- Very affordable
- Great speeds
- Slim design and easy setup
- Long-range performance
- Unintuitive QoS
- Problems with client identification
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Mesh costs money. That seems to be the guiding principle of any new technology, and mesh WiFi systems are certainly no stranger to these pricing expectations. Basically, expect to pay at least $500+ for a three-pack of mesh WiFi nodes, which seems to be the trend across manufacturers. That is, until the arrival of the TP-Link HX510 AX3000.
Admittedly, it’s a bit trickier to get the HX510 in a two-pack or three-unit configuration, but its impressive performance as a standalone mesh-able router is a great starting point. TP-Link sent me a single HX510 to review, so while I can’t comment on its mesh-network power as part of multiple identical devices, I was impressed by its performance as a standalone router.
Before we delve into the meat and potatoes of this review, check out the most popular NBN plans from our comparison engine.
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Home networking equipment is tested in a first-floor apartment with thick WiFi-interfering walls using an FTTC NBN 100/20 connection. The networking device is deliberately placed at one end of the apartment (instead of a central location) to test wireless range and penetration.
Basic speed tests are performed at multiple locations inside and outside the apartment, first with a Synology RT6600ax router and then with the networking device being reviewed for comparative results. Everyday internet tests are also performed with relevant results mentioned for streaming, web browsing, online gaming, video and voice calls, as well as downloading large files and transferring them across devices on the local network.
What we like about the TP-Link HX510 AX3000 mesh WiFi router
The price is most definitely right for the TP-Link HX510 AX300. While availability isn’t as straightforward as other competitors, the HX510 retails for around $159 but you can get it cheaper as an NBN plan add-on from providers like SpinTel and Activ8me. That’s for a single HX510 unit, mind you, so if you want a typical mesh configuration, you’ll want to buy at least another one.
Download the Aginet companion app before disconnecting your old networking gear, and the HX510 setup process is a breeze. I’m talking unboxed to online in around 10 minutes. Handily, the Aginet app offers guided installation, including reference pictures and practical inclusions like connecting the Ethernet cable and when to power relevant networking gear off and back on. I also like that the HX510 doesn’t assume you want to use it as a router; it can also be used as an add-on to an existing EasyMesh network. Activ8me, for instance, sells its HX510 as a mesh WiFi extender for the TP-Link VX230v.
Outside of some WiFi woes with a Google Pixel 8 Pro—which I suspect is more the phone than the router, given similar issues were happening with the TP-Link GE800 router—I had a seamless connectivity experience with the HX510 across devices. It seems to handle automatic band switching well, and it had very consistent speed-test results inside my apartment. File transfers were fast, with the main limiting factor being the WiFi version of the connected device. If you’ve got WiFi 6 (or newer) devices, expect speedy file transfers on your local network.
Everything operated as expected for everyday networking, including latency-sensitive tasks like online gaming as well as voice and video calls. The Aginet app is a great companion for basic info and changes, but you can find a more comprehensive range of settings in a logical layout via the web portal. Network expansion is also technically easy via the Aginet app, with a simple tap of a plus button and a series of prompts to guide mesh expandability.
Routers, modem routers, and mesh WiFi systems are compatible with most NBN connections, including FTTP, HFC, FTTC, Fixed Wireless, and Sky Muster satellite. All of these NBN technologies use respective network termination devices (NTDs), which is a fancy term for “connection box” or “modem”. If you live in an FTTB or FTTN home, you’ll need a modem router to get online. You can still connect a router or mesh WiFi system to a modem router, but the modem router first needs to be in bridge mode so it can then connect to a router or mesh WiFi system.
What we dislike about the TP-Link HX510 AX3000 mesh WiFi router
The main con of the TP-Link HX510 AX3000 is its retail availability, which was minimal at the time of writing. It’s somewhat easy to find as a standalone router, but trickier to find in a two-pack or three-unit mesh configuration, which is bizarre given the ‘Whole Home Mesh WiFi System’ text in big letters on the product page.
You can just buy two, three or more devices individually, but the mesh WiFi system trend is to offer these bundles. Effectively, you’ll be using the HX510 as a router, which means it’s not a straightforward fit for FTTN and FTTB homes (though not impossible). FTTP, HFC, FTTC, Fixed Wireless and Sky Muster satellite NBN homes should all have a straightforward time for setting up and using the HX510.
There were a couple of minor hurdles behind the scenes for everyday networking. The first is the noticeable hit to download and upload speeds once I tested outside my apartment. While other bits of networking kit have taken a negligible or modest hit, the HX510 speeds dropped by around 65% and 46%, respectively, for downloads and uploads at 12 metres (via a building wall) and 91% and 74% at 25 plus metres. I would anticipate less of a hit with multiple HX510 networks in a unified mesh configuration.
The HX510 also doesn’t do always do a great job of identifying devices on the network, sometimes labelling them ‘unknown’ and others offering unhelpful names. There are MAC addresses, but to understand those you’d need to dig into the settings of each device and create a translated list, which isn’t practical. That wouldn’t be such an issue if client identification wasn’t a critical part of the HX510’s Quality of Service (QoS) function, which is a handy feature for preserving latency-sensitive and buffering-dependent online tasks.
By default, QoS is off, but once enabled it requires manual tweaking to get the most out of it. That starts with the inputting of max download and upload speeds, which is easy enough after performing a speed test. Ideally, this should have been a prompted or automated part of the QoS process. Where it gets tricky is shifting devices between low, medium and high QoS priorities brings up that list of devices. If they’re unknown or difficult to decipher, as about half of my 14 devices were, it makes this feature more a pain than a gain.
TP-Link HX510 AX3000 – Final Thoughts
The TP-Link HX510 AX3000 is an impressive bit of networking kit, even when it’s used in its simplest router configuration form. While its availability and retail configurations are frustrating, the price is most definitely right for a first foray into mesh networking or as an EasyMesh expansion for an existing compatible network.
Initial setup is fast and user-friendly, and everyday tweaks are a few taps away in the Aginet companion app. It has performance where it matters, especially for smaller homes, and the at-range speed drop-offs can likely be addressed by adding another HX510 to your home network. Sure, it’s not as fully featured as other mesh WiFi systems, but the TP-Link HX510 ticks pretty much all of the right boxes for the networking needs of most homes.
We consider several factors when reviewing networking equipment, including:
- Type: Router, modem router or mesh WiFi system. Supported NBN technologies and plan speeds.
- Design: Size, weight and standing options. Internal or external antennae. Available ports, WiFi version, and single, dual or triband wireless.
- Setup: Plug-and-play configurations vs laborious setup. Companion apps and guided setups are a plus.
- Performance: Ethernet and WiFi speed tests for downloads, uploads and latency. Real-time latency test for online gaming, VoIP and/or video calls. Plus, everyday use like downloading, uploading, browsing and streaming.
- Versatility: Band steering (single SSID), quality of service and other features. Ease of configuration, plus mesh expansion.
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Nathan Lawrence
Freelance Contributor
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