TP-Link expands tri-band Wi-Fi 7 family with new routers and an outdoor satellite

TP-Link has announced three new wireless products that leverage the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, including an outdoor satellite that brings world-first functionality. The new offerings include the Deco BE65 Outdoor, the Deco BE68, and the Archer BE600.

We start with the Deco BE65 Outdoor, the company's first weather-resistant Wi-Fi 7 satellite. You might remember the Eero Outdoor 7 launched late last year with Wi-Fi 7 support. However, at least on paper, the Deco BE65 Outdoor should provide better performance. While the Eero Outdoor 7 only supported 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, the Deco BE65-Outdoor also supports the higher-performing 6 GHz band.

According to TP-Link, the Deco BE65 Outdoor enables up to 688 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band, up to 4,324 Mbps on the 5 GHz band, and up to 5,765 Mbps on the 6 GHz band while covering 3,000 square feet.

The satellite features IP65 weatherproofing, making it water and dust-resistant for use in your backyard, on a porch, or perhaps in an outdoor shed. You can use a wireless (MLO) or wired (two 2.5 GbE ports onboard) backhaul to connect to your primary Deco mesh network. Power is supported via a traditional AC adapter or Power over Ethernet (PoE).

TP-Link has priced the Deco BE65 Outdoor at $299.99, or $100 less than the $399 MSRP of the Eero Outdoor 7.

Next is the recently released Deco BE68 Wi-Fi 7 mesh router, which is sold as a three-pack. This 14 Gbps tri-band mesh system delivers 8,647 Mbps on the 6 GHz band, 4,324 Mbps on the 5 GHz band, and 688 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.

Each satellite has a single 10 GbE port, one 2.5 GbE port, and one GbE port. You'll also find a single USB 3.0 port on each satellite for connecting a non-wireless printer or external storage. TP-Link says that you can connect up to 200 devices to the mesh router and that it covers up to 8,100 square feet. The Deco BE68 carries a $699 MSRP, but is currently available from Best Buy for $599.99.

Finally, we come to the Archer BE9700. At first glance, the Archer BE9700 looks identical to the Archer BE3600 we recently reviewed, but then you'll notice it has two additional external antennas. However, there are even more changes lurking inside.

While the Archer BE3600 is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router value priced at $99, the Archer BE9700 is a full-enabled tri-band Wi-Fi router. You'll see speeds of up to 5,756 Mbps on the 6 GHz band, up to 2,882 Mbps on the 5 GHz band, and up to 1,032 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. TP-Link even includes a single 10 GbE port on the router and three 2.5 GbE ports (one used for WAN).

The Archer BE9700 is not yet on sale, but will be priced at $249.99 at Best Buy and Amazon.