The TP-Link Archer BE550, also known as the TP-Link BE9300, is a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router with 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. All five of its wired networking ports support 2.5Gbps speeds, and it has a USB 3.0 port for connecting a storage device. It's compatible with EasyMesh technology, so you can add another compatible router or range extender to create a mesh network. You can set it up and manage it with TP-Link's Tether app or through a web interface.
Our Verdict
The TP-Link BE9300 is an excellent router for apartments, condos, and single-story homes. It has excellent coverage and speeds across a single floor suitable for high-bandwidth uses like downloading large files quickly and handling multiple users streaming 4k video, especially if your devices are Wi-Fi 7 capable. Its network ports are all rated for 2.5Gbps speeds so that you can take advantage of a multi-gigabit internet connection and devices. While the router is somewhat large, it has a clean design with internal antennas.
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Ample multi-gigabit networking ports.
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Wi-Fi 7 support.
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Excellent top speeds.
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Large and bulky.
The TP-Link Archer BE9300 is a great router if you live in a multi-level house with a backyard. It delivers excellent top speeds and very good range performance, making it suitable for downloading large files quickly throughout a multi-level home. Since it's a standalone router and not a mesh system, its speeds will drop the further you are from it, but it likely won't be an issue unless your home is substantial. All of its network ports are capable of 2.5Gbps speeds so that you can take advantage of your multi-gigabit internet connection and devices.
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Ample multi-gigabit networking ports.
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Very good range performance.
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Wi-Fi 7 support.
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Excellent top speeds.
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Large and bulky.
The TP-Link BE9300 delivers excellent speeds suitable for a multi-gigabit internet connection. It also supports DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection), so it can use less congested DFS-only channels to give you better speeds in noisy wireless environments.
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Wi-Fi 7 support.
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Excellent top speeds.
The TP-Link Tri-Band BE9300 has very good range. It's also compatible with other TP-Link EasyMesh routers and range extenders to increase the range even further.
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Very good range performance.
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Wi-Fi 7 support.
Changelog
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Updated Feb 20, 2025:
We've added the ASUS ROG RAPTURE GT-BE98 Pro as an alternative with a better network port selection in the Network Ports section.
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Updated Nov 06, 2024:
We've updated the review to reflect that this router is also known as the TP-Link BE9300.
- Updated Jul 22, 2024: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
While the model that we reviewed is called the TP-Link Archer BE550/BE9300, there's a Walmart variant called the TP-Link Archer BE9300. The BE550 that we reviewed has five 2.5Gbps networking ports, while the BE9300 has a 2.5Gbps WAN port, one 2.5Gbps LAN port, and three 1Gbps LAN ports. That said, there have been reports online that the BE9300's networking ports are also all 2.5Gbps compatible despite TP-Link's marketing. Let us know in the comments if you have a variant of this router that we haven't discussed.
Here's a link to our unit's label.
Compared To Other Routers
The TP-Link Archer BE550 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router that sits in the entry-level category for Wi-Fi 7 routers. This router supports EasyMesh technology, so you can create a mesh network with any other EasyMesh-certified router or extender.
This router provides fast speeds, especially when you're close to it on the same floor. However, its maximum speeds are slightly slower than those of more expensive Wi-Fi 7 routers or dedicated mesh solutions like the ASUS RT-BE96U or the eero Max 7 because it only has a 2.5 Gbps WAN port.
For more recommendations, check out the best long-range Wi-Fi routers, the best Wi-Fi routers, or the best routers for streaming.
The TP-Link Deco BE65 Pro and the TP-Link Archer BE550 are Wi-Fi 7 routers from the same company. The Deco BE65 Pro is part of TP-Link's Deco lineup of mesh routers, and the Archer BE550 is part of their Archer lineup of conventional standalone routers. The two perform similarly well in terms of maximum speed, but the Deco BE63 has much better range, making it more suitable for larger homes.
The TP-Link Archer BE550 and the NETGEAR Nighthawk RS300 are standalone Wi-Fi 7 routers. They have similarly excellent top speeds, but the TP-Link has more 2.5Gbps networking ports, better range, and supports EasyMesh, which allows you to add other compatible access points to create a mesh network, making it better suited for larger homes.
The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro and the TP-Link Archer BE550 are Wi-Fi 7 routers. Get the ASUS if you need high-bandwidth networking ports; it offers two configurable 10Gbps ports and four 2.5Gbps ports. It also provides two 6GHz bands, which allows you to configure a dedicated backhaul channel that ASUS claims delivers more consistent performance when configuring a mesh network. That said, the TP-Link Archer BE550 is the better choice for most people as it provides similar speed and range performance, can also be configured as a mesh network, and offers significantly better value.
The TP-Link Deco BE63 and the TP-Link Archer BE550 are both Wi-Fi 7 routers from TP-Link. The Deco BE63 is designed to be used as part of a mesh network. The Archer BE550, on the other hand, is a standalone router. The two perform similarly well in terms of maximum speed, but the Deco BE63 has much better range performance, making it more suitable if you live in a larger home.
