Hi Behfor, Thanks for a wonderful review and follow-up. Just wanted to know if you have come across the 'Pro' version of this router, the 'RT-AX 86U Pro'. It was released recently. Any thoughts on that router, especially, comparing with the non-Pro version (RT-AX 86U).
Glad to hear the router has been so reliable for you. I used your coverage of the 86U a few weeks back when I was looking to purchase one while it was on a decent sale. The SQM features of Merlin made this router appealing to me as I'm hoping it'll help with the bufferbloat I'm getting with T-Mobile's home internet.
true true! I am glad that I got this router as a pair to form an AiMesh network rather than Zenwifi 6 or 6e too much waste $$ ...with a pair of AX86U ,,its wireless coverage about 2000 sqft! end to end no deadzone!
Same router for a bit over a yr as well. Solid, but you nailed it on the vlan. Picked up a pfsense router/fw to handle the vlan and will keep the asus and lyra trios.
I'm so sick of having to reboot my R8000 Nighthawk, which I have to do daily to maintain normal speeds.. I had a Asus RT-AC86U before this nighthawk and never had that issue.. I am saving my money for the AX86 now
When i first bought it i rebooted about 3x to fix problems (I use Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7 currently), since then i have added 2 firmware updates and never had to reboot again. Seems they fixed whatever the issue was, keep in mind my network has over 40 devices permanently connected. I would consider this the best small home router on the market, especially if you have lots of IOT devices like me....
@Behfor I'm planning on upgrading my AC68U and can't decide between the AX68U, the AX86U or one of their mesh solutions. Any advice on making a selection? I have 19 devices connected which are a mix of smart home devices, computers, printers and phone. I don't typically have problems but it's starting to show its age. I was leaning towards the AX68U because it would be a perfect fit in my in-wall cabinet but I'm not against changing my setup for better performance or coverage. The 68U covers the whole house but outer parts of the yard are hit or miss.
Behfor, I've been following and watch your informative video. I have a question about the AX86U versus ax88u. Recently ax88u price has came down pretty close to AX86U. If my priority is area coverage do you think ax88u will be better option?
I agree, wish it had vlan support in the gui. Wish merlin would copy the vlan code from fresh tomato and merge it into the asus fw. Both have GPLv2 so not much stopping him.
This router isn't even advertised by Asus as supporting a VLAN. You have to spring for the RT-AX86U Pro for that support from the factory which is probably why you only get it with custom firmware and a CLI.
@@Behfor Outstanding; thanks. Ironically, I ended up purchasing the RT-AX86S version; instead of the RT-AX86U. Seems pretty cool so far and was about $100 cheaper than the RT-AX86U. That said, I was set on the RT-AX86U, but they didn't have any in stock. So, I did a little research and the RT-AX86S actually has pretty good reviews as well; for less demanding users. Main issue I had was needing the 2 GHz range to reach my Sense Power Monitor in the garage and it doesn't appear to like the 5 GHz range. The Router is on the second floor and has to go through at least two walls to reach the Sense Monitor. But, now I get 2 bars in stead of the sometimes intermittent 1 bar Wifi signal. The app is pretty nice too and provides all the device's realtime upload and download speeds on one screen. Thanks again. Hope you stay safe and well.
Good as always 👍 I also have ASUS router (RT-AC87U), if i turn on everything on AiProtection, do i still need firewall to be turned (on Linux or Win). Is the router that good?
I removed my 2 RT-AC68U nodes from the AIMesh, having them connected to the RT-AX86U as regular APs. Reason: in the AIMesh the wireless time schedule applies to the main router and all nodes, cannot set the time schedule for the individual nodes. I only need the nodes to provide wireless signal in the evening, saves electricity.
Thank you for this great review ! Need you help… I have a router conected to a switch and intend to buy 2 ax86u to use as ap with wired backhaul and take advantage of the Aimesh system. I really care about smooth roaming. Question: 1- should I plug both to the switch ? 2- should I plug the second ap to the first ? 3- this setup would only work with the first in router mode and the second as ap ? Thank you
Hi، if you want to use AiMesh then there is a wireless router and the rest of them are called AiMesh nodes, so basically there is no AP mode. Please take a look at my videos on AiMesh which have all the necessary information: th-cam.com/play/PLzCWb3z_t2bL0GN5wDqzl2h1uKuZ6mWGJ.html As far as the wired connection between the nodes, it should be direct with no switch in between. You can do either do: Router -- Node1 -- Node2 or Node2 -- Router -- Node1 Thanks.
Thanks! Honestly I have a scenario in mind, if I can implement it with no issues then I'll sure make a video about it, but it's a work in progress right now! Thanks again!
I added an HDD to one of the USB ports and used it as a shared storage As soon as I started to transfer files to it the routers memory filled up really quickly and the CPU were at 100 I don't recommend using the router as a NAS.
Thanks for sharing! I agree, a wireless router already does so much work (it's a router + AP + switch + firewall + ...) And using it as a NAS can easily overload it. Thanks!
Can you please clarify: You clearly stated that one cannot easily implement VLANs (in the GUI) if this router is in WRT-Merlin mode. However, you go on to say this again later in the video without mention of WRT-Merlin. Question: Is there a VLAN implementation interface in the GUI of the default/standard Asus software ?
Reolink are the worst IP camera's for 5GHZ WIFI. I want a router with a simple UI. I bought an Asus before that had aimesh and i really couldn't get my head around it 🙂 but simple for me is simple lol 🙂 I use a crappy virgin hub 4 at the moment so i am looking for a simple router that's works so much better than the crappy virgin one. Great video here btw 🙂
Hi, thanks for long-term review, I've been using my RT-AX86S for about a year by now, it's rock solid, of advanced features I use its OpenVPN Server and DDNS, it works super stable, I'd like to ask, since you mentioned ASUSWRT Merlin, I'm not using that yet, but if I would upgrade to that system, and later bought something like RT-AX55 (which doesn't seem to support Merlin fw) to use as Mesh node, would that work at all, or would I need to downgrade AX86S back to non-Merlin firmware in order to use Mesh setup?? thank in advance :)
I can't decide between ASUS TUF-AX5400 vs TP-Link Archer AX73 for current year 2023. The specification is very similar, but I'm interested in stability and WIFI coverage. Please advice which router should I buy?
