Best Wi-Fi 6 Routers: The Final Collection

618 thoughts on “Best Wi-Fi 6 Routers: The Final Collection”

1. Hi Dong

   Out of curiosity have you handled any routers that have OpenWRT capability and tested? I know privacy and security is big thing for you and no better than open source software for this task.

   Also much cheaper!

   Reply

   • I generally don’t test hardware running third-party firmware, Tyler. I wrote about Merlin, tho.

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2. Hi Dong. Currently i have chinese version xiaomi ax3600 mesh system with a redmi 1800. its not the best but it gave me wifi6 and good range.

   I was considering an upgrade between these two systems of meshes. My ultimate goal is to go for firewalla after i set this up. so i dont really care about the modem features that much.
   1. Amplify alien 2x mesh
   2. asus rt-ax88u pro with itself or combined with a gt-ax6000

   Right now i am a bit leaning on the amplify but i am worried the range would be less than the asus mesh system between rt-ax88u pro. Would you say both these systems have the same range? Will i be losing on range if i go for amplify aliens.

   also, in your opinion what would be your preference between these two mesh systems.

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   • I’d say 1 and 2 all have similar ranges, Dino.

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     • do you prefer the amplifi mesh or asus aimesh. in this case.

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       • I have no preference. I have them all. 🙂

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         • thanks. its so tough to decide.

3. So I’ve been using a Synology RT2900ac as main router with 2 {…} AX6000 as wifi accesspoints.
   Wifi on the RT2900 is unused.
   Reasons:
   {…} AX6000 is probably the cheapest performing wifi 6 router/AP you can get. It covers 2 storeys easily and accomodates the 100’s of IOT devices I got in the house + phones/tablets/computers without breaking a sweat.
   The Synology has better than ubiquiti parental controls for 2 growing kids.

   I was almost going to get the UDR – thank god it was always out of stock. I realise now that UDR is a gateway drug into the money pit that is Ubiquity ecosystem.. Sure it’s above average but the price is over twice what you’d expect.. bit like Apple I guess

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   • You can use the UDR the same way you use the current Synology router and APs, Nick. Don’t badmouth a product without knowing how things work.

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     • I don’t think you can compare Safe Access on the synology and anything available on the UDR. Maybe you’re not a parent but I’m saving valuable time because I can monitor / control what my kids are seeing online through this feature. I’ve not seen anything close in terms of granularity on Ubiquiti side. Not to mention the plus things like able to time internet access, etc

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       • It seems you have the habit of having lots of opinions on stuff you know little about, Nick. That and the fact you opt to badmouth something just because you want to show that you prefer another won’t help, especially with parenting. Take my word for it.

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         • If you read what I said I said “Maybe you are not a parent” since you don’t seem to have similar priorities.
           Outside of saying I know little about what I mentioned you have yet to actually show the UDR’s equivalent feature set to Safe Access

         • It’s not my responsibility to make you know more or better. You’re not my kid. I just wanted to make it clear that this was a no-nonsense zone. But the review of the UDR or the UDM-SE might help.

       • @Nick, UniFi controllers like the UDR can do much more than simple parental control. It’s called “traffic rules” where you can block a device, or a group of devices, from any category — app, IP, region, domain, etc. — permanently or based on a schedule.

         If I were you, I’d keep my mouth shut.

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         • Spoken like a true person of the internet.. vitriol first humanity last… Oh how i would love to see you articulate your way into a real life conversation by opening with ‘shut it’
           Does UDR do category lists regularly updated to make sure your appliance is on top of what you don’t want your kids to browse?

         • Your question won’t be addressed, Nick, since the convo can be nested only so many levels. And that’s a good thing in this case. Let it go!

4. It seems to me that the RT-AX92 being on Asus’s EOL list would be a “con”, if it should be on a list like this at all at this point in time. Yes, it was fine in it’s day, but Asus says that it’s day is over.

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   • Not really, Roger. You can still buy it new today. I have a couple of sets, as new as a couple of months ago and all have been working well.

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5. Dong,

   Just stumbled upon your good work here and want to say, incredible content; thanks for the hard work.

   I am taking a hard look at the TP-Link GX90 you have recommended here. Can you help me understand why it replaced the AX11000 in this list? I have read both your reviews, and it sounds like the AX11000 has higher-end specs, but maybe I am missing something, does the performance of the AX11000 not match the spec bump compared to the GX90?

   All that to say, currently on amazon, the GX90, and AX11000 are very similarly priced; with that in mind, is the GX90 still the best option between the two for a tri-band router to use in a largeish home with a gigabit internet connection? My goal is a one-router setup rather than going down the mesh network path if possible.

   Reply

   • Read the review of the GX90, Sam.

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     • Oof, that reply knocked me down a peg or two. Must be something I missed. Sorry for not following the rules; my fault! I will reread to see what I must have missed!

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     • Oof, that reply knocked me down a peg or two. I must have missed something in the GX90 review; I’ll reread it. Sorry for the time waste!

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       • Alright, after a reread, am I to understand that the better firmware of the GX90 is worth more than the slight spec bump you get with the AX11000?

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         • You got it, Sam. It was generally a better experience in my trial overall.

