TP-Link Archer A7 Review [AC1750] in 2024

Here is our review of TP-Link Archer A7. 

As a Network Engineer, I have bought a bunch of routers and tested them against each other. 

And one of these routers was the TP-Link Archer A7 – which proved itself to be the best of the low-priced routers.

From a 5 feet distance, the router managed to reach a staggering speed of 438.39 Mbps. Beating similarly priced routers by miles. 

Below I will discuss my findings during testing in more detail. 

So keep reading.

TP-Link Archer A7 AC1750 Overview

Announced on June 11, 2013, the TP-Link Archer A7 is an older Wi-Fi 5 router. [1]

The router is a cheaper option that provides your home with a Wi-Fi signal using a 2.4GHz network and a 5GHz network.

Despite being an older model, the Archer A7 is one of the best budget routers out there. During testing, it beat every other similar-priced router I tested by miles. 

Furthermore, it also has an easy setup and some decent features. 

I recommend the router to anyone with an internet plan of about 200-300 Mbps that wants to save some money. 

But if you have a faster internet plan or/and are looking for more advanced features. Then this router might not be the one for you. 

Check out the alternatives later in the article for some other options. 

TP-Link Archer A7 Specs

• Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)
• Bands: Dual Band
• Ports: 4 x 1G LAN & 1 x 2.0 USB.

• Highest Measured Speed: 438.39 Mbps
• Range: 85 feet (~26 m)
• Size: 1.4- by 9.5- by 6.0-inches (243×160×32.5mm)

• QoS: Yes, but not advanced
• Parental Controls: Yes
• Guest Networks: Yes

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Performance

As already mentioned, the Archer A7 AC1750 is one of the fastest budget routers I have tested. With a max speed of 438.39 Mbps with the 5GHz band in from 5 feet range. 

Beating the similar priced Linksys EA7300, which reached 299.08 Mbps from the same range. And the slightly costlier Netgear R7000 that only reached 254.63 Mbps. 

Overall the Archer A7 5GHz band performed very well. With a speed of 123.53 Mbps from 25 feet and 57.31 Mbps from 50 feet. 

Better than the Linksys EA7300, which reached 71.1 Mbps from 75 feet and 48.52 Mbps from 50 feet. With a much weaker signal. 

The 2.4GHz band on the Archer A7 is good. But it’s not what differentiates the Archer A7 from other similar options. 

From 50 feet, it reached 49.61 Mbps. Slightly slower than the Netgear R7000, which reached 50.84 Mbps. 

It did, however, beat the R7000 on 75 feet distance. Getting an average speed of 14.9 Mbps compared to the Netgear R7000, which reached 13.65 Mbps. 

Overall the performance of the Archer A7 is enough for any internet plan up to 300 Mbps. 

You can still get it with a faster internet plan. But then you will not get the speed you are paying for in many places in your home.

My recommendation for you with a faster internet plan that is on a budget is the TP-Link AX50. 

Design & Ports

The Archer A7 is a small glossy-black router measuring 1.4- by 9.5- by 6.0-inches (243×160×32.5mm). 

It has four 1G LAN ports and one WAN port. The LAN ports are what enable other devices to get a wired internet connection from the router. 

The WAN port is what you connect to your modem or ONT. Here is where the internet comes into the router. 

Furthermore, the Archer A7 also has one 2.0 USB port. The USB port enables you to connect a printer or external hard drive for sharing on the network. [2]

Moreover, the A7 has an On/Off switch, Reset switch, a Wi-Fi On/Off switch, and one USB active light. 

From the front, you see nine lights. One is for the power, two for each band, four for all the ethernet ports, one for the WAN port, and the last for WPS activity. 

Overall the design is very standard. My only annoyance is how easy it was to scratch. Within 10 minutes of usage, I had already managed to scratch it in multiple places. 

Maybe it was me who was a bit clumsy. But still, I don’t think it should scratch that easily. 

Firmware Features

The TP-Link Archer A7 uses the Tether app, which is the TP-Links app for routers. From there, you can settings and turn on and off features on the router. 

One such feature is parental controls. It allows you to create users for your kids that stop them from accessing certain domains or topics of your choice. 

It also enables you to set the time they get to be on the internet. 

Another feature of the Archer A7 is the QoS. It enables you to prioritize devices in your network. 

Though, I did find this feature very underwhelming. Since it only allows capping the bandwidth of devices. 

I expected something akin to what the TP-Link AX6000 offers. That makes it possible to prioritize a type of activity on the network. Such as for streaming or gaming.

The Archer A7 can also create a guest network. It enables guests to connect to your internet without having access to any other devices in your home network. 

From a security standpoint, the Archer A7 is decent. Being protected by Trend MICRO, a cybersecurity company with an excellent reputation. [3]

You have multiple protection types you can turn on and off. I recommend having it all turned on at all times. 

The risk with the Archer A7 is that since it’s an older model, it might not receive many new updates patching security flaws. 

So if security is a big concern for you, I would recommend a newer router. 

Coverage

From a range perspective, I found that the TP-Link Archer A7 performed quite average. With its Wi-Fi reaching about 80-90 feet (~25-27 m). 

Such a range will be enough for a small or medium-sized home.

Even though, I need to mention that the range is hard to calculate and will vary from home to home. 

The reason for this is that many things impact the range. Some examples are the router’s position, surroundings, and signal interferences. 

I recommend a mesh system instead if you know yourself to have a larger home with many dead spots. 

A good one I reviewed is the TP-Link Deca M4. 

Setup & Warranty

The setup process for the Archer A7 was easy. I used the TP-Link app Tether. Which found the router fast when I connect to the Wi-Fi network.

Consequently, I followed the steps on the phone, and then I was done. 

You can also set up the router using your computer. Which you do by either connecting the computer with an ethernet cable or to the Wi-Fi. 

The Wi-Fi password will be at the bottom of the router. Then, type in tplinkwifi.net in your browser and follow the instruction. 

The Archer A7 has a warranty of one year. 

One year is okay, but not as long as many others. But since it’s a cheaper router, it’s somewhat expected. 

TP-Link Archer A7 AC1750 Reviews

With over 52 000 reviews on Amazon, the TP-Link Archer A7 has a very good rating considering that this is a budget router. 

The most significant problem people are having is the same as with most other routers, defective units. 

Luckily the one-year warranty covers this. But it is nevertheless very annoying if it happens. 

But looking at the reviews, I would say that the router has fewer defects than most other routers. 

Alternatives to TP-Link Archer A7

Even though the Archer A7 is a good router, some other options might fit you better.