Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
12

Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-22 16:26:18
Model: Archer AX50  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.05

Hi - got a new Archer AX50 (running the latest firmware) to replace my aging Verizon Fios Actiontec router. My Fios is 200/200. I live in NYC in about a 1,000sqft apartment. 

 

Couple questions:

 

1. Smart Connect seems to put most (but not all) of my 5ghz capable devices on the 5ghz band as I would expect and I get the full 200/200 speeds at every corner of my apartment. However, it does seem to routinely switch my Vizio P75-F1 TV and my wife's work laptop (she works from home) to the 2.4ghz network even though they both support 802.11ac 5ghz bands. No reason for it to do this since the speeds are always faster on the 5ghz AC network and the range of 2.4ghz N isn't necessary. The Vizio is even in the same living room as the router. All the other devices (Apple Macs, iPads and iPhones seem to stay on the 5ghz). My Sonos setup needs to be on 2.4ghz and my original PS4 and bedroom Sharp Smart TV are all only 2.4ghz devices

 

If I turn off Smart Connect and just name both the 2.4ghz and the 5ghz bands with the same SSID will my 5ghz devices consistently stay connected to the 5ghz band or will the clients try to move between the two just like on Smart Connect? I like having one SSID vs. 2 seperate ones so Smart Connect is appealing but if there is no way to get optimum throughput using the 5ghz AC channel on devices that support 5ghz AC then I would rather just seperate the SSID's so they consistenyl stay connected to the AC 5ghz band. 

 

Alternatively, I don't believe there is but is it possible to bias Smart Connect to the 5ghz band if the device supports 5ghz bands?

 

2. This router is advertised as working with Alexa but then the compatability list here (https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/alexa-compatibility/) doesn't show that to be the case?

 

Thanks!

  0      
  0      
#1
Options
12 Reply
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-22 17:57:12

@SFT007 

 

Smart Connect manages the devices on and base band selection off a few factors:  1.  Device capablities.  It looks if a device can connect to 2.4 only or if its a dual band device.  2. Traffic needs.  Based on the type of traffic, priority of traffic is QOS is used the router will decide which is better suited 2.4 or 5.  Say you are only surfing the web or checking email, 2.4 would be likely chosen as the traffic needs to not show a use for high bandwidth.  3.  Distance:  The further away a device is the less likely 5GHz will be used.  4. Traffic load.  if there is a high ammount of traffic needs the router may decided to off load lesser devices (in terms of requested traffic) to 2.4GHz to improve the band overall quality.  

 

For Alexa skills on our routers check this FAQ.  Note the AX50 has not been added to the list yet but should include the same features that the AX6000 shows. https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/1569/

  0  
  0  
#2
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-22 22:52:29

@Carl 

 

Thanks. I'll see if streaming 4K HDR content on my TV forces it to move to the 5ghz band as you mentioned. If so, then I'm ok with how the function works but it would be dissapointing if it continued to stay on the 2.4ghz band since I get about 4x the speed/throughput on the 5ghz band so that means less buffering, etc.

 

Regarding Alexa yes I saw that but the AX50 isn't on the list of devices that support Alexa so it doesn't seem relevant at this time. Not that it's an important feature but I guess you're saying Alexa will be enabled by a future firmware update?

  0  
  0  
#4
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-22 23:11:46

@SFT007 

 

Sorry for the confusion. I meant that only the FAQ was not updated but AX50 does support Alexa.  

  0  
  0  
#5
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-23 01:33:41

@Carl 

 

Thanks, yes it seems Alexa is enabled thanks for confirming that.

 

I ended up turning smart connect off and manually connecting each device to a specific band. I was using AirPlay from my Mac to my TV and the Mac was on 5ghz and TV on 2.4ghz and video wasn't very smooth. I was hoping Smart Connect would then force the TV to the 5ghz band but it didn't. Manually changed to the 5ghz band after that. 

  0  
  0  
#6
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-23 18:39:51

@SFT007 

 

Smart Connect can do that but it would depend on several factors such as distance and the content needs of the the TV.  Smart connect will remanaged your network every 120 seconds but will only move a device 1 time in a 24 hour period, this avoids further lag and connection issues.  Beyond those factors if the feature isn't working we can defiantly look into it further. 

  0  
  0  
#7
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-23 22:24:10 - last edited 2020-01-23 22:25:40

@Carl 

 

Thanks, I keptSmart Connect on to see how it would do and it still consistently prefers to move devices to 2.4ghz (on which I get 4x slower speeds than on the 5ghz network) even though both bands show full bars and connection (which makes sense given they are in the same room or only in the adjacent room at worst). Looks like a similar thread here: https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/forum/topic/176486

 

I think the algorithms need to be updated to bias 5ghz a lot more than it is currently doing given there is such a speed inprovement in doing so. Would recommend you bring that up the chain as an enhancement. 

  0  
  0  
#8
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-24 17:43:06

@SFT007 

 

Thank you for the updated details, I agree there does appear to be room for improvement. I will send it up to our engieering division to futher investigate.  I do not expect an answer though unitl early Febuary due to the Chinese New Year just starting.  Once we know more we can make an annoucment in our Official Annoucments section on this community. 

  0  
  0  
#9
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-01-24 19:02:58

@Carl 

 

Thanks and for the record I do think it generally works quite well. Yesterday my Smart TV was on 2.4ghz and I streamed a bunch of content in 4K HDR and today I noticed it had moved it back to the 5ghz channel. My wifes work laptop is still on 2.4ghz when it should choose 5ghz but all the other devices that are capable of 5ghz are now on the 5ghz network. So it is doing the right thing most of the time. In my case since the apartment is a small (big for NYC!) 1-bedroom with strong coverage on the 5ghz band corner to corner there is just no need to be on the 2.4ghz band on a 5ghz capable device. Maybe the algorithm should be updated so that it is capable of moving more frequently than just once every 24 hours, especially if it is checking the connection every 2 mins.

 

Either way, appreciate the responses and you taking it up the chain to improve the performance further.

  0  
  0  
#10
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-06-04 16:32:21

@Carl Hi Carl,

 

I'm facing the same issue with an AX 6000.

 

It keeps all my wifi 6 devices on 2.4 ghz even when in the same room as the router. 24 hours went buy and nothing has changed.

What the point of having wifi 6 and an expensive router if it will keep you on the slow band? I have gigabit internet and only get around 80 mbps because smart connect keeps me on the slow crowded band.

 

When is TP-Link issuing an update on this matter?

  0  
  0  
#11
Options
Re:Archer AX50 - Smart Connect & Alexa Qestions
2020-06-04 17:33:18

@RaverCWB 

 

Are you using Smart Connect?  If you are we would recommend disabling the feature albeit temporarily and manually connect your WiFi 6 devices to 5GHz.  

  0  
  0  
#12
Options

Information

Helpful: 0

Views: 2254

Replies: 12