The TP-Link Archer BE230 (also known as the TP-Link Archer BE3600), is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router and the least expensive Wi-Fi 7 router we’ve reviewed, now going for $89 on Amazon. The Archer BE230 delivers rapid speeds suitable for high-bandwidth activities at close range, though performance drops significantly over longer distances.
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Pros and Cons
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Design
The TP-Link Archer BE230 router features a slim black casing with a textured top surface and four adjustable antennas. Measuring 1.6 x 13.5 x 10.7 inches (height x width), and it has several tiny LED indicators for power, 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio activity, internet connectivity, Ethernet and USB activity, and WPS activity. The Archer BE230 offers one 2.5Gbps WAN port, one 2.5Gbps LAN port, three 1Gbps LAN ports, one USB 3.0 port, and a power port on its rear panel. The router has buttons to turn WPS on and off, switch Wi-Fi on or off, disable and enable LED indicators and turn power on and off.
The Archer BE230 comes with a 2.0GHz, quad-core processor armed with 512MB RAM and 128MB of flash. It is a dual-band router so it reaches theoretical speeds of 688Mbps on the 2. 4GHz and 2,882Mbps on 5GHz. It has some downsides given its reliance on Wi-Fi 7 tech. It does not include 6GHz radio band and channel width is restricted to a maximum of 160MHz, rather than 320MHz.
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Feature
- Future-Proof Your Home with Wi-Fi 7: Powered by Wi-Fi 7 technology, enjoy faster speeds with Multi-Link Operation, increased reliability with Multi-RUs, and 120% more data capacity with 4K-QAM, delivering enhanced performance for all your devices.
- 3.6 Gbps Dual Band WiFi 7 speed: Your WiFi is faster with up to 3.6 Gbps combined (2882 Mbps on 5 GHz and 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz). Enjoy lag-free streaming, serious gaming and extreme downloads with the next generation Wi-Fi 7.
- Unleash Multi-Gig Speeds with Dual 2.5 Gbps Ports and 3×1Gbps LAN ports: Maximize Gigabitplus internet with one 2.5G WAN/LAN port, one 2.5 Gbps LAN port, plus three additional 1 Gbps LAN ports. Break the 1G barrier for seamless, high-speed connectivity from the internet to multiple LAN devices for enhanced performance.
- Next-Gen 2. 0GHz Quad-Core Processor: Empowers multiple high-performance applications and processing 1 x USB 3. Say goodbye to lag and hello to faster speeds, especially when dealing with heavy network traffic.
- Enhanced Coverage with Four High-Performance Antennas: Four highperformance external antennas strengthen signal in far-reaching locations of home,beamforming technology directs & focuses signal to connected devices. Experience powerful, reliable connections in hard-to-reach areas of your home.
- Seamless Whole-Home Coverage with EasyMesh: Pair with an EasyMesh router so your clients can roam in your Mesh network without dropping their Wi-Fi signal. Experience seamless browsing across multiple devices at the same time when you connect to a location and never have to reconnect again!
- TP-Link HomeShield: Provides comprehensive network protection, robust parental controls, and real-time IoT security when you are at home or on the go. A safer internet experience enhances your smart living.
- Easy Setup with Tether App: Simplify network setup and management with the TP-Link Tether app. Monitor and control your home network remotely for seamless, hassle-free access from anywhere.
