How long do routers last? Less durable than before?

I know that after you purchase that expensive WiFi 6 router, you think that you’re set for at least a decade and can now fully enjoy excellent wireless performance, but how long do routers last in our current market?

Hardware-wise, the routers used to last for a very long time, a decade or more.

Be honest, I know that some of you still have that little Linksys WRT54G running as an access point. I am a bit more ‘modern’, so I still have the TP-Link TL-WR841N with DD-WRT push some wireless signal in a hard-to-reach spot.

But, the hardware is, unfortunately, less relevant for the longevity of the router and the software, the support from the manufacturer, as well as the client devices will be more determining factors, so let’s analyze them a bit more in-depth.

Are the newer routers less durable than before?

Yes they are. After opening up dozens of routers from multiple generations, I can attest that the build quality went down.

I have recently tested the Freedom VPN router which is about the secure software that the developers created and they used a TP-Link N750 router.

It wasn’t an entry level router at the time it was released, but it wasn’t top of the line either, so I wasn’t expecting much while I removed the screws to see what’s inside.

And I was impressed by how sturdy everything was, the board felt robust, the ports, the case itself wasn’t made of cheap plastic and the antennas were removable.

TP-Link AX73 teardown.

I can’t really say the same about the TP-Link AX73 which had a case that felt cheaper or about the AX21 which had a misplaced thermal pad.

Asus is an even worst offender since the RT-AX55 is built cheaply and is very hard to open.

And you may think that that’s an entry-level WiFi 6 router, but the RT-AX68U is not that much better since it was hell opening it.

Of course, the antennas are also non-removable, so yes, the current trend is to make the devices with cheaper materials, to make sure that the user can’t upgrade the antennas, and in no way should anyone attempt to open the case and repair any faulty component.

As many other people have observed with other types of electronics, things are indeed made to intentionally last less than before, so I don’t expect any router released in the last three years to last a decade in terms of hardware.

Read more:

• https://gospeedcheck.com/article/how-long-do-routers-last-123
• https://myinternetspeed.wordpress.com/2022/10/05/do-routers-wear-out-how-often-should-you-replace-your-router/

Do Routers Wear Out? How often should you replace your router?