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This Asus GT-AXE11000 vs. Netgear RAXE500 matchup is very similar to the one of the Asus GT-AX1100 vs. Netgear RAX200 with a twist: Currently, I do not recommend that you rush out to buy either of the former.
There’s nothing wrong with the routers themselves—they are both great in their own ways. Rather, it’s because Wi-Fi 6E is still in its infancy. That’s not to mention its innate short range.
So yes, chances are you’ll see this post updated at some point. But if you’re dying to get into Wi-Fi 6E for one reason or another, you’ll be able to figure out which to get when you’re through. Or not.
Dong’s note: I first published this post on April 23, 2021, and updated it on April 30 with additional relevant information.
Asus GT-AXE11000 vs. Netgear RAXE500: Similarities
Clearly, these are the first routers on the market that support the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard.
So they both belong to the new type of tri-band broadcasters—those with a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz, and a 6GHz band. The idea is that they will work with all Wi-Fi clients on the market, bar none.
But there are more. These two use almost identical hardware specs with the same number of antennas (8) and ports (4x LAN, 1x WAN, and 1x 2.5Gbps LAN/WAN) and two USB 3.0 ports.
They also have the top-notch Wi-Fi configuration with 4×4 in all three bands and support the venerable 160MHz bandwidth in both 5GHz and 6GHz bands. Both have a combined wireless bandwidth of up to 11000Mbps.
And finally, both have a full web user interface with a standard set of network settings, plus an optional mobile app. Oh, both are expensive, too—this is the key.
Asus GT-AXE11000 vs. Netgear RAXE500: Hardware specifications
| Asus GT-AXE11000 ROG Rapture Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E Gaming Router | Netgear RAXE500 Nighthawk 12-Stream AXE11000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | GT-AXE11000 | RAXE500 |
| Wi-Fi Technology | Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E AX11000 | Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E AX11000 |
| First Band | 2.4GHz 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 Up to 1148Mbps | 2.4GHz 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 Up to 1148Mbps |
| Second Band | 5GHz 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 Up to 4804Mbps | 5GHz 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 Up to 4804Mbps |
| Third Band | 6GHz 4×4 Wi-Fi 6E Up to 4804Mbps | 6GHz 4×4 Wi-Fi 6E Up to 4804Mbps |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz) Support | Yes | Yes |
| AP Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Mesh-ready | Yes (AiMesh 2.0) | No |
| 160MHz Channel Support | Yes | Yes |
| Number of 160MHz Channels | 7x on one 6GHz band 2x on one 5GHz band | 7x on one 6GHz band 2x on one 5GHz band |
| Gigabit Network Port | 4x LAN, 1x WAN | 4x LAN, 1x WAN |
| Multi-Gig Network Port | 1x 2.5Gbps LAN/WAN | 1x 2.5Gbps LAN/WAN |
| LAN Link Aggregation | Yes (LAN ports 1 and 2) | Yes (LAN ports 3 and 4) |
| WAN Link Aggregation | Yes (WAN + LAN4) | Yes (WAN + LAN1) |
| Dual-WAN | Yes (WAN + USB or LAN4 or 2.5Gbps) | Yes (WAN+LAN1/2.5Gbps) |
| USB | 2x USB 3.0 | 2x USB 3.0 |
| Mobile App | Asus Router | Netgear Nighthawk |
| Processing Power | 1.8 GHz quad-core CPU, 256MB Flash, 1GB RAM | 1.8GHz 64-bit CPU 512MB Flash, 1GB RAM |
| Dimensions (no antennas) | 10.4 x 10.4 x 2.9 in (26.4 x 26.4x 7.4 cm) | 11.7 x 8.3 x 3.07 in (29.8 x 21.1 x 7.8 cm) |
| Weight | 3.94 lbs (1.79 kg) | 3.2 lb (1.45 kg) |
| Price (at Launch) | $550 | $600 |
Asus GT-AXE11000 vs. Netgear RAXE500: Differences
These two have quite a few differences. You can see that in their looks alone.
Indeed, the Netgear RAXE500 shares the same physical design as the RAX200 as one of the coolest-looking routers you can find. It resembles something that can fly or at least an object that moves fast—it’s neither. It comes with huge antennas that dub as “wings” that can fold on its top.