- Extensive compatibility: Use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to control the Archer BE230 with voice commands. Backward compatible with all WiFi generations and works with any internet service provide
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Specifications
| Brand | TP-Link |
| Model Name | Archer BE230 BE3600 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 7 Router |
| Special Feature | Access Point Mode, Guest Mode, Internet Security, Parental Control, Remote Access |
| Frequency Band Class | Dual-Band |
| WiFi Speeds | BE3600 • 5 GHz: 2882 Mbps (802.11be) • 2.4 GHz: 688 Mbps (802.11be) |
| WiFi Range | 3 Bedroom Houses |
| Ethernet Ports | • 1× 2.5 Gbps WAN • 1× 2.5 Gbps LAN • 3× 1 Gbps LAN |
| USB Support | 1× USB 3.0 Supported Partition Formats: NTFS, exFAT, HFS+, FAT32 |
| Wireless Communication Standard | 802.11.be, 802.11ac, 802.11ax, 802.11g, 802.11n |
| Compatible Devices | Gaming Console, Personal Computer, Smart Television, Smartphone, Tablet |
| Frequency | 5 GHz |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Home |
| Included Components | 1 * Power Adapter, 1 * QIG, 1 * RJ45 Ethernet Cable, Wi-Fi 7 Router Archer BE230 |
| Connectivity Technology | Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi |
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Performance
In my throughput tests, I compared the TP-Link Archer BE230 against the RT-BE86U and RT-BE88U. Even the price to performance wasn’t so bad for the Archer BE230, at over $200 (for the ASUS RT-BE88U) you’re literally looking at twice the cost of the Archer BE230, so yeah. Running on 2.4GHz, the Archer BE230 delivered 186Mbps in the close-proximity test, faster than the Asus RT-BE86U (181Mbps) and the Asus RT-BE88U (178Mbps). But the Archer BE230’s 83Mbps throughput at 30 feet (9 metres) was a step behind the RT-BE86U (87Mbps) and RT-BE88U (90Mbps). The Archer BE230’s score of 1,677Mbps on the close-range 5GHz test was higher than anything it had managed to do against the ASUS RT-BE86U (1,589Mbps) and RT-BE88U (1,661Mbps). But at 30 feet, its score of 625Mbps was slower than those of the ASUS RT-BE86U (889Mbps) and RT-BE88U(808Mbps).
In our file transfer performance tests, we simply transferred a 1.5GB combination of photos, videos, music, and office documents from and to a USB 3.0 drive and a desktop computer, both connected to the router. We then recorded the read and write speeds.The Archer BE230 delivered write and read speeds of 41Mbps and 43Mbps, respectively, compared with the Asus RT-BE86U (38Mbps in both tests) and the Asus RT-BE88U, (33Mbps in both tests). However, it cannot match the scores of the more expensive (and more powerful) TP-Link Archer BE800,The latter achieved 102MBps write and 109MBps read speeds.
Last but not the least, in terms of wireless signal coverage, Archer BE230 is the same good as the Archer BE550. So, if your home is anything 1,600 square feet (approximately 140 square metres) or slightly smaller, sticking it in the middle should reach every nook and cranny.
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Setup
Setup this TP-Link Archer BE230 is impressively easy, with the choice of configuring your home network on either the web interface or the Tether app. Although I generally like web interfaces for their familiarity, I decided to use the app with this router instead, and got an easier and more intuitive setup experience.
First, download the TP-Link Tether application. On the Tether app’s welcome screen, tap “Add Device” and select “Standard Router”. After confirming all LEDs were lit and stable, I scanned the QR code on the router’s underside using my phone’s camera. Prompted accordingly, I joined the router’s network, and the Archer BE230 (BE3600) was promptly detected.
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Software
You can control your Archer BE230 through online web console or TP-Link Tether app in your phone. You open the application and you get a network screen with a router name, internet up and down speeds. Below this are tabs for ‘Network Status’, ‘Clients’, ‘Traffic Usage’, and “Reports”. Clicking the ‘Network Status’ tile brings up a summary screen with graphs for live traffic and CPU, and memory utilization. The panel `Clients’ shows how many clients are currently connected. Tapping this leads you to a screen that shows online and offline client devices. Clicking on any device gives access to its specific traffic, transfer rate, bandwidth priority assignment, network isolation, and whether or not a user profile has been assigned.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 comes equipped with TP-Link’s HomeShield Parental Controls feature which is a basic parental control and network security software. That means you can set up different user profiles, age-set web filters for individual family members, block individual sites, and schedule when your kids are online. Advanced controls, including SafeSearch (search engine filtering), YouTube filtering , app time limits and app blocking, in addition to online time restrictions, are available for $2.99 a month or $17.99 a year.
HomeShield’s cybersecurity software enables you to scan your network for security risks and isolate potentially vulnerable devices. The Security+ package, priced at $4.99 monthly or $35.99 annually, unlocks Web Protection (blocking access to malicious websites), Intrusion Prevention (defending against external attacks), and IoT Protection (safeguarding your connected smart home devices from hacking).The Total Security package, priced at $5.99 monthly or $69.99 annually, provides password management and PC cleaning tools, antivirus protection, and unlimited VPN access.
TP-Link Archer BE230 Router Verdict
TP-Link Dual-Band BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Router Archer BE230 | 4-Stream | 2×2.5G + 3×1G Ports, USB 3.0, 2.0 GHz Quad...
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