       • No worries, Sam. We have lots of questions daily and would like to spend time only with those who have done their homework. It’s a no-nonsense website and that goes both ways.

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6. Hi Dong. I need a router that can cover a large area (two story house with mostly wood structure, and a basement). I already have two Asus RT-AC68U in AiMesh mode but still there are parts of the house which have poor coverage plus I have hiccups in the connection sometimes. I was aiming at buying an AX88U (ordered it in BF from staples for 250CAD which was a very good price but the order got cancelled!). Since the regular price of the router is out of my budget, I was wondering if there is a router I can rely on to cover the whole house. I don’t mind using a WiFi 5 router. Also I prefer Asus routers for their features, so maybe I can buy another router with a good range and connect it to my AC68U via cable and use its features?

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   • Start with this post, Mutoo. Make sure you READ it from the beginning to the end.

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7. Dong

   Thanks for the answer. Actually my Freebox server is receiving a 10go feed but don t need that much. The 2.5go router will be more than enough. I had already read your article about the Zenwifi 12 but is far too expensive for my budget and impossible to find second hand. I will then go for the ax86U. I will let you know how it goes.

   Thanks again
   Pat

   Reply

8. Hi dong
   What a great comparison…I keep referring to it but can’t find my answer. I have a 2 level house and fibre > 1 go but all my Ethernet wiring is cat 5. I want to replace my current Cisco e3000 and archer c7 routers by Wi-Fi 6 routers set as AP (instead of a mesh system). Both routers will be linked to the main fibre router by cable.
   I already have a NAS,don’t play games. I m just looking at fast routers with strong signal and stables.
   Looking at your reviews, some routers could be ok but not sure they re the 2022 good choice in regards to price, features and my day to day needs : rt-ac5300, rt-ax88u, archer ax6000, nighthawk rax80
   Any advice ?
   Thanks in advance
   Pat from france

   Reply

   • Of those you mentioned, I’d go with the RT-AX88U, Patrice. But if you want to take advantage of your fast Internet, I’d recommend the RT-AX86U instead and use its 2.5Gbps port as the uplink (backhaul) — that’s with the assumption that your Fiber-optic gateway support Multi-Gig. CAT5 can handle Multi-Gig fine — more in this post.

     Alternatively, you should swap the Fiber gateway for an ONT and use your Wi-Fi hardware router. In that case, I’d recommend the ZenWiFi ET12 or one of these Multi-Gig combos.

     If you still have questions, check out the articles in the Related Posts box in each post I linked in this reply for more.

     Bonne chance!

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9. Hi Dong, really appreciate all your hard work. Which do you recommend between the AX86S, AX82U and TUF-AX5400 if the pricing is the same between the three? Thanks!

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   • Here’s my take on the RT-AX86S. For the rest, check their reviews, Darren.

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10. Hi Dong. Wich one would you recommend to get if the pricing is same between AX86U or AX88U? I only have 3 LAN devices, rest (10+) are WiFi and 1gb internet.

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    • The RT-AX86U, Max. You want that 2.5Gbps WAN port. More in this post on Gigabit Internet.

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11. Hi Dong, excellent website!

    I am curious on your thoughts about Synology routers. The Synology RT6600ax seems like a top ten router after watching some nice reviews but I have not really hear much about them and how they hold up to other routers in the $300 price range.

    Reply

    • Here’s the review of the RT6600ax, Dan. Check the related posts for others. The gist is they are excellent, but you might want to wait for new firmware updates to work the kinks out on the RT660ax.

      Reply

12. Hi Dong

    New reader who loves your content, reviews & reco’s tremendously. Quick question:

    -small apt, 475sq ft. using only 4 peripherals
    -currently using a 5-6 yr old Asus RT ACRH 13 (AC 1300)
    with sub-GB internet subscription.

    My main concern is updated protection, as my current router runs on WPA2. After reading your recommendation of the Asus RT AX-68U for a situation like mine, would this still be advisable, as AI protection is not supported by my current router? Or is this more of a situation of, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”?
    I’ve had no issues with this router with the exception of just a few hiccups since I’ve had it. Also, I’m single, not a gamer, nor have children, so gaming features nor parental controls are a priority. I do stream movies frequently. Thanks in advance!
    –

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Richard. It’s the top one in the related box. Please use site search next time, and follow related posts, before posting other questions. 🙂

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      • Hi Dong

        Good website, lots of information but yet I haven’t found answer to my main question. Is there any WiFi 6 router that can match my 10+ year old Apple “hockey puck” Airport Express in long term reliability? Some set-it-and-forget-it-for-years-to-come device? Asus, Netgear, D-link, TP-link, Linksys, all riddled with inadequate cooling and/or poorly written software, therefore sooner or later needing weekly reboots and other workarounds. Is going semi-pro like Unifi or Omada the only solution nowadays or is out there some newer consumer router that just works?
        All I want is fast enough device that will never let me down. Just like my good old hockey puck.

