TP-Link Archer CR700 Product Details
AC1750 Wireless Dual Band DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Router
- Compatible with cable internet plans up to 300Mbps**
- Compatible with major cable ISPs, including XFINITY from Comcast, Cox Communications, Spectrum and more.
- Supports 802.11ac standard – the next generation of Wi-Fi
- Simultaneous 2.4GHz 450Mbps and 5GHz 1300Mbps connections provide a ultra-wireless experience
- 680Mbps DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem provides 16X faster download speed than DOCSIS 2.0 for an ultra-fast performance*
- Beamforming technology delivers a more targeted and highly efficient wireless connection
- Dual-core processor ensures no interruption when simultaneously processing multiple wireless or wired tasks
- Dual USB ports – Access files & media from networked devices or remotely via FTP server and share a printer locally
Your current and future smart devices can perform to their full potential by taking advantage of the newest standards in modem router technology. Utilizing the latest DOCSIS 3.0 modem protocol and 802.11ac wireless technology ensures both cable download speeds of up to 680Mbps and gigabit Wi-Fi speeds. The result is lag-free online gaming and seamless music and HD video streaming.
Protect the Network
Parental and Access Control features from the web management page grant you the ability to safeguard your network, restricting who can join and what content users may access while on it.
Easy, Efficient Data Access
Two USB ports make storing, accessing, and sharing data hassle-free by allowing multiple USB devices to connect to the modem router at the same time without the need for a separate USB hub.
With the number of Wi-Fi-enabled devices found in the home growing steadily, a network that can stretch its coverage to every room and reliably connect to several devices at once has become a necessity. The CR700 creates a strong Wi-Fi network throughout the home—upstairs, downstairs, and even outside. High powered amplifiers boost its wireless signal, a speedy processor handles bandwidth-intensive tasks, and its large amount of memory helps minimize lag and data buffering losses. The modem router is also equipped with beamforming technology, which increases its range by allowing it to focus independent signals towards devices rather than simply broadcasting in all directions.
What’s Included:
- TP-Link Archer CR700 Wireless Router
- Ethernet Cable
- Power Supply Cable
- Online Installation Manual
Will this work with my internet company?
This TP-Link modem is primarily used and is compatible with Charter, Comcast, Cox, Spectrum & Time Warner Cable service in most areas. To verify that this model will work in your area, always contact your service provider’s customer service prior to placing your order with us to confirm that this model will work with your service plan. Some service plan speeds may not be supported.
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S. Formoso –
Yet another worthless and defective gadget. It works great as a cable modem but it continues to crash every single time that I try to enable port forwarding. The menu for port forwarding won’t even display. Now I have to waste hours on the phone with TP-LINK’s support staff to hopefully fix a defective product that should have worked right out of the box.
Ron Z. –
This is a review of a free product received from TP-LINK for my evaluation and feedback as part of their review program.The CR700 combines a DOCSIS 3.0 16×4 Cable Modem with a Dual-Band AC1750 Router. The internal modem & router are both high-end products. Moreover, TP-Link has fine-tuned them to work together optimally. This review is for CR700 hardware v1.1, firmware v1.0.3_20150413, Rel 12120. The firmware was updated to correct a Port Forwarding issue.The internal DOCSIS 3.0 modem bonds together 16 download channels & 4 upload channels. TP-Link’s spec lists a max download speed rating of 680 Mbps. On the Time-Warner Cable (TWC) Approved Modem List the CR700 is Approved for Speeds up to 300 Mbps list. Registering the modem with TWC was simple. Telephoned TWC, told them I had a new CR700 modem & recited the MAC number at the bottom of the CR700. Just took a few minutes. TWC says new modems can also be activated through Internet online “chat” with an agent & their Internet activation portal.The CR700 has an elegant black matte finish with a silver front insert, stands 9.75” tall, 6.75” deep & 1.5” wide. 7 front indicator lights are initially all white. Upload & Download indicators turn green after all their respective channels become bonded. On my TWC service a