N300 Vs AC1200 – Which router provides higher bandwidth?
If you’re looking for a Wi-Fi extender for you home, you are likely to have stumbled upon either an N300 router or an AC1200 router. Many Wi-Fi extenders fall under these two categories. In this article, we are going to look at what the categories mean and highlight the differences between each of them to see which one suits you best.
The use of home internet has grown so much that it would be difficult to any urban home without it. Wi-Fi is almost a basic need today with the price of internet getting lower and speeds getting faster. Because of this, a new line of routers has been in use over the past decade known as Wi-Fi extenders or Mesh router system. Wi-Fi extenders as the name suggests, extend the Wi-Fi signal and regenerate it to ensure there are no dead zones in your house. The two are different in the following way. N300 routers are either single band or dual band systems that provided a maximum speed of 150 Mbps on each band. They are somewhat older and there are not many N300 routers today. AC1200 on the other side provide a speed of up to 1.2 Gbps on the 5 GHz band with slower speeds on the 2.4 GHz radio band. Other categories of a Wi-Fi extenders include: N300 and AC750.
To understand the two better, we’ll look at two products: TP Link TL-WR841 N300 Router and TP-Link Archer A6AC1200 Router.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between TP Link N300 and TP Link AC1200?
Model |
TP Link TL-WR841 N300 |
TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 (Winner) |
MU-MIMO |
No |
Yes |
Beamforming |
No |
Yes |
Ports |
5 (4 LAN ports and 1 WAN port) |
5 (4 LAN ports and 1 WAN port) |
Chipset |
2 x 2 single band Qualcomm processor |
2 x 2 dual band 750MHz SOC processor |
Speed (Long range) |
300 Mbps – Download speed
150 Mbps – Upload speed |
867 Mbps – Download speed
300 Mbps – Upload speed |
Antenna |
2 external |
4 external |
Availability |
TP Link TL-WR841 N300 vs TP-Link Archer A6 AC1200 – How do they compare?
Performance and range
One of the most important factors to consider when looking for a router is the performance and range provided by the router. The performance refers to the speed and bandwidth provided by the router while the range refers to the distance that router is able to send the signal. When it comes to the performance and range of the TP Link N300, do not set your expectations too high. First, this router was released over five years ago and a lot has changed since then. The router uses N300 technology meaning the speed is capped at just 150 Mbps on each band since the TP Link TL is a dual band router. This router is an entry level machine and the price tag proves it. With just under 20 bucks, you can have the router delivered to your door step. When it comes to range, also don’t expect much from it due to the fact that it is an entry level. It can provide a range of just a few feet, enough for a small single room or one bedroom house. The router is also known to be affected by obstruction considerably.
On the other hand, we have the slightly more powerful TP Link Archer A6 which is an AC1200 router. This means AC1200 it provides a speed of up to 1.2 Gbps on the 5 GHz band with slower speeds on the 2.4 GHz radio band. Although not very high, this router would be a great choice for anyone looking for an affordable router with decent performance. Since the AC1200 router is newer, the range is much more compared to the TP Link N300 with a range on up to 1000 sq feet. This is enough for a small one bedroom or two bedroom house.
Design and Structure
Among the top considerations when looking for a router is the design of the router. No one wants an ugly piece of machinery sitting on their living room. Comparing the design of the TP link N300 and TP Link AC1200, there is not much difference between them. And this is because of two main reasons: they are both entry level routers and they are products from the same company. The TP Link N300 is a small white device with toughened plastic body. The body features a matte finish to prevent fingerprints and oily hands from sticking on the surface of the router. At the back, the router comes with five external connection ports where four are gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and one is a WAN port. The ports are colored for indication. On top of this, the router has two black antennas attached to the back of the router. There is also a power port and a reset button on the back. At the front, there are LED lights that indicate the status of the router.
On the other hand, we have the much better looking and striking router – the TP Link A6 AC1200. For a more expensive router, there is no doubt it should look better. The router takes an all-black approach. The body features a matte finish to prevent fingerprints and oily hands from sticking on the surface of the router. At the back, the router comes with five external connection ports where four are gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and one is a WAN port. The LAN ports are yellow in color and the WAN is blue for indication.There is also a power port and a reset button on the back. At the front, there are LED lights that indicate the status of the router. In addition, the router has two black antennas attached to the back of the router that help propel the signal to long ranges.
