The era of Wi-Fi 7 is upon us. With new routers comes the development of devices such as mobile phones and laptops that are compatible with the new standard. TP-Link has introduced some new Wi-Fi 7 routers to the Philippine market.
The TP-Link Archer BE230 is one of the newest options out there. Its capabilities were put to the test, so make sure to continue reading for the full review.
What’s in the box?
The contents of the Archer BE230’s package are minimal. Upon first glance, the packaging may give off the impression that the router is quite sizable or that there are several components stored in the box.
However, inside you will find only the router, a power adapter, an ethernet cable and a quick installation guide. It’s a reflection of how simple the process is to set it up, which I will further discuss later on.
Design
The TP-Link Archer BE230 comes in a simple and clean design. One of my favorite features is how compact and space-saving it is, which further adds to the ease of setting it up.
When it comes to the connections, it makes use of one 2.5 Gbps WAN port, one 2.5 Gbps LAN port, three Gigabit LAN ports and one USB 3.0 port.
On the edges, there are four high-performance antennas to boost the signal throughout your household. The antennas are equipped with Beamforming technology that hones in on your devices and concentrates the signal towards them.
Getting started
Setting up the TP-Link Archer BE230 is straightforward, essentially making it plug-and-play. The first step is to connect your powered-off modem to the router’s 2.5 Gbps Internet port with the ethernet cable.
The next step is to turn on the modem and wait around two minutes for it to restart. You then need to connect the power adapter to the router and switch it on. You can verify that the hardware connection is correct by checking the LED lights on the router.
Setting up the network can be done through the Tether app. Once on the app, you just need to follow a series of simple steps, then the internet is ready to use. You may also use the Tether app to control and monitor your network.
I commend TP-Link for how simple the setup process is. Sometimes, setting up routers and your internet connection can seem like a daunting task, but not for TP-Link and the Archer BE230.
Performance
The Archer BE230 features dual-band Wi-Fi 7 speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps. With this you can enjoy smooth 4K and 8K streaming, AR/VR gaming and faster download speeds.
I conducted a speed test using both a Wi-Fi 7 compatible device and a Wi-Fi 6 compatible device. The former saw a significant bump in download and upload speeds. The latter did see a slight improvement in performance. Either way, it seems that there are some benefits to reap in terms of speed with the Wi-Fi 7 router.
Multi-Link Operation (MLO) is another feature of Wi-Fi 7. MLO allows your device to simultaneously connect to multiple bands, ensuring faster speeds and lower latency.
The Archer BE230 is equipped with a 2.0 GHz quad core CPU, which is responsible for the Wi-Fi 7 technology structure, and 512 MB of RAM. This provides for minimal latency despite heavy transmission loads.
Overheating will not be much of a concern as well for the router. It features an improved cooling design to allow your network to maintain top speed in various types of environments.
It is also important to highlight that the Archer BE230 is EasyMesh compatible. This provides for a strong and reliable connection throughout your entire household, essentially avoiding the occurrences of dead spots.
Protecting your data is also a valuable feature that the router possesses. This is done with the use of TP-Link HomeShield. With all the data we store and share online, it is important to secure it and ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands.
Another important note is that the Archer BE230 is compatible with the previous generations of Wi-Fi standards. It is compatible with all internet service providers, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as well.
Overall, I found my wireless connection experience to be quite smooth and quick, especially on my Wi-Fi 7 compatible device. While it may be backwards-compatible with previous generations, you’ll be able to feel its significance with a device that is Wi-Fi 7 compatible, whether it’s for work, gaming or all your other online endeavors.
Verdict
Wi-Fi 7 is fairly new, but more and more brands are releasing devices that are up-to-par with this generation. It is clearly the way forward and is a part of brands’ roadmap for future devices, especially in the smartphone space where new models are released every year. If you are one to be an early adopter, then the TP-Link Archer BE230 might be a router to consider. For the price of Php 5,990, it is a fairly budget-friendly option if you are thinking about future-proofing your Wi-Fi network.
