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TP-Link Omada EAP787: 30-second review
Ceiling-mounted access points have been extremely popular since makers like TP-Link began designing them with PoE in mind.
Depending on the region this equipment is deployed, the EAP787 is either a BE12000 or BE15000 capable device with up to channels covering 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz frequencies. In the USA(BE15000), these bands offer 5765 Mbps on 6 GHz, 8648 Mbps on 5 GHz and 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, totalling 15101 Mbps.
In the EU and UK (BE12000), those numbers are 5765 Mbps on 6 GHz, 5765 Mbps on 5 GHz and 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, totalling 12218 Mbps. The hardware is identical; it’s just that in the USA, the FCC permits 320 MHz-wide channels on the 5 GHz band, whereas under European regulators (ETSI/Ofcom), the limit is 5 GHz to just 160 MHz wide.
The caveat to having this much bandwidth available is that the EAP787 must use a 10GbE backhaul to connect to the larger network, and potentially the Internet. And that requires a special switch that supports PoE++ 10GbE.
As with most TP-Links Omada hardware, the EAP787 is packed with Enterprise-class technologies that allow it to be remotely configured and controlled, and this AP also has a frequency monitoring technology that detects interference in real-time and enables the hardware to reconfigure automatically.
The only significant missing feature is APC on 6GHz, something that TP-Link has promised is coming soon via a firmware update.
Given its capabilities, the EAP787 seems implausibly cheap, but it’s worth noting that buying these might require larger investments in network infrastructure to make the most of what they can do.
If you have a 10GbE PoE++ switch, then this is probably one of the best access points available. And when TP-Link releases the AFC firmware, it will get even better.
TP-Link Omada EAP787: price and availability
- How much does it cost? $250/£230/€280
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available from Amazon and other online retailers.
As with most TP-Link hardware, the EAP787 is available from major online resellers, including Amazon. In the USA, it costs $249.99 and in the UK it’s ÂŁ 250.
However, I wouldn’t recommend buying it on Amazon unless you only need a single unit. Many resellers who specialize in network equipment offer excellent deals on bulk purchases and bundles that include a 12V power supply or a PoE injector.
The competition comes primarily from another TP-Link design, the EAP 873, as well as the Ubiquiti Unifi U7 Pro XGS and U7 Pro Max.
The EAP873 is effectively two EAP787s glued together, offering a massive BE22000 spec, but it lacks the dedicated TF scanning, AFC or Bluetooth. It also requires dual 10GbE LAN ports to provide sufficient uplink. The cost of this item is $499.99 on Amazon, which seems appropriate for the bandwidth on offer.
The Ubiquiti U7 Pro XGS costs $299.99 from Amazon, and that’s a BE15000 specification AP (in the USA), and also uses a single 10GbE PoE++ port for power and data.
The Ubiquiti U7-Pro-Max is very similar from a Wi-Fi perspective, having the same BE15000 capability, but bizarrely, the makers have given this model only a single 2.5GbE PoE+ Uplink. It’s only a little cheaper than the Ubiquiti U7 Pro XGS, so I’d avoid that option.
Based on the specifications and cost, the EAP787 seems something of a bargain, but it’s worth considering the extra infrastructure needed to make the best use of this hardware before making an impulse purchase.
TP-Link Omada EAP787: Specs
|
Feature |
Specification |
|
Model |
EAP787 v1 (BE15000 US / BE12000 EU) |
|
Wi-Fi Standard |
IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be (Wi-Fi 7) |
|
Wi-Fi Bands |
Tri-Band: 688 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 8648 Mbps (5GHz) + 5765 Mbps (6GHz) |
|
Total Throughput |
Up to 15,101 Mbps (US) / 12,195 Mbps (EU) |
|
Streams |
8 spatial streams (4×4 on 5GHz, 2×2 on 6GHz, 2×2 on 2.4GHz) |
|
Modulation |
4096-QAM (Wi-Fi 7), 1024-QAM, 256-QAM |
|
Channel Width |
Up to 320MHz (6GHz), 160/240MHz (5GHz) |
|
Uplink Port |
1x 10G/2.5G Ethernet (2.5G with PoE+, 10G with PoE++) |
|
PoE Standard |
802.3bt (PoE++) (51.7W max; also supports DC power) |
|
Dedicated RF Scanning |
2×2 radio; requires Omada controller v6.0+ |
|
AFC Support |
Yes, via firmware update (planned April 2026) |
|
MLO Support |
Multi-Link Operation across 5GHz + 6GHz |
|
Concurrent Clients |
510+ (lab tested) |
|
Coverage Area |
Up to 2,050 ft² / 190 m² |
|
Bluetooth |
BLE 5.2 |
|
Management |
Omada SDN (controller required for advanced features); standalone web UI |
|
Mesh Support |
Yes (Omada Mesh) |
|
Seamless Roaming |
Yes |
TP-Link Omada EAP787: design
- Large dish design
- Ceiling and wall mounting
- 10GbE PoE++ implications
The EAP787 follows TP-Link’s standard Omada ceiling-mount aesthetic of a large circular disc designed for flush ceiling or suspended tile installation. The push-and-rotate mount mechanism makes installation straightforward for IT teams.
