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TP-Link Archer TX50E AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 PCIe Adapter $66 Delivered @ PCByte

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TP-Link Archer TX50E AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 PCIe Adapter $66 Delivered @ PCByte
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alpln on 08/05/2021 - 19:36 pcbyte.com.au (1447 clicks)
Last edited 09/05/2021 - 01:52 by 2 other users

It's for you to decide if it's a bargain or not, but a WiFi 6 + Bluetooth 5.0 adapter for $66 delivered sounds great to me.
Pro:
* Potentially frees 2 USB ports currently occupied by separate WiFi and Bluetooth adapters (if you have them)
* WiFi 6 works great in built-up areas with a lot of neigbours networks
* Supports older WiFi networks i.e. AC (most common these days), N, G
Con:
* Requires PCIe 1x slot on motherboard
* Advertised speed is nearly pointless

UPD: as advised in comments, there are a few possibly better alternatives:
* Same WiFi and Bluetooth protocols, but way cheaper https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/303742553723
* Gigabyte GC-WBAX210 for $73.48 (delivered from US for free with Prime) at amazon https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B091HTG6DQ or for $69 click and collect (or + delivery) here https://cplonline.com.au/gigabyte-gc-wbax210-wifi-6-pcie-ada…
* Xialo AX210 for 55.88 + delivery from US (free with Prime) https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08Z3F9T6X

Computing Bluetooth Adapter Computer Component TP-Link Wireless Adapter

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closed Comments

  • garage sale on 08/05/2021 - 19:46
    +5

    be nice if it came with leads and a base so that the antennas could be placed in a location better than just at the back.

    • Lost-Sons of dallas on 08/05/2021 - 19:56

      If you have an old telstra cable modem the cable might fit as a antenna extension cord

    • TheContact on 08/05/2021 - 23:15
      +4

      Spec on the page says it comes with a magnetised base and 1m cable.

  • Aneurism on 08/05/2021 - 19:49
    +4

    Usually PCIe wifi adapters use an internal usb pin header and internal usb slot in order for the bluetooth to work.

    • Mitch889 on 08/05/2021 - 20:57
      +5

      Quick look at the photo and the card definitely has a USB header connector on the back, so will need an USB2 header on the motherboard.

  • Snoots on 08/05/2021 - 20:20
    +8

    You would be mad in the head not to buy this instead:
    https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GC-WBAX210-rev-10#kf
    I have the Gigabyte GC-WBAX200 which works like a charm.

    • RickyJ on 09/05/2021 - 00:28

      How much does it cost?

    • alpln on 09/05/2021 - 01:03

      Seems like this one
      https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B091HTG6DQ

      Costs a bit more $73 + delivery from US (free with Prime)

      I don't like that it has antennas on the wire (I don't need that, the router is behind the wall), but supports newer protocols. Also doesn't seem to require internal USB port.

      • BargainWizard on 09/05/2021 - 01:54
        +4

        it does need an internal usb2 port for the bluetooth although it doesnt say it in the description i downloaded the manual to check after reading your comment i was curious

    • leehyun on 09/05/2021 - 22:03

      do you need a wifi 6 router to actually utilise this?

  • PainToad on 08/05/2021 - 20:20

    Any feedback for Linux?

    • HeyPapito on 08/05/2021 - 22:20

      Linux not supported. drivers only for windows

    • ethan961 on 09/05/2021 - 03:48
      +1

      Looks like it's an Intel AX200 card so should be no issues.

  • windwai on 08/05/2021 - 20:25

    Prefer Bluetooth 5.1

  • ashah1212 on 08/05/2021 - 20:31
    +1

    How is that compared to this: https://www.amazon.com.au/EDUP-3000Mbps-802-11AX-Bluetooth-W…

    Image says bluetooth 5.1 but description says 5.0 so unsure about that. I am looking to get bluetooth to my computer as the usb adapters are a bit unstable for me. I am hesitant on choosing something like this or to just buy the Intel AX200 from eBay/Aliexpress. Any advice would be appreciated.

    • Soppro on 08/05/2021 - 22:53
      +1

      Yeah, not sure why you'd get a TP-Link one when there are many more cheaper out there and they all use the same Intel AX200/210 cards

      • alpln on 09/05/2021 - 01:07
        +1

        TP-Link is a more well-known brand

        • justtoreply on 09/05/2021 - 10:14

          Yeah but their support isn't any good. If its not generic Intel drivers, don't touch it..whether it's tplink, gigabyte or Asus they are all notorious for dropping driver support

    • hailingstars on 09/05/2021 - 00:26
      +1

      Pretty sure the EDUP one supports linux. In fact, I think this is the one that Jeff Geerling got working on the raspberry pi 4
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csI19aOJEik

  • B3 on 08/05/2021 - 20:34
    +21

    Wifi 6E is the latest, not Wifi 6.

    https://au.pcmag.com/networking/84969/what-is-wi-fi-6e

    Bluetooth 5.2 is the latest, not Bluetooth 5.0.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth#Bluetooth_5.2

    • Mitch889 on 08/05/2021 - 20:53
      +9

      OP should probably leave out the editorialising next time.