        Reply

        • The Airport Express is a terrible device, Margus. It’s minimal and slow. But to answer your questions, there’s no device that’s fast enough and will never let you down — your demands are subjective, so is my opinion on the AE. So, either you adjust yourself to the real world or stay with your puck! Don’t waste your time looking for something that doesn’t exist. 🙂

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          • Thanks, Dong for quick reply, but let me ask it again, maybe little better.
            I know one can´t have it all but if to put reliability, long term reliability on the first place, which WiFi 6 router is best? Speed, average will do. Features, average will do too. Even coverage isn’t too important as it will serve in an small apartment. But it should hold up network 24/7/365 for years. From that standpoint Airport Express has been anything but terrible. Hows Amplifi Alien from that side? Overheating, hiccups, coming back online from updates or net/current outages? Or is there any other WiFi 6 router you can recommend when reliability is above anything other?

          • Generally, we can’t have everything so if you want reliability, you need to sacrifice others like performance or features. Also, no router will run 27/7/365 since it will need to update firmware now and then which requires a restart. But for your case, I’d go with the Alien. We’ve used a couple for a few years with no issues. But many others will work well, too — more here.

13. Well

    Tricky situation for people who need more than one contemporary interacting wifi-enabled unit.

    New routers – perennially OOS – vide Ubiquiti, Synology too apparently, despite ongoing advertising.

    Synology doesn’t have an MRxx00ax unit to mesh with. People looking to switch to Synology have to do with an RT/MRxx00ac that will be enabled in the future…..

    Asus – garish application interface that seems to be geared towards teenagers… Flashy lights….

    Ubiquiti – slowish processor for UDR….. Wifi APs with only one, Gigabit, ethernet port…. Always OOS too…

    Reply

    • It’s not that tricky, Kevin. We’ll never have everything until we sync our desire with what that’s available, Wi-Fi or not. (I can literally have all the Wi-Fi hardware I’d want in the world, yet I still haven’t found that perfect solution.) I’m sure you’ll do better than barely surviving with any of those you mentioned. Life is a matter of degree. Get whatever solves your biggest problem at hand. 🙂

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14. Hi Dong,

    Thanks for all the clear info. Using some columns (and old CNET videos of yours yours I set up the family networking using a shoe string budget maybe 5 years ago.

    Now I’ve finally upgraded to SONIC internet, and I’m trying to get the rest of the system up to snuff. Here’s my set up

    I’ve got an ONT coming in near the home office in a less than ideal spot in our 2000 square foot 2 story home. My router is an honest to god fossil-an apple time capsule. I run ethernet to the home upstairs office, and then I run an actiontec Moca Adapter/WIFi access point to the media center downstairs. We have an older home (plaster and lathe not drywall) that’s well insulated and divided up so I assume

    I’d like to upgrade the router, and have a wi fi set up that’s a little less quirky (we’ve got three separate networks that show up and sometimes if you aren’t on the right one you can’t trade files or use the printer). I also would like WIFI to work in the backyard (it’s tiny) and have network back up drive to replace the time capsule.

    So Should I upgrade now to a wifi 6 router? Should i replace the moca adapters with newer ones that don’t double as access points? and get the access points separately? Can I run two access points downstairs to cover the backyard?

    Please pardon the large number of questions, I seem to be able to figure out one at a time but when I try and wrap my head around the whole system my brain crashes

    Reply

    • Glad you found me here, K.

      I actually just moved to Sonic myself — this post has all the detail.

      For your case:

      1. A new router is in order. As for how to pick one, check out this post. Chances are you’ll need a mesh system, in that case, this post will explain more.
      2. You need to run network cables. Don’t bother with Powerline or MoCA. Period.
      3. You can always run an PoE access point out in the open. This outdoor one is great, or you can also get an inexpensive Wi-Fi 5 one, like the one mentioned in this post.

      Hope this helps.

      Reply

15. you said “The Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 can couple with the RT-AX86U to form a powerful AiMesh system with a Multi-Gig wired backhaul”.
    Please help me understand if I could use aforementioned mesh capabilities if both devices will be in AP mode and connected to a Firewalla Gold in router mode. I’d love to use Asus competency and wide range of product for my home mesh network.. but I’d trust more a Firewalla device (or an Untangle appliance) for routing and processing power.
    Thanks a lot!

    Reply

    • Yes, Dan. You can use an AiMesh system in the AP mode — as mentioned here, or in this actual setup. I’d rather not use the Gold as the router though, but it’s your call.

      Reply

16. Hi Dong, excellent website!

    Question:
    ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 (2pk) vs. Asus RT-AX92U (2pk) vs. Other/Better?

    What is my best option if I want a single wired router with wifi and an additional wifi unit on the other side of the house? Is there a choice that would work well if I wanted to do wired backhaul at a later time?

    Scenario:

    – Currently have Arris NVG468MQ for my 4000 sq ft home (total), located centrally, its horrible and leaves ~40% of home dead or very slow.

    – Only wired ethernet port is living room (from outside ONT), will add more someday but its not an option right now.

    – I have a secondary family/living room on the other side of the house, but cannot add another ethernet port because the crawlspace and the attic are completely divided in two. (I think the 2nd half of the home was added as a later expansion maybe).

    PS. I read all the articles, I just have information overload at the moment. Hopefully things will make sense to me soon.