Do you have your modem and ASUS router on a UPS? My power company makes sure I have a reboot at least once a week. Most things seem to recover without issue, but Alexa usually loses one or two devices in the mayhem and it may take a few hours to a day before she gets her device database in sync. How do you deal with such a problem?
Thanks for sharing! I don't have a UPS, I don't experience many power cuts here either, maybe once every year or so! I would try to see if those devices in question are connected to internet and work fine through their app but Alexa cannot find them, or maybe they have trouble connecting to the internet/server after power is back! I have a few LED lights and every now and then Alexa cannot find them! After a little bit of troubleshooting though I realized the problem is not Alexa! The LED lights actually cannot connect to their server, it seems the server gets too busy sometimes and that's when it happens! Thanks again!
@@Behfor Yes, the device app can see and control the device just fine. But when Alexa loses the device, we no longer have voice control. The problem seems to be temporary as usually within 24 hours, Alexa seems to get its act together and voice control is restored. It's just a bit frustrating when you have these things all around the house and a 500mS trip at the substation causes such a calamity! Love your work and the knowledge you share.
Hey Behfor, I haven't owned mine as long as you, but it's been a stable experience here too. The only quirks are the type of smart bulbs I use, and How I use them (in Alexa routines.) they don't like to play nice with this router unless i put 2.4G into legacy mode. My guess is, running as an 80211g network gives them the best range signal wise. Trying mixed, or N only causes them to respond slow, or not at all. All my other devices work fine, and since I don't have any high speed 2.4G devices, running as legacy is fine. My high demand devices, are either wired, or on 5Ghz and that has given me a great experience. My Echo speakers also run great in legacy mode, however, those have the advantage that if they ever need more, they can be moved to 5Ghz, however with my experience listening to music, or audiobooks isn't a high demand task and don't even require anything above the G specs from what I found in my research while making my settings. Putting my smart home quirks, and specific settings aside, this router has been solid.
Hey Clinton, thanks for sharing your experience. Have you tried changing the 2.4Ghz channel to something else? Sometimes interference can cause these speed/range/connection issues! If you don't have a wifi analyzer app or device you could try all the channels one by one to see if any of them would give you better results (there are only 11 of them 😁). Thanks again.
@@Behfor I did :) I've been able to narrow it down to software / hardware issues. The other thing to note is, earlier Asus firmware didn't have the issues, for example the firmware from the end of January of this year worked much better with the smart bulbs under mixed mode. What I can say though, is the smart lights have ALWAYS been a little glitchy in the few years I've used them. However, there is something about the Asus routers that exaggerates the problems under certain configurations. So, I figured out of the three options I have, and only needing 2.4Ghz for iOT devices, the best solution was to run in Legacy mode. The only other stable option for me would be to stay on old firmware, which if I did that, I could have just stayed with an older router. I'm still searching for answers though, so I've got a stable setup while I investigate what causes the instabilities with these particular devices. Channel 6, for 2.4Ghz, and 36, for 5Ghz have been stable for me.
It was a toss up between getting the Asus or Synology router. I got the RT-AX86U after seeing your previous youtube and the reviews. I use it in Router mode and can take advantage of isolating the guest networks, as such I do not need a VLAN although that feature would be nice. Most of my devices are in a guest network to isolate them and having six available gives a lot of flexibility. I switched back and forth with merlin which is very easy to do and I am currently running merlin for a few of the minor features. Out of the box, it worked great and it gives me so many more options than my previous router which was from a different company. It has been super stable and I get better coverage to the point I was able to drop an extender. The default settings work great for most users with normal networks. It has so many options that work great for the advanced user to fine tune the network. I am a mid level user and have experimented with some of the more advanced settings knowing how easy it is to get back to a previous point by reloading a previous backup. I have been happy with my AX86U.
How long do routers usually last? I have an ASUS TM-AC1900 that is over 8 years old. It was loaned to me by T-Mobile and I am wondering if I should look for a new router. What should I do?
If ain't broken don't touch it! Well I would replace the router only if there is something wrong with it, or technology wise it is outdated and newer models might provide better features/coverage/etc. I actually had the same router (RT-AC68U) and in this video I explained why I had to replace it: th-cam.com/video/GUH2qx3_b7M/w-d-xo.html Hope it helps, thanks.
Hi there, i've seen both videos, but miss any mention of USB ports, their speed etc. One nice feature of this router is that it has 2x USB 3.2, hence is sounding pretty usable as NAS, but what are real life file tranafer speeds to be expected? Are both ports equal? Are these being affecting each other when used simultanuously? Since one could use Asus routers not only as NAS but also as Cloud solutions, while also having pretty good app support on both Android and iOS devices, this is one common use case that would be worth a closer look :)
I have two 5TB USB HDDs connected (one for each USB3 port). I can get ~110 MB/s transfer speeds from the PC to either drive when hooked up by CAT cable (both drives would be ~50MB/s each at the same time). One drive is for movies & music, the other for TV shows & Animation/Cartoons. As a "poor man's NAS" it's worked for me very well. I've not used the software to access the drives away from my home network, as I have no need for that. It's media I have on there so Plex would be an obvious solution to transcode the content and access it away from home. The router has been bullet proof and hasn't needed rebooting as mentioned in the video. I too use the Merlin Firmware which is really REALLY easy to install and update on the router.
@@jozefhrusecky3085 You're welcome! I should have mentioned...even in the Access Point mode the USB drives can still be shared. If you are connected to the main router (NOT the AX86U) by either wifi or cable it will still see the USB drives connected to the AX86U.