Using it with 51.7W PoE++, that’s a significant power draw, and the unit is notably large, which may create challenges in space-constrained or aesthetics-sensitive environments.
It comes with a circular mounting plate with holes for four possible connection options. These include a basic ceiling/wall mount, a 3.5-inch US round junction box, a US gang outlet, and an EU gang outlet.
In a recess on the underside of the EAP787 is the 10GbE PoE++ port, and a 12V input if you wish to power it directly rather than use PoE. A plastic cover is provided for this area, but I’d only use it if you have Ethernet cables terminated with a 90-degree connector, since with it attached, there is no straight path to the port.
Four internal antennas handle the eight Wi-Fi streams, while a separate pair of internal antennas is used for the dedicated RF scanning radio. BLE 5.2 is also built in, enabling future IoT integration and remote out-of-band management possibilities via the Omada app.
There is a single 10G/2.5G combo Ethernet port, with the operating speed determined solely by the PoE class provided by the upstream switch. As an alternative, there is a 12V power input, but the PSU for this isn’t included in the box. And TP-Link also makes PoE++ injectors if you want to avoid a PoE++ switch but already have 10GbE networking.
Being generous, this is an elegant design that lets buyers enter at PoE+ and upgrade later. But it’s also worth noting that to get the most from this design requires a 10GbE PoE++ switch, and something like the TP-Link TL-SX3206HPP with four ports of 10GbE PoE++ is likely to cost you £500, substantially more than the EAP787.
For a larger deployment, the 24-port TP-Link SX3832MPP is likely to cost you ÂŁ1,619.95, though this does have eight 10GbE SFP+ ports to handle the network backbone.
The relatively low price of this Access Point is a lure to get on board the Omada train, as to get all the best features and easiest control requires at least an Omada controller and probably an Omada switch.
Design score: 4/5
TP-Link Omada EAP787: In use
- Omada control
- AFC is not yet ready
For those unfamiliar with the Omada ecosystem, all TP-Link’s Omada-branded equipment follows the same pattern: it can be used in standalone web-interface mode or via an Omada controller. The controller can be either a hardware controller at additional cost, or a software one configured on a system that remains operationally 24/7.
For an IT professional with lots of TP-Link gear managed by Omada controllers, it makes for an easy life, as the system can be managed globally, including over different sites through a single web-based interface.
Luckily for this review, I already have an Omada controller and a number of Omada access points, so adding this one to the gang is merely a matter of plugging it in and then going to the Omada controller app to adopt it. Once joined to the system, the controller will monitor the EAP787, and automatically deploy the pre-defined SSIDs associated with the network.
That saves me some time, but if I were deploying a dozen of these or other Omada hardware across multiple locations, it could save a substantial amount of effort. It’s also incredibly useful for making sweeping changes and collecting data that might justify buying more (or less) equipment to better meet the demands placed on the network.
Some will argue that TP-Link are attempting to lock you into their hardware, and to a degree, that’s an accurate analysis, but most networking hardware makers do much the same thing, and hardware uniformity makes for greater predictability.
Like all the TP-Link Omada equipment I’ve recently tested, the EAP787 was immediately recognised by the Omada controller and began working alongside the others within minutes.
One special feature I’ve not seen previously, but on the EAP787 is dedicated RF scanning. This is an independent monitoring of the usable spectrum for interference without disrupting client traffic. To leverage this continuous adaptation, the Omada controller v6.0 or higher is required, but it is arguably the device’s most compelling enterprise capability.
If there is a blot on this wonderfully cultured Omada landscape, it’s AFC on the EAP787.
