TP-Link Tri-Band BE9300 WiFi 7 Router (Archer BE550) - 6-Stream, Full 2.5G Ports w/ 6 Internal Antennas, Up to 2,000 Sq Ft, Add Easy-Mesh Device for Extended Coverage, VPN Support, Free Expert Support

I had great success with this router so far (BE550). This is probably one of the easiest routers I have ever setup. The wireless capabilities are really impressive having great range and speed. I also love the look of it and I like how it’s oriented vertically. For anyone using CenturyLink Fiber, this router has all the VLAN tagging settings already in the router menu. To get it working, connect your ONT to the routers WAN port. Then, go to Network > IPTV/VLAN and check Enabled, then on the dropdown menu for Mode, simply select USA-CenturyLink. It sets the VLAN tag setting and all other settings for this ISP. It sets your Internet Connection Type as PPPoE and asks for your user name and password (if you don’t know this, call CenturyLink). That’s it, I was connected in under 60 seconds. It was as if this was a preconfigured router from CenturyLinkl - AWESOME!Oh, and when I ran a speed test on my Gaming PC (it is directly wired to the router), I got faster speeds then when I was using my CenturyLink’s router (Zyxel C3510XZ). Very happy.

I wanted its bigger brother with the 10gbe ports but ultimately my ISP is only 2.5gbps (not paying for the 5gbps, it's not worth the cost). If the competing ISP ever rolls out 10gbps then I'd upgrade, but that could be years. 10gbps could be a long while for a lot of people. So unless you have some NAS on your LAN where you can benefit from the faster wired speeds it's just overkill. 2.5gbps worked for me and that meant I could spend half as much on the router.For $269 (on 10% sale) it's honestly hard to find a better router than the BE550.I was a big Asus fan with Merlin firmware flashed on their routers. I was eyeing up their 10gbe router but it's also expensive.The TP-Link Archer BE550 has some negative reviews on the Internet, but I believe they issued a firmware fix...I did not experience any issues at all.Speed tests on wifi? 1.3gbps. Which I never thought I'd see from wifi. Granted I'm standing next to the router, but even from a distance the speeds are terrific. This is much better than my Amplifi and older Asus router 802.11ac. This is probably simply due to the 802.11ax. But the signal is still stronger overall.I picked up a Deco X55 as an AP and may get another, because those have two 2.5gbe ports. If your internet is above 1gbps then you need backhaul faster than a 1gbe port if you're running 802.11ax or higher to get maximum speed (though nothing wrong with 1gbps).I think most people focus on wifi, but I'd really suggest to focus on your wired connections. If you do have more than 1gbps from your ISP this becomes critical. Your choice in routers shrinks. I think the BE550 is a solid choice though.The parental controls seem decent so far. I don't know if it's worth the subscription. The basic features that you get for free provide the basic turn off on demand and/or on a schedule. The YouTube content filter is attractive but it doesn't seem to let you customize it so I have my doubts.The other features of this router seem good. It even has wire guard for a VPN option.It's easy to set up. It's nice looking. So I call it a gentle beast because you don't need to be an expert to set it up and get good performance. It even has wifi7 for whenever things start using that. Most devices in my home doesn't even use 802.11ax yet so to say this router is future proof is an understatement. It'll be years before 802.11ax feels old and since it can reach over 1gbps with ease and most people don't have over 1gbps internet...there's just no point. A router like this will last you years.I'm a nerd here. Very much into programming and computers and networking. I have a rack in my closet and a server in it that I built from used data center parts. So for whatever that's worth, this router gets a recommendation from me.

This is a beast of a unit. Performance is in line with specifications. Coverage is good, but can add a mesh of the cheaper one without the dual 10Gbit ports. super easy setup. Connectivity is good, and can be configured by frequency if needed. i have a ton of interference with my house, mirrors opposite office, multiple other wifi, 5g tower, so the frequency lock feature was really handy for me. Even with all my problems i was still able to fully utilize my 1Gbit internet speed (my current limit, it would go faster) but my transfers are still steady over 6Gbit even with my interference issues. My ISP wifi was new high end unit too, i could only get 300Mbit max, it was capable of 6G speeds. But this unit pushes the power. As for the power consumption, its a bit more than an average wifi router but its pushing nearly 10Gbit wifi, its inline with performance. Very costly unit, but bleeding edge technology usually is and its doing exactly what i hoped it would. 10/10 would recommend if you have the need for dual 10Gbit LAN/WAN ports. They do make one with a single 10Gbit WAN port which is cheaper.