I watched the first video and got one a year ago no issues. It has great range. LOL. Yesterday I rebooted it for dropped wifi. Wish the wifi 6 & 5 worked duel band mode.
Glad you are happy with the router. Sometimes the WiFi issue is because of an interference, and rebooting the router forces it to change the channel and to avoid the interference. Thanks for sharing :-)
Is this router better than Spectrum's E3 router which is what I have now, or should I use the 86u pro as an access point(bridge mode) on the other side of the house? Thanks
Well I think, it is much better nowadays to setup a mesh router vs a traditional router if you are planning in having a smooth and reliable network coverage plus there are a handful of ISPs in the United States don't link to cooperate with the Asus firmware including the Time Warner (Spectrum), so keep that in mind if you happened to like Asus model in particular.
Thanks for sharing! Well, Most of the current Asus routers are also mesh routers! I just don't need a mesh system because right now a single router is pretty much enough for my network! Thanks again!
For average consumer the best wifi router with vlan capability is Synology router. Synology beats Asus in software. Hardware specs maybe Asus is better in same price range. For network savvy user using dedicated router is the best way
If you mean WAN aggregation, it doesn't make sense for me, because my Internet connection is currently only 300 Mbps and a single 1 Gbps port is more than enough for that! Thanks.
@@Behfor I have a gigabit connection and when I plugged my internet cable directly into my PC I got 1.2gpbs max speed for a short period of time and I was wondering if I could put my connection in my 2.5G port if I could've get bigger speeds
Well the AX86U only have 1 x 2.5gig port, if you spend that on WAN you would need to do something thats not out of the box, for the computer to make a speedtest beyond 1gig
So is the isolation of the guest network possible through the command line or via the merlin firmwware or its just not possible ? I want my iot devices isolated from my home network. I was considering getting this and sticking them on the guest network, but i need isolation.
As mentioned in the video, isolation is not possible in the AP mode, but if you're going to use it as a wireless router (default mode) then isolation is possible
Recently I bought ax86u Pro. I live in EU and got 1gbit fiber plan with 1gbit down 1gbit up. Only thing that I got by wire is my Xbox series x. Got cat8 cables and I still get 700/750 on Xbox . WiFi speed on iPhone 14 Pro 750/760. WiFi on MacBook Pro mid 2014 650/800 😂 . Yeah MacBook is old but 800 upload . I don’t know if it’s my ISP or router is too weak … my isp tells me that my internet speed are superb 😅
The best way to test this is to bypass the wireless router and connect a computer directly to the modem and run a speed test, if you get the same speed then you know the issue is the ISP and not the wireless router. Cheers.
@@Behfor maybe cuz my MacBook is old and iPhone 14 Pro has WiFi 6 not 6e. Some say on forums that their iPhone 14 pM goes 1.4 Gbit down and 40mbit upload on a different router. Mostly people get 500/600 so my 750/750 isn’t bad. Now I think that’s the peak of my iPhone and Mac. Thx for replying anyway
@@Gaara7809 Ok, so if you are testing WiFi then yes it's very mush possible the bottle neck would be the wifi capability of the device, also keep in mind wifi is a shared medium meaning it's shared between all the devices connected and it doesn't mean every device should get 1gbps all the time. But if you want to make sure you Internet is capable of reaching 1 Gbps the best way is to connect a device using a wired connection to the modem and run the speed test. Thanks.
idea for next video never been done on routers, take your ASUS router and connect 2 internet providers, set your router to connect via VPN, put another router that is "vpn server" (thanks to your old video im using it all time) and this router have fiber internet, now the upload speed of my home router with 2 providers can give me double the upload/downloads.... :)
Hi there need a bit of advice. I recently upgraded to 1gb Internet speed with Virgin. I'm looking to change the basic router virgin send and its between 2 routers either the Asus rt-ax86u which is alot of good reviews or the netgear r8000 nighthawk x6? which my friend has and says is quite good. I dont know alot about this stuff so any advice would be appreciated 🙏 👌 cheers 😀
I have this router and every day or two I get a message of connected with no internet on my devices or dns_probe_finished_no_internet on my PC so I have to reboot it and then it works again... Very disappointing I even added a reboot schedule to reboot it every night but it didn't help
I have the same issue with my TP-Link Wireless router where the Guest Wi-Fi is able to access my main network in AP-mode. I guess the Guest Wi-Fi network (VLAN-like function) of some Wireless routers is disregarded when in AP-mode and just makes them a dumb layer-2 wireless device.
one bug still remains unfixed: Samsnug mobiles can't access internet via guest network unless intranet access is enabled. Makes it a completely useless feature
It looks like it's processor is not as fast! 1.5 GHz Tri-core vs 1.8 GHz quad-core. I would personally go with the faster processor because it can be more future proof. Thanks.
@@RomanBaranovic That one seems to be a good device! It has faster processor (2 GHz quad-core) and even better/faster Wireless! I haven't tried it myself though but at least on paper looks to be a good device. Thanks.
