Choosing routers: the decision in brief
A router connects your home to your broadband provider and shares that connection with your devices, by cable and by Wi-Fi. The right choice depends less on the largest advertised wireless figure than on the size and construction of your home, the speed of the connection you pay your provider for, and how many wired devices need a port. A router that suits a small flat may leave a large house with weak spots, and a powerful router can still be limited by the line coming into the building.
Use the manufacturer details below to see which models describe the ports, wireless features and management tools you need, then work through the buying criteria before deciding. Mesh systems, which use several units to spread coverage, are a different approach from a single router and are worth considering when your home has thick walls or several floors.
This guide covers 5 models: ASUS RT-BE88U, TP-Link Deco BE65, Archer BE230, Archer BE550, Archer AX55.
How this guide was put together
This guide is built from manufacturer information only. Each product detail below is a statement taken from the manufacturer's own product page for that model, kept in its approved wording and linked to the page it came from. MainBuyer has not tested these products hands-on, so nothing here describes how a model performs, sounds, feels or lasts in use.
Figures are not converted or combined, and models are not ranked, scored or recommended. The general buying guidance is editorial advice about the type of product as a whole; it does not imply that any listed model has, or lacks, a particular feature.
The 5 models at a glance
| Model | Details covered | Manufacturer page |
|---|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U | Controls, Modes, Components and contents, Connections, Compatibility | ASUS RT-BE88U — manufacturer information |
| TP-Link Deco BE65 | Capacity, Dimensions, Controls, Modes, Connections, Compatibility | TP-Link Deco BE65 — manufacturer information |
| Archer BE230 | Capacity, Controls, Modes, Connections, Power, Compatibility | Archer BE230 — manufacturer information |
| Archer BE550 | Controls, Modes, Compatibility | Archer BE550 — manufacturer information |
| Archer AX55 | Capacity, Dimensions, Controls, Modes, Components and contents, Power, Compatibility | Archer AX55 — manufacturer information |
Manufacturer statements side by side
The tables below group manufacturer statements by topic. Each statement is repeated exactly as it was approved from the manufacturer's page. Two figures under the same heading may not measure the same thing, so read each statement in full before comparing models. A gap in a table means the information used for this guide did not include that topic, not that the feature is missing.
Capacity
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| TP-Link Deco BE65 |
|
| Archer BE230 |
|
| Archer BE550 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer AX55 |
|
Dimensions
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| TP-Link Deco BE65 |
|
| Archer BE230 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer BE550 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer AX55 |
|
Controls
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U |
|
| TP-Link Deco BE65 |
|
| Archer BE230 |
|
| Archer BE550 |
|
| Archer AX55 |
|
Modes
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U |
|
| TP-Link Deco BE65 |
|
| Archer BE230 |
|
| Archer BE550 |
|
| Archer AX55 |
|
Components and contents
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U |
|
| TP-Link Deco BE65 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer BE230 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer BE550 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer AX55 |
|
Connections
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U |
|
| TP-Link Deco BE65 |
|
| Archer BE230 |
|
| Archer BE550 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer AX55 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
Power
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| TP-Link Deco BE65 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer BE230 |
|
| Archer BE550 | No statement on this topic among the approved manufacturer details used for this guide. |
| Archer AX55 |
|
Compatibility
| Model | Manufacturer statements |
|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE88U |
|
| TP-Link Deco BE65 |
|
| Archer BE230 |
|
| Archer BE550 |
|
| Archer AX55 |
|
Product by product
ASUS RT-BE88U
- The router supports dual-band Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which aggregates bandwidth across both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
- The router is powered by a quad-core 2.6 GHz CPU.
- The router comes with four detachable antennas that can be physically repositioned.
- A phone can be connected to the router's USB port to provide 4G or 5G mobile tethering as a primary or backup internet connection.
- The router supports VPN protocols including WireGuard.
- Guest Network Pro lets users set up to five SSIDs.
- The router has a dedicated gaming port that prioritizes gaming traffic from connected devices without configuration.
- The router supports VLANs for organizing devices into logical groups.
- The router supports AiMesh for building a whole-home mesh network.
Source: ASUS RT-BE88U — manufacturer information.
TP-Link Deco BE65
- Wireless speeds are specified as 5765 Mbps on 6 GHz, 2882 Mbps on 5 GHz and 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (BE9300 tri-band Wi-Fi 7, 802.11be).
- Each Deco unit has 4 × 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports that support WAN/LAN auto-sensing.
- Physical buttons are 1 × Reset button and 1 × WPS button.
- Supported working modes are Router Mode and Access Point Mode.
- Each Deco BE65 unit measures 4.23 × 4.23 × 6.93 in (107.5 × 107.5 × 176 mm) (W×D×H).
- Deco BE65 can be controlled by voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant-enabled devices.
