TPLink EAP225 signal not a strong as router

[mr-b]

Hi

I've just got a couple of TPLink EAP225s access points to beef up my wifi coverage. The reviews all seemed good so I assumed that it would outclass my existing AP - a TPLink Archer C9.
To test one first, I plugged it in beside the C9. However when I wandered around the house with inSSIDer the EAP's signal strength is always several db less than the C9's - sometimes just a couple, other times up to 14dB. It's using a different channels to my existing AP on both 2 and 5GHz so I presumed there was no interference. I also swapped the APs with no difference so I doubt they are both faulty.

Any ideas why this is? Or is it just that wifi routers with external antennas are better than those without?

 

[MichaelCG]

Keep in mind the ability for an AP/Router to YELL loudly doesn't always translate that it can also LISTEN well. Quite often an external antenna may be more efficient than an internal one....but overall, it will usually come down to the entire radio design on how well it all works.

 

[mr-b]

Update on this - I tried out a Netgear R7800 and that, along with the Archer C9, also had much better coverage than the EAP225, so I've used that as an extra AP. It appears that the external antennas, fugly as they are, do make a substantial difference. The only thing I miss about the EAP225 is that their AP handover seemed to work smoothly as designed, just as well considering the need for multiple APs due to the less than sparkling RF perf...