Wireless Type | 802.11n |
---|---|
Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 1 |
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ASUS N900 WiFi Router (RT-N66U) - Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router, 4 GB Ports, Gaming & Streaming, Easy Setup, Parental Control
Brand | ASUS |
Model Name | RT-N66U |
Special Feature | WPS |
Frequency Band Class | Dual-Band |
Wireless Communication Standard | 802.11n |
Compatible Devices | Laptop, Personal Computer, Tablet, Printer, Smartphone |
Frequency | 5 GHz |
Recommended Uses For Product | Gaming |
Included Components | Computer Peripherals^Routers^Network Routers^ |
Connectivity Technology | WiFi^Wired |
About this item
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Concurrent Dual-Band Transmissions for Strong Signal Strength and Ultra-Fast Connection Rates up to 900Mbps
- Gigabit Ethernet Ports for the Fastest, Most Reliable Internet Performance
- Download Master for Wireless Data Storage and Access to Router-Connected USB Storage Devices
- Expanded Wireless Coverage with 3 Detachable High-Powered Antennas
- File Sharing, Printer Sharing, and 3G Sharing via Two Multi-Functional Built-in USB Ports
- ASUSWRT Dashboard UI for Easy Setup, Signal Monitoring, and Network Application Control
- WAN Ports - 1 x 10/100/1000M, LAN Ports - 4 x 10/100/1000M
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Disclaimer: Actual data throughput and WiFi coverage will vary from network conditions and environmental factors, including the volume of network traffic, building material and construction, and network overhead, result in lower actual data throughput and wireless coverage.
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Price | — | $242.23$242.23 | -20% $239.99$239.99 List: $299.99 | -27% $94.99$94.99 List: $129.99 | -10% $179.99$179.99 List: $199.99 | -32% $67.95$67.95 List: $99.99 |
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Customer Ratings | ||||||
WiFi signal | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 |
Tech Support | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.6 |
User interface | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | — | 4.1 |
Easy to install | — | 4.5 | 4.6 | — | 4.3 | — |
Stability | — | 4.5 | — | — | 4.2 | 3.6 |
Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
connectivity tech | WiFi^Wired | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB |
number of ports | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
data transfer rate | 450 megabits per second | 5700 megabits per second | 6000 megabits per second | 2976 megabits per second | 5400 megabits per second | 1 gigabits per second |
wireless standard | 802 11 N | 802 11 AX, 802 11 AC, 802 11 N, 802 11 G, 802 11 A | 802 11 AX, 802 11 AC, 802 11 G, 802 11 G, 802 11 A | 802 11 AX, 802 11 AC, 802 11 B, 802 11 G, 802 11 N | 802 11 AX, 802 11 AC, 802 11 N, 802 11 G, 802 11 B | 802 11 A, 802 11 AC, 802 11 AX, 802 11 B, 802 11 G |
frequency band class | dual band | dual band | dual band | dual band | tri band | dual band |
lan port bandwidth | 10/100 megabits per second | 2.5 Gigabit | 2.5 Gigabit | 10/100/1000 Mbps | 10/100/1000 Mbps | Gigabit Ethernet |
What's in the box
Product Description
Product Description
Introducing the ASUS RT-N66U Dual Band N900 Ultra Fast Wireless Router. With 3 x detachable R-SMA type antenna, 50% wider coverage than standard N SPEC, VPN Server function enable and IPv6 support ASUS RT-N66U is a true Business class router yet affordable from regular consumers.Support IPv6.2 years parts and labor warranty.
Amazon.com
From the Manufacturer
RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Router
Incredible Performance with Incredible Control
From the Black Diamond series that brought the world's most powerful router, the RT-N56U, The ASUS RT-N66U dual-band wireless-N900 gigabit router delivers incredible performance and coverage range. With ASUSWRT, quickly setup your network, customize user access, and monitor signal strength. Following the award-winning RT-N56U, the RT-N66U increases Wi-Fi speed for both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz transmission by 50% up to 900Mbps that makes it ideal for bandwidth demanding tasks such as HD video steaming, multiplayer gaming, USB hard drive file sharing, and USB connected printer sharing. Built-in Wi-Fi amplifiers make the RT-N66U the perfect wireless router for larger, multi-level homes and buildings with signal range that reaches virtually any area.
