Attention buyers: TP-Link Archer A5 advertises high speeds, but details suggest otherwise.
Attention buyers: TP-Link Archer A5 advertises high speeds, but details suggest otherwise.
The router industry presents challenges for both tech-savvy users and those without expertise. Most routers equipped with a Gigabit WAN port struggle to deliver true Gigabit speeds due to limited CPU power. Even if capable, they typically only have one Gigabit port shared with the LAN and WAN via VLAN tagging on internal switches, cutting performance in half. This isn’t promoted publicly. Honestly, it’s a disappointing product—no consumer router claims its NAT speed or actual LAN-to-WAN throughput. And don’t forget the WiFi issues!
It’s definitely a chaotic situation, but I’m relieved my router can handle speeds up to 7-800 Mbps throughout the house. Getting everything sorted for a really fast connection would have been a hassle.
That's why I switched to a PC since I know the only smallnetbuilder I've heard about actually checks NAT performance.
The main issue is using an appliance without upgrading the NICs. However, I haven’t realized I need more than Gigabit anytime soon. Once I do, I’ll still rely on the 5G backup, which feels like a missed opportunity to balance loads evenly. I’m considering link aggregation or a USB 2.5Gbit adapter since I think pfSense supports it as a driverless solution. I don’t like USB long-term because of higher latency and CPU usage.