The Asus GT-AXE11000, on the other hand, is a better-looking version of the GT-AX11000, which is ugly by any standard. It’s now with non-detachable antennas—it’s easier to handle. Still, it’s simply a square box with a large Aura gaming light on top.
And that brings us to the biggest difference between them: The Asus is a gaming router with a ton of online gaming-related features. It also comes included with a free-for-life online protection feature, QoS, and parental control. The Netgear has none of those out of the box, and you’d have to pay extra for its Netgear Armor.
Netgear Armor, by the way, requires the Netgear Nighthawk mobile app to work. The app itself requires a login account with Netgear which can be a privacy issue.
The Asus Router app, on the other hand, is somewhat the mobile version of the web interface. In fact, it uses Dynamic DNS for remote management. In short, you won’t need to connect to Asus to use it. So no worries on the privacy front.
What’s more, the Asus comes with the support for AiMesh, which allows the GT-AXE11000 to work as part of a mesh system. This feature was still a bit wonky in my testing for now, but it sure is a valuable option.
On top of that, the Asus has a lot more to offer, including in-depth Wi-Fi settings and other useful networking tools, like Wake-on-LAN.
In return, the GT-AXE11000 seemed a bit like a work-in-progress, similar to most Asus routers at launch. (Asus does release new firmware more often, however.) The RAXE500 proved to be more stable right out of the box.
And finally, at launch, the GT-AXE11000 costs $550—it’s the most expensive home Wi-Fi broadcaster from Asus. The RAXE500 beats that, with a $600 price tag.
Asus GT-AXE11000 vs. Netgear RAXE500: Performance and ratings
I tested both the Asus and the Netgear the same way. Specifically, they only had official scores for the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands.
That’s because, for right now, there’s no official 6GHz client suitable for my testing yet. I plan to finish the testing on them when that’s possible. But keep in mind that the 6GHz of both routers proved to deliver the same speeds as the 5GHz, but it had a much shorter range.
That said, the two delivered a similar performance in my testing with similar ranges.
Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000's Rating
Pros
Tri-band with Wi-Fi 6E support
Excellent 5GHz and 2.4GHz performance
Excellent set of game-related, online protection and monitoring features, full AiMesh 2.0 support
2.5Gbps LAN/WAN port, Dual-WAN, and LAN/WAN Link Aggregations
Cons
Expensive
Wi-Fi 6E is not fully available
Only one 2.5Gbps port, no 10Gbps port
Bulky design, not wall-mountable, buggy firmware (at launch)
Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500's Rating
Pros
Wi-Fi 6E-ready
Collectively excellent Wi-Fi speeds and range
2.5Gbps LAN/WAN port, Dual-WAN, and LAN/WAN Link Aggregations
Robust web interface, helpful (optional) mobile app
Beautiful design
Fast network-attached storage when hosting a storage device
Cons
Expensive
Wi-Fi 6E is still in the early stage
No 10Gbps port, only one 2.5Gbps port
Limited Wi-Fi settings, no built-in QoS or Parental Controls
Online protection requires a subscription
Internal fan, a bit buggy (at launch)
Which to get
Neither for now.
Sure both can work quite excellently with existing 5GHz and 2.4GHz clients, but in that case, neither is as much better than their respective vendor’s top-notch dual-band routers as they are more expensive. They are not worth the costs, yet, that is.
But, again, if you want on the bleeding edge, get the Asus GT-AXE11000 if you’re into tinkering with home networking, looking to build a wired mesh network later, or a gamer.
On the other hand, if you want something that works right out of the box with a minimum amount of issues—it does have a fair share of hiccups—the Netgear RAXE500 is a slightly safer choice, though not necessarily enough to justify the $50 additional cost.
Looking to compare other Wi-Fi solutions? Check them all out here.
I am looking to upgrade my RAX120 to something a bit more ‘robust’ and future proof….cant decide between this, tplink be24000, the new netgear wifi 7 or maybe Asus AXE16000
Do what I’d do: Get all of them. 🙂
true…!
Also with the Asus you can install the Merlin Software develop by a third party, which by the way, is very good. More features added or extended.
It was the firmware. I’ve had no problems with the connection speed for a long time now.