I am using this for last 2 and half years. Just 2 month back I faced a major issue. The internet started frequenty disconnected when using through Router, however no issue with direct connection. Deposited to Asus Service Center (Rashi Peripherals at Kolkata - Asus All India Super Distributor). After checking they told everything is ok only the Power Adapter is not working properly. Advised me to replace it. Being a System Administrator and Hardware Consultant for more than 20 years I become stunned by their decision. Still replaced the adapter. Problem again started immediately after returning home. Now this time with my credentials I directly challenged both Rashi Peripherals and Asus India HO at Mumbai. For the second time they took the router for testing. I directly contacted Asus All India Tech Head and explained with my credential (MSc. Pure Physics from Calcutta University) that for semiconductors, IC's as the temperature goes up the electron flow decreases at e to the power x rate. Being a Tech Head he reacted as if he is hearing this theory for the first time. I told him that the main CPU is getting heated and the electron flow getting decreased as my Router is power-on for 365 days. Now, Rashi send this Router from Kolkata to Mumbai. Just believe me the Asus people kept the Router in their custody for 1 month 6 days. Yes, 36 days they kept. Meantime I stared using my low-end TP-Link Router and every 2/3 days I contacted those Mumbai people to hear new new stories about the Router. However the main topic is everything is ok for the router. I asked them to return it to me, and I will move to consumer forum (warranty valid till Feb 2023). However they kept on saying that they are testing. Even they told me once that as this Router is no more available at Asus Taiwan, they are planning to replace it with the AX3000 model. After 36 days they return the router through Rashi. Comments : Everything is Ok, no problem found. There were several service tags over the router, even one tag contains the warranty expiry date. Thing is that, after getting the Router for the second time I started using this again 24x7 days and in the last one month not a single time problem occurs. I am dead sure that instead of replacing the full Router the Asus People replaced/repaired certain parts of the Router though I am fully eligible for complete replacement. And Yes, the old Adapter is working fine! Waiting for your valuable comments. P.S: I am having every documentation in paper. If anybody is interested about this case I can send them all documents through mail
@@Behfor Please send me your email address, I will send you the purchase bill. Purchased on February 2020, Kolkata, INDIA and the Model that I mentioned AC86U. If you are fimilar with Electronic Circuit except the CPU you will be astonished by the similarity in circuit including the HeatSink with AX86U.
In the Asuswrt-Merlin and in the GUI there is RTS threshold but not fragmentation threshold! I think the fragmentation threshold is sth that could be changed in the CLI, not 100% sure though! Thanks.
Hi, just purchased this router based on your experience and review, however after installing it i experience slower 2.4g speeds (max 105mb dwnload) and also lan speed is down by ~200mb on download speeds (from 900 to 700). This is compared to the old ac87u. What settings should i be looking into in order to improve on those stats. Also has anyone else experience this?
Yes, it sucks. This model is a faulty one. They now stopped manufacturing AC86U and AC88U. For professional work the RAM of this Router is insufficient. Recently you will find occasionally that the 5GHz. band suddenly becomes unavailable. You need to restart the router to get it back. Those who brought this Router and using for last 1 year, they will face problem with time. Be sure of this point. By any means avoid this model. AC68U is a much much better model than these 86U and 88U. Though these two are discontinued now, 68U is selling well and highly recommended.
![ASUS RT-AX86U Good or Bad? [Speed, Range & ... ]](/img/n.gif)
great follow up for a 1 year review on asus rt- ax86 👌 and like the little vlan touch
Purchased this router because of you. Fantastic.
me also near 2 year..still kicking good without any problem..solid router for me
Glad to hear, thanks for sharing 👍
Hi Behfor,
Thanks for a wonderful review and follow-up.
Just wanted to know if you have come across the 'Pro' version of this router, the 'RT-AX 86U Pro'. It was released recently. Any thoughts on that router, especially, comparing with the non-Pro version (RT-AX 86U).
Glad to hear the router has been so reliable for you. I used your coverage of the 86U a few weeks back when I was looking to purchase one while it was on a decent sale. The SQM features of Merlin made this router appealing to me as I'm hoping it'll help with the bufferbloat I'm getting with T-Mobile's home internet.
Thanks so much for sharing! Hope it can be helpful for you :-)
true true! I am glad that I got this router as a pair to form an AiMesh network rather than Zenwifi 6 or 6e too much waste $$ ...with a pair of AX86U ,,its wireless coverage about 2000 sqft! end to end no deadzone!
Same router for a bit over a yr as well. Solid, but you nailed it on the vlan. Picked up a pfsense router/fw to handle the vlan and will keep the asus and lyra trios.
I'm so sick of having to reboot my R8000 Nighthawk, which I have to do daily to maintain normal speeds.. I had a Asus RT-AC86U before this nighthawk and never had that issue.. I am saving my money for the AX86 now
Behfor. As always great insights. Looking forward to support this channel.
Thanks so much, glad you liked it 😊👍
When i first bought it i rebooted about 3x to fix problems (I use Asuswrt-Merlin 386.7 currently), since then i have added 2 firmware updates and never had to reboot again. Seems they fixed whatever the issue was, keep in mind my network has over 40 devices permanently connected. I would consider this the best small home router on the market, especially if you have lots of IOT devices like me....
I guess you're always right! Thanks for sharing 👍
@Behfor I'm planning on upgrading my AC68U and can't decide between the AX68U, the AX86U or one of their mesh solutions. Any advice on making a selection? I have 19 devices connected which are a mix of smart home devices, computers, printers and phone. I don't typically have problems but it's starting to show its age. I was leaning towards the AX68U because it would be a perfect fit in my in-wall cabinet but I'm not against changing my setup for better performance or coverage. The 68U covers the whole house but outer parts of the yard are hit or miss.
Behfor, I've been following and watch your informative video. I have a question about the AX86U versus ax88u. Recently ax88u price has came down pretty close to AX86U. If my priority is area coverage do you think ax88u will be better option?
Nice review. It’s worth listening to that much experience with this device. Thanks.
I'm using this modem about 1 year.done good job.👍👍👍
We probably bought it around the same time! Thanks so much 🙂👍
@@Behfor I see your review first on YT.then I bought
I see, thanks 👍
I agree, wish it had vlan support in the gui. Wish merlin would copy the vlan code from fresh tomato and merge it into the asus fw. Both have GPLv2 so not much stopping him.
I also agree with you :-) Thanks for sharing and hope we can see VLANS in GUI soon :-)
It has surprised me how many router reviews do not discuss range.
I think I did though in the first review video :-)
This router isn't even advertised by Asus as supporting a VLAN. You have to spring for the RT-AX86U Pro for that support from the factory which is probably why you only get it with custom firmware and a CLI.
Thanks for the update! VLAN is an essential feature these days. I have three networks in my house: Main, Guest and IoT!
You're very welcome Ben! Thanks for watching 🙂👍
Outstanding video.