Hardware and other features
The hardware and features are what give the router its performance. The TP Link N300 features a dual band 802.11 processor that supports two radio channels: the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channel. This processor provides a speed of up to 300 Mbps and a short range. The TP Link N300 also features a memory chip with 128 MB of RAM and 512 MB of storage memory for the firmware, router settings and any updates that may be provided. The TP Link Archer A6 on the other hand features slightly more powerful CPU processor. It is fitted with a 2 x 2 dual band 750MHz SOC processor thatsupports two radio channels: the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channel. The 2.4 GHz channel supports speeds of up to 300 Mbps while the 5 GHz channel does speeds of up to 867 Mbps. This processor provides way better performance at a decent price. Furthermore, the router comes with amazing features that boost the performance highly. The features include: MUMIMO for simultaneous data streaming and beamforming which enhance the signal transmissions. There is also a mobile app for the router that is compatible with both android and iOS devices. The app allows you to change basic settings, setup parental control and run diagnostics for your router. You can also create guest networks which is great.
TP Link TL-WR841 N300 vs TP Link Archer A6 AC1200 – A comparison review
TP Link TL-WR841 N300
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The TP Link Company has been producing high quality routers for decades now at an affordable price without compromising on performance. The TP Link N300 is another of their products that lives up to this reputation. The router is very cheap and provides quite a decent performance for a router of such price. It features a very simple design with a curved rectangular shape. At the back of the router there are two external unremovable antennas that propel the signal to far distances. Don’t expect too much from this router as it is one an entry level router that supports only the basics. But even at this level, the router features high speeds that will work well for any home owner. First, it is fitted with a dual band processor that supports both the 2.4 and 5 GHz channels. However, the router only works on the 2.4 GHz band to provide a maximum speed of 300 Mbps. The speed is theoretical. In addition, the router comes with multiple ports for physical connections. There are four LAN ports and one WAN ports located at the back of the router. There is also a reset button and power port. The router does not have any USB ports
The TP Link N300 is an old router so don’t expect long range. In fact, when tested the in a real world environment, the router provided a speed of 20 Mbps over a distance of 10 meters. Moving further to 25 meters, the speed dropped to 3.2 Mbps. The TP Link N300 is a cheap router with decent performance compared to routers in its price range. If you’re looking for a cheap router for a quick fix, this is definitely the router for you.
Pros
- It features two antennas for better signal
- It provides decent performance compared to routers in its price range.
- It is very easy to setup using the TP Link mobile app
- It comes with parental control settings
- It is very cheap
Cons
- It is slow especially of there are many connected devices
- It has poor range
TP Link Archer A6 AC1200 – Overview
- JD Power Award ---Highest in customer satisfaction for wireless routers 2017 and 2019
- Supports 802. 11AC Wi-Fi standard, Dual Band Wireless Router for home
The TP Link Archer is an AC1200 rated router that offers great value for money. It is the perfect router with balanced performance ideal for small and medium sized homes. Whether you are streaming content in 4K or downloading relatively large files, the router will work seamlessly. To power this devices, it is fitted with a 2 x 2 dual band 750MHz SOC processor that supports two radio channels: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. When it comes to the exterior design, the router looks much better than the N300. First, the router is glossy black in color with a toughened plastic body. It comes with four antennas fitted on each of the four corners of the router. Because of this, the router may be difficult to mount on a wall or stationary object. However, it can be placed anywhere due to its small size. The router measures 1.4 by 9.1 by 5.7 inches and weighs about eight ounces. This compact design feels solid and sturdy on the hand. At the front, there are LED status indicator lights for the radio bands, the Ethernet and Internet and the WPS connection. The rear of the router contains the reset and power button, the WPS button and the five ports where four are gigabit Ethernet LAN and one is WAN port. This router also does not have USB ports. Other additional features of this router include the following: simultaneous data streaming otherwise known as Multiple Input Multi User Multi Output (MUMIMO) and beamforming. To control the router, you need the TP Link mobile. The app allows you to to change basic settings, setup parental control and run diagnostics for your router and create guest networks
Pros
- It provides high speeds
- The router has good coverage
- The TP Link Archer router is very easy to setup
- The small size allows for easy positioning and placement in the house
Cons
- It has poor range
Conclusion
When looking for the best router, we take the one that suits our needs best. The routers are both entry level. If you’re looking for a cheap router for a quick fix, the TP Link N300 is definitely the router for you. Otherwise, for faster speeds and range, the Archer AC1200 is better for you
Final Verdict – which is better of the two?
When you put all factors into consideration, the TP Link Archer A6 AC1200 is a much better router than the TP Link N300. It is affordable, offers faster speeds and range and has an excellent design.
FAQs
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Does the TP Link N300 support MUMIMO?
No. it is an entry level router with minimal additional features
-
Is the TP Link archer AC1200 A6 Alexa enabled?
Yes. You can control various aspects of the router through voice control provided you have an Alexa smart hub.
