Pros: The modem has a nice slim design, multiple USB ports, and 4 Ethernet Ports in the back. The web interface is intuitive and easy to use.

Cons: The unit would never stay connected to the internet. On initial bootup it would be fine, but within 5-20 minutes it would drop connection. When the cable company was called, they would say that it was connected, but for some reason they could never get a signal through to cycle it. Upon further testing by me, I found that the web interface would periodically crash/lockup whenever I was perusing it or making changes to the advanced options.

I also had issues with the port forwarding. The values (when I could type them in fast enough before the web interface crashed) would be in the tables, but the modem would intermittently ignore them, as devices such as my Xbox would periodically toggle randomly between various modes of NAT (Open, Moderate, or Strict). Searching on the web confirmed that this is an ongoing issue with this particular product. No fix has been issues that I know of at the time of this posting.

I contacted TP-Link Tech Support after 2 days of intermittent modem connectivity. Their tech support is outsourced to a foreign company. While the person with the heavy asian accent was nice enough and wasn't too hard to understand, I was a bit fustrated with the tech support. They acknowledged that I was having issues, but their response to fixing the problem was me e-mailing the event log to an engineer. When I explained that:
(a) there was no way to save the event log via USB or other method and
(b) the web interface crashed intermittently, therefore getting the error log while the error was happening would be problematic

the only other solution I was given was to take screenshots of the event log. Right. Like I am going to waste my time taking screenshots of an event log from an interface that periodically crashes? Thank You very much TP-Link tech support.

I put this sleek paperweight back in the box and called NewEgg for the RMA return label.

I have since purchased a Nighthawk™—AC1900 WiFi Cable Modem Router, which has more features than this modem/router, and has so far worked flawlessly since install.

Other Thoughts: I wouldn't recommend this product to anyone. Until TP-Link has better quality control and better tech support options, buyer beware.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Richard,

We apologize for your recent experience with our product and that our support team was unable to provide a solution for you.

We wish our support team had the opportunity to assist you while these issues were occurring, however, we understand your frustration and respect your decision to return this product.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our products in the future, please feel free to contact our support team at the number and/or email provided for you below and an available technician will be happy to assist you.

Best Regards!
TP-LINK Support Team
866) 225-8139
ussupportteam@tp-link.com

Pros: *Decent user interface with all the options you'd expect of a Router.
*Good Range & Excellent throughput
*up to 300Mbps speed for those fortunate enough ;)
*160Mbps over 802.11ac...on my phone!!! YES PLEASE!!

Cons: *Time Warner Cable recommends this unit. However, we were unable to activate this Modem on our own. We needed Tier 2 support to manually activate this modem on the network. But after 30minutes on the phone with TWC they were able to get it added to the account and verify internet connectivity. Not worth docking a star but def be aware that you may have issues self activating this device on your own.

Other Thoughts: We recently upgraded to 200Mbps connection from TWC. Though we weren't able to verify speed through LAN as none of the devices on hand had Gigabit Ethernet. We did measure over 802.11ac / n and it was very impressive.

HP G7 Laptop over LAN (connected directly to the back of the modem) shown 56.78Mbps Down / 23.45Mbps Up!
Not bad at all over a budget laptops 10/100 Ethernet. We were impressed.

HTC One M7 Phone (wireless A/C) clocked in at an impressive 160.55Mbps Down / 22.10Mbps Up! Nice!!!
Moving roughly 25ft away to where the Samsung SmartTV is mounted in the living room we saw 75Mbps Down / 15Mbps Up

Also, being in an apartment complex with so many other WiFi's overlapping we used inSSider to find the least busy channel (in our case 6) to maintain as much performance as possible. I can honestly say that I have never been a fan of these all in one Modem / Router units as they generally sacrifice range and throughput for convenience. But this device seems to have a nice blend of both.
It also includes parental controls which we can implement at any time should we feel the need.

Ultimately, we are very very pleased with this units performance. All of our tablets, phones, SmartTV, Roku Boxes work just fine and perform better than they ever have. The old solution, TWC basic Modem & Netgear router couldn't keep up with the data and would often leave us waiting for videos and content to load. That problem is no longer an issue. Other than it needed to be on hold with Tier 2 support to get it added to the account.... it's been great. You can't go wrong...what a performer!

Pros: Better feeling construction than most of the modems and routers I've used recently. Good weight and feels durable compared to most of the light-weight cheap plastic I encounter.
Cable modem router: combines a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem and AC1750 wireless router in one device.
DOCSIS 3.0 and dual band capabilities that claim they reach up to 1300Mbps.
The GUI is pretty intuitive and offers detailed information to help users configure. Software includes a very detailed listing of all connected devices. Includes options for including parental controls on specific devices. Has a "guest" account option for users to connect without a password. Includes a decent firewall.
Unit has six internal antennas to help with connectivity range.