Whether you're a tech-savvy enthusiast or a first-time user, the RT-N66U is exceptional easy to use with CD-free, Quick Installation Setup (QIS) that lets you plug-n-surf right out of the box and connect PCs, smartphones, tablets, and other wireless devices quickly. Thanks to its refined interface tools, you get control like never before, letting you monitor signal strength, setup parental settings, and other useful functions in a robust yet intuitive way.
Learn More
Designed for Class-Leading Speed and Range
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Designed with the latest in networking technology, the RT-N66U delivers exceptionally fast wired and wireless connectivity. What's more, it comes with a powerful detachable Wi-Fi antenna to further extend wireless range.
Dual-Band Connectivity for Lag-Free Entertainment
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Delivering both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz concurrent bands up to 450Mbps and 450Mbps respectively, the RT-N66U has a total speed of up to 900Mbps connectivity to provide speed with stability. Perform basic internet tasks like Web browsing and file downloading under the 2.4 GHz band, whil e also simultaneously streaming HD content and other demanding applications smoothly on the 5 GHz band.
Optimized and Reliable Wireless Coverage via Ai Radar
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ASUS Ai Radar intelligently strengthens connections to wireless devices. With high-powered amplification and beam forming, it provides optimized signals in any direction with better coverage to improve data throu ghput.
Easy Setup Through Your Tablet, Smartphone, or PC
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With the RT-N66U, setup is simple. Simply power and connect the router and then open a bowser on a Wi-Fi-enabled device like a laptop o r tablet. You will be taken to a setup page with a prompt to enter the ID/password listed in your manual and that's it! Now setting up your net work is easier than ever.
Powerful functions, easiest management
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With the ASUSWRT Dashboard UI, setup, monitor, and control network applications all in one intuitive area. The whole new dashboard interface lets you manage all clients and settings on a single graphic al interface and provides 1-click updates.
Optimize Your Network for You
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Do you game a lot, or spend most of your time streaming videos? Whatever your planned use is, the RT-N66U has a Quality of Service (QoS) that lets you select how much bandwidth is prioritized for virtually any task. Plus, the traffic monitor allows you to check your Web usage in a clear and graphical interface.
Two Multi-Functional Built-in USB ports
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Featuring connectivity to devices, FTPs, SAMBA, UPnP AV servers, and DLNA support, the RT-N66U makes sharing and networking easier with two built-in USB ports. Download HTTP, FTP, and P2P files to a router-connected USB storage device all day a nd without a PC. Additionally, the twin USB ports allow for networked printer and file server connections, so you perform multiple tasks at on ce.
Key Features
- 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Concurrent Dual-Band Transmissions for b Signal Strength and Ultra-Fast Connection Rates up to 900Mbps (Learn more)
- Gigabit Ethernet Ports for the Fastest, Most Reliable Internet Performance (Learn more)
- Download Master for Wireless Data Storage and Access to Router-Connected USB Storage Devices (Learn more)
- Expanded Wireless Coverage with Detachable High-Powered Antennas (Learn more)
- File Sharing, Printer Sharing, and 3G Sharing via Multi-Function Twin USB Ports (Learn more)
- IPv6 enabled for future proof Web surfing compatibility
- ASUSWRT for Easy Setup, Signal Monitoring, and Network Appli cation Control (Learn more)
Specifications
Hardware
- Processor: Broadcom 470 @ 600MHz
- RAM: 256MB DDR2
- Flash: 32MB Flash + Micro SD slot
- WAN: 1 x Gigabit Ethernet or USB 3G/4G dongle
- LAN: 4 x Gigabit Ethernet
- USB: 2 x USB 2.0 ports
- Antenna: 3 x external detachable for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
- Dimensions: 207 x 148.8 x35.5 (L x W x H)
- Power Supply: AC Input: 100~240Vac/1.2A 50~60Hz
