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 Core, 4 Antennas | VPN, EasyMesh, HomeShield, MLO, Private IOT | Free Expert Support

Simple, affordable, fast and probably the best solution for 85% of people out there/ non-enthusiasts
TLDR: I think Tom’s Hardware Guide said it best “Bringing Wi-Fi 7 to the masses… The TP-Link Archer BE3600 is cheap, but you also don’t get the full spec of features or performance of “true” Wi-Fi 7 routers”. If you’re not big into gaming and just want a no-frills router to support your 1 Gbps or lower internet connection, there’s nothing wrong with the Archer BE3600. I personally, am very happy with my purchase and it’s probably the best solution for 85% of people out there/ non-enthusiasts. NOTE: I paid $83 for this Wifi router using an Amazon coupon. Which I think is a very fair price for something I only plan to upgrade every 5-7 years, and only if I have to. I also live in a townhouse, so it’s not like the signal has to go 60+ft.Details:Upgrading from a TPLINK AC1750 (Archer A7) [release ~2018], using Comcast internet (Fast plan; up to 600 mbps down) and a Netgear AC1200 WiFi USB Adapter 802.11ac Dual Band, USB 3.0 (on my computer but in a USB 2.0 port) which was about 7 feet away from the wireless router and I saw a measurable increase in my download speeds (~45% from ~260mbps to ~380 mbps using Ookla speed test).Purportedly the TP-Link BE3600 which was released in the 2024/2025 timeframe uses the same frequency bands (5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands) as the older TPLINK AC1750 (Archer A7), but uses the newer and faster WIFI 7 (802.11be) vs the older WIFI 5 (802.11ac) protocols. The TP-Link BE3600 advertises up to 3.57 Gbps (aka 3570 Mbps; 2882 Mbps in 5 GHz band + 688 Mbps in 2.4 GHz band) whereas the Archer A7 only 1.75 Gbps (1300 Mbps in 5GHz + 450 Mbps in 2.4 GHz bands).Practically speaking the internet says anything above 100 Mbps should be able to run multiple devices pretty well streaming. But I’m upgrading anyway, because my mother needs a new router so she doesn’t have to pay $10/mo for one from the cable company.I have no complaints. Easy to setup and connect to. I realize I’m now probably being gated by my older Netgear AC1200 WiFi USB Adapter which is using a USB 2.0 port (max speed 480 mbps) but my speeds are enough for me; my newer gaming PC which sits about 10 ft away from the router and uses a built-in WIFI card (Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax) manages ~500 mbps down.CAVEAT: I do want to note my older Netis WF2120 Wireless N150 Nano USB Dongle 802.11 b/g/n (aka WIFI 1/3/4) on an older computer was not able to see the 2.4 GHz signal from the BE3600 whereas it could from the AC1750; so I replaced it. I ended up using a spare Wavlink 600M dual-band connectivity (2.4GHz and 5GHz) USB WiFi adapter which uses 802.11ac WIFI 5; and had to update the drivers on my older windows PC in the process (to recognize the Wavlink adapter).

TP-Link AC 1200 A6 revised review
Cons: At first I couldn’t get it to work:1) the app isn’t very intuitive in helping to set it up, and the app didn’t see/find the router, again and again. It was very frustrating.ADVICE: Once you downloaded the app and when you see “No device found” message, don’t bother with refreshing the screen (as suggested by the app). Instead, press the large + sign in the upper right corner of the app screen, then it will take you easily all the way through. App’s developers should fix this flaw, in my opinion.2) it takes a long time for the router to “warm up” before all 4 green lights become steady – I’m referring mainly to light #5, from left to right (there are 6 of them, #s 1,2,3, and 5 should be steady green). It took maybe 7 min or longer for that light to become steady. That’s too long, in my view. Yet, it will work.ADVICE- plug in the cable from the modem, turn on, and leave it for a while.3) I’m yet to remove all plastic wrappings of the four antennas – one is fully unwrapped and one other only partially. Why? It is really “sticky” or tight, and I’m yet to figure out how to remove the plastic without scratching the antennas.ADVICE: maybe just leave it alone. The router works just fine with some antennas wrapped in plastic. Had I known that, I’d have left the wrapping alone because it still looks pretty and tidy with the plastic, like a second skin. But now I have to finish unwrapping because it looks ugly.4) The tech support is dismal. You are either put on hold forever or you get silly and unhelpful questions from the chat tech support with periods of long wait in between.ADVICE: don’t count on it.All in all, I’m holding off my original, frustration-based desire to return the router to Amazon (I love Amazon!!!).Pros:1) it provides a very strong signal, so far two weeks in a row, flawlessly, at 40-60 mbp down/20-30 up, depending on the source conditions/traffic, I guess, because on good days it is 106 / 57. I have four devices on, by the way.2) Coverage – unbelievable for this device: my place is 12,000 sq ft. In any room, any location, including bathroom and so on, the signal is strong (My Mac indicates no loss in signal strength, but my chromebook points to the reduction in the number of bars: 5 in the kitchen, 4 in the bedroom, 3 on the patio; but the speed test indicates no deterioration in speed; not sure what to make of that). The router is in the kitchen, and no impact on the signal despite all appliances around. The kitchen is in the central location of the house. Also, In the garage, which is below the living floor, – the signal is great everywhere. In addition, which is like, mama mia, the signal is strong in the back of the backyard (40x25ft), too. That means that the router covers 12000+1000 sq ft. !!!. No need to buy more expensive router.3) The router is silent – totally so.4) Good looking device – shiny, black, rather small and unobtrusive footprint. Really nice to look at. It sits on metal shelf of the kitchen “buffet.”

This router works very well. I am using it as the main router in a mesh setup and have wifi throughout the house.

This works as advertised. Just reading other reviews, it seems they do not understand how it works. I can confirm gigabit Ethernet, tested and achieved 1.0 gbit/ second transferring data locally. The WiFi strength is what id expect from a 70$ router, and it can deliver my Internets top speed to any of my devices in the home. Good replacement for my old router.