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TP-Link Omada EAP225 vs Zyxel NWA50AX PRO

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against Wi-Fi access points at a similar price

The Zyxel NWA50AX PRO scores 6.8/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link Omada EAP225 at 5.6/10.

The TP-Link Omada EAP225 leads on management.

The Zyxel NWA50AX PRO leads on wi-Fi standard and bands, uplink and power, software and security and value.

TP-Link Omada EAP225

TP-Link Omada EAP225

5.6/10verdict: good, not the best

The TP-Link Omada EAP225 is a Wi-Fi 5 dual-band ceiling or wall access point for people who want flexible management. It suits homelabs and small offices that already run, or plan to run, an Omada controller or a PoE switch. It is not aimed at buyers who want Wi-Fi 6 or later, or a faster-than-gigabit uplink.

Typically about £68 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Zyxel NWA50AX PRO

Zyxel NWA50AX PRO

6.8/10verdict: buy

The Zyxel NWA50AX PRO is a ceiling-mounted Wi-Fi 6 access point with a 2.5GbE uplink and PoE+ power. It suits buyers who have a PoE+ switch and want VLAN support with a choice of cloud or standalone management. It is less suited to anyone who needs 6 GHz or wants a quick setup with no configuration.

Typically about £67.31 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightTP-Link Omada EAP225Zyxel NWA50AX PRO
Wi-Fi standard and bands25%4/106/10
Uplink and power20%6/108/10
Management20%8/107/10
Software and security20%5/106/10
Value15%5/107/10
Overall5.6/106.8/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link Omada EAP225Zyxel NWA50AX PRO
Wi-Fi standardWi-Fi 5: 802.11a/n/ac on 5 GHz, 802.11b/g/n on 2.4 GHzIEEE 802.11ax/ac/n/g/b/a (Wi-Fi 6)
Bands and speed classDual-band: 2.4 GHz up to 450 Mbps (3x3), 5 GHz up to 867 Mbps (2x2)Dual-band 2.4 GHz (575 Mbps) and 5 GHz (2400 Mbps), marketed as AX3000; 20/40/80/160 MHz channel widths
Uplink port1x 10/100/1000M RJ45 (Gigabit)1 x 1/2.5 Gbps LAN port (2.5GbE)
Power (PoE class)802.3af PoE, or 24V passive PoE with included adapterIEEE 802.3at (PoE+), 20.5 W rated PoE draw
ManagementStandalone web management and SSH, SNMP v1/v2/v3, Omada app, Omada Controller V6.2+, Omada EssentialNebula cloud-managed or standalone; web GUI and CLI
MountingCeiling or wall mounting, mounting kit includedMounting plate and mounting screws included; 140 × 140 × 37.5 mm, 352 g

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link Omada EAP225

  • + Standalone web UI, SSH, SNMP and Omada controller options
  • + Powers from 802.3af PoE or an included passive adapter
  • + WPA3 listed in the hardware specifications
  • − Wi-Fi 5 only, not Wi-Fi 6, 6E or 7
  • − Gigabit uplink, with no 2.5GbE port
  • − Mesh and centralised management need an Omada controller

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want Wi-Fi 6, 6E or Wi-Fi 7 support
  • Anyone who needs a 2.5GbE uplink
  • Buyers who want cloud management on V3.20 hardware
Read the full TP-Link Omada EAP225 review ›

Zyxel NWA50AX PRO

  • + 2.5GbE uplink with standard 802.3at PoE+
  • + Nebula cloud or standalone web GUI and CLI
  • + VLAN support and SNMP management
  • − No 6 GHz band; dual-band Wi-Fi 6 only
  • − Owners report Nebula-to-standalone setup is difficult
  • − Only one RJ-45 port

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need a 6 GHz band for current devices
  • Buyers who want a no-configuration setup with an easy standalone switch-over
  • Buyers without a PoE+ switch who do not want to power it another way
Read the full Zyxel NWA50AX PRO review ›

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