been planning a network upgrade for a while now and finally getting around to it. the setup has grown more than expected over the past year, currently running several laptops, two smart TVs, a couple of IP cameras, and a NAS all connected at the same time. the existing router handles basic browsing without complaint but starts showing its limitations when multiple devices are doing something demanding simultaneously.

one of the main workhorses in the setup is the Viper Expeder G Series laptop which handles video calls, large file transfers, and remote desktop sessions through the day. stable throughput matters more than peak speed for that kind of use and the current router occasionally drops the ball during busy periods.

for those running TP-Link routers or mesh systems in similar setups, which configuration changes actually moved the needle for you? specifically curious whether enabling OFDMA made a noticeable difference with several clients active at once, whether Band Steering caused any issues with older devices, and how much practical improvement QoS delivered for prioritizing work traffic over background activity.

real world experience from mixed device environments would be more useful than spec sheet comparisons at this point. appreciate any input before committing to the next upgrade.