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Collin, if you haven’t. There’s no quick answer, unfortunately. Spend a bit of time digesting, and you’ll figure things out. For your case, if you want a wireless setup, either is fine. If you go wired, get RT-AX92U. If you want to know the difference between them, check out their reviews for more.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the reply!

        Two quick additional questions:

        a) wired/wireless setup aside, would you say that one is more future-proof than the other?

        b) Since I have gigabit service and an ONT, do I need to buy a modem as well? Or can I just connect the router directly to the CAT5 coming from the ONT.

        Reply

        • Sure, Collin.

          1. They are about the same, but the RT-AX92U is more friendly toward legacy clients thanks to its Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 4 bands — more here. (There’s no such thing as future-proof by the way — Wi-Fi 7 is on the way, etc.)
          2. No, ONT and Modem are totally two different technologies — more in this post. So the router’s WAN port connected to the ONT is all you’d need.

          Reply

17. Hi,

    I am looking between Asus RT-AX55 vs TP-Link Archer AX72 (a lower end of AX73 @1 GHz Dual-Core CPU). Which of the router would you recommend?

    Also, in my country, the Asus RT-AX3000 cost much more ($200 extra). Not sure it worth the extra cost compared to the 2 routers above?

    Reply

    • I have no experience with both, John. But you can check out the review of the RT-AX58U and Arhcer AX73 to have an idea.

      Reply

18. Hello. I’ve been reading the web for a couple of days, even though I have some knowledge, I find it all very useful. Sorry if there are any errors, but I am using an automatic translator.
    My reason for inquiry is for an offer of the Netgear RAX38 (v1) at $ 60 to use as an access point. Is it a good deal or should I look for something else? It is not clear to me, it seems to have no MU-MIMO.
    I have as a router a Ubiquity ER-X and two old routers (one without 5ghz that I plan to update with the purchase I am deciding on) as an access point in places where in addition to providing Wi-Fi there are some apartments connected by Cable Lan.
    My doubts are 3.
    1) is the RAX38 a good option for that price?
    2) Would a dedicated access point be better, instead of a router as an access point and leaving everything for Wi-Fi?
    3) instead of buying the netgear would an Asus suit me and then in the future that both access points are asus to use AiMesh?
    Thanks.

    Reply

    • Hi Marcelo,

      1. I don’t know. That’s totally subjective.
      2. Access points are always better than using wireless extenders/meshpoints. More in this post.
      3. Yes, Asus AiMesh will likely work better.

      Reply

19. Hi Dong! I’ve been following you since your CNET YouTube days and have always appreciated the work you put into your testing and reviews. I read your post thoroughly and decided that the Archer AX50 is the best option for me right now. However when I went to order it I saw there is a new AX55 version for the same price. Do you think I should get that instead? I’m not entirely sure what the differences are except OneMesh and a thicker build.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    • OneMesh is more of a gimmick, Kalin, since it’s very slow (it works) — more in this post. I haven’t tried the AX55, but it seems a lesser version of the AX73. I’d say go for it.

      Reply

20. Hi Dong,
    I’m looking to upgrade my router. I just got a used Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 and it doesn’t work well with my XBOX Series X wirelessly.

    So I’m looking for an WiFi 6 router for gaming and streaming. (Low ping & high throughput speeds)

    So far my choices are:
    TP-Link Archer X6000
    ASUS RT-AX86U
    ASUS RT-AX-92U

    If you recommend a different router that’s not on my list please let me know.

    Also. Great article above.

    Thanks for your time and suggestions.

    Reply

    • There’s no router that’d “work well” for gaming wirelessly, James — it’s a matter of degrees but no wireless is good for certain games. I’d recommend that you use a network cable. More in this post: https://dongknows.com/gaming-router-explained/

      Reply

      • I’m going to move my gaming setup to where I can hardwire my xbox one in.

        I’m just trying to pick the best router I can without spending a ton of money and it all gets more confusing the more I look into it all lol.

        Lowest hardwired ping and great throughput strength for streaming TV.

        Reply

        • Then the current Netgear will work out fine. But you can get one of the Asus you mentioned.

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          • Alright. I may do that or try and grab Ubiquiti’s UniFi Dream Router when it becomes available.

            My current Netgear router keeps dropping the wifi signal to my Xbox Series X because currently I can’t hard wire it into the router. And I want to have a router that has no issues with the wifi and my Xbox just in case that’s my only option. I have another Xbox that I will only be able to use wifi once I rearrange my rooms.

            So I was trying to find the best router for wired gaming on my Xbox while have a issue free wifi system.

            I’ve tried several different setting on my Netgear and still can’t get it to work properly via wifi.

          • It’s virtually impossible to say anything for sure with Wi-Fi, James. That’s just the nature of wireless. There are many Wi-Fi routers that are good for gaming, but Wi-Fi is always hit or miss, depending on your location. I speak from experience.

21. hi dong, great cover on the routers but I’m still thorn between the rapture ax11000 and the xt8. The xt8 is only a 100 more in my country so which should I get.

    Reply

    • The XT8 is a 2-pack (two routers) and the GT-AX11000 is a single unit, MD. Check their reviews and pick what fits your needs.

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22. Hi Dong,

    I hope you are well! First of all, excellent reviews as always!

