I always believed the Asus RT-AX88U Pro would be my last Wi-Fi 6 router review. Then, the ExpertWiFi EBR63 happened.
Unveiled in the first days of 2023 and available almost a year later, this new router represents an entirely different product line of Asus, the ExpertWiFi. It'll be the first of many, including eventually those with the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard.
Here's the bottom line: Featuring Wi-Fi 6 and all Gigabit ports, the ExpertWiFi EBR63 has nothing new in terms of Wi-Fi or wired connection fronts. However, the new ExperWifi firmware has a lot of potential for advanced and business users.
At the current street price of $150, this little router is an excellent buy for anyone needing a standalone router with sub-gigabit bandwidth. It will be relevant for many years.
Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63: A little Wi-Fi 6 router that could
Out of the box, the ExpertWiFi EBR63 was surprisingly small, and at less than a pound, it was featherlight in my hand.
The white router comes with four non-detachable antennas folded on its top—you can open them 180 degrees outward. The router can be used in a traditional horizontal or vertical position or mounted on a wall, and the antennas can be arranged to fit all of them.
And that's the first thing to note about the new ExpertWiFi product line. Asus says its hardware will come in "pristine white" and well-thought-out shapes that help declutter the office space.
The new router comes with the usual number of network ports, including one Gigabit WAN and four Gigabit LANs. In terms of Wi-Fi, it's a modest AX3000 machine.
The table below includes the ExpertWiFi EBR63's hardware specifications.
Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63: Hardware specifications
Name | ASUS ExpertWiFi EBR63 | |
Model | EBR63 | |
Antennas | 4 x external antennas | |
Wi-Fi Grade | Dual-band AX3000 | |
1st Band (channel width) | 2x2 AX: up to 574 Mbps (20/40MHz) | |
2nd Band (channel width) | 5GHz 2x2 AX: up to 2402 Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) | |
Hardware Role | Wireless Router Mode AiMesh Node Mode Access Point Mode | |
UNII-4 Support | No | |
Network Standards | IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ax, IPv4, IPv6 | |
VLAN | Yes | |
VPN | Yes | |
CPU | 1.7GHz quad-core CPU | |
Memory and Flash Storage | 256 MB Flash, 512 MB DDR3 RAM | |
Multi-Gig Port | None | |
Gigabit Port | 1 x Gbps WAN, 4 x 1 Gbps LAN, | |
USB Port | 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0 | |
Buttons | Power Switch, Reset Button, WPS Button | |
DC Power Adapter | AC Input: 100~240 V (50~60 Hz) DC Output: 12 V with max 2 A current | |
Package Contents | ASUS ExpertWiFi EBR63 RJ-45 cable Power adapter Quick Start guide Warranty card | |
Dimensions | 8.86 x 4.16 x 6.04 in (225 x 105.7 x 153.5 mm) (with antennas) | |
Power Intake | 110V -240V | |
Power Consumption (per 24 hours) | ≈ 175 Wh | |
Weight (each unit) | .96 lb (436g) | |
Release Date | December 2023 | |
Firmware Version (at review) | 3.0.0.6.102_32645 | |
Warranty | 3-year | |
US Retail Cost (at launch) | $149.99 (Single Router) |
Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63: Detail photos
Representing the ExpertWiFi series
As the first ExpertWiFi router, the EBR63 represents the entire series, and in my experience, it did an excellent job. The router has everything I mentioned in the primer post of the series. Specifically, you can expect the following:
- Standard web user interface and initial setup process.
- All the standard Wi-Fi and network settings
- Built-in self-defined network (SDNs) for easy Wi-Fi configuration for different needs.
- Lots of useful features, including Parental Control, QoS, AiProtection, advanced VPN, VLAN, and AiMesh.
The EBR63 has virtually everything you look for in a Wi-Fi 6 router and possibly more. It's worth noting, though, that if you intend to use it as the primary router of an AiMesh system with a router of the RT series as the satellite, many of its advanced features, such as VLAN or Guest network, will unlikely work well at the satellite unit.
However, there are two things you won't find in it:
- There are no gaming features (other than QoS)
- There's no Multi-Gig port—all of the router's ports are Gigabit.
