- May.2024
- 31
How editor of MyBroadband future-proofed his network with a TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 router
TP-Link has launched its Archer BE800 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 router in South Africa – and there has never been a better way to upgrade and future-proof your home network.
The TP-Link Archer BE800 offers everything you need to keep all your devices connected, including lightning-fast wired and wireless connectivity, and an extensive coverage range thanks to its tri-band architecture.
TP-Link sent us a Archer BE800 unit to review, and we were thoroughly impressed with its connectivity and features after putting it through its paces.
Seamless network setup
Many find setting up a router daunting, but TP-Link’s Tether smartphone app – available on Android and iOS – makes it super easy.
The Tether app guided me through the entire process, making setup a breeze for even non-tech-savvy users.
On the hardware side, I only had to switch off my existing modem, connect it to the Archer BE800 via an Ethernet cable, and switch both devices on.
The Archer BE800 offers an extensive array of high-speed ports for connecting to your modem and for wired device connections, including:
- 2x 10 Gbps Ethernet ports
- 1x 10 Gbps SFP+ port
- 4x 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports
Hardware and testing
I was soon browsing the web on the Archer BE800’s superior Wi-Fi, and was impressed by the world-class speeds and stability it offered.
Designed to handle modern internet demands with ease, the Archer BE800 supports speeds of up to 19Gbps spread across its three Wi-Fi bands:
- 6GHz – 11,520Mbps
- 5GHz – 5,760Mbps
- 2.4GHz – 1,376Mbps
ICASA is expected to approve 6GHz bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7 connectivity in South Africa soon. In the interim, the TP-Link Archer BE800 lets South Africans future-proof their home networks with a superior router that delivers unrivalled Wi-Fi 6 speeds in the present – and exceptional Wi-Fi 7 speeds in the future.
I put the currently-supported Wi-Fi 6 speeds to the test using the Tether app’s speed test feature. My fibre line wasn’t nearly fast enough to push the router’s limits, and the Archer BE800 enabled me to use the full capacity of my connection with ease.
Thanks to the Archer BE800’s eight beamforming antennas, these speeds were also available across a large coverage area.
The antennas boosted signals in multiple directions across vast areas and concentrated signal strength towards connected devices, keeping the Wi-Fi signal strong throughout my home.
This excellent coverage, coupled with the router’s impressive speeds, allowed me to transfer large files, stream 4K content, and play online games throughout my home without any lag.
The impressive antenna array also provides up to four-times lower latency than typical Wi-Fi 6 routers, which results in ultra-smooth connectivity.
LED display and Tether app
The TP-Link Archer BE800’s most noticeable physical features are its angular design and LED screen, positioned on the face of the router.
Managed by the Tether app, the LED display can show everything from the weather forecast and time of day, to emojis and animations.
I even created my own graphics and animations, which added a fun and interactive element to the router.
The Tether app also provided me with a wide range of useful network management features, such as the ability to view my network status and monitor traffic usage of various devices.
It showed me which devices were connected to my Wi-Fi network, which band they were connected to, and their current and total traffic usage.
From there, I could prioritise traffic to certain devices, limit the bandwidth allocated to others, and set up an IoT network that ran specifically on the 2.4GHz band – freeing up the higher-speed bands for my main network.
The verdict
The TP-Link Archer BE800 is the best router I have ever tested.
From its unmatched speeds and coverage, to its fun LED display and powerful Tether app, it offered everything I needed to future-proof my home network.
It caters to power users and tech enthusiasts alike, and will reach its full potential soon when the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi use is approved in South Africa.
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