Source: TP-Link Deco BE65 — manufacturer information.
Archer BE230
- Wireless speeds are BE3600: up to 2882 Mbps on 5 GHz and up to 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (802.11be).
- Ethernet ports: 1× 2.5 Gbps WAN, 1× 2.5 Gbps LAN and 3× 1 Gbps LAN.
- Wireless operating modes are Router Mode and Access Point Mode.
- Physical buttons: Power On/Off, Wi-Fi On/Off, LED, WPS and Reset.
- Power input is 12 V DC 2 A (US version) or 12 V DC 1.5 A (EU version).
- WiFi encryption supports WPA, WPA2, WPA3 and WPA/WPA2-Enterprise (802.1x).
Source: Archer BE230 — manufacturer information.
Archer BE550
- Working modes: Router Mode and Access Point Mode.
- Wi-Fi encryption supported: WPA, WPA2, WPA3 and WPA/WPA2-Enterprise (802.1x).
- The Tether app manages network settings from Android or iOS devices.
Source: Archer BE550 — manufacturer information.
Archer AX55
- Maximum wireless signal rates are 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz (802.11ax, HE160) and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (802.11ax), for an AX3000 rating.
- Power input is 12 V DC, 2 A.
- Physical buttons are a Wi-Fi/WPS button, a power on/off button and a reset button.
- Working modes are Router Mode and Access Point Mode.
- Dimensions (W×D×H) are 261.1 × 134.5 × 41.0 mm (10.2 × 5.3 × 1.5 in).
- Package contents are the Archer AX55 Wi-Fi router, a power adapter, an RJ45 Ethernet cable and a quick installation guide.
- Supported wireless standards are IEEE 802.11ax/ac/n/a on 5 GHz and IEEE 802.11ax/n/b/g on 2.4 GHz.
- The router has 4 external antennas.
Source: Archer AX55 — manufacturer information.
What to look for when buying routers
Wi-Fi standard and bands
Wi-Fi standards are named by generation, and newer generations generally support more devices at once and newer features. Your own phones, laptops and televisions must support the same standard to benefit from it. Many routers describe separate wireless bands; treat combined headline speed figures with caution, because no single device receives the total.
Coverage and mesh systems
Coverage depends on the building as much as on the router. Solid walls, floors and the position of the unit all matter. A single router placed centrally is simple, while a mesh set adds units for larger or awkward layouts. Manufacturers sometimes state a coverage area, but the conditions behind that figure are rarely typical of a real home.
Ethernet ports and wired speed
Count the wired devices you have: a games console, a television box, a desktop computer or a network storage drive. Check how many Ethernet ports are listed, the speed they support, and whether the port that connects to your broadband line supports the speed of your plan.
Your broadband connection
A router cannot deliver more than your provider supplies. Check the type of connection you have, whether it needs a separate modem or fibre terminal, and whether the router can be used with your provider at all, because some providers supply their own equipment or require particular settings.
USB and other features
Some routers offer a USB port for storage or printers, extra fast Ethernet ports, a guest network or parental controls. Decide which, if any, you would use, and rely on the manufacturer's list of documented features instead of assumptions based on a model name.
Setup, app and ongoing management
Setup and management differ: some models use a phone app, others a web page, and some offer both. Consider whether you are comfortable with that approach and whether an app needs an account. Ask how long the manufacturer says it will supply security updates, a detail that is often missing from the product page.
What this guide cannot tell you
- The details come from each manufacturer's own page as it was checked, and pages change; confirm the current details on the manufacturer's page before buying.
- Only a selection of each page's details is included, so a feature that is not mentioned under a model has been neither confirmed nor ruled out.
- Prices, availability, running costs and retailer offers are not covered.
- Manufacturer statements describe design and specification. They are not independent measurements of performance.
- Real-world wireless speed and range depend on your home, your devices and neighbouring networks, and are not covered by specifications.
- Headline wireless figures describe a theoretical maximum, so they are shown as written and not ranked.
- Whether a model works with your broadband provider, and how long it will receive security updates, must be confirmed separately.
Buyer checklist
- What speed does your broadband plan provide, and can the router's broadband port and Ethernet ports handle it?
- How many wired devices need an Ethernet port today, and how many might you add?
- How large is your home, and do thick walls or several floors suggest a mesh set?
- Do your main devices support the Wi-Fi standard the manufacturer lists?
- Does your provider allow your own router, and does it need a separate modem or fibre terminal?
- Do you want a guest network, parental controls or USB features, and does the manufacturer list them for this exact model?
- Is setup done through an app, a web page or both, and are you comfortable with that?
- Does the manufacturer say how long security updates will be provided?
- Does the variant you are buying match the one described on the manufacturer's page?
Sources
Manufacturer information, not hands-on testing.