TP-Link Archer AX18 vs TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack)

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

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

The TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack) scores 6.6/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link Archer AX18 at 5.7/10.

The TP-Link Archer AX18 leads on software and security.

The TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack) leads on wi-Fi standard and bands, wired ports and coverage.

They score the same on value.

The biggest difference is wired ports, where the TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack) 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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TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack)

6.6/10verdict: buy

The Deco BE9300 three-pack is for households that want a Wi-Fi 7 mesh with plenty of fast wired ports on every unit. It suits people who will run Ethernet to desktops, consoles or storage in several rooms. It is less suited to anyone who wants deep manual control of the network or full security features without a subscription.

Typically about £439 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	TP-Link Archer AX18	TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack)
Wi-Fi standard and bands	25%	6/10	8/10
Software and security	25%	6/10	4/10
Wired ports	20%	5/10	9/10
Coverage	15%	5/10	6/10
Value	15%	6/10	6/10
Overall		5.7/10	6.6/10

Specifications

Spec	TP-Link Archer AX18	TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack)
Wi-Fi standard	802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), backward compatible with 11a/b/g/n/ac/ax	Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be)
Bands and speed class	Dual-band: 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz (11ax) and 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (11n)	Tri-band 2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz; signal rates 688 Mbps (2.4 GHz), 2882 Mbps (5 GHz), 5765 Mbps (6 GHz)
WAN port	1x Gigabit WAN (1 Gbps)	4 x 2.5 Gbps auto-sensing WAN/LAN ports per unit; one port can be WAN at a time
LAN ports	3x Gigabit LAN	The same 4 x 2.5 Gbps ports per unit can be used as LAN; one can serve as wired backhaul between units
Mesh nodes in the box	1 router; no extra nodes (not sold as a kit)	3
Security and VPN features	not listed	WPA/WPA2/WPA3 encryption, firewall, device blocklist, separate 2.4/5/6 GHz guest networks, IoT network, MLO network, Parental Controls, QoS, Network Protection, remote management, Online Upgrade firmware updates

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 ›

TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack)

+ Wi-Fi 7 tri-band with a 6 GHz band
+ Four 2.5 Gbps ports on every unit
+ Wired backhaul between units is supported
− Full parental controls and IoT security need a paid plan
− No locally hosted web interface
− Limited QoS and traffic features

Skip it if:

Buyers who want full parental controls and IoT security without a subscription
Anyone who wants a local web interface and detailed QoS or traffic control
Buyers who need a built-in VPN server

Read the full TP-Link Deco BE9300 (3-pack) review ›

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