    Just a few days ago, I got 1gig fiber from At&t and installed a new Asus Rog AX11000 behind the At&t gateway. Unfortunately, I have been very disappointed with the Asus – I live in a small open space 1-bed apartment (yes the router is overkill for such a small space but I’m moving to a bigger place soon) and I cannot pass 500mbps down and 400 up on Wifi 6 on my iPhone 13 Pro with this router.

    I used to get a similar speed and sometimes even more on my older TP-Link Archer C5400 Wifi 5 router. I have disabled the firewall on the At&t gateway and disabled QoS on Asus and enabled 60mhz but nothing works. I am getting full speeds on ethernet though. I am not sure what’s going on and wanted your input on this.

    Do you think I should just get the Netgear Rax200 or is there anything else I can do on the Asus to get the higher speeds?

    Reply

    • I’d blame your iPhone, Abraham. More on testing here. Also, you might want to check out this post on Gig and Gig+ Internet.

      Reply

23. Hello Dong,
    First, great article.
    I have a 2400 sq ft house. Upstairs TVs with Roku, basement with Roku and wii switch. I have an old Asus router that i’m replacing. It really comes down to ASUS RT-AC86U and TP-Link Archer AX90. I know you recommended both. Does it worth to go here with a Tri-band? (Three teenage boys). Also, because of the basement is one better than the other going through walls?
    Thank you
    Neo

    Reply

    • I’d go with the Asus, Neo, since you already have one — more in this post. And no, I don’t think you need tri-band, more on the bands in this post.

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24. Dong, do you know the difference between ASUS RT-AX86U vs. RT-AX86S?

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    • S is the stripped-down version, don’t get it.

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      • Any thoughts on the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 Dual-Band WiFi 6 (802.11ax) Gaming Router? Other than the 2.0Ghz quad core processor, is it better than the AX86U?

        Reply

        • I haven’t tested it yet, Rob. But will try it out when that’s possible.

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          • Awesome! I cannot wait to read what you think of it. I’m thinking of upgrading from my current TP-Link C5400X to an ASUS AX router. The AX86U is basically out of stock and back ordered or scalper prices on eBay.

25. Hi Dong, great content as always.

    You helped me pick out the RT-AX86U when I was in the market for coverage in my new home and it has been excellent. Now I am looking for my parents 2000 square foot home around $150 and there are quite a few Asus routers in that range. The main concern is good coverage as their old Netgear R6400 isn’t cutting it anymore. From the below options I don’t know how to select the best for them and if spending $200 is worth it over $180 or $150. My instinct says the RT-AX3000 but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    RT-AX56U — $133
    RT-AX3000 — $160
    RT-AX68U — $175
    RT-AX82U — $200

    Reply

    • I’d go with the RT-AX68U, Connor.

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26. Hi there. I’m looking for a wifi 6 single router (no mesh) with the best coverage, what should I look for?

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    • Check out this post, Regis.

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27. Hi Dong!
    My House has 2000 Square Feet over Cellar, round Floor, First Floor and 1 Room as Second Floor.
    My Internet is LTE based with a Netgear Nighthawk M1 as Modem (Second Floor), the Router is in Ground Floor.
    I got a Synology NAS and quite a few Clients / Smart Home Devices.
    Gaming / Streaming / Teams and 4 Users.
    My tend to an Amplifi Alien or Netgear RAXE 500, what would you recommend?

    Thanks
    Gottfried

    Reply

    • Check out their reviews, Gottfried. Only you would know which fits your station best. I’m a bit confused about your message, but even if I wasn’t, it’d be impossible for me to know. More in this post. 🙂

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      • Sorry for the confusing post. The question is whether Amplifi Alien and Netgear RAXE 500 can cover 2000 Square Feet even if they are spread over several floors, with the ceilings in between the signal strength decreases.

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        • Again, G, read the post linked in the previous reply. It’s impossible for anyone but yourself to answer that question.

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28. Dong, I’ve recently discovered your site and am blown away by how thorough and useful your work is. Thank you very much.

    My situation: a steel clad 800 ft.² house sitting on a rural lot with Internet speeds below 100 Mb/s. Lots of zoom calls with clients, and streaming . My top priority: a Wi-Fi 6 router that has excellent range so I can use devices outside as far as possible from the house. I am not a gamer. I do not need NAS or multi gig ports. Best choice?

    Reply

    • Welcome aboard, Andrew. Generally, a router’s range depends on the band it uses, and that changes depending on the environment — more here. That said, only you’d know which router to get since you’re already there and know what you need. This post on routers will help.

      If you want something specific, I’d recommend one of Asus’s dual-band routers on this list, a single unit of the Linksys Velop MX4200, the AmpliFi Alien, or the Ubiquiti UDR — if you can get it.

      Reply

29. Hi dong! I’m in a 2300 ft townhome and renting unfortunately so no ethernet throughout the house. Looking to upgrade modem + router, dont think we need a mesh setup necessarily. However our modem hookup is in a top corner bedroom and most of our streaming devices and gaming PCs are on the other side of the house on the first floor. Was looking at the AX6100 per your review (the 2 pack). Do you think this would work ok knowing we have townhomes connected to ours on either side? Any suggestions on an upgraded modem if needed? We have an older Arris SB6183. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Brooks,

      1. Check out this post in case you only need one broadcaster.
      2. If you need more than one, I’d recommend the Asus XT8 or the RT-AX92U. (AX6100 is not a model or there’s no way anyone knows which you’re talking about.)