Yeap. I suspected that much. Glad you figured it out.
I just bought both of them, the Signal strength on the GT-AXE11000 compared to the Netgear RAXE500 is weaker in the same room.
I get around 300 – 400 mbps speeds in the room with the Netgear RAXE500 on 5 Ghz WiFI 6 client.
On Asus GT-AXE11000, I achieve only 100 mbps in the room on 5Ghz WiFI 6 client.
Looks like it’s the issue with the ports or cable, S. Gigabit vs Fast Ethernet, etc. or the settings.
Hello. I keep having random disconnects with the Asus GT-AXE11000. My PC phone and laptop all drop at least 2-3 times a day and the SSID disappears. I cant see it with any device. Always have to manually log on. Latest firmware is installed. Disabled the radio and just connect with 5ghz and it works perfectly fine. Another issue is when I run an Ookla speed test I get roughly the same speed even if Im on the 6e bands. 🙁
A couple of things, Joseph:
1. Wi-Fi 6E is NOT faster than Wi-Fi 6. Also, your test only shows the Internet speed — more on testing here.
2. Separate the bands and don’t mess around with too many settings. Use compatibility settings. More here. Reset your router and set it up using as much if the default setting as possible and it’ll work.
3. Don’t have crazy expectations. Read the reviews in their entirety.
Any real users of those two?
Really need a wifi6 router and have eonly those to at the shelves in my country.
Are software any better these days?
Netgear is a bit less expensive in my shops, but I want better QoS for gaming, should I choose Asus over Netgear for that?
You should go with Asus, Peter. Netgear has been dropping features from its routers. By the way, ALL information posted on this website is REAL.
Sorry, I did not mention that your experience is not real, its very valuable and important!
I just thought maybe you tested it quite a while ago (early last year) and things might have chaged in 2022, but it seems your hacked driver is still a must for 6e and windows 10. So thank you for that!
Only thing I’m not sure is Intel LAR as it’s location specific, and I might get troubles in my country because of neighbour SSIDs. Not sure if its related to laptops BIOS, or Intel ax210 firmware, would it take placce in PC with PCI to m2 adapter? Are you aware of that by any chance?
That’s only on the broadcasting side, Petr. You can use the receiver anywhere in the world – folks travel and bring their laptop with them, you know.
I wanted to share that I was able to run 6Ghz fine once used my old router with dd-wrt to bring up 20+ SSIDs (Virlual APs) in the US region. I used Win10 21H2 and your driver, that helped a lot. Thanks again!
Reaching 920-940 Mbps internet speeds now.
Sure, Petr.
DN,
I think the Asus software is more robust & free. Also for those of us travel the Asus is auto-voltage…(aka Free Volt aka 110-240) while the Netgear is LABELED as only 110….
Netgear is trying to milk you on subscriptions which after time is just a rip off as we paid a lot already…
Did you get your shots?
You’re prolly right, John. The Asus is a bit buggy though. And yeap, I got my 2nd Pfizer shot 💉 two weeks ago tomorrow! 🙂
I’ve got the first major appliance (client) coming soon that can actually use the bandwidth of 6E, but I s’pose this article means the routers themselves aren’t ready. Samsung’s new 2021 8K TVs are shipping with Metrik’s WiFi 6E chip, although oddly enough, Samsung is marketing the TV as straight WiFi 6, while Metrik is saying it’s the first commercial TV shipping out with 6E capable — I’ve got an email out to them asking what they tested it with, or what spec they built it to. I s’pose my AX86U will work w WiFi 6 until WiFi 6E gets certified, but just curious if this a case where the router has to certify it works with the client, vice versa, or the standard itself has to be “certified” and all client devices employ a chip that’s built to that certified standard? ‘Cause I’m a tad confused as to how they’re building to a Wifi 6E receiver spec that’s not official?
Check out the post on Wi-Fi 6e, Chaz. Link at the top of this post.
I have the ASUS and a problem I see with it is that the 6GHz as a standalone hotspot has terrible upload speed. I’ve tested this on my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
Either that or it’s your Internet that has low upload speed (most broadband connections do) or that of your Samsung smartphone, Alex. More in this post. Don’t blame your router right away. Wi-Fi and Internet are two different things.