple. It features a web-based UI, which you can access directly by connecting your C2300 to a PC using the cable. You can also connect the router to the PC using the preconfigured WI-FI network.

You can do this using the SSID and the password, which is provided on the label located at the bottom side of the router. You can likewise go to the WPS router. When the connection is established, simply type https://tplinkwifi.net in the address bar of your web browser to secure an administrator password and further configure the router.

You can do both basic and advanced level configuration of the router. If you are tech-savvy, we recommend you go for advanced settings as it will help you allocated the WI-FI to selected devices and/or restrict some devices to access the network.

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What We Liked

• Outstanding Wi-Fi Performance
• MU-MIMO technology
• User-Friendly Interface
• Smart Connect

What We didn’t Like

• Unoriginal design
• Case Overheating

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