- 3 separate frequencies
- Beamforming for hard to reach places
- Supports up to 3200Mbps
- Cost a bit high for general use
- Antennas do not detach
- No sFTP access to external drive (optional)
The More, the Merrier!
There are a couple of things that do stand out about the TP-Link Archer C3200. The main one that is quite noticeable is that it has 6, yes S-I-X antennas.
It definitely has a different look to it than your typical single or dual-frequency routers, which typically have 1 to 3 antennas at most. These 6 antennas only have two positions though: folded in or folded out.
Along the front of the Archer C3200, you have the status LEDs. They are power, 2.4Ghz, 5 GHz-1, 5 GHz-2, Ethernet, Internet (WAN), WPS, USB-1 and USB-2. You then have the Wi-Fi Enable/Disable button, WPS Pairing button and the LEDs On/Off button.
The backside of the Archer C3200 is of course where the connections are made. You have the 4-port Gigabit Ethernet ports alongside the WAN port. You have a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 port to connect external drives for network attached storage like functionality. A power switch, reset switch and power input round out the back.
The top of the TP-Link Archer C3200 has a mesh type cover that is used to keep the unit cool under full load. Also when folded in, the antennas are neatly out of the way, though why you would keep them folded in is a mystery other than when perhaps putting the unit into a box for shipping?