TP-Link Omada EAP225 review

The EAP225 is a Wi-Fi 5 dual-band access point. It is not Wi-Fi 6, 6E or 7. It is built for ceiling or wall mounting, and a mounting kit is included. Its main appeal is in how it is powered and managed rather than in its radio standard. Buyers who want a simple, controllable access point on a wired network are the natural audience.

The 2.4 GHz radio runs 802.11b/g/n at up to 450 Mbps over three streams (3x3). The 5 GHz radio runs 802.11a/n/ac at up to 867 Mbps over two streams (2x2). Those are maximum link rates from the specifications, not expected real-world throughput.

The hardware is Wi-Fi 5 only and has no 6 GHz band. Anyone planning a network around Wi-Fi 6 or later should look at a different model. For a buyer whose clients are mostly Wi-Fi 5 or older, the dual-band layout covers both common bands.

The uplink is a single 10/100/1000M RJ45 port. Gigabit is the maximum, not 2.5GbE. The rated 5 GHz speed of 867 Mbps sits below the port's 1,000 Mbps, so the wired connection is not what limits that radio's rated speed.

Power options are more flexible than the uplink. The unit takes 802.3af PoE, or 24V passive PoE with an included adapter. With a standard PoE switch, you need no extra parts. Without one, the included adapter covers the other route.

Manufacturer power figures are 9.7 W (EU) and 12.6 W (US) maximum on 802.3af PoE. TP-Link's UK compare page lists 10.5 W for the EU model. The datasheet notes that actual consumption varies. If you are working out a PoE switch budget, that note and the spread between the figures are reasons to leave some headroom.

Management is the strongest part of the specification list. The EAP225 supports standalone web management and SSH, plus SNMP v1, v2 and v3. It also works with the Omada app, Omada Controller V6.2+ and Omada Essential. A single unit can therefore run on its own, and a larger deployment can move under a controller.

There are limits. Some features, including centralised management and mesh, require an Omada controller. The Omada cloud controller is not supported on V3.20 hardware, so check the hardware version before relying on cloud management. The specifications supplied do not list VLAN-tagged SSIDs. If you need separate networks per SSID, confirm that before buying.

WPA3 is listed in the hardware specifications. That is the one security detail the specifications confirm. They give no firmware update history, no guest isolation detail and no mention of paywalled features. Those are the points to check on TP-Link's pages if they matter to you.

No recurring owner themes are available for this model, so there is nothing to report on day-to-day reliability, range or firmware experience. The judgements above rest on the manufacturer's specifications and notes.

With standalone web management, SSH, SNMP and controller support, the EAP225 suits a homelab or small office that wants control over a wired access point. The choice of 802.3af PoE or a passive adapter makes it easy to place wherever a cable runs. Its Wi-Fi 5 radios and gigabit uplink make it a poor match for anyone who wants Wi-Fi 6 or later, or a multi-gigabit uplink. Buyers who want mesh or centralised control should plan on running an Omada controller.