It is generally safe to have a TP-Link router with proper security and maintenance.
To enhance your TP-Link routers security, you should always update the firmware, use strong passwords and unique passwords and enable the TP-Link router's firewall.
You can also consider network segmentation or use a reputable VPN.
TP-Link routers have had reported security vulnerabilities, which have been exploited in past cyberattacks and U.S. lawmakers and officials have raised their concerns that TP-Link routers could be used for cyberattacks, which links the TP-Link routers to a Chinese threat actor.
Although the TP-Link routers are also secure by design and TP-Link has also signed the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency's Secure by design pledge.
The best TP-Link router is the TP-Link Archer BE9700 router, which is also top rated as a Wi-Fi 7 router.
the best TP-Link, Wi-Fi 6E router is the Archer AXE95 router and the TP-Link Deco BE68 router is the best value and the TP-Link Archer AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 is also a greater TP-Link Router.
The lifespan of a TP-Link router is around 3 years to 5 years, although it also varies by the model and the usage of your TP-Link router.
If you have a lot of connected devices to your TP-Link router, it's recommended to replace your TP-Link router every 3 years or so to keep up with performance demands and technology.
Some TP-Link routers may last as long as 5 years and sometimes longer and if the TP-Link router is working fine for you, then you can continue using it.
An outdated router is often as old as 6 years old or older.
If the router is less 6 years old, then the router is likely fine and not in need of replacement unless it is actually going ad.
If your router is older than 6 years old, then you might need to replace it, although some internet routers can last up to 10 years.
At 10 years old your internet router is most certainly outdated, but if it's working fine for you then there's no need to replace it unless you want too.
Routers are generally considered to be outdated when they are more than 4 to 5 years old, as the technology, speed as well as security standards can advance greatly in that time.
4 to 5 years is the typical lifespan of many internet routers, as they can become technologically obsolete and fall behind in advancements in security and speed.
The signs that an internet router is going bad are frequent disconnects or connection drops from your Wi-Fi network, slow internet speeds and even overheating of the internet router.
Other signs that an internet router are going bad are poor performance that requires restarts, constant rebooting of the internet router, weak or even unreliable Wi-Fi signals and the internet router being unresponsive or even have physical damage.
If you notice that you have a significant drop in your internet download speed and internet upload speed, that cannot be explained by your internet service provider it could be a sign that your internet router is going bad.
And if any of your devices are hard to connect to or frequently disconnect from the Wi-Fi router and a manual restart of the router is needed then the internet router is often going bad.
If you previously had a strong Wi-Fi signal and the Wi-Fi signal is now weak it could be a sign that your internet router or Wi-Fi router is going bad.
And if you have any trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi network, or your internet router won't assign the IP addresses to the connected devices then your internet router could also be bad.
Also if your router cannot keep up with the newer devices and their faster networking standards you may need to upgrade your router.
If the router feels unusually hot to the touch, it can be overheating and lead to performance issues and a shorter router lifespan.
And if the internet router restarts itself frequently throughout the day, it can be a sign that the internet router is having hardware issues, hardware stress or faulty firmware.
If the internet router also has any buttons that are broken or not responsive, broken lights or loose internal components then the router should be replaced.
On average internet routers last between 3 to 5 years, although some internet routers can last longer.
Some people need to upgrade their internet router before it actually fails.