The TP-Link Archer BE550 is faster than the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6. It's a Wi-Fi 7 standalone router, while the ASUS is a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router. However, since the TP-Link is compatible with EasyMesh, you can also add compatible access points for better range. The ASUS has an aggressive gamer design with RGB lighting, while the TP-Link has a more conventional design.
Test Results
There's a variant of this router called the TP-Link Archer BE9300 that has a 2.5Gbps WAN port, one 2.5Gbps LAN port, and three 1Gbps LAN ports. If you want a Wi-Fi 7 router with higher bandwidth 10Gbps network ports, check out the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro.
This is a standalone router without mesh capabilities, so the mesh satellite position line on this graph isn't applicable.
This is a standalone router without mesh capabilities, so the mesh satellite position line on this graph isn't applicable.
Wi-Fi 7 has faster speeds, lower latency, and supports more simultaneous connections than previous generations of Wi-Fi. However, you'll need devices supporting Wi-Fi 7 to benefit from these features.
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Comments
TP-Link Archer BE550: Main Discussion
Let us know why you want us to review the product here, or encourage others to vote for this product.
- 21010
I bough this router based on the reviews but I am not getting the range even close to the data shown here. I have a less than 2000 sq. Ft apartment with concrete walls. My signal keeps dropping even 20 ft away in my room with the doors close. Even in my living room the speeds drop to half with the router placed less than 20ft away behind a wall next to the entrance. Any I missing something on the settings?
Hi imranahmedk, Unfortunately, there is no simple setting or configuration that will boost the signal. Concrete walls are one of the worst enemy of WiFi. If your interior walls are made of concrete, WiFi will not be able to penetrate the walls and will need to find a way to go around them. Concrete is also a bad reflector since the WiFi signal will mostly get absorbed by concrete walls. The best option is really to get a line-of-sight from the device to your router. Doors made of wood won’t be blocking the WiFi signal, so at least there’s that. Try to find a central spot high above the ground for the router in your home that will be able to beam the WiFi through the doors of each rooms. Also, since the antennas are internal on this router, ensure the router is upright and standing on its rubber feet so it is in its optimal position. Our coverage map was done with drywall and wood walls, so it will not be representative of your home.
Of course, you could also use ethernet cables to connect your devices to circumvent the WiFi vs Concrete problem, but that generally defeat the whole point of having a WiFi router. Other options would be to use repeaters/extenders or a mesh system to be able to create a better line-of-sight WiFi coverage. Keep in mind that using repeaters/extenders will need to be able to be in line-of-sight of both the router and the devices, so they might be hard to place. Mesh systems will have the same problem of having both line-of-sight if using a wireless backhaul, but could also be connected using ethernet cables (wired backhaul) which will only require your satellite node to be in line-of-sight with your device.
- 21010
I bough this router based on the reviews but I am not getting the range even close to the data shown here. I have a less than 2000 sq. Ft apartment with concrete walls. My signal keeps dropping even 20 ft away in my room with the doors close. Even in my living room the speeds drop to half with the router placed less than 20ft away behind a wall next to the entrance. Any I missing something on the settings?
Update: We’ve added the ASUS ROG RAPTURE GT-BE98 Pro as an alternative with a better network port selection in the Network Ports section.
- 21010
I’m looking forward to the retest, I’m considering this router for using with Virtual Desktop with VR, I usually play about 40 feet away from the router around a corner, I currently use the ASUS RT-AX86S router which has worked very well for my current set up, but I believe the router is starting to fail, so I’m in the market for a new router.
We’ll be getting to it over the next few days, so it’ll likely be live by the end of the week or latest very early next week.
- 21010
Hey! Wanted to give you an update! We should be able to give this a look next week! I’ll make another post when either we’ve finished the retesting of it or when we’re starting depending on whether it’s the beginning or end of the week.
I’m looking forward to the retest, I’m considering this router for using with Virtual Desktop with VR, I usually play about 40 feet away from the router around a corner, I currently use the ASUS RT-AX86S router which has worked very well for my current set up, but I believe the router is starting to fail, so I’m in the market for a new router.
- 21010
Could you guys retest this now that firmware 1.1.1 is out, which brings a TON of features/fixes/etc? Especially would love to see its MLO (re)tested, since it has had issues for sure, and might still, but that’s what the test is for!
Hey!
Wanted to give you an update! We should be able to give this a look next week! I’ll make another post when either we’ve finished the retesting of it or when we’re starting depending on whether it’s the beginning or end of the week.
- 21010
Could you guys retest this now that firmware 1.1.1 is out, which brings a TON of features/fixes/etc? Especially would love to see its MLO (re)tested, since it has had issues for sure, and might still, but that’s what the test is for!
Hey!
Yeah, we can give this another looksy with the new firmware. I expect we can fit it in within the next couple of weeks, so I can update you when I have a better idea on when, but I think it’s definitely worth checking into.
- 21010
Could you guys retest this now that firmware 1.1.1 is out, which brings a TON of features/fixes/etc? Especially would love to see its MLO (re)tested, since it has had issues for sure, and might still, but that’s what the test is for!