- DC Output: 19V/ 1.58A
- Buttons: WPS Button, Reset Button, Power Button
Wireless Features
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (concurrent)
- Data Rate: 802.11n (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) up to 450Mbps; 802.11a/g up to 54Mbps; 802.11b up to 11Mbps
- Output Power: High po wer: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (user adjustable); 802.11n 17~26 dBm; 802.11g 17~26 dBm; 802.11b up to 26 dBm
- Encryption: 64/128 bit WEP , WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise
- Authentication: Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS & PIN)
Software
- Network Protocol: Automatic IP, Static IP, PPPoE (MPPE support), PPTP, L2TP IPv4, IPv6
- DHCP: Server, Cl ient, DHCP, Client list, IP and MAC binding
- QoS: WMM, User definable rule for IP/MAC, Port, Protocol, upload and download band width management
- Port Forwarding: Port forward, Port Trigger, UPnP, DMZ
- Dynamic DNS: ASUS DDNS, DynDNS, TZO, Z ONEEDIT
- NAT Pass through: IPSec, PPTP, L2TP, RTSP pass through, PPPoE relay
- Firewall: NAT and SPI, intrusion detection, DoS protect, Port filter, MAC filter
- Access Control: Parental controls, MAC filter, Network service filter, URL fil ter
- Management: Network map, Traffic monitor, Performance tuning, Telnet server, System log
- Operation Mode: Rou ter Mode, AP Mode
- Download Master: Support BT, NZB, HTTP, FTP, E2DK download; Support encryption: DHT, PEX and Magnet Link; Upl oad and download bandwidth control; Download scheduling
- DLNA Server: Image: JPEG; Audio: MP3, WMA, WAV, PCM, MP4, LPCM, OGG; Vi deo: ASF, AVI, DIVX, MP2P, MPEG, MPG, TS, VOB, WMV, MKV, MOV
- Printer Server: Multifunctional printer support
- Fil e Server: Samba server & FTP server with account management
- VPN Server: PPTP VPN server
What's in the Box
- RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Router
- RJ-45 Cable
- Support C D (User Manual and Utility Software)
- Power Adapter
- Warranty Card
- Quick Start Guide
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Product information
Technical Details
Brand | ASUS |
---|---|
Series | RT-N66U |
Item model number | RT-N66U |
Item Weight | 1.8 pounds |
Product Dimensions | 11 x 14 x 3.5 inches |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 11 x 14 x 3.5 inches |
Color | Black |
Voltage | 19 Volts |
Department | wireless router |
Manufacturer | ASUS |
ASIN | B006QB1RPY |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | December 22, 2011 |
Additional Information
Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars |
---|---|
Best Sellers Rank | #20,540 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories) #787 in Computer Routers |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, speed, connectivity, and performance of the router. For example, they mention that the WiFi is blazing, the range of the wireless connection is very strong, and the throughput numbers are wonderful. That said, they're happy with ease of setup. That being said, opinions are mixed on value, range, and signal strength.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the performance of the router. They say it's been running 100% rock solid, has incredible performance, and hasn't encountered any significant problems. They also say that the router looks well built and is pleasing to the eye, and that the heat sink is solid.
"...Under the covers it runs BusyBox Linux which means it should be extremely solid. The ASUS generates a little bit of heat and needs ventiallation...." Read more
"...Here is the story, and some tips:Pros: amazing range, incredible performance, very configurable (and sometimes tricky) settings GUI...." Read more
"...Seriously powerful, feature packed, aesthetically pleasing, and at an approachable price point for the hobbyist...." Read more
"...Tried streaming some AVCHD 1080p content from the drive and it worked perfectly, no stutters at all, so HD streaming from attached storage looks..." Read more
Customers find the setup of the networking router to be easy. They mention that the setup/admin interface is nice and simple to use. It makes it easy to set up a static entry for their ReadyNAS, and networked Xerox printer, as well as easy to setup a guest network that gives guests the ability to surf. Customers will also appreciate the high-end features and great security.