power-on, including the 16×4 bonding process, takes less than a minute to complete. With my prior leased TWC modem the power-on synchronization usually took much longer. In fact, I usually needed to telephone TWC & ask them to reset my modem, otherwise the indicators would just keep blinking. That’s never been needed with the CR700.The CR700’s internal router is dual band (simultaneous 2.4 & 5 GHz operation), Wi-Fi handles both legacy & Next-Gen 802.11ac devices, beam forming targets active devices increasing range/coverage, has 4 1-Gigabit LAN ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports (Folder Sharing & Print Server), Parental Controls, WPS push button easy device connection, separate Wi-Fi Guest Networks, Firewall & the other advanced features normally associated with high-end AC1750 routers. A white 4’ Ethernet cable (Cat-5e) was included my retail box.To set up the CR700 just follow the 1-page Quick Installation Guide, that comes in the package. Set your browser to http://192.168.1.1 & log in. Initially Username & Password are both “admin”. If you’ve used TP-Link routers before the CR700’s User Interface (UI) will look familiar. It’s logically organized & easy to navigate. There are Basic & Advanced menus. The Basic menu shows a Network Map & you onto the Internet in 5-minutes. It’s very simple. The Advanced Menu had two sub menus, Operation Mode & System Tools.TP-Link also offers Tether, a free Android/iOS App. Tether displays a visual Network Map & is an easy way to configure the CR700 using a smart phone or tablet.The router had 6 internal antennas & provides great Wi-Fi coverage throughout my entire 2 story brick house, without having to resort to range extenders. The Wi-Fi signal is strong enough to penetrated multiple lathe & plaster walls. We use both legacy 802.11n & new 802.11ac devices. I am very pleased with the CR700’s performance in terms of device compatibility, range/coverage & speed.Here’s why the CR700 is designated an AC1700 router. Each Wi-Fi 802.11n data stream has a max capability of 150 Mbps. Each 802.11ac stream max is 433 Mbps. With Multi-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MU-MIMO) technology, having 3 antennas & 3 data streams apiece, (3×150=450 Mbps) + (3×433=1.3 Gbps) = 1,750 Mbps.I ran Ookla speed tests with a laptop (internal 1 Gigabit Ethernet card) & a tablet that’s 802.11ac compliant. An Ethernet Ookla desktop speed-test indicated 240 Mbps download & 25 Mbps upload, actually exceeding the speeds I pay for. The tablet Ookla App speed-test reported 214 Mbps download & 24 Mbps upload. It’s really not possible to accurately check the max modem/router speed capacity using only one device. What needs to be considered is the total combined stream that a router is handling from multiple devices running concurrently. If you do a speed-test on one legacy device with a 100/10 Mbps card you’ll never reach 100 Mbps. But that’s not a modem or router restriction. It’s due to the limitation of the legacy device. The combined simultaneous speed of all the devices connected to the CR700 is what counts. The proof is in the pudding. In my household we are now streaming HD video to multiple devices simultaneously without any buffering hiccups.The CR700 has a 2 year warranty plus 24×7 telephone & email Tech Support. During regular business hours Tech Support in California normally answers telephones. After-hours & on weekends calls go to China. I’ve also found the TP-Link User Forums to be a terrific resource for having questions answered (http://forum.tp-link.com/).My story is that I was using Time-Warner Cable (TWC) Internet 50 down/5 up. Verizon offered a better price on 50/50 FiOS. When I called TWC to switch, their retention department countered with a 200/20 promotion. To take up TWC on their offer I needed a modem upgrade. My existing modem was capable of bonding only 8 download & 4 upload channels. On TWC such 8×4 modems can support only a max download of 100 Mbps. TWC wouldn’t switch me to the 200/20 speed with an 8×4 modem installed. They said the 200 Mbps wouldn’t just degrade to 100 Mbps. So I needed a new cable modem in a hurry.After investigating specs, reviews & discussions with communication engineer buddies, TP-Link’s CR700 was on my short list. The CR700 is on TWC’s Approved Modem List for speeds up to 300 Mbps. It bolts together 16×4 channels, is IPv6 ready & came highly recommended. I’m an electrical/computer engineer who tests/reviews communication equipment. When I was offered a chance to review/evaluate a CR700, the timing was right & I jumped at it.Since the TWC modem lease fee is currently $8/month (and may rise in the