Company:TP-Link

Short description: Chinese multinational technology company

TP-Link

Native name	普联技术有限公司
Type	Private
Industry	Network Communication, Consumer Electronics, Video Surveillance
Founded	1996 (1996)
Founder	Jeffrey Chao (趙建軍)
Headquarters	Shenzhen , China
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Wi-Fi and Mesh devices, Wi-Fi Extenders, Mobile Wi-Fi, DSL/Cable Gateways, Switches, Wireless Access Points, Controllers, Security Cameras, Video Recorders, Smart home devices, Home Robots, Software Services.
Brands	TP-Link Deco Omada VIGI Aginet Tapo Kasa Smart Mercusys
Number of employees	13,000
Website	www.tp-link.com

TP-Link is a Chinese provider of equipment and solutions specializing in network communication, consumer electronics, and video surveillance.

History

Original TP-Link logo from 1996 to 2016.

TP-Link was founded in 1996 by two brothers, Zhao Jianjun (赵建军 Zhào Jiànjūn) and Zhao Jiaxing (赵佳兴 Zhào Jiāxīng), to produce and market a network card they had developed. The company name was based on the concept of "twisted pair link" invented by Alexander Graham Bell, a kind of cabling that reduces electromagnetic interference, hence the "TP" in the company name.

TP-Link began its first international expansion in 2005. In 2007, the company moved into its new 100,000-square-meter headquarters and facilities at Shenzhen's Hi-Tech Industry Park. TP-Link USA was established in 2008.

In September 2016, TP-Link unveiled a new logo and slogan, "Reliably Smart"; the new logo is meant to portray the company as being a "lifestyle"-oriented brand as it expands into smart home products.

Product ranges

TP-Link products include high speed cable modems, wireless routers, mobile phones, ADSL, range extenders, routers, switches, IP cameras, power-line adapters, print servers, media converters, wireless adapters, power banks, USB hubs, smart home devices, smartphones, and home robots. TP-Link also manufactured the OnHub router for Google. TP-Link manufactures smart home devices under their Kasa Smart and Tapo product lines.

TP-Link AXE7800 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E router

TP-Link Archer GE800 Wi-Fi 7 Gaming Router

Industry's First Motor Router

Omada Business Wi-Fi Solution

A TP-Link Archer A6 router's front side.

A TP-Link Archer A6 router's back side.

TP-Link sells through multiple sales channels globally, including traditional retailers, online retailers, wholesale distributors, direct market resellers ("DMRs"), value-added resellers ("VARs") and broadband service providers.

Brands

Deco

Deco is TP-Link sub-brand, focusing on whole-home mesh-network products. The first of this category was the TP-Link M5, followed up by the M9 Plus which had backhaul compatibility improving on the usable bandwidth in certain cases compared to the M5. At the same time, TP-Link also introduced the Deco P7 which was a power-line connected mesh-network system meaning nodes communicate through the electrical wiring of the domicile compared to the wireless transmissions of the other Deco products.

Deco provides solutions for a wide range of scenarios, covering all generations of Wi-Fi and varying installation methods. Technologies, such as 5G/4G, IP65, and PoE, have been integrated into the Deco line.

In November 2022, Deco revealed the world’s first complete lineup of Wi-Fi 7 devices for home networks, including the Deco BE95 system, reportedly featuring a quad-band architecture and supporting the 6 GHz wireless band and 10 Gbps wired connectivity.

Tapo

On September 30, 2019, TP-Link launched Tapo with one of its initial offerings being the mini smart Wi-Fi Plug—Tapo P100. The smart plug works over a 2.4 GHz wireless connection and integrates with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant. Other offerings from Tapo include a line of home security Wi-Fi cameras and a line of smart lighting appliances.

In late 2022, Tapo releases its Tapo C225 security wi-fi camera which has 2K QHD (2560 × 1440 px) image sensor and frame rate. This is an improvement from its earlier Tapo C210 (3MP) and Tapo C200 (1080p Full HD) models because these three models all have the same view range with night vision. The Tapo C225 AI functionality is due to additional input trigger for activity notifications.

HomeShield

TP-Link's network protection software, packaged with Norton, offers security and parental control services integrated into its Wi-Fi hardware. The service is available in two tiers: a basic version with features like IoT Device Identification and Network Security Scan and a Pro version with advanced options like Malicious Content Filtering and DDoS Protection. Integrated into TP-Link's latest Wi-Fi hardware, HomeShield also introduced a new customizable Quality of Service (QoS) for application-based bandwidth prioritization.

In 2022, TP-Link announced the launch of the KidShield app, which would integrate geo-fencing and real-time location services to aid families in monitoring their children’s devices and movement.

Neffos

In 2016 the company launched a smartphone brand, Neffos.

Manufacturing

TP-Link is one of the few major wireless networking companies to manufacture its products in-house as opposed to outsourcing to original design manufacturers (ODMs). The company says this control over components and the supply chain is a key competitive differentiator.

Participations in Organizations and Initiatives

TP-Link participates in industry organizations such as the Wi-Fi Alliance, the CSA, and the Bluetooth SIG.