Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from the official Asus and TP-Link sites.
2026 verdict
Cross-brand, and the cheaper router sweeps this one: the Asus RT-BE86U wins the overall verdict over the TP-Link Archer BE900 on every scored front, costing less, earning a better owner rating and backed by a longer warranty.
The Archer BE900 is the far more powerful radio: a quad-band Wi-Fi 7 flagship with a dedicated 6 GHz band, twelve internal antennas, dual 10G ports and an SFP+ cage, all of which dwarf the dual-band RT-BE86U's single 10G port. The RT-BE86U answers with AsusWRT's enthusiast toolkit, including a command line interface the Archer BE900 does not offer. Go with the Asus RT-BE86U for an affordable, well-rated router with a 10G port and deep configurability, or the TP-Link Archer BE900 if maximum Wi-Fi 7 airtime and a 6 GHz band matter more than price.
News by email
Still comparing? Get what's new by email
New releases and the smart home news worth knowing, in your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
| Feature | Asus RT-BE86U | TP-Link Archer BE900 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warranty | 3 years | 2 years | Asus RT-BE86U |
| Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | NO | YES | TP-Link Archer BE900 |
| Max Wi-Fi Speed | 6.8 Gbps | 24.4 Gbps | TP-Link Archer BE900 |
| LAN Port Count | 5 | 8 | TP-Link Archer BE900 |
| WAN & Failover | Multi-WAN, WAN Failover | None | Asus RT-BE86U |
| USB Storage | FTP, Samba, Time Machine, Media Sharing | FTP, Samba, Media Sharing | Asus RT-BE86U |
| Rating | 4.0 | 4.0 | Tie |
| Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) | YES | YES | Tie |
| Mesh Wi-Fi | YES | YES | Tie |
| WPA3 Encryption | YES | YES | Tie |
| LAN 2.5 Gbps RJ45 Ports | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Parental Controls | Wi-Fi Pause Schedules, Instant Wi-Fi Pause, Block Content | Wi-Fi Pause Schedules, Instant Wi-Fi Pause, Block Content | Tie |
Winner
$239.99
- + Warranty: 3 years
- + WAN & Failover: Multi-WAN, WAN Failover
- + USB Storage: FTP, Samba, Time Machine, Media Sharing
- - Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax): NO vs YES
- - Max Wi-Fi Speed: 6.8 Gbps vs 24.4 Gbps
- + Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax): YES
- + Max Wi-Fi Speed: 24.4 Gbps
- + LAN Port Count: 8
- - Warranty: 2 years vs 3 years
- - WAN & Failover: None vs Multi-WAN, WAN Failover
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall, the Asus RT-BE86U or the TP-Link Archer BE900?
The Asus RT-BE86U wins on every scored front, coming in cheaper, better rated by owners and covered by a longer warranty. The TP-Link Archer BE900 is the stronger pick if you specifically want its quad-band radios and 6 GHz band.
What is the biggest difference between the Asus RT-BE86U and the TP-Link Archer BE900?
Band count. The Asus RT-BE86U is a dual-band router with no 6 GHz radio, while the TP-Link Archer BE900 is a quad-band flagship with two separate 5 GHz radios plus a 6 GHz radio.
Which has more wired ports?
The TP-Link Archer BE900, with eight ports including dual 10G ports and an SFP+ cage. The Asus RT-BE86U has five ports, including a single 10G port.
Does the Asus RT-BE86U have a command line interface?
Yes. The Asus RT-BE86U includes a command line interface for advanced configuration. The TP-Link Archer BE900 does not offer one.
Which has the longer warranty?
The Asus RT-BE86U, covered by a 3-year warranty against the TP-Link Archer BE900's two years.
Who should buy each one?
Buy the Asus RT-BE86U for an affordable, well-rated dual-band router with a 10G port. Buy the TP-Link Archer BE900 if you want maximum Wi-Fi 7 throughput with a 6 GHz band and dual 10G ports.
Our store on AmazonShop our ideas on AmazonLists of the smart home setups we would put together ourselves, ready to add to your Amazon cart.Shop on AmazonFull comparison table
Compare all 46 Routers side by side
You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Routers in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.
- 46 Routers
- 82 specs compared
- 76 filters
- Routers
UniFi Dream Router 5G Max
- Routers
UniFi Dream Router 7
- Routers
UniFi Express 7
- Routers
Cloud Gateway Ultra
- Routers
Outdoor 7
- Routers
Deco BE63
- Routers
Archer AX21
- Routers
7
- Routers
Deco X55
- Routers
Nighthawk RS700S
- Routers
Deco BE23
- Routers
Archer AXE75
- Routers
Archer BE400
- Routers
Nighthawk RS90
- Routers
Pro 7
- Routers
Archer AX55 Pro
- Routers
RT-BE88U
- Routers
Deco BE25
- Routers
Archer BE230
- Routers
ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro
- Mini PCs
Ascent GX10 (128GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
Chromebox 5a (Celeron 4GB + 128GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 13 Pro Slim (i7 16GB + 512GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 14 Pro Tall (Ultra 7 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 15 Pro+ (Ultra 9 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 15 Pro Slim (Core 5 16GB + 512GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 16 Pro (Ultra 7 16GB + 512GB)
- Mini PCs
NUC 16 Pro (Ultra X7 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG GR70 (RTX 5070 32GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5060 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5070 Ti 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5080 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 16 (RTX 5080 64GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5070 32GB + 1TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5070 32GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5070 Ti 32GB + 2TB)
- Mini PCs
ROG NUC 2025 (RTX 5080 32GB + 2TB)
- Routers
ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI
- Routers
ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro
- Routers
ROG Strix GS-BE12000
- Buttons
Tapo S200B
- Buttons
Tapo S200D
- Cameras
Tapo C100
- Cameras
Tapo C120
- Cameras
Tapo C210
- Cameras
Tapo SolarCam C402
- Cameras
Tapo TC34
- Cameras
Kasa EC70
- Cameras
Kasa KC420WS
- Cameras
Tapo C200
- Cameras
Tapo C246D
- Cameras
Tapo C260
- Cameras
Tapo C460
- Cameras
Tapo C465
- Cameras
Tapo C500
- Cameras
Tapo C560WS
- Cameras
Tapo C615F KIT
- Cameras
Tapo C660
- Cameras
Tapo C710
- Cameras
Tapo MagCam