Cons: Another device with no wall mounting option. Unit is slim but is very tall and takes up a decent amount of space on a desk.
Lack of external antennas helps reduce space it takes up but also limits the range and strength of the wireless signal(s).
Offers speeds that can take advantage of USB 3.0 rates but only offers USB 2.0 ports.
No DD-WRT.
I, like many others reported, have had no luck with it's port forwarding feature. Whether it is a problem with the software or the device itself I can't tell.

Other Thoughts: I don't think it's worth $200 but comparing it to other models in that price range it offers about the average in functionality.

Pros: I've tested and sold a lot of TP-Link products over the years and this definitely isn't their best work. I'm actually very disappointed. I like the look of the device and it was well packaged. The power adapter is much larger than I would like and unfortunately, doesn't come off at an angle, so it blocks additional outlets on standard power strips. I found this disappointing since most TP-Link products have slim adapters that come off at a 90 degree angle so they don't block other ports.

I was also annoyed that there were no mounting options for the device. It has to sit on a desk or shelf. All of my hardware is mounted to the wall in my basement so I had to set it on top of my switch.

Setup was pretty straightforward. After connecting the router, you'll want to either hard wire yourself, or connect to the wireless network. The password is on the bottom of the router. Once connected, you'll want to open a browser and if the activation page doesn't load, you'll need to go to the Xfinity Activation page if you're a Comcast customer. You will need to sign in and the website will activate your new router. It only took about 3 minutes to activate, but be aware this thing takes forever to boot compared to a normal router. It caught me off guard at first.

The range is actually better than my old TP-Link router by a little bit. Others have reported issues with port forwarding, but I had no issues forwarding about 7 ports for my Synology, server, IP camera and my aquarium controller. I did experience the constant crash of the web GUI (see cons) so I wasn't sure if some of the settings were actually accepted.

Most of my devices connected without issue but I had some issues with my iPad Air (see cons). I didn't experience any loss of speed over my old modem / router setup.

Cons: As mentioned above, there is no way to mount this on a wall and the power adapter blocks other plugs (-1 Egg).

While attempting to set up the router, the web GUI would freeze with the spinning wheel. I let it sit for 3 - 5 minutes, but it never came back. You have to manually refresh the page and log in again. Most of the time it accepted the setting, but there were a few times when I had to change the setting again. This happened 5 or 6 times during the setup process. (-1 Egg)

I attempted to use my iPad Air with the device and was getting terrible speeds. I experienced this years ago with Linksys routers where certain devices would exhibit reduced speeds when dealing with a 2.4GHz b/g/n signal. Typically switching the device to g/n works, but in this case it did not. My iPad was only getting an erratic 4 - 5Mbps down speed, while my iPhone and Zenbook were getting the full 30Mbps.

I ended up having to define a channel width. It didn't matter if I choose 20Mhz or 40Mhz, but on Auto the iPad was erratic. If I hadn't experienced something like this before, I would have probably been lost. (-1 Egg)

I am aware that the iPad Air will handle a 5GHz network, but I wanted to thoroughly test the CR700 so I tested all of my wireless devices on both networks. When switching to the 5Ghz network, the iPad worked as expected, but I'm concerned that there may be issues with devices that aren't 5GHz compatible.

Other Thoughts: Although I was able to resolve my issues, I wouldn't recommend this device.

TP-Link really dropped the ball on the Archer CR700 and there are some serious issues that I feel need addressed. They were my "go-to" for networking hardware, so I hope this is just a small stumble for them and not indicative of things to come.

Pros: The TP-Link Archer CR700 is a nifty piece of equipment. The cable modem boasts DOCSIS 3.0 and dual band capabilities that can hit up to 1300Mbps. Installation is really simple especially if you already have Comcast/Xfinity internet service. Just connect it, open a browser and enter your Comcast/Xfinity account info and it's connected. The router had dual usb 3.0 slots for network storage and printing.

Cons: There are a couple of points that take away from this wonderful device. While there are settings for the firewall as low, medium and high, there is not an option to edit or create specific rules. While most households probably won't find this an issue, I found that it was a bit of a take away.

The other problem I ran into was a lack of advanced DHCP options that got in the way of configuring my PFSense router.

Other Thoughts: All in all, this is a very solid and functional device. I give it 4 out of 5 and recommend this product for any household needing a reliable cable modem/router.

