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TP-Link Archer AX18 vs eero Pro 6E

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

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

The TP-Link Archer AX18 scores 5.7/10 overall, ahead of the eero Pro 6E at 5.4/10.

The TP-Link Archer AX18 leads on software and security, wired ports and value.

The eero Pro 6E leads on wi-Fi standard and bands and coverage.

Archer AX18

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 (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

eero Pro 6E

eero Pro 6E

5.4/10verdict: good, not the best

The eero Pro 6E is for households that want a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E mesh system. It suits people with a modest number of wired devices and a single fast line into the home. It is a weaker fit for anyone who wants a VPN server, many Ethernet ports or a documented VLAN setup.

Typically about £336.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightTP-Link Archer AX18eero Pro 6E
Wi-Fi standard and bands25%6/107/10
Software and security25%6/105/10
Wired ports20%5/104/10
Coverage15%5/106/10
Value15%6/105/10
Overall5.7/105.4/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link Archer AX18eero Pro 6E
Wi-Fi standard802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), backward compatible with 11a/b/g/n/ac/axWi-Fi 6E tri-band 802.11ax, 2:2:2, with 160 MHz channels in 5 GHz and 6 GHz
Bands and speed classDual-band: 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz (11ax) and 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (11n)2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz
WAN port1x Gigabit WAN (1 Gbps)1 x 2.5 GbE auto-sensing (WAN or LAN)
LAN ports3x Gigabit LAN1 x Gigabit Ethernet auto-sensing (WAN or LAN)
Mesh nodes in the box1 router; no extra nodes (not sold as a kit)1, 2 or 3 units depending on pack (1-, 2- and 3-pack)
Rated coveragenot listedUp to 2,000 sq ft per unit; up to 6,000 sq ft for a 3-pack
Security and VPN featuresnot listedProfiles, WPA3, WPA2, TLS v1.2+, VPN passthrough, IPv6, NAT, UPnP, port forwarding, DHCP, static IP, cloud connectivity

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link Archer AX18

  • + Wi-Fi 6 with WPA3-Personal support
  • + Guest network, parental controls and access control included
  • − 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 ›

eero Pro 6E

  • + Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E with 6 GHz and 160 MHz channels
  • + 2.5GbE port that works as either WAN or LAN
  • + Rated up to 6,000 sq ft in a 3-pack
  • − Only two Ethernet ports per unit
  • − VPN passthrough only, no VPN server

Skip it if:

  • Homelabbers who need a built-in VPN server or documented VLANs
  • Buyers with several wired devices who want many LAN ports per unit
  • Anyone whose devices lack 6E support and who wants no 6 GHz band
Read the full eero Pro 6E review ›

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