While the lack of gaming features is not a huge deal—you can play most games just fine with it—the absence of Mult-Gig Ethernet support is disappointing. That means you won't get a full Gigabit out of this router.
And that was precisely the case in performance.
Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63: Excellent Gigabit-class performance
For an AX3000 Gigabit router, the ExpertWiFi EBR63 did very well in my weeklong testing. The little router had excellent range, close to that of the high-end router. Overall, if you have a home of around 1800 ft2, place it in the middle, and you can expect its 5GHz band to reach every corner. Of course, your mileage will vary depending on the number of walls and how fairly the place is.
The router also passed my 3-day stress test with zero disconnection, both as a single router and as a mesh system hosting the RT-AX68U as the wireless satellite. Note that I tested its performance without using any special features, including Guest Wi-Fi or VLAN.
In terms of throughput speeds, the EBR63 performed as well as an AX300 router could, averaging among its peers. Still, as a mid-range router with no Multi-Gig port, its wireless performance could never reach full Gigabit after overhead.
With two USB ports, the EBR63 has all possible USB-related applications. I tested it as a mini NAS server, and while it was not the best, its performance was quite impressive considering its compact physical size. At close to 110MB/s for reading—virtually the best performance of the Gigabit connection—the router is fast enough for casual data sharing and media streaming needs. All you need is a fast USB drive.
The router had no internal fan, so it was utterly silent during my testing. It remained cool, feeling only slightly warm to the touch, even during heavy operation.
Overall, for a little device as it is, the Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63 is an impressive performer.
Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63's Rating
Pros
Excellent performance for the hardware specs with reliable and extensive Wi-Fi coverage
All Wi-Fi and network settings for any advanced network; tons of advanced features, including VLAN, AiMesh, VPN, and more
Robust web user interface, well-designed mobile app
Compact, practical design; affordable and low power consumption
Cons
No Multi-Gig port
No Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7
Conclusion
As the world has slowly been moving to Wi-Fi 7, the Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63 with its Wi-Fi 6 is not a must-have router. However, representing an entirely new ExperWiFi series, it's still an exciting product.
So, if you only need a single broadcaster for a network that doesn't require more than a Gigabit bandwidth at the current street price of $150, this router is a steal. Additionally, its support for advanced networking, including VLAN, versatile VPN, and many other useful features—all without additional cost for the life of the hardware—is a crazy bonus when compared to other hardware such as Amazon's eero or Netgear's Orbi.
Consider one today!
May I know if the AiMesh of this expertwifi router also connect with the regular non-expertwifi Asus AiMesh router? Thank you.
Read the review, Ryan. It’s there.
Hi Dong. Thank you for your fantastic reviews, and all you do to improve general understanding.
I recently found out that my pair of aimesh CT8s are EOL – despite only buying them a couple years ago – and mild panic has set in. Therefore looking to buy maybe this Expert EBR63 to use behind the isp modem/router, and maybe keep one of the CT8s in a mesh with it (if it works) to extend to the other side of the (1800sqft, several walls) PB flat. Currently use a cat 6 ethernet backhaul from one side to the other. Maybe use the other CT8 as a bridge somewhere?
Would you have a better suggestion? We dont tend to have (or use) greater than 100mb ISP options. We do use a NAS and several wired devices. Guest operational. Lots of 2.4 iot devices.
Thanks again,
Gerrard
The CT8 is not EOL, Gerrard. Not when it’s still working. More here. Generally, you shouldn’t mix Wi-Fi standard and hardware of different number of bands in a system. More here.
Thank you, Dong, for this interesting review. May I have a question: I have 2 VLANs configured on my main router (on top od the “regular” LAN). Would I be able to configure the EBR63 as an access point and create separate WiFi networks for each of my VLANs on this AP? I am sure I could do this if I use the device as my main router – how about an access point?
I haven’t tried but I don’t think so, Pi. As an AP, the router would be long to one of the current VLANs at a time.
Wi-Fi 6 and no Multi-Gig network? In 2024? Come on!
I hear you, Antonio, but give the review a full read! 🙂