TP-Link AC2800 Archer VR2800
VerifiedMPN: VR280029 reviews
Have had the VR2800 for only a few years now. In summation, it’s good until it isn’t. The isn’t is the onset of regular internet dropouts that get progressively more frequent. The white lights on the modem would indicate that it’s all okay but it’s not and the dropouts just become a daily occurrence. The lesson here is - purchase a new modem/router that is not TP-Link. Show details
Two modem routers in a row defunk out of box – Vx1800 didn't work. Customer support gave up on the issue and a call back a day late after I'd already established it's a dud.. Ok I need the internet I'll just get another the vr2100. Great it works but 4 days later all settings lost doesn't show up won't connect after I disconnect DSL to phone port to move it. Once. Doesn't make any sense. Yes… Read more
updates drivers, everything, more hours spent....nup. and they have no idea what's going on either. Nightmare never do it it's not worth the risk
Connectivity issue – Novia, thank you so much for all your help connecting my new device to the internet. You were patient, knowledgable and your kindness is very much appreciated. Well done I’m am extremely grateful.
Exceptional modem/router. Fast, reliable, and very easy to setup – Rock solid performance from this modem/router. Very strong range, especially on the 5GHz band. Setting it up virtually took 5 minutes. The VR2800 USB Share works great. Sync rates are great as well; we get faster download speeds than what we paid for. Simply beautiful. This is the 4th TP-Link networking appliance we bought. They work with… Read more · 3
absolutely zero issues. A 3-year warranty on top of all that. Amazing. Bought it from Wireless 1 for a very good price.
Poor performance – Rubbish wifi compared to old Asus 68 poor buffering and struggling with 4 connections. Very disappointed. Show details
Unreal customer service – I have only just set this up, so I can’t say too much about the device itself. But the customer service I received was phenomenal. Stella walked me through everything step by step and didn’t show any frustration whatsoever with my lack of technology skills. Show details
Good router excellent support staff – I've been very happy overall with the performance of this modem / router. But I was very pleased with the speed and simplicity of the support I received from Tina when I needed some help setting up a new internet connection. Very impressed. Show details · 1
Waste of money: Wifi stopped working after a few months, false WiFi speeds were advertised – Modem seemed great at first, it was advertised that it would be getting a firmware update to support 160mhz for faster WiFi speeds. (This was written on the box) However the update has never happened, so they falsely advertised the maximum possible speeds. After about 6 months of use, the WiFi stopped working completely. Searching online, it… Read more
seems that this is a common fault and the only option is a replacement. I lost my receipt so was unable to claim it on warranty. However I don't want to replace it with another unit that will likely have the same issue in a few months.
I'm throwing it in the E-Waste bin, and never buying another TP Link product.
outstanding Customer Service for this product – Great product, even better customer support when help me find older version of the firmware as the feature I was looking for was not there, Tyrone_yu and Lily went way above what is required when dealing with their customers :) 5 stars all round Show details
Exactly as advertised – Works as advertised and intended. You'll likely need to speak with your ISP when setting up but this is the same with any other product. I think negative reviews are from people who expect it to be an immediate plug and play solution or don't understand the set up process. Connectivity and signal strength is improved from ISP supplied, but our apartment is essentially a Faraday cage so we still need an extender. Show details
Ours works fine – Had to get a new router after the last one was zapped by lightning. This one was was easy to set up and has superior wifi coverage through our house compared to the last one. I contacted our ISP Aussie Broadband to check it was totally compatible with their systems, and the technician I spoke to guided me through a couple of tweaks to the settings which gave us a bit more download/streaming speed. Show details · 1
Absolute PO S. Constant drop outs. Original unit replaced under warranty and the replacement is almost as bad – When it works, its fast and its great. Our old unit had multiple daily drop outs of devices using wifi. Ethernet connection was still good. NBN tech called in. Tested the line- faulty modem. I said no way, its only been out of the box for a month. Unit replaced shortly after under warranty as the 5Ghz wifi radio blew up and only 2ghz wifi was… Read more
working. The online retailer warranty process was slow and painful and they sent the replacement to the wrong address.
The new replacement unit is now also playing up with wifi drop outs every few hours on most devices. Streaming services stop working constantly. The router system logs show no NBN line drops so it has to be the wifi radio rebooting which takes a few seconds.
I seriously regret buying this thing. I thought that it was the fastest, most reliable wifi router, which I rely on daily as I run my business from home. Big mistake and I can't wait to replace it with another brand. Maybe I'll just plug our old Netgear router back in. It was slow, but at least it worked.
Overpriced and unstable router – Worst purchase! I bought it because I’m using nbn HFC network and needs Vland tagging. But it gives me so much frustration! Practically have to reset it every single day! Show details
Find out how TP-Link AC2800 Archer VR2800 compares to other Routers
Know better, choose better.
