TP link ac1200 vs. ac1350 – Which offers the widest coverage
Having a router that can offer coverage to all your rooms is essential when you are choosing a home router. Additional technologies like beamforming and MU-MIMO are an added bonus. Here we examine the TP Link ac1200 and ac1350.
The home router market is saturated with various top end routers each promising the fastest speeds. However, unless you run your router through various throughput tests you may never know the actual speeds. It is imperative that you choose a home router that comes with features like parental control and guest network settings.
TP Link is one of the more established companies in the router market. They have routers to meet a host of needs and are equipped with some of the latest technologies like beamforming, MU-MIMO and QoS. In this review, we check out the TP Link ac1200 and the ac1350 and tell you which offers the best range.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the TP link ac1200 vs. ac1350?
Model |
TP Link ac1200 (Winner) |
Ac1350 |
Dimensions (inches) |
9.6 x 6.4 x 1.3 |
5.67 x 1.46 x 9.06 |
Wireless compatibility |
802.11ac/n/b/g/a |
802.11a/g/b/n |
Antennas |
3 |
5 |
Speed |
900Mbps for the 5GHz band and 300Mbps for the 2.4GHz |
450Mbps for the 2.4GHz and 867Mbps for the 5GHz |
Availability |
TP link ac1200 vs. ac1350 – How do they compare?
Design
The ac1200 comes in an outdated design that may confuse many people as to its capabilities. It is an ideal route for someone who is operating in an area that is not congested or lacks many devices. The easy setup makes this an ideal beginner level router. The router features 3 external antennas who signal strength is boosted through the use of beamforming technology. With the technology the router will send signals to available devices then prioritize those that need more bandwidth. Directional antennas are ideal for spreading a signal more efficiently. The router also comes with 4 Gigabit ports and one USB port.
The ac1350 is more stylish then the ac1200. It features a white glossy design that is easy to clean and does not spot easily. The ac1350 is a big router meaning you will have to find some space to store it. The antennas are large and stand out. You also get slanted corners with ventilation holes that ensure you router does not overheat. At the back of the router you will get your ports. This includes the WPS key, power adapter port, four Ethernet LAN ports, internet (RJ45) port and reset pin-hole. The ac1350 features five antennas – three 5GHz antennas at the back and two 2.4GHz at the sides. The antennas are built from plastic and are adjustable not removable.
Performance
The ac1350 supports the 3×3 MIMO technology that enables it to send multiple tasks to multiple devices all at once. The tech enables you to stream your 4K videos effectively. The total bandwidth for the two bands is 1.35Gbps. The router are positioned strategically so that they offer a better connection. The 2.4 GHz offers speeds of 450Mbs for the 2.4GHz and 876Mbps for the 5GHz band. The router comes with a guest network feature that allows you to have clients on the network will at the same time still protecting your privacy. This is done through encryptions like WPA-2-PSK2/WPS-PSK. You also have wireless standards like IEEE 802.11ac/n/a for the 5GHz and for the 2.4GHZ you have the IEEE 802.11b/g/n.
The ac1200 runs on a BCM47189 processor that is capable of enabling it reach speeds of up to 900Mbs on the 5GHz band and 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz frequency. The router has won various awards when it comes to performance including the JD power award. The later is one of the highest customer satisfaction award for routers. It did this in 2017 and 2018. The router comes armed with the latest MU-MIMO technology. This helps it stream simultaneously to multiple devices and at high speeds. The router can also be switched to an access point through the AP mode. It also supports parental control feature and guest Wi-Fi. With the parental control feature you are able to use a set of keywords to regulate the kind of content your kids are accessing. You can also determine the time they are accessing the net.
Setup and Installation
The setup for the ac1350 is very simple and fast. All you need to do is connect the router to your internet line and power and then log in to the TP Link web interface at tplinkwifi.net. Here you will be asked some basic router setup details and get the chance to setup bands, change your password as well as get basic information on your client devices. In the advanced setting section you get the ability to change stuff like VPN server, NAT forwarding, and parental controls. The router does come with an app which you can also use to monitor your router settings on the go. It is available for download for both iOS and Android phones. At the price they are offering and the router features this is a decent entry level router for home use.
The ac1200 can be setup through the Tether app for iOS and Android or the web browser. Once you connect the router to power and the internet you will be taken to the basic setting page where you will be asked some basic questions for router setup. The router comes with the parental control feature that allows one to use a set of keywords to limit the kind of URLs the kids are accessing. You can also choose the time they access the net. The Quality of Service(QoS) feature is an excellent tool for device prioritizing. It helps in distribution of bandwidth among machines. The ac1200 has Ethernet ports that allow you port your smart TV and gaming consoles. The guest network allows for two guest networks for each of your bands. You can then regulate the kind of stuff they can access on your network. The ac1200 also supports IPv6 connections and you can set up a dynamic IP address through the Dynamic DNS feature. Since this is a dual band router, you can choose to stream your HD videos from the 5GHz band and do moderate surfing with the 2.4GHz band.
