Wi-Fi and fast ports are similar. The difference is the system and USB.
Short answer
hAP be lite - RouterOS v7 and cheaper. Archer BE230 - a dedicated 2.5 Gbit/s WAN, USB 3.0, EasyMesh, simple setup.
Key differences
| Spec | MikroTik hAP be lite | TP-Link Archer BE230 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | router | router |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7, BE3600 | Wi-Fi 7, BE3600 |
| Wi-Fi speed | 688 + 2882 Mbit/s | 688 + 2882 Mbit/s |
| Bands | 2.4 + 5 GHz | 2.4 + 5 GHz |
| WAN | configurable | 1 × 2.5 Gbit/s |
| LAN | 1 × 2.5 Gbit/s + 3 × 1 Gbit/s | 1 × 2.5 Gbit/s + 3 × 1 Gbit/s |
| USB | no | USB 3.0 |
| Mesh | — | EasyMesh |
| MLO | yes | yes |
| Processor | 2 cores, 950 MHz | — |
| RAM / flash | 512 / 128 MB | — |
| VPN | yes | yes |
| Price | current prices | current prices |
Specs come from the device pages on Smartphone.ua.
What's the same
Wi-Fi 7 BE3600, MLO, ports 1 × 2.5 + 3 × 1 Gbit/s, VPN.
WAN
Assigned in RouterOS vs a dedicated 2.5 Gbit/s WAN.
USB
None vs USB 3.0.
Verdict: who should buy which
- Flexibility and price - MikroTik hAP be lite.
- Home and USB - TP-Link Archer BE230.
FAQ
Is MikroTik hard to set up?
It takes RouterOS know-how.
Does the MikroTik have mesh?
The spec sheet doesn't say.
Which is cheaper?
The hAP be lite.