      Reply

30. Hi there – I really enjoy reading your thorough reviews. I’m thinking of getting either a ZenWifi XT8 set of two, to use in a wired backhaul, OR a pair of AX86u and creating a mesh system with them, also with wired backhaul. Is there any advantage to the Zenwifi that appears to be sold to be used as a Mesh system versus getting two excellent Asus routers and using them in a Mesh?

    My house is 3,000sq ft and each unit would be separated by a thick wall, hence I’d do wired backhaul.

    Reply

    • You want to use the 86u with wired backhaul, Paul. More here: https://dongknows.com/best-aimesh-routers-and-combos/

      Reply

31. Hi,

    since one of my routers suddenly died, i need to do something. First here is my setup:
    Basement: Asus AC87 (now dead) and via LAN Internetaccess via Fritzbox
    1st Floor/Groundfloor: Asus AC87 and via Devolo Wireless Bridge
    2nd Floor: Devolo Wireless Bridge

    Since there is no wired connection in house i had to do this via wifi like so:
    Basement to ground floor (Asus to Asus) via 5 Ghz, ground floor Asus does 2,4 Ghz for tablet, mobile, etc and has wired connection to Devolo Bridge. This Bridge connects via 5 Ghz to 2nd floor Devolo Client.

    Situation: Everything worked until router died. My house does not have a huge floorarea (maybe 70m2), but on my porch wifi was very bad. Streaming to the ground floor AC87 (TV connected to it via LAN) and 2nd floor Devocol Client (TV attached via LAN) was good.

    What i’d like to get would be more bandwith to 2nd floor since a pc is connected (again via LAN) to the Devolo client. Nice to have would be better wifi on the porch. Should i be getting rid of the rest of the hardware and buy three routers? Would Mesh be a solution? The routers are more or less arranged in a single vertical column over the floors. Moneywise i would be able to spend a bit, but would to know if there are good solutions (like spending 1200€ on three AX11000 vs something else for hald and getting 90% of the performance….).

    Best regards,
    Andre

    Reply

    • I’d get a 3-pack ZenWiFi XT8, Andre. It’s a bit hard for me to imagine what you have via the way you explained it. Generally, you should start where the Internet is, which I assumed to be your Fritzbox. In any case, make sure you start with this post. Spend some time reading it, and you’ll know what to do for your situation.

      Reply

32. Hi Dong,
    I have 2 Asus routers
    RT-AX88u and RT-AX86u
    In your opinion, which one should be the main router for Aimesh? Why?
    The connection will be wired backhaul.

    Reply

    • Read their reviews, Vladimir. They ARE my opinions. Generally, either is fine, but if you have Gig+ Internet or play games, the RT-AX86U is a better option. More in this post on Asus routers as a whole.

      Reply

33. Hi Dong,

    I’m moving into a new house and got gigabit internet. My home is about 1300 sq ft so I doubt I’d need mesh but my router is on the 2nd floor. I was leaning towards the Asus AX11000 since I do heavy gaming and streaming and such. Is there a better alternative for around the 400-600 price range?

    Reply

    • That one will likely work, Eric. But how well depends on the layout of your place.

      Reply

34. Hi Dong
    Are FritzBox routers not available in the USA or do you not like them?
    I really like there fast fail-over to mobile broadband if the fiber goes down. We have the FritzBox at work so I was considering one for home use and the German usually do a good job.
    Thanks
    Dom

    Reply

    • Hi Dom,

      I’m familiar with FritzBox – and no, it’s only available in the EU as far as I know. I helped a friend with one when we were in Bremen before the pandemic. The hardware is excellent, but for a large home, you will still need extra broadcasters. The cellular failover support (dual-WAN) is available in many routers.

      Reply

35. Hi Dong,

    I have 1000/40 Mbps Cable internet service from XFinity cable. I use the XFi Hub as my main WiFi “Gateway” in my media room and I have two Netgear WiFi 6 AX1800 (model WAX204) Dual Band Wireless Access Points wired with CAT5e back to the XFi “Gateway” and set up as Access Points – over the garage and over in the far part of the house. It works very well. My overall WiFi download performance is around 300 Mbps when connected to the Access Points (AP) and 600-700 Mbps when connected to the XFi hub. Even when wired to the XFi hub via ethernet I still see only 700 Mbps. What would be the difference in performance if I used (2) ASUS AI Mesh routers and “Ethernet Backhaul Mode”? Could I still use my XFi Gateway as the main router and WiFi zone? Or would I need a third ASUS router as the main station and turn off WiFi on the XFi Gateway? Would the overall performance throughout the house/ garage potentially match the 700 Mbps top speed I am seeing when very close to the gateway?

    Reply

    • For your situation, I’d recommend this post, William.

      Reply

36. Hi Dong,

    Thanks for the thorough reviews.