VPN feature is useless – The VPN feature of this product is useless if you want to access your internal network. The product has the option for enabling it as a "VPN Server", but doesn't allow access to your internal subnet range. Having read forums of similar issues, responses from TP-Link have been that the VPN traffic once connect to the router is still treated as… Read more
"external", so you have to open up ports using NAT and expose your internal network, as you do not have any control in the NAT options for where the external traffic is coming from. If you could choose the source as the VPN traffic it wouldn't be so much of an issue, but this cannot be done. This makes the VPN server feature of this router totally pointless. There is a hack for manually creating a route on your VPN connected computer to access the internal network, but this has been flakey to get operational and inconsistent. Having chatted to TP-Link support directly about it, they claim that "This router is a VPN pass-through only". Yet the router clearly has the option for enabling it as a "VPN Server" and is spruced as being VPN capable. If TP-Link allowed you to issue IP's to VPN connections from your internal address range, or allowed routing between the two networks, this would fix this issue. Yet the request has fallen on deaf ears. Don't buy it for its supposed VPN capabilities, you will be disappointed.
Get the settings right before judging, esp on NBN. I nearly sold mine but glad I didn't – After getting NBN, make sure you follow the instructions on this page about half way down. https://community.tpg.com.au/t5/Broadband-Internet/TPG-NBN-FTTP-settings-for-TP-Link-Archer-VR2800/td-p/34022 After I did that the difference was light years ahead of the factory settings for NBN. This is why I gave it 4 stars, it's 5 stasr after this recommended tweak (we're with TPG obviously) but very poor before the tweak. Hope this helps :) Show details
Great modem on adsl – Been using this modem about a week ago lm using it on adsl with Mate easy setup and no dropouts. great wifi signal never had issue with modem. Just want to know when i move to NBN in 3 weeks time can i use this modem router on nbn Hfc Show details
Internet frequently drops out. Previous modem router (Billion) did not have such error with the same ISP – Set up was easy, but internet drops out frequently (several times per hour). Searched the internet and found it is a common error with TP-Link modem routers. Stay away from TP-Link products. Show details
Very Unstable, Frequent Drop-Outs – Unfortunately this VR2800 is an expensive piece of junk. Although the ISP and Router Logs indicate a constant connection the connectivity to the internet both Wifi and LAN drop-out many times throughout the day - where at time we are even unable to even access the router software (192.168.1.1). 50% of the time the conenction is still down after… Read more
5-10minutes and requires a reboot - even though the LED's and Router software (when able to access it) say we are still connected to the internet with no errror in the log. Obviously a device model fault as I have previosuly used TP-Link (mid grade modems) with no problems. I have been sending the Support various logs and screen captures but am not getting anywhere productive. Please save your money and look elsewhere - this may looks the part, but has too much 'tech' and buzz words built into it that they have forgotten to do the basic function of conenctivity..
Daily dropouts, do not buy – My internet connection drops out daily, sometimes multiple times a day, since installing this product. A bit of Googling shows this is a common issue. TP-Link have been unable to resolve the issue, and their support has been quite slow to respond. I am returning this product as faulty under consumer law. Show details
Perfect modem router – Previously had an ASUS AC88U which gave me nothing but grief, returned and replaced with the TP link archer and have had it for two months now with not a single issue. I have 6 wireless devices connected and running FTTN! I would never buy an ASUS or Netgear networking device ever again Show details
Great modem for family – If you have a big family with lots of device this is a modem you should go for, it's very reliable. It's very easy to setup with the instructions given in the box. Although it's big and bulky as long as it has a good connectivity, I have no complaint about that. Show details
Replaced the rsp supplied fixed issues immediately – I purchased the tp link archer vr2800 to replace the sagemcom modem that was supplied. Previously I couldn't access animelab, Iview or sbs on demand through the TV apps even though Netflix YouTube ten play etc all worked the others would just show the load screen when you selected content. Purchased modem and was flicking through the apps and… Read more
decided to give it a try content loaded and played almost immediately. Speed remains constant and consistent whereas before it would drop to sub 3mbps momentarily constantly. Since install I've had consistent connection.
Find out how TP-Link AC2800 Archer VR2800 compares to other Routers
Know better, choose better.
A lot of money and a big waste of time – I bought this modem on Tuesday. Worked great on Tuesday and Wednesday, today (Thursday) we have internet for 1-2 minutes and then it's gone. Settings are all fine, exactly the same as Tues and Wed, yet it keeps dropping out. Reading other people's reviews tells me why - this is a big waste of money. Going into the store tomorrow to return it! Show details
Great Modem router – This is a great modem/router with a very easy user interface and easy wizard or quick step. It has a nice look about it and comes with all the latest wifi technology it is more than suitable for a multi level property. the only thing I fins a little awkward is the LED displays are on top so you have to be above it to see the leds. Show details
Flakey Shaky piece of !!! – Well easy to set up, worked a treat for 2 months then just started to drop out. ADSL is on iiNet and it keeps the link up, but no traffic from the net ! Says please set DNS manually (even though it can see iiNet DNS), you do works for a minute then flakes out again. Disconnected it and put BoB2 back on and no problems now. I do not recommend buying this device. Show details
Great promise, troubles with firmware – Top of the range router, easy to setup, lots of different options can be managed by mobile app. As a combined modem/router supports vdsl/adsl/cable so futureproof for nbn. broadcom chipset should be compatible. Does not support g.fast for some fttn connections However I'm using it on an adsl connection, and experiencing problems with connection… Read more
flooding where only one device can upload/download and will lock out other devices. This seems to be a firmware problem, as other modems have not had this issue.