future), it makes sense to forego paying a monthly modem lease fee & purchase your own modem. Own your modem & in less than 2 years you’ll come out ahead. TWC: “You have the option of leasing your Internet modem from TWC or buying your own modem… you may purchase your own modem from the list of TWC tested & approved modems. If you choose to purchase your own modem, the monthly TWC Internet Modem Lease charge will be waived.” “If you choose to purchase your own modem from the TWC tested & approved list, you can be confident that the equipment will support the current features & speeds provided as part of your Internet package.”TWC assumes responsibility for updating the CR700 firmware. This is OK with me because I already spend too much time & effort updating all my household computers & tablets. TWC: “Firmware is the software running on your cable modem that contains updates & configurations necessary for you to receive Time-Warner Cable internet service. The firmware listed is for informational purposes, as it is managed & periodically updated by Time-Warner Cable & is, therefore, not configurable by end users.”On my routers I’ve normally have DHCP “Address Reservation” enabled for 8 devices. I assign specific IP addresses to key devices so their menus can be bookmarked & devices can always be easily located. The CR700 firmware release I tested didn’t yet support DHCP “Address Reservation”. TP-Link’s Tech Support says it will be added in the next firmware release. If you require the “Address Reservation” feature right now you can still use the CR700 by setting it up to work as a modem only. Configure it for “Bridge Mode” & disable Wi-Fi. Connect your router to one of the CR700 LAN ports. I tried this with an Archer C9 Router & everything works perfectly & is stable.If you have an Internet triple-play plan, that includes telephone service, you can save money by using a CR700 along with an inexpensive OBi100 or Obi200 & Google Voice. They play nicely together. You’ll then be able to ditch the leased cable modem.I have flash drives plugged into the 2 USB 2.0 ports at the back of the CR700. Folders & files on these drives are accessible on all my Windows devices & Android tablets. The USB ports can also be used by external portable hard drives or printers. Then all your desktops, laptops & tablets can share an external disk drive or printer.Under System Tools there are 2 especially powerful Internet trouble shooting screens: Connection Status & Event Log. The Connection Status screen lists the dBmV Power Level for each of the 16 Downstream & 4 Upstream Bonded Channels, indicating whether your Internet connection is within spec. Downstream power level (Receive): -15dbmV to +15dbmV; Upstream (Transmit): 40-52 dBmV.My household has been using the CR700 on TWC @200/20 Mbps for more than a month. We are in a large house & have lots of smart phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, & smart TV’s; many devices are usually active simultaneously. Everything runs smoothly. There’s been no buffering, no reboots, no problems. Getting the CR700 & upgrading our Internet from 50/5 to 200/20 Mbps has been huge! We are certainly enjoying it.TP-LINK Archer CR700 AC1750 Wireless Dual Band 16×4 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Router, Up to 680Mbps Download Data Rates, Certified for Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision and Bright House
J. Berg –
I purchased this modem/router to replace my Netgear CG3000DV2 N450. I recently moved and I was experiencing deadzones in my new (larger) apartment. I decided to pick this up while on sale and I’m very pleased so far. Here are some things that I’ve noted so far:PROS:- Speed. I’m upgrading from a wireless N router and wireless AC is far superior (see speed test results).- Range. I no longer have connectivity issues in rooms located furthest away from router.- Cost (see CONS). No monthly fee.CONS:- Setup. I had to call Comcast 4 times to get this registered/activated properly. This is more an Comcast issue, but still a nuisance.- Cost (see PROS). Even though I got this on sale it was still pretty pricey, but it should pay for itself after 14 months.OVERVIEW:I’ve noticed a lot of reviews complaining about the port forwarding issue. I do not have a need to use port forwarding, so this doesn’t affect me. However, I did notice that my unit shipped with the new firmware upgrade dated 9/25/2015. I haven’t checked, but I think this resolves the port forwarding issue that many users were experiencing before. Overall, I’m very pleased with this modem/router. Check out some speed tests I ran before and after upgrading to this router.
