The TP-Link Archer BE230, also known as the TP-Link BE3600, is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router that only supports the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands. It has five networking ports, two of which support up to 2.5Gbps speeds, as well as a USB 3.0 port to connect a storage device. With EasyMesh support, you can use this router in a mesh network with any EasyMesh-compatible router or range extender. You can set up and manage this router using its web interface or via TP-Link's Tether smartphone app, available on Android and iOS devices.
Note: We've removed the Wi-Fi coverage tests, as we're exploring better ways to convey the results that'll be more helpful to users.
Our Verdict
The TP-Link BE3600 is good for apartments and condos. It provides fast speeds suitable for high-bandwidth activities, such as multiple high-resolution video streams. It has a 2.5Gbps LAN port for a fast multi-gigabit wired connection, as well as Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) support, which can give you better speeds in noisy wireless environments like large apartment buildings. The downside is that it doesn't support the 6GHz band, limiting speeds on your Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices.
Fast top speeds.
DFS support.
2.5Gbps network ports.
No 6GHz band.
The TP-Link Dual Band BE3600 is decent for use in multi-level homes. It provides fast speeds that are suitable for high-bandwidth activities when you're close to it, but its speeds drop off significantly at long distances. It supports EasyMesh, so you can set up a mesh network with a compatible router or range extender to improve performance in the far corners of your home. Unfortunately, it doesn't support the 6GHz band, so you won't be able to reach peak speeds on your Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices.
Fast top speeds.
Compatible with EasyMesh.
2.5Gbps network ports.
No 6GHz band.
5GHz band slows down significantly at longer distances.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 is a satisfactory option for gaming over Wi-Fi, with impressive top speeds and decent coverage that keep large game downloads quick at reasonable distances. While its latency is sufficient for casual online gaming, competitive players will want to use the Archer's 2.5 Gbps LAN port for optimal performance and stability.
Fast top speeds.
Wireless latency is adequate for day-to-day use and light gaming.
No 6GHz band.
5GHz band slows down significantly at longer distances.
Not recommended for competitive gaming over Wi-Fi.
The TP-Link BE230 isn't a suitable travel router. Although it's not exceptionally heavy at 518g, it has four external antennas that aren't designed for packing, a fairly large footprint, and no USB-C power.
Bulky design that isn't made for travel.
The TP-Link BE3600 has very good speeds suitable for an internet connection up to ~1Gbps. It also supports Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) to help manage congestion in noisy wireless environments. However, its lack of a 6GHz band limits its maximum potential speeds on newer devices.
Fast top speeds.
DFS support.
Compatible with EasyMesh.
No 6GHz band.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 has decent range, though its speeds drop considerably at longer distances. It's still suitable for everyday tasks farther from the router, but larger homes may benefit from adding compatible EasyMesh devices to improve coverage.
Compatible with EasyMesh.
5GHz band slows down significantly at longer distances.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 delivers adequate latency and jitter levels for day-to-day use. It provides a stable enough connection for casual browsing and light gaming over Wi-Fi, with performance broadly comparable to other dual-band routers. As always, Ethernet is preferable when consistent response times are important.
Wireless latency is adequate for day-to-day use and light gaming.
Not recommended for competitive gaming over Wi-Fi.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 offers excellent configurability. You can manage it via its web interface or the Tether app, with plenty of options to customize your network, monitor traffic, and prioritize connected devices. It also supports VPN client and server connections, advanced firewall settings, and EasyMesh expansion. Its parental controls are particularly useful, although some more advanced features require a paid subscription.
Excellent suite of free parental controls.
Extensive configurability options.
Some advanced features require a subscription.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Oct 30, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 0.10! This update adds Portability and Configurability testing to evaluate how suitable routers are for travel and to show how configurable their settings are. Read the changelog for more info.
- Updated Jun 22, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 0.9.1! This is a minor change that makes the router type easier to see at the top of each review. Read the changelog for more info.
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Updated May 27, 2026:
We've updated this review with additional text to help contextualize our latest Gaming and Latency usage scores from Test Bench 0.9.
- Updated Apr 22, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 0.9! This update adds wireless latency testing to evaluate router gaming performance. Read the changelog for more info.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the TP-Link Archer BE230, also marketed as the TP-Link Archer BE3600. TP-Link also sells a Best Buy variant, the Archer BE3600 Pro, but there don't appear to be any hardware differences. If you come across any other variants, let us know in the comments.
See a photo of our unit's label.
Popular Router Comparisons
The TP-Link BE3600 is an affordable dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router with fast wireless performance, two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, and DFS support. However, it lacks the 6GHz band available on higher-end models like the TP-Link Archer BE550, limiting its maximum potential speeds. The TP-Link Archer BE400 is a faster alternative if you want better range and faster speeds, but don't need a 6GHz band.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best budget and cheap routers, the best mesh Wi-Fi systems, and the best Wi-Fi routers for large homes.
The TP-Link Archer BE400 and the TP-Link Archer BE230 are dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers. The former sports the same physical design but has six external antennas instead of four on the latter. It also delivers faster speeds and has a longer range.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 is better than the TP-Link Archer AX21. They're both dual-band routers, but the former is Wi-Fi 7 while the latter is Wi-Fi 6. The BE230 delivers faster top speeds and a longer range. It also has a faster, 2.5Gbps WAN port compared to the AX21's 1Gbps WAN port, and it also features a USB 3.0 port for connecting a USB drive to your network.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 and the ASUS RT-BE82U are dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers. They deliver very similar top speed and range performance, but the ASUS has five 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, while the TP-Link has two 2.5Gbps and three 1Gbps ports, making the ASUS a better choice if you have more wired devices capable of multi-gigabit speeds.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 and the ASUS RT-AX3000 are both budget routers. The TP-Link has slightly faster speeds when you’re close to it, but its range isn’t as good as the ASUS’, making it less ideal for large homes. That said, you can improve its range by setting up a mesh network with another EasyMesh-compatible router or extender, a feature that the ASUS also supports. The TP-Link has faster 2.5Gbps WAN and LAN ports, while the ASUS only has 1Gbps ports.
Test Results
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If you're looking for a router with faster, 5Gbps Ethernet ports, check out the eero Pro 7.
The USB port supports external storage drives and various server functions.
If you're looking for a router with more external storage options, check out the GL.iNet Slate AX (GL-AXT1800).
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This router has mounting screw slots on the bottom, allowing you to mount the router to your wall or ceiling.
This router has great parental controls. You can create family profiles, block specific devices and websites, and schedule internet access without a subscription. More advanced features, including app filtering and daily usage limits, require a subscription.
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If you're looking for a router with better long-range performance, check out the TP-Link Archer BE400.
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The TP-Link Archer BE230's latency and jitter levels are sufficient for day-to-day use, with performance broadly comparable to other dual-band routers.
This router supports Wi-Fi 7-specific features like Multi-Link Operation, Multi-RUs, and 4K-QAM; however, it doesn't have access to the 6GHz band, so you can't take full advantage of the top speeds your Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices are capable of.
If you're looking for a Wi-Fi 7 router with a 6GHz band, check out the UniFi Express 7 or the GL.iNet Flint 3 (GL-BE9300).
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This router uses alternating MLO (multi-link operation), which is a limited implementation of the technology that establishes a connection with clients on one band at a time. For more information, read our article on the topic.