    I’m in the market to upgrade my current router set up. Currently I use two asus rt-ac68p routers in an aimesh set up. these work fairly decently, but there are a few dead spots in my house. being that these are old routers, it’s time for an upgrade for newer standards and better range and such.

    I like asus products and their simple expandability so I think I’ve narrowed it down to these 2 routers (probably):

    https://dongknows.com/asus-gt-ax11000-rog-rapture-gaming-router-review/

    or

    https://dongknows.com/asus-rt-ax89x-review/

    I think I’m leaning towards the ax11000 since it’s a tri-band router with a dedicated back haul for aimesh, if I need to eventually go that route with a new set up. my current aimesh set up is connected wirelessly, which is probably how a new set up would connect as well.

    I appreciate any of your thoughts!

    Thanks,

    Andrew

    Reply

    • Dedicated backhaul only works if you have tri-band nodes, Andrew — more in this post. For your case, it’s best to get your home wired and go with the RT-AX89X. In any case, you’ll see no difference in performance if you go with the GT-AX1100.

      Reply

37. This list gets very overwhelming very quickly, and I’m hoping you can give me a few directions.

    I’ll be moving in october, and looking for something that will work for me. Living alone and I’ll be moving into a 2br 960sq ft apartment, but only 5 units around me (2 that share a wall). The two bedrooms are separated by the living room. I’ll most likely have either 50 or 100 mbps up, so nothing too fast, but a little bit of future-proofing wouldn’t be a bad thing in my mind. CPU will be hard-wired at least, and only using the net for gaming/streaming netflix and such/surfing.

    Any suggestions on what would be a good fit for me? I appreciate the help!

    Reply

    • You probably can get any of these and it will work out, David. I’d recommend the RT-AX68U. For more on how to pick one, check out this post on routers in general.

      Reply

38. Recently bought the RT-AX86U. So far, still having random latency issues. Also, I didn’t realize the WTFast option wasn’t included when I first purchased. Is this something worth returning over or is the difference negligible? I am a competitive gamer so low ping matters a lot to me. If it does make a difference though, which true “gaming” router would be superior and still a bit budget friendly?

    Reply

    • Not really, Seb. WTFast doesn’t work with all games. I think your issue is likely related to wired vs. wireless and QoS. Check out this post.

      Reply

39. Hi Dong,

    I am looking to upgrade my internet and router setup. I am looking to go from Spectrum’s 400Mbps service to Verizon’s Gigabit service as I am moving apartments. After long research I believe I will be going with the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80). My girlfriend and I both work from home currently and have multiple devices that require internet/wifi; laptops, a desktop for gaming (looking to hardwire this with new setup), a few gaming consoles, a chromecast, smartTV, security cameras, etc… Would the router I selected be overkill, just the right amount or lacking in anyway? I would hate to spend so much money and it not be the right option. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

    Best,
    Michael

    Reply

    • It sure is not overkilled, Michael but it’s not the best option either. I’d recommend the Asus RT-AX86U or another high-end pick on this list.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong,

        Thank you for your response! I misspoke on my previous post, I was looking at the Netgear Nighthawk RAX70 router, not the RAX80. Regardless of this-why pick the dual band router over the tri band? Does performance diminish at a certain point?

        Reply

        • No problem, Michael. Check out this post. https://dongknows.com/dual-band-vs-tri-band-wi-fi-routers-explained/. Also, use site search!

          Reply

          • Hi Dong,

            Thank you for the article! It definitely gave me more insight to this topic. I’ll do some more research with this knowledge and your list. Thanks again! 🙂

            Best,
            Michael

40. Hey Dong,
    Hope you are well. Really love your no fluff reviews.

    Anyway, I had a question for my brother’s house. He get’s gigabit+ speeds (1200mbps) from Xfinity and the house is 3500sqft. It’s a long split-level style house.

    The issue is that it’s in the woods, the cell signal sucks (Verizon & T-Mobile got 1-2 bars at best), walls are old kind of thick (built in late 1950s) that bounces signals (according to the tech wiring him up), and there is no coax anywhere in the house except one corner of the house and most computer equipment being on the other end. We cannot wire the house because that would be “damage” according to the landlord.

    We tried wiring ethernet by taping it to the ceiling or walls and the paint came off. We also tried on the ground and 2 of the family members tripped on it because of the open space plans.

    So the whole question is what routers or mesh routers make sense to utilize the gigabit+ speeds he is paying for. I know we won’t get the entire 1200mbps on the other side of the house but if we could the most bang for our buck, that would be wonderful. I saw quite a few options and saw a lot of your reviews but I am still having trouble making a decision. It came down to between Orbi AX4200 3-pack (Costco $399), TP-Link AX11000 (Costco $299), Asus ZenWifi XT8 2-pack (Amazon $450), Asus RT-AX82U 2 pack in a Mesh setup (Amazon $420), AmpliFi Alien (Best Buy $370), and Asus RT-AX92U (Best Buy $370).

    We are pretty bad making decisions like these and we don’t wanna experiment too much. We would really love your input. Thank you in advance.

    Reply

    • If you can’t run cables, get a new house, Neil. Or just live with the slower speed. In that case get a 3-pack tri-band system among those you mentioned. More here: https://dongknows.com/mesh-wi-fi-system-explained/

      Reply

      • Ah, this is the new house. The last house was even worse with max provided speed being 250mbps. I will try out the 3 pack in a bit and see how it goes.