If known, how was the 2 GHz range and performance for older devices?
Thanks.
It's great and I didn't have any issues with it.
Thanks 👍
@@Behfor Outstanding; thanks. Ironically, I ended up purchasing the RT-AX86S version; instead of the RT-AX86U.
Seems pretty cool so far and was about $100 cheaper than the RT-AX86U. That said, I was set on the RT-AX86U, but they didn't have any in stock. So, I did a little research and the RT-AX86S actually has pretty good reviews as well; for less demanding users.
Main issue I had was needing the 2 GHz range to reach my Sense Power Monitor in the garage and it doesn't appear to like the 5 GHz range. The Router is on the second floor and has to go through at least two walls to reach the Sense Monitor. But, now I get 2 bars in stead of the sometimes intermittent 1 bar Wifi signal. The app is pretty nice too and provides all the device's realtime upload and download speeds on one screen. Thanks again. Hope you stay safe and well.
Good as always 👍 I also have ASUS router (RT-AC87U), if i turn on everything on AiProtection, do i still need firewall to be turned (on Linux or Win). Is the router that good?
King Behfor as usual great content
Thanks Manuel :-)
I removed my 2 RT-AC68U nodes from the AIMesh, having them connected to the RT-AX86U as regular APs.
Reason: in the AIMesh the wireless time schedule applies to the main router and all nodes, cannot set the time schedule for the individual nodes.
I only need the nodes to provide wireless signal in the evening, saves electricity.
Thank you for this great
review ! Need you help… I have a router conected to a switch and intend to buy 2 ax86u to use as ap with wired backhaul and take advantage of the Aimesh system. I really care about smooth roaming. Question:
1- should I plug both to the switch ?
2- should I plug the second ap to the first ?
3- this setup would only work with the first in router mode and the second as ap ?
Thank you
Hi، if you want to use AiMesh then there is a wireless router and the rest of them are called AiMesh nodes, so basically there is no AP mode. Please take a look at my videos on AiMesh which have all the necessary information:
th-cam.com/play/PLzCWb3z_t2bL0GN5wDqzl2h1uKuZ6mWGJ.html
As far as the wired connection between the nodes, it should be direct with no switch in between. You can do either do:
Router -- Node1 -- Node2 or
Node2 -- Router -- Node1
Thanks.
@@Behfor thank you very much !
@@michell6352 you're very welcome!
Great Video as always. Could you do one with how to setup VLANs in the cli with Merlin as the firmware?
Thanks! Honestly I have a scenario in mind, if I can implement it with no issues then I'll sure make a video about it, but it's a work in progress right now! Thanks again!
I have as well. I use it as my main for a 3 mesh system.
Great! Thanks for sharing 🙂👍
I added an HDD to one of the USB ports and used it as a shared storage
As soon as I started to transfer files to it the routers memory filled up really quickly and the CPU were at 100
I don't recommend using the router as a NAS.
Thanks for sharing! I agree, a wireless router already does so much work (it's a router + AP + switch + firewall + ...) And using it as a NAS can easily overload it. Thanks!
Can you please clarify: You clearly stated that one cannot easily implement VLANs (in the GUI) if this router is in WRT-Merlin mode. However, you go on to say this again later in the video without mention of WRT-Merlin. Question: Is there a VLAN implementation interface in the GUI of the default/standard Asus software ?
Reolink are the worst IP camera's for 5GHZ WIFI. I want a router with a simple UI. I bought an Asus before that had aimesh and i really couldn't get my head around it 🙂 but simple for me is simple lol 🙂 I use a crappy virgin hub 4 at the moment so i am looking for a simple router that's works so much better than the crappy virgin one. Great video here btw 🙂
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi, thanks for long-term review,
I've been using my RT-AX86S for about a year by now, it's rock solid, of advanced features I use its OpenVPN Server and DDNS, it works super stable,
I'd like to ask, since you mentioned ASUSWRT Merlin, I'm not using that yet, but if I would upgrade to that system, and later bought something like RT-AX55 (which doesn't seem to support Merlin fw) to use as Mesh node, would that work at all, or would I need to downgrade AX86S back to non-Merlin firmware in order to use Mesh setup?? thank in advance :)
you should have got AX86U ,,,it is 1.8Ghz Quadcore ...and fast!! I got 2 and formed AImesh and working very very well!
@@jpthsd AX86U costs 50% more, not worth it at all,
that said, I saw new AX86U Pro released recently, that could be nice new main unit to mesh with :D
I can't decide between ASUS TUF-AX5400 vs TP-Link Archer AX73 for current year 2023. The specification is very similar, but I'm interested in stability and WIFI coverage. Please advice which router should I buy?
Do you have your modem and ASUS router on a UPS? My power company makes sure I have a reboot at least once a week. Most things seem to recover without issue, but Alexa usually loses one or two devices in the mayhem and it may take a few hours to a day before she gets her device database in sync. How do you deal with such a problem?
Thanks for sharing! I don't have a UPS, I don't experience many power cuts here either, maybe once every year or so!
I would try to see if those devices in question are connected to internet and work fine through their app but Alexa cannot find them, or maybe they have trouble connecting to the internet/server after power is back!
I have a few LED lights and every now and then Alexa cannot find them!
After a little bit of troubleshooting though I realized the problem is not Alexa! The LED lights actually cannot connect to their server, it seems the server gets too busy sometimes and that's when it happens!
Thanks again!
@@Behfor Yes, the device app can see and control the device just fine. But when Alexa loses the device, we no longer have voice control. The problem seems to be temporary as usually within 24 hours, Alexa seems to get its act together and voice control is restored. It's just a bit frustrating when you have these things all around the house and a 500mS trip at the substation causes such a calamity! Love your work and the knowledge you share.