Pros: Combined price for a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem and an AC1750 wireless router is very good

Unit was very easy to get setup on Comcast

Modem side of unit functions very, very well and is stable

Setup is very easy and straight forward, with a feature rich setup screen

Signal strength on the modem side is very strong, better than my Arris SB6141 that I am comparing it to

Signal strength on the router side is good, comparable to a TP-Link Archer C7 at close range (more on this under Cons)

Definitely will get you a few more Mbps in download speed provided your subscription is for above 50Mbps downloads. Anything below that is going to be about the same no matter what you use. On a 150Mbps connection, I was getting above 180Mbps downloads consistently.

Dual USB ports (also see cons)

Cons: Does not have the range of a TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 router. This would be due to the lack of external antennas, which the C7 has three of. I found a signal drop off in 2.4 Ghz band of approximately 25%, and almost 40% in the 5Ghz band compared to the C7. The C7 is a workhorse for sure, but this is an apple to apple comparison.

Not wall mountable, and takes up a lot of heighth on the desktop. This is where I prefer smaller modems, and wall mountable routers like the Archer C7.

USB ports are only 2.0. Would be nice to have USB 3.0 ports at this price.

Like others have said, Port Forwarding simply does not work. The month I have been testing this, my Diskstation NAS has been offline. Now that I've gone back to my regular Arris Modem and my trusty Archer C7, my NAS is back online and working as it should be. Things like this have to be taken into consideration when purchasing an all in one unit. I would not buy this standalone unit for just this very reason alone.

No DD-WRT support. Really?

Other Thoughts: If you needed a complete all in one Modem/Router due to space limitations, and Port Forwarding and lack of DD-WRT support are not big issues for you, then this TP-Link Archer CR700 unit would be for you.


If overall convenience, and getting the max speed and range for your money were priorities, then this unit would not fit the bill. My SB6141 and Archer C7 combination definitely had more range, and equal signal strength on the modem side though the SB6141 has less working channels. Money spent for the two separate is about the same as this single unit.

In conclusion:

This is one of the best combined units that I have tested, but still lacks features, speed and signal strength that you can get using two separate units. It is on Comcat's list of approved units, and I had no problem testing it.

All in all, I will give the CR700 four eggs (really 3.5, but I can't give half eggs). It has some shortcomings that may not be issues for some people. It is easy to setup, and to get working, but to me without external antennas, the range issue is major. The lack of Port Forwarding is the final killer. This needs to be addressed by TP-Link ASAP.

Disclaimer: I neither work for NewEgg or TP-Link. I am simply provided a unit to review based on my abilities as a certified networking professional with over 25 years experience.

Pros: A DOCSIS 3.0 Cable modem that works with Comcast. For all you comcast customers whom are being forced into “renting” a modem from them, this is an excellent replacement which will save you money if you’re a long term customer with them. Comcast has also been phasing out DOCSIS 2.0 in some markets, making older cable modems incompatible, so that gives this even more appeal.

Getting it activated to use on Comcast’s network was pretty simple (thankfully). After everything is set up and plugged in, all it took was going to their activation page, logging in, and activating the modem.

The biggest thing I was impressed with, was the network map and its detailed listing of all devices connected to the router, both wired and wireless. The router’s main setup page is very well put together and easy to use, with good descriptions of what each function is for. Includes parental controls for specific connected devices, and the option of setting up a guest network so friends/family can easily connect without needing a password to your secured network.

The wireless signal is very strong, too, on both the 2.4 and 5.0 ghz bands. I had it set up in the basement of a single family home and was able to get stable and fast speeds when in the back yard; makes for a nice setup to have a tablet outside streaming music during a cookout.

Cons: DD-WRT support is non-existent. This is particularly infuriating given recent FCC rulings stating the end consumer is allowed to flash their devices with DD-WRT.

Other Thoughts: All in all, a very user friendly cable modem / wireless router that offers a lot of good features. An excellent choice for those wishing to purchase a modem to get rid of the rental fee.

Note, this device will NOT work with Verizon’s FiOS. They use something completely different from DOCSYS 3.0, so don’t expect this to work with them.

Pros: The TP-Link Archer CR700 wireless dual band cable modem router is dark gray and black plastic modern looking case with six internal antennas. There is a quick setup guide to connect to the internet and it was very easy to get up and running. Connect to cable via coax (for me Comcast Xfinity), power on, connect directly to a computer using Ethernet cable. Wait about 10 minutes or so for the LEDs to all become solid. For Comcast it involved going to their activation page, logging in, and activating which took less than 5 minutes. No calls or tech support on either side needed. The white and green LEDs give quick information about the status of power, downstream/upstream connections, internet service status, LAN, Wireless, WPS, and USB status.

Logged in to the router to change passwords, customize wireless networks names and settings, etc. It is feature rich. The web interface is appealing and gives a nice network map of connected wired and wireless devices that includes the names, as well as the printer and/or USB disk. The print share software is available for Mac and Windows and works fine. It can be operated in router or bridge mode, but I only tested in router mode. The various settings are logical using a menu on the left with Network (WAN/LAN), Wireless 2.4G/5G, NAT Forwarding, USB Settings, Parental control, firewall, and system tools as major groups.