AFC, or Automated Frequency Coordination, allows the 6GHz radio to transmit at higher power levels, substantially improving range. That’s important because 5765 Mbps of the available bandwidth is allocated to 6GHz, and if it’s only of use to those standing under the Access Point, then the BE12000 (or BE15000) rating is a little disingenuous.
At the time of writing this review, AFC doesn’t work on the EAP787, although it’s promised in a firmware update coming, allegedly, in April 2026. Until it ships, the 6GHz range will be constrained by standard power limits, as is the case with most current Wi-Fi 7 APs.
TP-Link Omada EAP787: performance
- AFC will improve 6GHz, eventually
- EU performance reduction on 5GHz
Performance testing on this hardware is slightly coloured at this point, partly because, depending on what region you are in, there is a different bandwidth topology, and also because AFC isn’t yet ready for public consumption.
The EAP787 uses the same Qualcomm chipset family as its EAP783 brother, though its 5GHz radio is specified at an even higher rate of 8648 Mbps vs the EAP783’s 5760 Mbps, suggesting the 5GHz radio has been significantly upgraded.
However, no single client can access that much bandwidth, and in Europe, the 5GHz band is limited to 5760 Mbps anyway.
What’s true wherever the EAP787 is deployed is that the 10GbE port can sustain over 9 Gbps, assuming the wirelessly connected clients are pulling or pushing that much data. As this AP can support more than 500 users simultaneously, that should be possible.
MLO performance, like other 2024-era Wi-Fi 7 APs, will fluctuate until AFC is live. As 6GHz range limitations constrain MLO effectiveness, as noted across the Omada lineup. The EAP787 could be the hardware to fix that issue when TP-Link finally releases the firmware necessary to activate AFC.
It’s worth noting that AFC isn’t yet available on Ubiquiti’s alternative devices, so if that feature works as intended when it becomes available, it’s a significant advantage for the EAP787.
While it’s difficult to put hard numbers on its effectiveness, the dedicated RF scanning radio operates independently from the three data radios, meaning real-time interference monitoring does not tax Wi-Fi throughput. This is a notable advantage in high-density or congested RF environments such as convention centres, hospitals, and lecture halls.
In my testing with a suitably Wi-Fi 7 capable laptop, connection speeds of 1.2 Gbps are standard when near the AP, and even at range, 720 Mbps was sustained. The only caveat to that level of performance is that the first ten people will wonder what happened to their amazing connection when more people turn up.
TP-Link Omada EAP787: Final verdict
When the wireless network is expanded with devices like the EAP787, then it’s likely that other parts will need upgrading to make use of what it delivers. As I mentioned earlier, making the best use of this gear requires infrastructure changes, but new switches and Omada controllers might just be the tip of a considerable iceberg.
Because the majority of Wi-Fi access won’t be for internal systems, but the greater internet, and having a wireless network with access points that can shift up to 15000Mbps, won’t work if you only have 1GbE broadband at the end of that 10GbE infrastructure.
If you choose to embrace the EAP787 or its EAP783 bigger brother, or any of the UniFi U7 Pro equipment, then budget for a wider broadband pipe at the same time.
This hardware is designed for large enterprises and high-density venues, such as convention centres, lecture halls, or hospitals, with 100+ simultaneous clients per AP, where dedicated RF scanning and high client capacity matter.
It fits better with 10GbE infrastructure, since connecting it by 2.5GbE effectively negates the point of this AP, leaving you paying a premium for 2.5G performance available more cheaply elsewhere.
The Omada ecosystems, with their seamless controller integration, no licensing fees, and consistent Omada management, make it a natural upgrade path from earlier EAP models.
I would avoid using the EAP787 in small offices or homes, where a simpler EAP773 or EAP783 suffices. Those environments without 10GbE switching, or where anyone who needs an AP can deploy standalone without a controller and access all features.
This is plenty of AP for a modest price, but making the most of it requires TP-Link to finish its work with AFC, and those who choose this equipment must accept that it could easily lead to significant additional investment.
Should I buy a TP-Link Omada EAP787?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
Aggressively priced for the specification of this device |
4/5 |
|
Design |
A simple dish with all the clever stuff inside |
4/5 |
|
In Use |
Works with Omada management, and AFC is promised |
4/5 |
|
Performance |
EU performance is restricted, but US bandwidth is epic |
4/5 |
|
Overall |
Better in the US than the EU, but be mindful of the switch you need with this |
4.5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
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