Hey Behfor, I haven't owned mine as long as you, but it's been a stable experience here too. The only quirks are the type of smart bulbs I use, and How I use them (in Alexa routines.) they don't like to play nice with this router unless i put 2.4G into legacy mode. My guess is, running as an 80211g network gives them the best range signal wise. Trying mixed, or N only causes them to respond slow, or not at all. All my other devices work fine, and since I don't have any high speed 2.4G devices, running as legacy is fine. My high demand devices, are either wired, or on 5Ghz and that has given me a great experience. My Echo speakers also run great in legacy mode, however, those have the advantage that if they ever need more, they can be moved to 5Ghz, however with my experience listening to music, or audiobooks isn't a high demand task and don't even require anything above the G specs from what I found in my research while making my settings. Putting my smart home quirks, and specific settings aside, this router has been solid.
Hey Clinton, thanks for sharing your experience. Have you tried changing the 2.4Ghz channel to something else? Sometimes interference can cause these speed/range/connection issues! If you don't have a wifi analyzer app or device you could try all the channels one by one to see if any of them would give you better results (there are only 11 of them 😁). Thanks again.
@@Behfor I did :) I've been able to narrow it down to software / hardware issues. The other thing to note is, earlier Asus firmware didn't have the issues, for example the firmware from the end of January of this year worked much better with the smart bulbs under mixed mode. What I can say though, is the smart lights have ALWAYS been a little glitchy in the few years I've used them. However, there is something about the Asus routers that exaggerates the problems under certain configurations.
So, I figured out of the three options I have, and only needing 2.4Ghz for iOT devices, the best solution was to run in Legacy mode. The only other stable option for me would be to stay on old firmware, which if I did that, I could have just stayed with an older router. I'm still searching for answers though, so I've got a stable setup while I investigate what causes the instabilities with these particular devices. Channel 6, for 2.4Ghz, and 36, for 5Ghz have been stable for me.
Would like to see a review on the GT-AX6000
Thanks
It was a toss up between getting the Asus or Synology router. I got the RT-AX86U after seeing your previous youtube and the reviews. I use it in Router mode and can take advantage of isolating the guest networks, as such I do not need a VLAN although that feature would be nice. Most of my devices are in a guest network to isolate them and having six available gives a lot of flexibility. I switched back and forth with merlin which is very easy to do and I am currently running merlin for a few of the minor features. Out of the box, it worked great and it gives me so many more options than my previous router which was from a different company. It has been super stable and I get better coverage to the point I was able to drop an extender. The default settings work great for most users with normal networks. It has so many options that work great for the advanced user to fine tune the network. I am a mid level user and have experimented with some of the more advanced settings knowing how easy it is to get back to a previous point by reloading a previous backup. I have been happy with my AX86U.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, I one hundred percent agree with you and I'm glad you are happy with your AX86U! Thanks again :-)
How long do routers usually last? I have an ASUS TM-AC1900 that is over 8 years old. It was loaned to me by T-Mobile and I am wondering if I should look for a new router. What should I do?
If ain't broken don't touch it! Well I would replace the router only if there is something wrong with it, or technology wise it is outdated and newer models might provide better features/coverage/etc. I actually had the same router (RT-AC68U) and in this video I explained why I had to replace it: th-cam.com/video/GUH2qx3_b7M/w-d-xo.html
Hope it helps, thanks.
I love this router... with the usb slots I use it as cloud storage. I also use it as a VPN with ease since it comes with the necesarry software.
Thanks for the info! Glad you are happy with it :-)
Hi there, i've seen both videos, but miss any mention of USB ports, their speed etc. One nice feature of this router is that it has 2x USB 3.2, hence is sounding pretty usable as NAS, but what are real life file tranafer speeds to be expected? Are both ports equal? Are these being affecting each other when used simultanuously? Since one could use Asus routers not only as NAS but also as Cloud solutions, while also having pretty good app support on both Android and iOS devices, this is one common use case that would be worth a closer look :)
I have two 5TB USB HDDs connected (one for each USB3 port). I can get ~110 MB/s transfer speeds from the PC to either drive when hooked up by CAT cable (both drives would be ~50MB/s each at the same time). One drive is for movies & music, the other for TV shows & Animation/Cartoons. As a "poor man's NAS" it's worked for me very well. I've not used the software to access the drives away from my home network, as I have no need for that. It's media I have on there so Plex would be an obvious solution to transcode the content and access it away from home.
The router has been bullet proof and hasn't needed rebooting as mentioned in the video. I too use the Merlin Firmware which is really REALLY easy to install and update on the router.
@@Honosuseri thanks a lot!
@@jozefhrusecky3085 You're welcome!
I should have mentioned...even in the Access Point mode the USB drives can still be shared. If you are connected to the main router (NOT the AX86U) by either wifi or cable it will still see the USB drives connected to the AX86U.
What are the transfer speeds over wireless to the attached USBdrive?@@Honosuseri
The ASUS be86u is coming!!!!
😁👍
I watched the first video and got one a year ago no issues. It has great range.
LOL. Yesterday I rebooted it for dropped wifi.
Wish the wifi 6 & 5 worked duel band mode.
Glad you are happy with the router. Sometimes the WiFi issue is because of an interference, and rebooting the router forces it to change the channel and to avoid the interference. Thanks for sharing :-)
I dont want to get the AX86U or the AX88U. I have many devices like 5 smart tvs couple ipads and 2 gaming pc. What would you recommend ?
This is a research I did last year on the Wireless routers in the market.
Hope that helps.
th-cam.com/play/PLzCWb3z_t2bKUcdTkr8TxMWhuCFvGqvWY.html
@@Behfor I mean to say I don't know what to get. Sorry. Thanks for the fast reply.
@elchile007 what did you end up with?
Is this router better than Spectrum's E3 router which is what I have now, or should I use the 86u pro as an access point(bridge mode) on the other side of the house? Thanks
not having to regularly reboot the router IS a big deal. i have the AC86u, and its a constant issue. might look at an upgrade to the AX
It is very important! Thanks for sharing!
Ax86u or ax6000? Help,what to buy?