"...The ASUS AP was easy to setup and came loaded ith the latest firmware...." Read more
"...+ Very powerful and flexible set of features/options, with an easy way to configure them through the Dashboard UI...." Read more
"...Easy to setup screen popped up directly on my macbook pro, and I was able to update the firmwareCons:..." Read more
"...I like that it is easy to set up a guest network that gives guests the ability to surf the internet without giving them access to the local intranet...." Read more
Customers like the speed of the router. They say it's just awesome, shows consistent Internet speeds, and has better processing power, more memory, and more cache. That said, they say it is a phenomenal router in terms of performance, and that the throughput numbers are wonderful.
"ORIGINAL REVIEW:This is a phenominal router in terms of performance..." Read more
"...While it was working well enough to give me good download and upload speeds (25mb/sec down, 15mb/sec up) from my cable connection, internal network..." Read more
"...Super fast speeds and long range on 5ghz or 2.4ghz, I setup on both using the same name of network/pass so it will automatically..." Read more
"...would choose the Cisco 4200 router because of its long reach and fast data speeds, but as I read about it I came to understand that the Cisco router..." Read more
Customers like the quality of the router. They say that the WiFi is blazing, it is an excellent router with many powerful features, and works well with streaming movies wirelessly to their tablet and LED TVs. The range of the wireless connection is very strong, and the performance is by far the best consumer wireless router they have ever seen. They also say that it handles sharing the wifi network printer well, and that the wired networking is great.
"...This router is amazing. If you are a techie responsible for setting up wireless at conferences this is a great device to stick in your bag of tricks...." Read more
"...what updates they have made for other similar routers this is an excellent router to get you through several years of changes before they switch to..." Read more
"...Excellent Wi-Fi Range w/ Stock Antennas* NO Dropped Wi-Fi Signals* Excellent Stability (No Restarts in 3 Weeks!)*..." Read more
"...I also like that it has a traffic control feature that will make streaming video more fluid when I finally subscribe to Netflix...." Read more
Customers like the connectivity of the router. They mention that it can handle multiple devices streaming better, has dual-WAN connectivity, and provides a centralized multimedia access point. Customers also appreciate the ability to dynamically assign IPs, and say that it provides centralized multi-media access point for their Smart TV.
"...Despite the few cons it does work right out of the box and loads on to the router page, when I clicked on the internet for my macbook pro...." Read more
"...Pros:* Dual-WAN + Load Balancing* Decent Stock Firmware..." Read more
"...malfunctioning Medialink is still more stable and can handle multiple devices streaming better than this Asus can...." Read more
"...Couldn't ping them. Couldn't get out to the internet. Rebooting it several times didn't help...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the signal strength of the router. Some mention that it has a significantly better range on both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, the signal seems strong in the locations they've tested with 5GHz devices, and the Wi-Fi coverage is phenomenal. However, others say that they had for their rt-n56u all their wifi devices either drop connection or were not initially able, and that the hotel wireless network ground to a halt and started dropping people. They also say that there are no monthly bandwidth stats, and can't save stats to USB drive.
"...Here is the story, and some tips:Pros: amazing range, incredible performance, very configurable (and sometimes tricky) settings GUI...." Read more
"...With those two changes, my network performance and signal strength increased dramatically with real world results to prove it...." Read more
"...Unfortunately, this was not the case and the hotel wireless network ground to a halt and started dropping people and the conference came to a halt...." Read more
"...Super fast speeds and long range on 5ghz or 2.4ghz, I setup on both using the same name of network/pass so it will automatically..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the value of the router. Some mention that it's worth every penny, it' s possible to reduce costs by 50% and obtain better service, and that it is a good mix of performance and price. Others say that it was not worth the cost, the antennas are cheap, and the router is more expensive than the Linksys used to be. Overall, the opinions are mixed, and it' is difficult to make a clear decision about the router's value.
"...For $170 this is a great value and a good core piece of hardware for your home/office network...." Read more
"...powerful, feature packed, aesthetically pleasing, and at an approachable price point for the hobbyist...." Read more
"...On the other hand the antennas are cheap. I have read reviews where one or all of the antennas don't twist on well and they loosen easily...." Read more
"...***Overall this is a great system for the price and no matter what updates they have made for other similar routers this is an excellent router to..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the range of the router. Some mention it has great coverage for their large house, while others say that it was virtually unusable. The 5 GHz range was much less, and the coverage was only a little better.