      • theguwithnoname on 08/05/2021 - 22:32
        +2

        Yeah this adapter also doesn't "require" a wifi 6 router, as it says in the post.

    • lesher on 08/05/2021 - 21:25
      +1

      This.

      I recently got https://cplonline.com.au/gigabyte-gc-wbax210-wifi-6-pcie-ada… which is both wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 and it's only 3 aud more than what OP posted

    • D3m3ntia on 08/05/2021 - 21:38
      -1

      And also, faster than wired cable? Isn't it to 10GbE on cat8 now?

      • Phoebus on 08/05/2021 - 21:42
        +2

        I'm pretty sure cat6 can do 10GBE, maybe not to 100m though

    • Clear on 08/05/2021 - 21:51

      It's a wonder the PUs didn't pick it up. 🤔

  • RI4V4N on 08/05/2021 - 21:10

    Is this faster wifi 6 wise? https://www.umart.com.au/ASUS-PCE-AX3000-Dual-Band-WiFi-6-Bl…

    I got an Asus ax3000 router is all so figured I may as well match it.

    • Phoebus on 08/05/2021 - 21:41
      -2

      AX9000 is 3X faster, obviously

    • Jabba the Hutt on 08/05/2021 - 23:48

      Looks like another Intel AX200 based card, so basically the same thing. One that is a little different is the Gigabyte card lesher linked above, based on the AX210, which is Intel's newest model that's been showing up on higher-end Rocket Lake boards.

  • Jenny Death on 08/05/2021 - 23:36
    +8

    Theoretical speed is faster than what you can get via a cable

    You are theoretically wrong.

  • TheLurker on 08/05/2021 - 23:44

    Risking asking an off topic question, but has anyone used an M.2 to PCIe riser with a similar wireless card?

    I'm fed up with Bluetooth drop outs needing power drain every few days on my Gigabyte Aorus B550I with inbuilt AX200 wifi/Bluetooth. Swapping MB under warranty has not helped and its a common complaint. Can't find any better ITX board though.

    Idea is to use the rear M.2 slot for a more stable network card, and keep the only onboard PCIe slot for GPU.

    Example riser

    • Jabba the Hutt on 08/05/2021 - 23:52
      +4

      Seems to be a very common issue with the AX200 on AMD platforms. Have a suspicion it's related to the recently-acknowledged USB issues - have you tried the latest BIOS versions meant to address it?

      As seen with these cards, the Bluetooth interfaces via USB (don't know why it's done that way).

      • TheLurker on 09/05/2021 - 01:52

        I've tried multiple BIOS releases, driver releases, USB device reinstalls, and solutions found online like disabling settings for CPU power state.

        You're right and Bluetooth shows as a USB device presumably for peripheral compatibility reasons. Unfortunately my issues are not the common instability seen by others where mouse and keyboard may "stutter".

        It seems plausible a static build up in the board may be related. Shorting CMOS header solution was suggested, but I get the same result by pulling power and power cycling until PSU capacitors are drained. The issue was equally as bad with the Aorus X570.

        I wasted months with Gigabyte and Intel support with no improvement so I keep trying new BIOS files as released expecting a fix some day.

        The only other AM4 "affordable mid-range" ITX board is the Strix which also has the AX200 chipset onboard, and I've read plenty of posts elsewhere saying it is also affected.

        Adding a quality wifi/Bluetooth card seems like the best solution and I'm not using that M.2 socket so wondered if it was worth a shot to get a card and riser. Realistically a quality USB Bluetooth dongle might be a smarter or cheaper option.

    • Richardc on 09/05/2021 - 00:32

      Try disable pcie gen 4.

      • TheLurker on 09/05/2021 - 01:55

        I have not tried that, but I'm running a 1tb Gen 4 M.2 Nvme drive as my primary SSD so that might halve the drive throughput (3500mbps is what I've seen on PCIe 3.0). Bigger hit than if it was just GPU which would only be about 1% slower. May try just to rule that out in case it helps. Thanks

    • Mikeer on 09/05/2021 - 03:52

      You could try upgrading the built-in Wi-Fi module to something better/different, like an AX210

      • TheLurker on 09/05/2021 - 07:50

        AX 200 is soldered onboard, but yes an M.2 nic might also work. Concerned I can't earth that like it could a standalone card and riser in case it is a static build up. When it fails the board simply doesn't recognise the onboard hardware exists until power drained. Strangely Wifi works fine. Will look around

        • Mikeer on 09/05/2021 - 17:11
          +2

          Are you sure the AX200 is soldered? Looking at the photos, looks like it's the same setup as most motherboards, just plugs in and is held in place with a couple of screws, except you have shrouds and heat spreaders in the way.

          Anecdotally, I upgraded to an AX200 on an MSI B450I and Bluetooth still works fine, so not sure if the card itself that is the problem, or that specific M2 slot.