Preston Mitchell –
Last November, I switched from ATT uVerse ADSL+2 to Cox Communications cable Internet. Thus, I needed new internet hardware.Cox recommended the Netgear AC1750 Cable Modem Router, because that model is on their list of ‘certified’ hardware. I tried that Netgear, which is their BEST model, and was disappointed in its WiFi range. I returned the Netgear to Cox.Next, I tried the TP-Link Archer AC1750. Oh WOW, it is awesome!PROS:1. Installation and set-up with DEFAULT settings was very easy and smooth.2. The TP-Link works like a dream with COX Communications. (However, read my Notes at review’s end.)2. TP-LINK tech support is incredibly helpful. I tried to tweak the advanced settings and messed up. I called tech support. The TP-Link technician was highly knowledgeable and patient. She walked me through every step of the way in adjusting advanced settings to my satisfaction. (Netgear’s customer service sucked.)4. The WiFi range is incredible. I have an old 3-story Victorian house built on the side of a mountain. Some of my interior walls were once exterior walls. However, the TP-Link blows through everything and delivers full WiFi strength to every corner of my house (after I placed the TP-Link at the center area of the second floor).5. I have not experienced any issues at all with this TP-Link.6. The TP-Link’s price is the lowest of any high-end Cable Router Modem.CONS:The TP-Link has two USB 2.0 ports for connecting external hard drives. I wish TP-Link had added at least one USB 3.0 port. But, hey, Netgear’s best model offers only 1 USB port. So, this ‘Con’ is far from a deal breaker…and really no big deal.SUMMARY:I am completely satisfied with the performance and WiFi range of the TP-Link Archer CR700 AC1750. I would recommend it to my own family and friends.NOTE for COX Customers:The TP-LINK is NOT on Cox’s list of certified hardware. Therefore, when you first attempt to activate the TP-Link, you will get resistance from Cox’s Level 1 Technicians. The idiots will tell you that the TP-Link is not compatible with Cox’s system. They are dead wrong. Ask for their supervisor. Tell the supervisor to activate your TP-Link. Then your TP-Link will be activated and work great with Cox Internet.
A. Sebas –
I am very happy with this purchase. Set up was easy I called Comcast and it was up and running in 15 minutes.
The Nut –
When I first started looking for a Cable modem/router, I thought I had done my research. I looked for a device with good ratings and well known brand, good number of connection channels with the provider (16×4), DOCSIS 3.0, etc. I settled on this one, even though it was a little bit above what I wanted to pay by about double. But I figured I would be getting a better product for the money. I guess I was wrong.Pros: Nice web interface, although a little too simplistic for me… But for that I am NOT marking any stars down. Simple and easy to use is a very good thing. With that said, it was not enough to bring my rating up any. The look of this device is one of the things that made me want to get it. This is a slick looking design and would look good anywhere.Cons: Web Interface in the advanced section on Port Forwarding and other sections. It only shows 5 entries at a time, and then makes you go to the next page. What idiot thought that only showing 5 at a time before requiring me to page would be smart. At least allow for me to click to show all as I have many port forwards. The unit, because of the height and narrowness of it, is a little unstable once all the network cables are attached and weighing it down. The cables make it lift up on the front, or tip over easily. Previous report of bad firmware being shipped with the item. I have not had any of the reported problems, but find it that there were. I knew the risks of this when I purchased it.Not tested: I do not have an opinion about the wireless portion of the router as I only connect to it with my cell phones and tablets (4 of them). I have not noticed any connection issues, nor have I noticed any greater coverage that my previous wireless router. The following section is not meant to imply anything good or bad about the wireless part of the router.Complete Failures: This is the part where I describe the complete failure that is this device. I must restart this router EVERY week, or it slows down and gets unreliable. Granted, it does not stop working, which is a small plus. Before you say it, it is not my internet service provider. I wanted to be VERY careful about that. I did 12 speed tests that tested download and upload speeds and Ping times. 6 happened before the router reboot, and 6 after. I was the only one using the router and I was hard wired with an Ethernet cable to eliminate any question that the wireless was to blame. I have a 150MB down and 15MB up connection to the internet with the provider. So I would expect something similar in my speed tests. Pre-Reboot Tests: It has been 5 days since a reboot. I wanted to do 6 tests before a reboot for consistency. 3 did not finish even the download portion of the test since the connection timed out. The other 3 tests limped along at 80MB/s download and between 9MB/s and 11MB/s upload with a ping time averaging 18ms. This download speed is only half of what I should be getting, the upload is a little bit less that what I should get, and the Ping time is at least double what it should be. What is hard to describe here, but is very easy to see in the images, is the up and down download speeds during the test. This shows how unstable the device is in its connection is to the testing server and how much information is dropped when communicating. Post-Reboot tests: Just after rebooting, I did the exact same 6 tests as done before the reboot. All 6 tests completed easily. The download speed was 180.4Mb/s average. The Upload was 12.15Mb/s average. The Ping time was a stable 9ms without fluctuation. The tests were so consistent, I had to double check that I wasn’t just copying a previous result. The most telling portion of the test is the graph showing the download speed during the test. In the 6 tests, it was VERY stable and exactly what I would expect from the modem/router. This type of testing proves that it is a major modem/router issue that is yet to be resolved by TP-LINK and makes the internet connection unstable and almost not useable. It is as if the routing tables or NAT tables get full and don’t know how to clean themselves up.I have checked to see if it has the latest firmware, and it does. (see below)If I could afford it, I would trash this piece and get a different brand even if it has less capabilities, as long as it was stable. This experience has almost made me loose faith in TP-LINK as a whole as being able to make a device (router, modem, switch, hub, etc) that can handle any kind of throughput OVER TIME.I have tried to work with this for about 5 months in hopes that a new firmware would come out or it would settle down. No luck.Router info: Hardware version:V1.1 Firmware Version:v1.0.5 Build 20150925 Rel338940NOTE: I was not paid anything or given anything free for review. Just a rant of a product with which I am very disappointed.I hope this review was helpful and detailed enough.
