TP-Link Archer AX18 vs ASUS RT-BE92U

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems at a similar price

The ASUS RT-BE92U scores 7.4/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link Archer AX18 at 5.7/10.

The ASUS RT-BE92U leads on wi-Fi standard and bands, software and security, wired ports and value.

They score the same on coverage.

The biggest difference is wired ports, where the ASUS RT-BE92U scores 9/10 to the TP-Link Archer AX18's 5/10.

TP-Link Archer AX18

5.7/10verdict: good, not the best

The Archer AX18 suits people who want a plain Wi-Fi 6 router for a small to average home on a gigabit connection or slower. It covers the basics: WPA3, guest network, parental controls and automatic firmware updates. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs multi-gig ports, a VPN server, VLANs or a mesh system.

Typically about £50.21 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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ASUS RT-BE92U

7.4/10verdict: buy

The ASUS RT-BE92U is a single tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router for buyers who want multi-gig wired ports and subscription-free security. It suits a home or homelab with fast fibre or a 10 Gbps-capable wired setup. Buyers who need wide coverage from one box or trouble-free firmware should read the owner reports first.

Typically about £198.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	TP-Link Archer AX18	ASUS RT-BE92U
Wi-Fi standard and bands	25%	6/10	8/10
Software and security	25%	6/10	7/10
Wired ports	20%	5/10	9/10
Coverage	15%	5/10	5/10
Value	15%	6/10	7/10
Overall		5.7/10	7.4/10

Specifications

Spec	TP-Link Archer AX18	ASUS RT-BE92U
Wi-Fi standard	802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), backward compatible with 11a/b/g/n/ac/ax	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); also lists 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, including 6E
Bands and speed class	Dual-band: 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz (11ax) and 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (11n)	Tri-band: 2.4 GHz (3x3), 5 GHz (2x2) and 6 GHz (2x2); rated maximums 1032, 2882 and 5764 Mbps
WAN port	1x Gigabit WAN (1 Gbps)	One 10 Gbps WAN/LAN port and one 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN port; either can serve as WAN
LAN ports	3x Gigabit LAN	Three 2.5 Gbps LAN ports, plus the 10 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN ports, which can also be used as LAN
Mesh nodes in the box	1 router; no extra nodes (not sold as a kit)	None; the box contains one router. AiMesh is supported as primary or node
Security and VPN features	not listed	WPA3 Personal and Enterprise, OWE, WPS; AiProtection with Malicious Site Blocking and Two-Way IPS; firewall with DNS-over-TLS; up to three guest networks; VPN server (IPSec, OpenVPN, PPTP, WireGuard); VPN client (L2TP, OpenVPN, PPTP, WireGuard); Instant Guard app

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link Archer AX18

+ Wi-Fi 6 with WPA3-Personal support
+ Guest network, parental controls and access control included
+ Firmware listings run into September 2026
− Gigabit-only wired ports, no 2.5GbE
− Dual-band only, with no 6 GHz
− No VPN server, and VLAN support not published

Skip it if:

Buyers who want 2.5GbE or 10GbE wired ports
Anyone needing a router-hosted VPN server or published VLAN support
Households needing mesh nodes or a published coverage rating for a large home

Read the full TP-Link Archer AX18 review ›

ASUS RT-BE92U

+ 10 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps WAN/LAN ports plus three 2.5 Gbps LAN
+ Security is subscription-free, with WireGuard and OpenVPN server options
+ Owners describe quiet, fanless operation
− Some owners report buggy firmware and disconnections
− Owners report poor 6 GHz range
− VLAN support isn't listed in the features

Skip it if:

Buyers who need one box to cover a large home
Anyone who needs VLAN support, which ASUS doesn't list
Beginners who want simple app-led setup and mesh configuration

Read the full ASUS RT-BE92U review ›

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