TP-Link Archer BE230 vs TP-Link Archer BE3500
More compact official Wi-Fi 7 routers.
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Best for: Wi-Fi 7, official BE3600 class, dual-band, 5 official Ethernet ports, up to 2.5 Gbps
Check price at AmazonBest for: Wi-Fi 7, official BE3500 class, dual-band, 5 official Ethernet ports, up to 1 Gbps
Check price at AmazonSpec-by-spec comparison
Green marks the better published figure. "Not listed" means the manufacturer doesn't publish it.
| Spec | TP-Link Archer BE230 | TP-Link Archer BE3500 | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official combined PHY rateThe official BE class number, or the sum of official per-band PHY rates when the class token is missing (labelled computed). | 3600 Mbps | 3500 Mbps | 35% |
| Fastest official Ethernet portThe fastest official Ethernet port on the router, including 10 Gbps RJ45 or SFP+ when the official I/O table lists it. | 2.5 Gbps | 1 Gbps | 30% |
| Official Ethernet port countHow many official Ethernet ports the router has, from the maker's I/O or technical-spec table. | 5 ports | 5 ports | 20% |
| Official radio bandsDual-band, tri-band or quad-band as listed on the official specification table. | 2 bands | 2 bands | 15% |
| Official Wi-Fi class (spec table or official title) | BE3600 | BE3500 | info |
| Sum of official per-band PHY rates (computed) | 3570 Mbps | 3502 Mbps | info |
| Official radio bands | Dual-band | Dual-band | info |
| Wi-Fi encryption (official table) | • WPA• WPA2• WPA3• WPA/WPA2-Enterprise (802.1x) | • WPA• WPA2• WPA3• WPA/WPA2-Enterprise (802.1x) | info |
| USB (official table) | 1x USB 3.0• Supported Partition Formats:NTFS, exFAT, HFS+, FAT32• Supported Functions:FTP ServerMedia ServerSamba Server | Not listed | info |
| Official Ethernet wording | • 1x 2.5 Gbps WAN• 1x 2.5 Gbps LAN• 3x 1 Gbps LAN | • 1x 1 Gbps WAN• 4x 1 Gbps LAN | info |
| MeshPick score | 1.4/10 | 0.9/10 | 100% |
Where each one comes out ahead
TP-Link Archer BE230
Better published figure on: Official combined PHY rate, Fastest official Ethernet port.
What we like
- Official table lists Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Official table lists a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port
- Official table lists 5 Ethernet ports on the main unit
Watch out for
- Official table lists a dual-band radio (no dedicated 6 GHz band)
TP-Link Archer BE3500
No scored spec where it is strictly ahead; its case rests on the strengths below.
What we like
- Official table lists Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Official table lists 5 Ethernet ports on the main unit
Watch out for
- Official table lists a dual-band radio (no dedicated 6 GHz band)
- Fastest official Ethernet port is 1 Gbps
Verdict
Both official tables list a lower official BE class and 2.5 Gbps Ethernet; compare official port count.
- TP-Link Archer BE230: TP-Link official specifications: Archer BE230
- TP-Link Archer BE3500: TP-Link official specifications: Archer BE3500