是时候让我们更加熟悉TP-LINK提供的无线路由器产品组合了。这一次，我们将测试他们在本次评测时第二昂贵的路由器：TP-LINK Archer C9。这是一款坚固的设备，规格非常好，价格非常合理。我们在实验室对其进行了大约两周的测试，现在我们准备分享我们的结论。从这篇评论中了解这款路由器是否值得购买：
拆箱TP-LINK Archer C9 AC1900 无线双频千兆路由器(TP-LINK Archer C9 AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router)
TP-LINK Archer C9包装在一个标准的绿色盒子(standard green box)里，里面有一张路由器的图片和它的一些最重要的功能，比如 1.9 Gbps的总可用带宽。
在包装盒的背面，您可以更详细地了解其功能，以及与TP-LINK 产品组合(TP-LINK portfolio)中的其他路由器的比较。如您所见，Archer C9是TP-LINK的顶级机型之一。
在包装内，您会找到路由器、3 根可拆卸天线、电源装置(power supply unit)、一根以太网线(Ethernet cable)、资源光盘(resource CD)、快速安装指南(Quick Installation Guide)和保修。
了解了拆箱体验后，让我们看看这款路由器在硬件规格方面提供了什么：
硬件规格
TP-LINK Archer C9具有运行频率为 1 GHz的双核Broadcom BCM4709 处理器(Broadcom BCM4709 processor)、128 MB RAM 内存(RAM memory)和 16 MB 闪存。正如您对高端无线路由器(wireless router)所期望的那样，它支持所有现代网络标准，包括 802.11ac 和 802.11n。
最大可用带宽为 1.9 Gbps：5GHz无线网络为 1300 (wireless network)Mbps，2.4 GHz无线网络(wireless network)为600 Mbps。我们都知道这些速度是相当理论上的，在现实生活中你将看不到它们。对于现实生活中的测量，请继续阅读此评论以了解更多信息。
在Archer C9的背面，您会发现 5 个千兆以太网(Gigabit Ethernet)端口，其中一个将用于Internet 连接(Internet connection)。还有一个USB 2.0端口和WPS 按钮(WPS button)，也可用作重置开关(Reset switch)。最后但同样重要的是，您会发现路由器的On/Off button电源(power supply)插孔。
在路由器的左侧，您会发现一个额外的USB 3.0端口和一个用于打开和关闭(Off)无线网络(wireless network)的按钮。
该路由器的尺寸为 8.7 x 3.4 x 6.6 英寸（宽 x 深 x 高(Width x Depth x Height)）或 221 x 86 x 168.5mm，没有插入 3 个可拆卸天线。这使得TP-LINK Archer C9在形状和尺寸(shape and size)上与其更多实惠的兄弟——TP-LINK Archer C8。只有硬件不同。
想要官方规格列表的朋友可以在这里找到：TP-LINK AC1900 无线双频千兆路由器规格(TP-LINK AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router Specifications)。
设置和使用Archer C9 AC1900 无线双频千兆路由器(Archer C9 AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router)
TP-LINK使用的设置向导(setup wizard)快速且易于使用。它问了我们几个问题，比如地区、时区(time zone)、互联网连接(Internet connection)类型和我们想要应用的基本无线设置。我们在大约一分钟内启动并运行。
我们在设置过程(setup process)中发现的唯一缺点是TP-LINK不建议您更改默认登录(default login)详细信息。这将提高路由器网络广播的安全性。(network broadcast)我们强烈建议所有用户不要使用默认登录用户名和密码，并在设置(default login username and password)家庭网络(home network)时更改它们。
用户界面(user interface)仅提供英文版本，它包括(English)快速设置(Quick Setup)旁边的两个选项卡：基本(Basic)和高级(Advanced)。
第一个选项卡显示最重要的控件和设置：网络地图(network map)、Internet 连接(Internet connection)设置、基本无线设置、USB设置和访客网络(Guest network)的基本设置。第二个显示了TP-LINK Archer C9(TP-LINK Archer C9)上可用的设置和功能的完整列表。
高级(Advanced)选项卡组织良好，并提供对所有设置的完全访问权限。技术用户和 IT 专业人员在寻找方法时不会遇到任何麻烦，并且会欣赏他们可以配置此路由器的详细方式。但是，初学者和临时用户需要阅读帮助(Help)文档以了解某些方面。幸运的是，这很容易获得：您单击管理窗口(administration window)右上角的问号图标(question mark icon)，您可以立即访问有关您在屏幕上看到的配置选项的文档。
初始设置后，我们将此路由器上的固件升级到可用的最新版本：3.17.0 Build 20150507 Rel.34590n。不幸的是，固件升级涉及重置所有用户设置并且必须再次重新配置路由器。希望(Hopefully)此路由器未来的固件(future firmware)升级不会涉及重置所有用户设置。
升级完成后，我们开始将我们的无线设备连接到由TP-LINK Archer C9广播的网络。我们将无线和有线设备连接到网络没有任何问题，一切(network and everything)运行顺利，但在本次审查的后面会详细介绍。
由于TP-LINK Archer C9外观与TP-LINK Archer C8相同，尺寸相同，因此它也有一个重要的设计缺陷(design flaw)：无法安装在墙壁或天花板上(wall or ceiling)。它只能在稳定的表面上使用，例如您的办公桌。对于需要将路由器安装在房间某个偏远角落的用户来说，这可能是一个缺点。
总体而言，我们对 TP-LINK Archer C9 提供的易用性和配置感到满意。我们发现的几个缺点是 TP-LINK 不提供多语言支持，路由器不能安装在墙上，并且不建议用户更改用于管理员用户的默认用户名和密码。(Overall, we were pleased by the ease of use and configuration offered by TP-LINK Archer C9. The few downsides we identified are that TP-LINK doesn't offer multilingual support, the router can't be mounted on walls and it doesn't recommend that users change the default username and password used for the admin user.)