          Also, if you end up getting an M2 2230 E-key NIC, if you want to plug it into an M-key slot, which doesn't have USB pins, you'd need an adaptor that hooks up to the USB header, which ends up being very similar to using a full-sized PCI card, just more compact.

          • TheLurker on 09/05/2021 - 18:09

            @Mikeer: I'm certain it's onboard. Have rewired the damn thing many times trying to solve the issue. Linked [here)(https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B550I-AORUS-PRO-AX-rev-….)

            There is an unused internal USB2.0 header I could use for power, and that adapter looks like it would fit in the case. The M.2 slot would be underneath the motherboard if in a desktop config, so there is about 8mm clearance to the outer case panel. Thanks for the tips!

  • l3wis992 on 09/05/2021 - 09:44

    Thoughts on this AX210 card: https://www.amazon.com.au/Bluetooth-Upgraded-3000Mbps-Tri-ba…

    Cheaper than the Gigabyte alternative for the same chip (although doesn't come with a stand).

    I'm skeptical of the Xiaolo if only because I can't find any info about the company.

    • Snoots on 09/05/2021 - 11:47

      Why Bother. Why take the risk.The Gigabyte works as advertised for the extra price of a cup of coffee or two… The new model even has some sort of RF shield or heatsink which may be even better in a smaller case than the original AX200 model.

      • l3wis992 on 09/05/2021 - 12:27
        -1

        As far as I can tell, the difference between the two is marketing and some plastic. The underlying chips are the same, and the kit they use to connect it to the PCIE board seems pretty standardised. Heatsinks on wifi cards are pretty laughable, and I'd be very surprised if the chip ever got hot enough to need it.

        I'm interested in finding out of there's any actual hardware difference between the two, which is why I asked the question.

        • Snoots on 09/05/2021 - 12:55
          +1

          Hardware wise they obviously use the same Intel AX210 WiFi module. I would still have more confidence with Gigabyte making a an IC board that works though. I totally agree with you comment regarding the Intel module not requiring a heatsink.
          If you are looking for a solution outside the Asus/TP-Link/Gigabyte brands, then look at the Fenvi brand (ebay and Aliexpress). I was about to pull the trigger a year or so ago on one of their cards, then I saw the affordable Gigabyte here in Australia.

  • Alzori on 09/05/2021 - 12:22

    Disappointed I didn't know about the 6 vs. 6E difference when I upgraded my desktop chip.

    For those that have mini-PCIe wifi chips in their desktop/laptops, you can get an AX200 (WIFI 6) card for about $35, or an AX210 card for about $52 on AliExpress.

    E.g. this for wifi 6E: https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005002130038130.html

    Or this for wifi 6: https://m.aliexpress.com/item/4001219626247.html

    • l3wis992 on 09/05/2021 - 12:42
      -1

      Is there any noticeable difference between the branded and non-branded AX210 chips?

      I was looking at the gigabyte model and saw ali-express was selling ax210 chips for half the price (i.e. this)

      Is there any extra value in the Gigabyte versions or is it all hype?

      • Alzori on 09/05/2021 - 20:48
        +1

        Functionally in the OS it will work the same I think. Gigabyte one has a different antenna, and an added shield.

  • Rail Rider95 on 09/05/2021 - 13:45

    Am I the only one struggling to understand the point?
    I get 250mb internet, and I get every last bit of it on my AC wifi adapter.
    I get that you can stream from a local server. But still, who needs more than that at the moment?!
    We’re a long way off getting gigabit internet in most homes, and by the time we do, surely there’ll be some new and better standard.

    • alpln on 09/05/2021 - 13:55
      +2

      It looks like you don't have much of a pollution in the air with neighbours' wifi networks.

    • Jenny Death on 09/05/2021 - 14:06
      +2

      Internal networks benefit greatly.

    • Praeto on 09/05/2021 - 16:02
      +2

      If you have a home NAS or other local servers that use a bit of bandwidth, the added throughput can come in handy. I have all my families devices and computers backing up hourly to my NAS, and the added bandwidth means the backups don’t interfere with streaming Plex video, copying files etc.

      If you setup your home network with the idea of caching common data locally instead of it always needing to be grabbed from the internet, suddenly your home network speeds become more important.

  • Praeto on 09/05/2021 - 16:06

    Does anyone know whether this particular unit works in newer PCI-E slots that are supposed to be backwards compatible with the 1x slots? All these WIFI P6 cards using the Intel chipsets seem to have mixed messaging around it, and the two I’ve tried refuse to work in anything but an actual 1x slot..

    • Jenny Death on 09/05/2021 - 16:08

      Have you tried setting the slot to 1x in your bios?

      • Praeto on 09/05/2021 - 16:33

        I have, without any luck. If it’s working for other people though, I’ll try find another machine to try.

        Machine 1 - Slot set to 1x in bios, shows up in device manager but has errors and says it can’t be started.

        Machine 2 - Actual 1x slot, works.

        Machine 3 - Set to 1x, same issues as machine 1.

  • MagnamoniousRex on 10/05/2021 - 12:27

    Any good for the Quest 2 wireless PCVR?

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