"...The coverage of the ASUS is very good. The 2.4 Ghz wireless easily covers the 1/2 acre from edge to edge and the top of the hill to the bottom...." Read more
"...only short comings were the 100 Mbs wired connections and a crowded 2.4 Ghz spectrum...." Read more
"...It doesn't lose quality as long as you keep it on wireless N, has capability for b/g on my father's old computers but I think its just the computer..." Read more
"...power on both 2.4 ghz and 5.0 ghz at 80 milli watts is sufficient to cover the entire house, from end to end, which is a first for this house...." Read more
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The router is still going strong without any issues. I now use the VPN with my iPad and it works great. After setting it up on the router and the iPad, I simply slide the VPN slider on the iPad and I get connected to my home network from anywhere on the Internet. This is great if you have a home cloud storage setup or need to get around Internet blocks on a network (assuming PPTP/VPN ports) are open.
I have also put a USB flash drive in the router and use it as a file server. I have configured the HP all-in-one printer to scan directly to the ASUS router. This is really handy since I don't have to turn on a PC to scan documents and this makes them available to all devices on my network that can support FTP which is ALL of them. It is really handy for receipts, pictures or anything I need to archive and potentially access remotely. With a flip of the VPN switch on the iPad I can easily VPN and access all the stored scans on the router.
Also, the firmware has gotten progressively better and bugs/security holes are continually fixed. I have never called ASUS support. The only problem I had for awhile was that the AIRPLAY was flaky but a subsequent firmware update corrected the problem.
With just a bit more memory and tweaking this router could server as the server for a home automation/security system and I hope ASUS will think about developing products in this direction. Still very happy with the product and except for occasional firmware updates, it is pretty much maintenance free and just works. I really like that in a product.
*** Update June 4, 2013 *** - I was responsible for a technology conference being held a Holiday Inn. The hotel assured me that their wireless infrastructure could handle 200 devices. Unfortunately, this was not the case and the hotel wireless network ground to a halt and started dropping people and the conference came to a halt. Instead of panicking throwing in the towel, I went and grabbed this Asus router plugged into the ethernet at the hotel attaching the router on the presenters podium with gaffers tape.
This router easily handled 120 devices, mostly iPads and laptops without any glitches or burps.I put all the audience members on the 2.4 GHz radio and the presenters on the 5 GHz radio and the conference continued flawlessly. This router is amazing. If you are a techie responsible for setting up wireless at conferences this is a great device to stick in your bag of tricks. To confess my doubts, I really wasn't sure if it could handle 120 devices but it ran rocksolid for two days. Now if I could only convince the Holiday Inn conference center to put in new Asus wireless access points.
I needed a solution for a 2-story house on a half acre of land, built into a hill with a walk out basement. The goal was edge to edge wireless coverage on the property with the ability to stream hi-def video inside the house.
To begin, the NetSpot wireless survey tool was used to find the optimal mounting location for the ASUS "Dark Knight". As it turns out the best placement was on the first floor just above doorbell. Thankfully the ASUS has wall mount screws as well and a very generous power cable length. I fished the power cables and network cables through the wall and used a 1-3/4" holesaw with a computer cable access cap/grommet to cover the hole.
It would be nice if the access point came in a white color for aesthetics. From the side profile it is hardly noticable in the hall, but if you walk in the hall and look up, there is a giant black box with three legs sticking out. :) Overall it looks good, but I wouldn't mount this thing is a conspicuous place like over the TV or in the dining room.
The coverage of the ASUS is very good. The 2.4 Ghz wireless easily covers the 1/2 acre from edge to edge and the top of the hill to the bottom. According to the wireless survey there are about 20 - 2.4 Ghz access points in the area but the ASUS seems to handle the interferene without any issues in the 2.4Ghz range.