Well I think, it is much better nowadays to setup a mesh router vs a traditional router if you are planning in having a smooth and reliable network coverage plus there are a handful of ISPs in the United States don't link to cooperate with the Asus firmware including the Time Warner (Spectrum), so keep that in mind if you happened to like Asus model in particular.
Thanks for sharing! Well, Most of the current Asus routers are also mesh routers! I just don't need a mesh system because right now a single router is pretty much enough for my network! Thanks again!
@@Behfor I watch your channel as a network reference to my inquiries. Your channel is just simply outstanding 👍.
Yeah mesh is game changer.
@@Behfor
How do I find the pass through mode on my 5 g home internet so I can add a router
So I have spectrum currently so it won’t work if I get the asus?
What modem would you recommend to pair with this router?
For average consumer the best wifi router with vlan capability is Synology router. Synology beats Asus in software. Hardware specs maybe Asus is better in same price range. For network savvy user using dedicated router is the best way
Thanks for sharing :-)
Did you try to put your 1 Gigabit WAN into the 2.5G port and see if you get better speeds?
If you mean WAN aggregation, it doesn't make sense for me, because my Internet connection is currently only 300 Mbps and a single 1 Gbps port is more than enough for that! Thanks.
@@Behfor I have a gigabit connection and when I plugged my internet cable directly into my PC I got 1.2gpbs max speed for a short period of time and I was wondering if I could put my connection in my 2.5G port if I could've get bigger speeds
Well the AX86U only have 1 x 2.5gig port, if you spend that on WAN you would need to do something thats not out of the box, for the computer to make a speedtest beyond 1gig
What about a video on double NAT and how to fix it?
in the app go to settings>gaming>open nat>+ add platform and game
Thanks for idea! Cheers :-)
So is the isolation of the guest network possible through the command line or via the merlin firmwware or its just not possible ? I want my iot devices isolated from my home network. I was considering getting this and sticking them on the guest network, but i need isolation.
As mentioned in the video, isolation is not possible in the AP mode, but if you're going to use it as a wireless router (default mode) then isolation is possible
Recently I bought ax86u Pro. I live in EU and got 1gbit fiber plan with 1gbit down 1gbit up. Only thing that I got by wire is my Xbox series x. Got cat8 cables and I still get 700/750 on Xbox . WiFi speed on iPhone 14 Pro 750/760. WiFi on MacBook Pro mid 2014 650/800 😂 . Yeah MacBook is old but 800 upload . I don’t know if it’s my ISP or router is too weak … my isp tells me that my internet speed are superb 😅
The best way to test this is to bypass the wireless router and connect a computer directly to the modem and run a speed test, if you get the same speed then you know the issue is the ISP and not the wireless router. Cheers.
@@Behfor maybe cuz my MacBook is old and iPhone 14 Pro has WiFi 6 not 6e. Some say on forums that their iPhone 14 pM goes 1.4 Gbit down and 40mbit upload on a different router. Mostly people get 500/600 so my 750/750 isn’t bad. Now I think that’s the peak of my iPhone and Mac. Thx for replying anyway
@@Gaara7809 Ok, so if you are testing WiFi then yes it's very mush possible the bottle neck would be the wifi capability of the device, also keep in mind wifi is a shared medium meaning it's shared between all the devices connected and it doesn't mean every device should get 1gbps all the time. But if you want to make sure you Internet is capable of reaching 1 Gbps the best way is to connect a device using a wired connection to the modem and run the speed test. Thanks.
Is there any benefit to getting the asus ax11000 over the ax86u since the former is tri-band?
idea for next video never been done on routers, take your ASUS router and connect 2 internet providers, set your router to connect via VPN, put another router that is "vpn server" (thanks to your old video im using it all time) and this router have fiber internet, now the upload speed of my home router with 2 providers can give me double the upload/downloads.... :)
Thanks for the idea! :-) I'm just not sure if I could completely understand it though! Sorry!
Hi there need a bit of advice. I recently upgraded to 1gb Internet speed with Virgin. I'm looking to change the basic router virgin send and its between 2 routers either the Asus rt-ax86u which is alot of good reviews or the netgear r8000 nighthawk x6? which my friend has and says is quite good. I dont know alot about this stuff so any advice would be appreciated 🙏 👌 cheers 😀
I have the same setup, what did you end up getting?
do i have to buy the exact model to use ai mesh? We're moving to a 2 story house and I know just 1 of this ain't gonna be enough.,
I have this router and every day or two I get a message of connected with no internet on my devices or dns_probe_finished_no_internet on my PC so I have to reboot it and then it works again...
Very disappointing I even added a reboot schedule to reboot it every night but it didn't help
I have the same issue with my TP-Link Wireless router where the Guest Wi-Fi is able to access my main network in AP-mode. I guess the Guest Wi-Fi network (VLAN-like function) of some Wireless routers is disregarded when in AP-mode and just makes them a dumb layer-2 wireless device.
That's correct! Thanks for sharing!
One more feature request from me. The guest wifi only works on the parent not the nodes
Thanks, but you can have guest wifi on the nodes, please watch this video: th-cam.com/video/kPVpsXb6ejU/w-d-xo.html
@@Behfor okay then may be my model does not support it because it does not have that option. I have the AC59u v2
Hey actually im interested on your accent, are you Iranian
Does this need a modem or no
This is not a modem! So if your internet connection requires a modem, then you should get a modem too.
Is there any overheating issue with this one?
I never had any overheating issues
one bug still remains unfixed: Samsnug mobiles can't access internet via guest network unless intranet access is enabled. Makes it a completely useless feature
what do you think about Asus GS-AX5400? how would it compare to ASUS RT-AX86U?
It looks like it's processor is not as fast! 1.5 GHz Tri-core vs 1.8 GHz quad-core. I would personally go with the faster processor because it can be more future proof. Thanks.
