TP-Link Archer C50 AC1200 Wireless Dual-Band Router

The TP-Link Archer C50 is an AC1200 dual-band wireless router for homes and small offices, pairing a fast 5GHz band with the longer reach of 2.4GHz. The 5GHz radio runs up to 867 Mbps and the 2.4GHz radio up to 300 Mbps, following IEEE 802.11ac/n/a and 802.11n/b/g, so newer laptops and phones take the faster band while older kit stays on the slower one and neither gets in the other's way. 4 fixed external antennas spread the signal, and 2×2 MU-MIMO lets the router serve two devices in the same instant instead of alternating between them, which smooths things out when the house is busy. Wired ports are 1 WAN and 4 LAN at 10/100 Mbps, matching a typical broadband line. Guest network, parental controls and IPTV support are included, and the TP-Link Tether app handles setup and day-to-day management from a phone. It comes with a 1 year limited warranty. It is a straightforward replacement for an ISP-supplied single-band router in a flat where the Wi-Fi thins out in the back bedroom. Put the guest network to work for visitors so your main password stays yours, and use the parental controls to keep study hours quiet. For a household of a few phones, a laptop or two and a smart TV, this is the level at which the router stops being the bottleneck.