Z –
This (Archer CR700) was working great and then we moved it to a new location and now it just stopped working. all the lights except the two at the bottom come on immediately and holding reset for 15-20 seconds does nothing; the lights don’t even flicker. Worked great till it didn’t. Really surprised that TP-Link would sell something this flaky.
amazingfly –
This is a great router. I used to try and get the cheapest router out there to save money. But the features on this thing are great!PRO:1. Simultaneous 2.4 and 5ghz networks. All capable devices can use the newer high speed protocall, saving bandwidth on the 2.4 ghz network.2. 802.11ac 1750. Is listed as over 2x faster than its 802.11n counterpart.3. Save on your cable bill every month for the rest of this routers lifespan.4. 5ghz channels have less interference than the 2.4ghz band in most cases.5. Guest Wi-Fi networks on both 2.4 and 5ghz, so you can share you internet connection without risking your networks saftey.6. USB connections to make your printer or storage a networked device.Cons: none, but it would be cool if it could do PoE.I may over exlain or ramble a bit. But I did my best to put a review / how to video togeather.
Jennifer –
We had the latest and greatest with Time Warner Cable. No major complaints but nothing to brag about either. Then came along the TP-LINK CR700. It looked pretty simple coming out of the box. Very sleek and well put together. I received the box, the power supply and a USB cord. I broke out the directions and took pictures of my old connection (just in case) and plugged in the power supply and hooked up the USB and aux cables and waited the obligatory 10 minutes. I then excitedly went to my computer and clicked the TP-LINK connection and entered the password. So at this point I was “hooked up” to the internet but no go as far as connecting to the internet. At this point I learned a VERY valuable lesson: Your internet service company MUST activate your box (once you hook it up and wait 10 minutes). You need your MAC address for this which is clearly written on the side of the modem (I took a close-up picture of the side of the box so that I would have the password, serial number and MAC numbers right in front of me). The MAC numbers are 12 digits. You just give this to your internet service provider and voila, time warping fast blazing internet speed. The whole thing, including figuring out the telephone activation part took no more than 15 minutes. Oh, and my WiFi signal went from barely to the bedrooms to all bars lit in our entire house.My pages are now popping up as fast as I can type them, and even my husband is beyond impressed.One little hiccup I ran into was our TW phone. It is not supported by this modem that I can see. But TW will give you a coax splicer and cable for free and you just use the TW cable for your phone. The great news being, if you are using your TW cable box for only your phone line (and no internet – why go back to the dinosaur ages as far as speed) they will waive your $10 monthly service box fee, so the unit will pay for itself.I did receive this item at no charge but my review wouldn’t change one bit if I had paid full price.
Customer –
The installation is super easy and fast. The look is simple but beautiful.
Bryce –
So far, it’s been absolutely fantastic! We had a Surfboard and knew we needed to update. We went from getting ~25mbps from Xfinity to the 100+ mbps we pay for. At last!Having the ability to control which of the bands you connect to is also great. We have our smart home devices on one and computers on another and everything has been fantastic. I’ve looked at making the guest networks, but haven’t had the need to turn it on yet.
diana –
It covers my necessities perfectly and it was so easy to install and register with Comcast, I’m very satisfied!! Thank you!!! Arrived on schedule.
Justin Die –
Title and discription stated it works for xfinity/Comcast but does NOT!A total waste of time and resources!
HOSSAM ABDELLATIF –
Great speed. Excellent quality with alot of features included. I love the usb printer sharing and usb storage sharing.
Wellington Bajana –
Reliable my internet and my speed is now 25% faster than what I pay for!
jeff –
Unfortunately the WiFi doesn’t nearly as well as my 5 yr old rented unit from xfinity, on either band. Works ok in my house, but anywhere outside or in garage it’s sketchy. My prior unit worked in garage and in my whole yard.