@@Behfor thank you, in my country rt ax86 u is out of stock, so I am thinking about the alternative
@@Behfor how about ASUS GT-AX6000? how it compare to ASUS RT-AX86U
@@RomanBaranovic That one seems to be a good device! It has faster processor (2 GHz quad-core) and even better/faster Wireless! I haven't tried it myself though but at least on paper looks to be a good device. Thanks.
I can use this one just with SIM card?
No, this router in this video does not take a Simcard, you can however connect a 5g/4g modem to it.
About to get this model and flash it with Merlin
Can you wired with this one ?
recent got an asus 86u however everyday it will reboot itself at random timing
I would make sure the firmware is up-to-date and if it is still happening could be hardware related and warranty should take care of it
I am confused is there a pro version and normal version?
As far as I know there are 3 versions now, AX86s, AX86U and AX86U pro
@@Behfor yeah I managed to get the pro but I don't think there is a difference
@@davidvictory9764 the CPU on the pro is better , 2 ghz vs 1.8 ghz
Nice router … little bit energy hungry… electricity in Germany is 3 times more than US
At least your Internet is 3 times cheaper than US 🙂
@Behfor yeah it's free w a lot of ping - lag trashy internet..
Set the automatic reboot every day
Thanks but I don't need to!
Is Wifi 6 working when this router is on AP mode?.
Sure, I don't see any reason why not!
Still only 64 devices on the dhcp reservation? That's pitty
Mine is actually 128, I'm running Merlin though not sure about the factory firmware!
And how far from router
Have you tried to update to Firmware 3.0.0.4.386.49599
Guest Network -> Access Intranet -> Disable/Enable
I have the latest Merlin firmware, do you see that option in the wireless router mode or in the AP mode?
@@Behfor Wireless Router mode
@Pak Hung CHEK I know in the wireless router mode there is! In the video I said in the AP mode there is no such an option! Thanks!
Is there a newer version?
Yes, AX86U Pro
@@Behfor Picked it up. It’s alright, not bad. Decent features for a all in one router. 1GB of RAM is unacceptable.
@@Behfor what would you recommend if you wanted to upgrade over AX86U Pro?
I am using this for last 2 and half years.
Just 2 month back I faced a major issue. The internet started frequenty disconnected when using through Router, however no issue with direct connection.
Deposited to Asus Service Center (Rashi Peripherals at Kolkata - Asus All India Super Distributor). After checking they told everything is ok only the Power Adapter is not working properly. Advised me to replace it. Being a System Administrator and Hardware Consultant for more than 20 years I become stunned by their decision. Still replaced the adapter. Problem again started immediately after returning home.
Now this time with my credentials I directly challenged both Rashi Peripherals and Asus India HO at Mumbai.
For the second time they took the router for testing. I directly contacted Asus All India Tech Head and explained with my credential (MSc. Pure Physics from Calcutta University) that for semiconductors, IC's as the temperature goes up the electron flow decreases at e to the power x rate. Being a Tech Head he reacted as if he is hearing this theory for the first time. I told him that the main CPU is getting heated and the electron flow getting decreased as my Router is power-on for 365 days.
Now, Rashi send this Router from Kolkata to Mumbai. Just believe me the Asus people kept the Router in their custody for 1 month 6 days. Yes, 36 days they kept. Meantime I stared using my low-end TP-Link Router and every 2/3 days I contacted those Mumbai people to hear new new stories about the Router. However the main topic is everything is ok for the router. I asked them to return it to me, and I will move to consumer forum (warranty valid till Feb 2023). However they kept on saying that they are testing. Even they told me once that as this Router is no more available at Asus Taiwan, they are planning to replace it with the AX3000 model.
After 36 days they return the router through Rashi. Comments : Everything is Ok, no problem found. There were several service tags over the router, even one tag contains the warranty expiry date.
Thing is that, after getting the Router for the second time I started using this again 24x7 days and in the last one month not a single time problem occurs.
I am dead sure that instead of replacing the full Router the Asus People replaced/repaired certain parts of the Router though I am fully eligible for complete replacement. And Yes, the old Adapter is working fine!
Waiting for your valuable comments.
P.S: I am having every documentation in paper. If anybody is interested about this case I can send them all documents through mail
Hi, just FYI this router did not exist 2 and half years ago!
@@Behfor Please send me your email address, I will send you the purchase bill. Purchased on February 2020, Kolkata, INDIA and the Model that I mentioned AC86U.
If you are fimilar with Electronic Circuit except the CPU you will be astonished by the similarity in circuit including the HeatSink with AX86U.
That router have wifi fragment threshold?
In the Asuswrt-Merlin and in the GUI there is RTS threshold but not fragmentation threshold! I think the fragmentation threshold is sth that could be changed in the CLI, not 100% sure though! Thanks.
@@Behfor fragment threshold is like mtu in ethernet
حال می کنی برای خودت تو آمریکا 😍😉
موفق باشی
آواز دهل شنیدن از دور خوش است! شما هم موفق باشی.
Hi, just purchased this router based on your experience and review, however after installing it i experience slower 2.4g speeds (max 105mb dwnload) and also lan speed is down by ~200mb on download speeds (from 900 to 700). This is compared to the old ac87u. What settings should i be looking into in order to improve on those stats. Also has anyone else experience this?
how are you getting on with it?
The bad of this router is that there is still no official support for wireguard vpn protocol.
Thanks for the info!
Many professionals use CLI. 🤷♂️
Does it lags
first
😁👍
I heard it sucks as hell
I did not!
Yes, it sucks. This model is a faulty one. They now stopped manufacturing AC86U and AC88U.
For professional work the RAM of this Router is insufficient.
Recently you will find occasionally that the 5GHz. band suddenly becomes unavailable. You need to restart the router to get it back.
Those who brought this Router and using for last 1 year, they will face problem with time. Be sure of this point.
By any means avoid this model.
AC68U is a much much better model than these 86U and 88U. Though these two are discontinued now, 68U is selling well and highly recommended.