TP link ac1200 vs. ac1350 – A Comparison Overview
TP link ac1200 – Overview
- Dual band router upgrades to 1200 Mbps high speed internet (300mbps for 2.4GHz ; 900Mbps for 5GHz),...
- Gigabit Router with 4 Gigabit LAN ports, ideal for any internet plan and allow you to directly connect...
This great dual band router offers you 300Mbps at 2.4GHz and 900Mbps at 5GHz. The router offers good value for money and its compact design means you can place it in various places in your desk or home. The router is great for your 4K streaming and high intensive games. The ac1200 measures 9.6 X 6.4 X 1.3 inches and has three external antennas.
What really makes the ac1200 stand out is that it capitalizes on the latest beamforming technology that enhances your network coverage. This means once the device detects devices seeking network access it will prioritize them hence allocating them more bandwidth. The dual band router works great for those who live in large homes and you do not need to worry about losing network coverage as you move through rooms. The router also comes with four Gigabit ports for your wired connections.
You have one USB port –which can be a setup for some people in consideration to the fact that many devices can now be ported through USB. However, for the price you are getting the router one port should be adequate. The ac1200 runs on the Broadcom BCM47189 processor that ensures the router is super-efficient when it comes to the allocation of bandwidth. If you have kids accessing the router, you will find the parental control feature in handy. With the tool you can use a set of passwords to prevent kids from accessing some adult themed websites.
The QoS feature allows the device to manage bandwidth in between machines while the guest network allow up to 2 guest networks per band into your network. You can customize the router to VPN by setting it to either PPTP or open VPN.
This is an ideal router for home use. You can use the 5GHz band to stream various 4K movies and intensive games while avoiding those annoying buffering notifications. If you want to use the router for normal internet browsing you can easily switch to the 2.4GHz band. Both bands work great when it comes to internet connections no matter the distances.
What we liked:
- Small sized making it ideal for home use
- Good coverage
- Easy to install and setup
- Updated firmware
What we did not like:
- Lack of enough storage capacity
TP link ac1350 – Overview
- Get faster Wi-Fi at both the 2.4GHz band (450mbps) and the 5GHz band (867mbps)
- The advanced AC Wi-Fi unlocks the performance of all your wireless devices
The ac1350 is capable of offering amazing speeds with both its bands. With the 2.4GHz band you get 450MHz and 867Mbps on the 5GHz. This means you will not experience any buffering in your attempts at watching HD videos or playing high intensive video games. The router boosts of three high performance external antennas that provide adequate coverage to all your home rooms.
Most of routers are coming with the latest 802.11ac technology and the ac1350 is no exception. You also get to use some software features like guest network and parental control. A USB port is available for your printer and device connections. The router also supports 3X3 MIMO technology that enables you to multi-task. The parental control feature allows you to control what your kids view online. You can block some URL that have adult content or see the kind of stuff they are surfing online on their devices.
The guest network feature allows you to allow in some people into your network while still protecting your privacy. The setup process is pretty fast and easy. You get TP-Link app that allows you to control your router settings on the move. The ac1350 offers excellent coverage while remaining budget friendly. The device design is overall good looking but it can become bulky at times. The biggest downside to the ac1350 is that it does not have a dedicated USB port. This is a big letdown considering most of their competitors now come with both 2.0 and 3.0 USB ports. The absence of the USB port means you will not be able to share multimedia files over the network. Another downside is that the router does not support third party firmware. This means you are limited to the features available on the router. Any attempts to download third party firmware won’t work as the software is locked.
What we liked:
- Decent internet coverage
- Helpful mobile app
- Parental control feature
- Appealing physical design
What we did not like:
- Lack of USB port
- You cannot use third-party firmware
Conclusion: Which is better? TP Link ac1200 or ac1350?
In this review, the clear winner is the TP Link ac1200.The router is highly regarded in the market and has won the JD Power award for the best router customer satisfaction for the years 2017/18. The router offers speed of up to 900Mbps for 5GHz band and 300Mbps for 2.4GHz band. These speeds are quite adequate to power up medium sized homes with fast and reliable internet speeds. The router is easy to install and customize and comes with a Tether App.
FAQ
Can I use the ac1200 as an access point?
The ac1200 can be switched to an access point through its AP mode. It also comes with four Ethernet ports to enable you port your smart TV and game consoles without compromising on the network coverage in any way. The router leverages on technologies like MU-MIMO to ensure simultaneous data streaming.
Is the c1350 a good gaming router?
While the router does not come with the kind of gaming features you will find in an Asus router the speeds on the 5GHz are quite impressive to enable one do some multiplayer games and 4K video streaming. The router does have Ethernet ports that you can use for porting your gaming console and it can handle multiple devices without compromising on bandwidth. The router uses the latest wireless standards like the 802.11ac/n/a for its 2.4GHz and 5GHz and this ensures fast internet connections suitable for gaming.