Reviewing The TP-LINK Archer C9 AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router
It's time to get ourselves more acquainted with the portfolio of wireless routerѕ offered by TP-LINK. Thіs time, we will test their secоnd most expensive roυter at the time of this review: TP-LINK Archer C9. It is a solid dеvice, with very good sреcifiсations, at a very reasonable price. We tеsted іt in our labs for about two weeks and now we are ready to share our conсlusions. Lеarn whether thіs router is worth buying or not, from this review:
Unboxing The TP-LINK Archer C9 AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router
TP-LINK Archer C9 is packaged in a standard green box which shares a picture of the router and some of its most important capabilities, like the total available bandwidth of 1.9 Gbps.
On the back of the box, you get a more detailed breakdown of its features, as well as a comparison with other routers from the TP-LINK portfolio. As you can see, Archer C9 is one of the top models from TP-LINK.
Inside the packaging, you will find the router, 3 detachable antennas, the power supply unit, an Ethernet cable, the resource CD, the Quick Installation Guide and the warranty.
Now that we know about the unboxing experience, let's see what this router offers in terms of hardware specifications:
Hardware Specifications
TP-LINK Archer C9 has a dual-core Broadcom BCM4709 processor running at 1 GHz, 128 MB of RAM memory and 16 MB of flash storage. As you expect from a high-end wireless router, it offers support for all the modern networking standards, including 802.11ac and 802.11n.
The maximum available bandwidth is of 1.9 Gbps: 1300 Mbps for the 5GHz wireless network and 600 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz wireless network. We all know that these speeds are rather theoretical and, in real life you will not be able to see them. For real-life measurements, keep reading this review to learn more.
On the back of the Archer C9, you will find 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, one of which will be used for the Internet connection. There's also a USB 2.0 port and the WPS button that also acts as a Reset switch. Last but not least, you will find an On/Off button for the router and the jack for the power supply.
On the left side of the router you will find an additional USB 3.0 port and a button for turning the wireless network On and Off.
The size of this router is 8.7 x 3.4 x 6.6 inches (Width x Depth x Height) or 221 x 86 x 168.5mm, without the 3 detachable antennas plugged in. This makes TP-LINK Archer C9 identical in shape and size to its more affordable brother - TP-LINK Archer C8. Only the hardware differs.
Those of you who want the official list of specifications, you can find them here: TP-LINK AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router Specifications.
Setting Up & Using The Archer C9 AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router
The setup wizard used by TP-LINK is fast and easy to use. It asked us a couple of questions like the region, the time zone, the Internet connection type and the basic wireless settings that we want applied. We were up and running in about a minute.
The only downside that we identified during the setup process is the fact that TP-LINK doesn't recommend that you change the default login details. This would have improved the security of the network broadcast by the router. We highly recommend that all users not use the default login username and password and change them when they set up their home network.
The user interface is available only in English and it includes two tabs alongside the Quick Setup: Basic and Advanced.
The first tab shows the most important controls and settings: the network map, Internet connection settings, basic wireless settings, USB settings and the basic settings for the Guest network. The second shows the complete list of settings and features that are available on TP-LINK Archer C9.
The Advanced tab is well organized and offers complete access to all the settings. Technical users and IT professionals won't have any troubles finding their way through it and will appreciate the detailed manner in which they can configure this router. However, beginners and casual users, will need to read the Help documentation in order to understand certain aspects. Luckily, this is easily available: you click the question mark icon on the top-right side of the administration window, and you immediately get access to documentation about the configuration options that you see on the screen.
After the initial setup, we upgraded the firmware on this router to the latest version that was available: 3.17.0 Build 20150507 Rel.34590n. Unfortunately, the firmware upgrade involved resetting all user settings and having to re-configure the router again. Hopefully, future firmware upgrades for this router won't involve resetting all user settings.
After the upgrade was performed, we started connecting our wireless devices to the network that was broadcast by TP-LINK Archer C9. We did not have any trouble connecting wireless and wired devices to the network and everything worked smoothly, but more on that later in this review.
Since TP-LINK Archer C9 looks the same as TP-LINK Archer C8 and it has the same size, it also shares it's only important design flaw: it is impossible to mount on a wall or ceiling. It can only be used on stable surfaces like your desk. This may be a downside to users who need to mount the router in some remote corner of a room.
Overall, we were pleased by the ease of use and configuration offered by TP-LINK Archer C9. The few downsides we identified are that TP-LINK doesn't offer multilingual support, the router can't be mounted on walls and it doesn't recommend that users change the default username and password used for the admin user.