The four ports on the back are convenient. For my setup, one is connected to a MythTV server PC, a second to an 8 port gigabit switch with 7 ports in use, and a third to a secondary router with an internal 2TB hard disk for media storage. The server and secondary router were assigned static IPs. Wired and wireless notebook performance met the 30 Mbps down 6 Mbps up for the tier I have for internet access. If this improves, the modem is listed for up to 680 Mbps down. Wireless speed test on a tablet was 4 Mbps down 1 Mbps up, with some variation on location. Internal network transfers met the spinning disk limitation and wireless transfers were in the double digit MB/s, depending on location. WiFi signal and performance was good and enabled entire house coverage for both bands. Warranty is an acceptable two years. Reliability has been good after a few weeks of use and no issues. Overall, this cable modem router serves multiple functions and does them well.

Cons: The size of the case is relatively tall, at nearly 10 inches, in a vertical orientation, which could be an issue for some locations.

Other Thoughts: A USB 3.0 instead of 2.0 would have been a hardware improvement, but not a significant weakness.

Pros: Easy setup. Works out of the box. Great connectivity on 5 GHz band on other side of kitchen wall + equipment (Fridge, Stove, etc.) of 60 mbps (I pay for 50 mbps through Comcast) when on prior 2.4 GHz router I'd get about 10 mbps.

Cons: None so far

Other Thoughts: The only thing that will change my opinion is if I have spotty connectivity issues in the future. I got this to replace my prior Docsis 2.0 Surfboard Modem + Wireless N 2.4 GHz Router. The prior modem worked fine in that I'd get near 50 mbps consistently, but the router failed to deliver a consistent signal into one of my bedrooms on the other side of my kitchen. I tried buying repeaters and placing them smartly to enable a clear path to the bedroom, but still nothing worked very well. This solves all the problems in that room. I'm not sure if it's the different frequency that is helping or what, but it works great.

Pros: I'm not rehashing all the features. But a few highlights are notable:
- There are six internal antennas supporting both omnidirectional and beamforming technology. This means the range and coverage is excellent in a design that hides the antennas keeping the form minimalistic.
- 680 Mbps down maximum capability is great. On my 75/75 Mbps connection, this held consistent performance of 84/82 Mbps. Expected performance, but the consistency was the impressive factor attributable to the dual processors and channel bonding.
- 2.4 Ghz b/g/n had solid performance securing a consistent 58/59 Mbps throughput on n at a distance of 35 feet through multiple walls and up one floor.*
- 5.0 Ghz n/ac meanwhile achieved 112/111 Mbps speeds on the n link and 315/312 Mbps on the ac link in the same environment. This is pretty strong performance.*
- Minimalistic design cues allow for a thin device that blends well with other tech, can be hidden away, or, if worse comes to worst, is minimally disruptive to aesthetics if forced to be in the open.
- Other features I like include the parental controls and of course the guest network. Nothing remarkable here in terms of setup/configuration -- but it's a must have set of features with little kids and visitors always wanting to connect.

Having all of this in one device eliminates clutter, network overhead, wifi over saturation, while eliminating those pesky monthly rental fees from your provider. I'm a big fan of this product for it's convenience, features, aesthetics, and performance and enthusiastically recommend it.

* Advertised speed is marketing jargon. The device advertises AC1750 which is actually N450 + AC1300. Those two numbers are doubled for downstream/upstream. From there, wireless interference and network overhead also limit these theoretical maximums. As such, we're really talking about decent speed from a wifi device all things considered and marketing jargon set aside.

Cons: Manually configuring port forwarding simply doesn't work. The interface crashes every single time. This should be resolved by a simple firmware update but, alas, an RMA is actually required unlike most routers since this is a cable modem, too. Half an egg deducted for this reason. At this price point, all features should work right out of the box or an easy firmware update should be easy to download and apply. That said, since the cost of the item is recuperated through eliminating monthly rental costs, it's less of an issue.

In addition, with a networking device capable of greater than 480 Mbps throughput, why would you add USB 2.0 ports instead of USB 3.0? Sure, plenty of folks may just connect a printer, but others may connect storage devices. It seems like a bit of an oversight especially since some of their other cheaper models include at least 1 USB 3.0 port. Half an egg deducted for this, as well.

Other Thoughts: If you're looking to consolidate devices, eliminate monthly rental fees, and utilize the latest features and standards -- this device is for you. As long as you don't need to manually configure port forwarding.

I don't give out eggs cavalierly, but this product earned all 4 and nearly all 5, except for those two issues noted above.