TP-Link AX1500 as a home router: a test with no slowdowns

The owner of the TP-Link AX1500 found that a compact travel router can fully serve as a primary home device. After a two-week vacation where the gadget provided stable connectivity, the author decided not to leave it unused and connected it to the home network. The result exceeded expectations: over 14–16 hours of testing, there were no slowdowns or connection issues.

During the test, three laptops, two smartphones, one smart TV, two smart plugs, a security camera, and a Fire TV Stick were connected to the router simultaneously. The device showed no signs of overload, and thanks to a free LAN port, it was even possible to set up a wired connection to one of the laptops. The author admits that this period is too short for final conclusions but believes that for a home with 7–10 devices, a travel router is a viable option.

The key advantage turned out to be extended control over network settings. Unlike routers provided by internet service providers, the TP-Link AX1500 offers access to fine-tuning of most parameters and advanced features. This allowed managing the network as flexibly as with a regular router.

The author does not urge abandoning primary equipment entirely but notes that if an ISP-provided device is in use, experimenting with a travel router will not do much harm. The main thing is to choose a model with LAN ports and sufficient performance, then the difference will be minimal.