Support has been slow in responding and I'm still waiting.
For the price it might be worth thinking about an asus.
Absolute dud – Bought a new TP Link Archer 2800, thought I would get an access point for the bedroom. Connected my D Link bridge no issues for the printer, reckon I could get TP Link to talk to TP Link via WPS not a hope. 4 hours online with TP Link not a chance. They tried to help I'll give them that but no go. Avoid this absolute time chewing monster absolute waste of time and money it is now in 8 pieces in the bin where it belongs.
fast & furious – guys it is really one of best modem routers for FTTN NBN. purchased online with 25% discount $280. can get 46 mb download and 37 mb upload(NBN FTTN 40-100 mb speed limit,aussie broadband plan)all around our 3 bedroom house. The range much better than other modems I have used in the past. Would highly recommend this product Show details
The best NBN modem-router of 2017 (so far) – After a dreadful experience with the Archer VR2600 (see my separate 1-star review), I defied my fear-avoidance instinct and had another gamble on a TP-Link product. TP-Link can be a bit hit-and-miss. The hardware is nearly always good, but when the firmware is buggy it is too slowly fixed (when it is fixed at all). On the other hand, if you… Read more
get something that works properly out of the box, it can be a very good value performer. This, I'm happy to say, applies to the VR2800.
The VR2800 marries a 'wave 2' 802.11ac router with a VDSL2+ modem, which will work happily on Australia's Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) broadband network. One exception is Telstra, which insists on connections using the Annex B protocol. Most TP-Link modems sold in Australia support Annex A only, which is similar but not strictly compliant. It's the result of lazily re-selling products designed for the UK, without releasing localised firmware.
Another consequence of selling UK products here is that the wifi channels are restricted, compared to the range permitted in Australia. The older 2.4 Ghz channels are no different, but on 5 Ghz the VR2800 misses channels 149-165. I've asked TP-Link if they'll issue new firmware to enable those channels, but there's been no reply. Experience tells us that with TP-Link, no news is NOT good news.
Now for the positives. The VR2800 is a smooth, quick and reliable modem-router. Its all-Broadcom chipset works a lot more happily than the VR2600's rocky marriage between Broadcom modem and Qualcomm routing and wifi chips. In a solid month of observation there have been no reboots, hangs or even niggles to suggest any bugs.
Build quality and performance are substantially better than the VR600, which looks similar in photos but is a much smaller, hotter running unit in real life. The VR2800 runs lukewarm, which is within expectations for a well designed modem-router. Its weight hints at decent heat-sinking underneath the perforated top rear cover. In short, it looks and feels like it's built to last.
Setup and configuration follows the 'new' TP-Link user interface. If you haven't experienced it, a fair summary is that it achieves simplicity by not offering advanced settings. Most wouldn't have a problem, but advanced users looking to tweak the finer points won't be happy. For example, MU-MIMO - a wifi feature of dubious benefit - cannot be toggled on/off at all. It possibly hasn't been implemented yet. That shouldn't worry you, but if it does, don't buy a VR2800 with an expectation of prompt firmware updates.
On my FTTN testing, the VR2800 took its time to achieve sync on a moderate quality (about 45 mbps max downstream) line. However, once it did so, it held sync more reliably and quickly than the older Broadcom based modem I'd been using on the same line. Routing tasks have been quick and dependable, with uPnP and other network functions all working the way they're supposed to.
My wifi testing proved the benefit of 'Wave 2' devices over the mainstream crop of AC1900, 802.11ac modem-routers. The VR2800 has beam-forming and MU-MIMO, but in reality it's the 4x4 transmission and reception array that pushes the data further and faster. Power amplifiers for the normally weaker 5 Ghz signal gave it a long reach, about equal to the 2.4 Ghz signal.
In mid 2017 there are now many routers with superior 'Wave 2' wifi, but surprisingly few modem-routers. The VR2800 therefore steals a march on Asus and other rivals. The price - about $380 at the time of writing - is about right for the features. But for the disappointing lack of customisation for Australian consumers, I'd have given it 5 stars.
If you're living in anything bigger than an apartment, and want a modem-router than can transmit NBN's fast data around your home with aplomb, this is worth getting. If your needs aren't immediate, you could try waiting for the much-anticipated Asus equivalent, the DSL-AC88U - although it'll be hard pressed to match the bang for the buck that the VR2800 offers.
ProductReview.com.au has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ProductReview.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links.
Hi, thanks for your review, I am sorry your experience… Read more