As expected the 5Ghz coverage drops off drastically as you move away from the ASUS AP. However, the 5Ghz signal covers the ranch house top to botton and allows the streaming of high def video without any issues. Moving outside the of the house the 5Ghz signal drops off fast and doesn't make it to the bottom of the hill.
The ASUS AP was easy to setup and came loaded ith the latest firmware. Under the covers it runs BusyBox Linux which means it should be extremely solid. The ASUS generates a little bit of heat and needs ventiallation. While the vents are on the sides, on earth heat rises due to gravitational bouyancy. It might be a better design to put more vents on the top and move the power and network inputs to the bottom as the top of the unit gets warm.
The blue status LEDS are not annoying like many other devices which insist on annoying high-intensity LEDS. The gigabyte network ports do a great job of autodetecting everything. I tried everything from a 10/100 hub to an Arduino Opensprinkler controller and it negotiated fine with everything.
The setup was really simple with the web inteface. Only one computer can login at a time to the web interface and if you forget to logout it can create an issue. The web interface is somewhat basic but pretty. I haven't tried the USB servers or VPN/PPTP but I assume it will work without issue since BusyBox Linux is the O/S. The only thing I could not get to work was the DHCP MAC to IP mapping. Instead I just set static IPs on the printers etc...
Speed tests show that it can handle gigabit speeds both on the LAN and wireless without any issues. For $170 this is a great value and a good core piece of hardware for your home/office network. It has a great feature set and lots of extras including the guest network for creating a simple VLAN. I also think the exernal antennas are better than internal antennas, plus you can swap them out for high-gain antennas unlike APs with internal antennas. You can also bump the TX power to 500mW but I have mine set at the default of 80mW and am happy with the performance.
I will miss my old reliable Linksys 2.4Ghz but unfortunately it couldn't keep up with the traffic loads anymore. This ASUS Dark Knight rocks and is comparable to a $400 CISCO dual band access point, plus you don't have to go through the pain and suffering of setting it up and paying the license costs for all the features. Good job ASUS, I look forward to the next version of the firmware. Maybe throw a wireless survey tool in there :)
I would recommend this product to a friend and purchase it again.
This is a phenominal router in terms of performance (long range on both the 2.4 & 5GHz bands & incredible performance in terms of connection speeds & bandwidth). In terms of capability, it's probably unparalleled (I set it up in dual-Wan mode connecting a Zyxel 3502 in client mode, tested it by unplugging my main WAN connection and saw it fail over successfully. Also got it to fail back with no issues and put the Zyxel connection in standby mode). I setup a separate guest network and tested it to make sure someone on the guest network couldn't get to a machine on the private network.
HOWEVER, in terms of reliability it's horrible. When I received it, it told me there was a firmware upgrade (which I did). A few days later, it wanted to do another firmware upgrade -- which I did. A few days after that, the router stopped working. I could log in, but I couldn't see any of my other computers on the internal network -- wired or wireless. Couldn't ping them. Couldn't get out to the internet. Rebooting it several times didn't help. Plugging in my 5-year old netgear router worked just fine! Bottom line -- unless you're willing to put up with crappy firmware that can stop working - don't buy this.
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UPDATED: about 2 weeks after running it:
I'm upgrading my review to 5 stars. After a fair bit of mucking around with it, I finally have it (hopefully!) in a state where its been working great (at least for the past 3 days). Here is the story, and some tips:
Pros: amazing range, incredible performance, very configurable (and sometimes tricky) settings GUI. BTW, Asus tech support reached out to me proactively after reading the review, and I certainly appreciate the responsiveness there! An extra star for that!
Cons: You need to get the firmware right. My suggestion would be once you have a working box, don't touch it again! Also, dual-wan (which I have working right now) is also tricky to setup (see below)
As of this writing, the last 2 firmwares were:
3.0.0.4.376_3754 (this is what I'm running right now)
3.0.0.4.376_3714 (tried this one and it *seemed* stable as well)
The trick might have been in doing a full factory reset. Asus support recommended instead of clicking the button that "checks for firmware automatically & updates it", I download the latest firmware & upload from my computer. Can't be 100% sure, but doing that seemed to make it work a lot better. I upload _3714 and stabilized it. BTW, another suspicion I have is that originally when I was having problems, I was deliberately NOT broadcasting my primary SSIDs, but WAS broadcasting my "guest" SSIDs. After resetting and reloading _3714, I started broadcasting all SSIDs. For some reason the combination of all these changes stabilized the box and it worked really well for a few days.
