TP-Link ER7212PC | Omada Router, PoE Switch & Controller 3-in-1 Gigabit VPN Router | Up to 4 WAN | 8 PoE+ LAN Port @ 110W | Fanless | Easy Installation | Load Balance | Limited…

Please forgive the long pre-description, but it is necessary to fully understand the review. I am a technology provider specializing in networks for small businesses. I typically provide TP-Link’s ER7206 router, a TL-SG2008P switch, an EAP610 access point and OC200 hardware controller for managing a network. The TL-SG2008P switch provides POE power for the access point and the hardware controller. In fact, the switch is required as the OC200 hardware controller using an alternate power supply will not connect to the Omada Cloud if plugged directly into the ER7206 router. The extra switch is also necessary if one needs to create different networks (subnets) using VLANs and there is a shared network device like a shared copier/scanner. TP-Link only allows Access Control Lists (ACLs) to be created at the switch level to allow network communication from all subnets (VLANs) to that shared printer. As a result, the switch is the only device that actually has network devices plugged into it. The router just feeds one cable to the switch that actually does the management of the network devices.

I have previously used SonicWall, Watchguard or Datto firewalls. They have always provided an integrated router and switch with the ability to create different subnets and manage the sharing of a printer from the router. There is no limit to the number of access points or switches that can be connected to these routers. The routers made to connect to the cloud for control also do so within 2 minutes. All of this is a typical expectation.

As I read the description of the ER7212PC being a “3-in-1 Router: Integrates Omada Router, PoE+ Switch, and Omada SDN Controller into one device (Up to 1 router, 2 switches, 10 EAPs)” I was anticipating that TP-Link had finally “gotten it” and made a typical router to compete with SonicWall, Watchguard and others. The exception is that they are allowing only 2 connected switches and 10 access points. That was a bad omen.

As I set up a test network, I found that the ER7212PC does have an integrated controller, but it takes 9 minutes to connect to the cloud. After contacting tech support about this outrageously long delay, I was told to provide a video of the delay and they would bring in “senior engineers”. After providing the video, the senior engineer replied, “We will peform [sic] the test in our lab. But since it is a intergreted [sic] device, the reboot time would be longer. For OC200, it would also take about 5 minutes.” My response was 2 minutes is the typical expectation for connecting to the cloud by other brands of routers and the OC200 connect time of 5 minutes is abysmal (but the senior engineer is correct that it takes 5 minutes for an OC200 to connect). I also replied that well-made integrated devices are always expected to be more efficient and faster. Their final reply was, “We would report this issue to the R&D department. We would push them to optimize it.”

Because the ER7212PC supposedly has an integrated POE switch, I also tested that. A connected EAP610 access point does power up as expected using POE. There are also up to 9 LAN ports, up from the typical 4 ports on other brands and even the ER7206. But that’s where the enhancements end. The Omada Cloud does not allow the ER7212PC “integrated switch” to be configured. You can’t manage each port. And while you can assign ports into subnets (VLANs), you can’t assign Access Control List rules to allow a printer to be shared with the different subnets. Each subnet (VLAN) is completely isolated. To allow sharing a printer, you would need to add another switch like a TL-S2008P and put all network devices on it, just like you would in the initial example using the ER7206 router. In other words, this router does not have a typical integrated switch. They just added more ports and POE power and incorrectly declared it an “integrated switch”, while hamstringing the unit by limiting it to 2 additional switches and 10 access points.

I reached out to tech support again and here is their reply: “We are sorry for your inconvenience. For the time being, it is recommended that clients are connected to switch to implement the switch ACL. We apologize that the product doesn’t work as the performance it should be. Many thanks for your feedback about this product, the issue will be reported to our R&D department and they will do evaluate and see if there is way to improve it.” It is refreshing to hear support admit it is not working as advertised instead of making excuses.

Finally, let’s look at typical pricing. The initially mentioned setup with an ER7206 router [$150] plus an OC-200 hardware controller [$100] costs a total of $250. An ER7212PC is $270. If you’re just using it for a simple small business setup, it might make sense to purchase the ER7212PC because it has more ports and POE for an access point. However, if you plan on using this unit for multiple subnets, you need to add a switch to either setup making the total cost less for the ER7206 setup. Because the integrated controller also takes 4 extra minutes to connect to the Omada Cloud and they hamstring the ER7212PC to allow only 2 switches and 10 access points, it makes sense to just get the ER7206 setup when configuring multiple subnets.

In conclusion, the ER7212PC appears to be a beta version router being sold as a finished product. With future firmware updates, perhaps the integrated hardware controller will connect to the Omada Cloud in 5 minutes or less and perhaps they will actually integrate the switch and allow managing ports and Access Control Lists on it.

Despite the advertising claims, the internal switch functionality is not available in Omada. This is an Omada controller + router ONLY.

First of all, the 3-in-1 solution was definitely attractive to many home power users and small office users if it’s equivalent to OC200+ER605+Entry Level Omada Switch implementation.

I was hoping this would replace my OC200+ER605+TL-SG2210MP; However, after relaced my current set up with ER7212 PC, it works but definitely not as same as the old set ups:

1. Can’t not migrate from OC200 to ER7212 – this would not be a big issue for me as I only have 1 router, 1 managed switch and 3 APs; however, for small office setups, this will be a deal breaker for many ITs.

2. Switch functionality – it’s definitely not the Omada Managed Switch, maybe just an easy smart managed switch which only supports very limited advance features.

3. Speed/Performance – UI speed less than OC200, Performance (sessions, traffic handling capabilities, etc.) are lower than OC200. – This could somehow be understandable as one set of hardware needs to handle controller + router + switch functions.

Final words, it might be a good fit for someone never had SDN network before or just switch to Omada. However, it’s a semi-finished product for now. Hope TP-Link could release new firmware that adding more advance features.