One thing DIDN'T work. My dual-wan configuration broke. When I first got the box, I had plugged in a Zyxel 3205 setup in Client Mode connecting to a Mifi device which was issuing DHCP addresses on a different segment. I had the dual WAN configuration setup on the ASUS with DHCP enabled, but in _3714 I couldn't get that to work.
After a few days, I took a chance and uploaded _3754 from my desktop (having downloaded it earlier). Still broadcasting all SSIDs. That remained stable for a few days again, but the dual-wan (trying to get a DHCP address off of the ethernet port connected to the Zyxel) still didn't work. I reset & reprogrammed the Zyxel, tried a laptop connected to it (which worked just fine), but couldn't get the ASUS to work. Finally, I decided to configure the ASUS dual-wan ethernet port to a static IP. Amazingly, that worked just fine! I tested it by unplugging my main cable model WAN cable, saw it fail over, tested the internet, and then plugged the cable modem WAN cable back in & watched it fail back. Very pleased.
set
A few other things -- my Xbox 360 complained about the router when trying to get out to Xbox Live -- I simply reserved a static IP in the ASUS for it, and then set the Port Forwarding for the service (port 3074) in the WAN section. Worked like a charm!
So, overall 5 stars for now.
So, overall, after spending a fair bit of time on this, I have a product that I'm happy with.
Top reviews from other countries
It came with no Manuel and no set up disk. I had to get Asus tech support to help and they couldn't do anything and they told me never to buy refurbished IT products as they are s total waste of time and rarely work. So, I'm sending it back for a refund. I have since bought a brand new one - same make and model and will review that later....
I use this router with my Rogers Cable internet service. The Rogers modem that I have is the Cisco DPC3825 gateway, and I have it set to bridge mode. Make sure that you do this before connecting it to the Asus (or any other) router to avoid networking woes.
Now, for the tech-savvy folks who like advanced router features I must say that I've never before used a router with such an advanced configuration menu. The customization options and performance functions are world class and you can literally customize the settings of this beauty in whatever way you'd like. On top of that, the menu is sleek, elegant, and easy to use and navigate.
All in all, this is absolutely the best router available on the market in terms of speed, range, customization, and ease of use. You cannot go wrong with this router... I literally do not have one negative thing to say about it! If you are looking for a new router, do not look any further than this. The ONLY other router I would ever consider is the Asus RT-AC66U because it is identical to this with the addition of wireless AC... however, since this technology is not in any devices that I currently own or will own in the near future, the dual band N is more than sufficient.
Now, click Add-To-Cart - you need not look any further!
1. It is Dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5Ghz). Having the 5GHz is nice since I find out that I have too many neighbors' routers around at 2.4GHz but in the 5GHz band there is no single one, so new devices such smartphones may operate more reliable.
2. Wireless signal is powerful enough. The router sits in the basement but at the 2nd floor reception is still good (uo to maximum speed of the modem).
3. It is based on DD-WRT and has numerous features such as OpenVPN server to access the home network remotely.
4. IPv6 support (but my ISP is still IPv4 only).
5. All expected settings for the WiFi router: guest access, port forwarding, QoS, advanced routing, DMZ, etc, etc.
6. "Asuswrt-Merlin" makes it even better!
7. Stable and quick.
8. Cool design.
Mixed:
1. Initial setup was quick, though not ideal: the router was not able to connect to Internet at the first attempt and suggested to reboot the cable modem. After that it proceeded successfully, though it forgot that it prompted to change the password and I had to figure out that I still have to use the default password after the router reboot.
2. Does not have wall mount but holes for the stand may be used for this purpose.
Cons:
Actually nothing.
Some thoughts: today it is hard to find a good inexpensive wired router, so WiFi routers are still good choice for that purpose.