        Reply

        • 🤞

          Reply

41. I’m a full-time remote worker in a DevOps role. Just bought my first house–2200 sqft two-story. We currently have 150MB internet though strong chance we upgrade to 500MB in the new house, and possibly gigabit within 5 years. Looking to maximize my network. My wife doesn’t work in IT, but sometimes works from home. Our kiddo is a casual gamer. While we all do a bit of gaming, none of us are hard-core gamers.

    Since my office is separated from the living room by a central wall, (entertainment area on the living-room side of that wall), I’m tentatively planning to locate the router on one or the other side of that wall. I’d like to run ethernet to a dock for my work computer in the office, to the XBox (which we use for all our streaming as well), and a to-be-built NAS server (streaming, backups, and eventually security camera storage–it’ll also be in the office).

    That leaves four phones, three laptops, three rokus, and a currently-unknown amount of IoT home devices (at least one smart lock, possibly three security cameras until installing our wired system). The phones, laptops, and rokus will probably be distributed around the upstairs level a lot of the time. Since the house kind of straddles the small/medium line I’m not sure whether I can get by sufficiently with a stand-alone router or whether I should be looking at adding a mesh node.

    Between your site and Wirecutter’s reviews, I’m pretty sure I want either a TP-Link or an Asus. I’m not sure how many extra years of “good” quality I can expect for buying a more expensive device now. If I knew I’d be upgrading in 3 years regardless, I might keep it relatively cheap for now ($120-$150). If I won’t really need to upgrade for 5+ years I’d be willing to go up to about the ~$300 range. Wide range I know. I keep swirling around things like the TP-Link AX50/AX90 and the Asus RT-AX92U/RT-AX86U/RT-AX88U.

    Apologies for the flood of details. I really have been doing a ton of reading on your site this week, and I can’t thank you enough for all the info, but I’ve hit the decision-paralysis point of knowledge. I’d appreciate any thoughts or insights!

    Reply

    • I’d go with one of the Asus routers you mentioned, Steve, you can easily add more to scale up your coverage. More in this post on AiMesh routers and combos. Congrats on the new home!

      Reply

42. Hi Dong,
    Greetings from India!!!
    Your in-depth analysis and review of each and every device is commendable and it was a pleasure reading about each and every device out there. You have indeed done a fantastic work.
    I want to upgrade to wifi6 and have been hovering over the following routers for some time now…
    1. Netgear RAX10 – AX1800
    2. Netgear RAX20 – AX1800
    3. TpLink Archer AX50 – AX3000
    4. TpLink Archer AX73 – AX5400
    I would be grateful if I get some suggestion from you, and your guidance can help me select the right path in making the decision.
    Thanks and Regards
    DD

    Reply

    • I can’t suggest anyone without knowing your place, Devank. So check out this post first. After that, I’d pick the #4 or #2. I have no experience with #1 and #2 and they are very modest in specs.

      Reply

43. Hi Dong,

    Appreciate this helpful article! I’m trying to decide between the Asus RT-AX92U, RT-AX88U, or RT-AX86U routers. As of right now, I only need a single-router unit (don’t need mesh and if I ever do, I probably could run a wired backhaul). However, I want WiFi 6 for it’s improved support of more devices (I’ll have ~20 on my network…couple laptops, 1 smart TV, and the rest smart home devices).

    In some ways, the RT-AX92U seems like the best option because it’s tri-band vs. dual-band. So would you suggest the AX92U a better move or go with one of the other two and load Merlin onto it for its additional features (I use OpenVPN for work quite a bit and I’m sure it’d be nice to run at the router-level and stock AsusWRT firmware doesn’t run client/server VPN correct?)

    So just curious if going with a tri-band router is better than the additional features MerlinWRT firmware provides or if you’d go with the RT-AX88U or RT-AX86U and instead load Merlin?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • I’d go with dual-band if I intend to wire the home, Kyle — more on Dual-band vs. Tri-band in this post. But any of those will work. More on how to pick an AiMesh router in this post.

      Reply

      • Thanks so much Dong! Still torn between a dual and tri-band router. They’re pretty much the same price. However, I think I like the idea of loading on Merlin so I’m left with a decision between the RT-AX88U and RT-AX86U. Reading your reviews and doing some other research, it would seem that maybe the RT-AX86U is a bit better of a move, especially if I ever want or need a multi-gig port for WAN or a LAN (NAS) setup. If you had to choose between these two routers, would you lean towards the RT-AX86U? (I don’t need 8 gigabit LAN ports like in the 88U so that’s not a dealbreaker.

        Reply

        • I don’t have to, Kyle. I literally have them all, multiple units in fact. But any of them will do fine. Go with your guts.

          Reply

          • Going with the RT-AX86U since it takes up a little less counterspace haha. (Had to make the decision in some way!!) 😉

44. Hello Dong.
    I bought an Asus RT-AX88u to be the main router for a wired aimesh network. Have I made a good choice? Is there a better option?
    Thank you

    Reply

    • Yes, it’s a great choice. Use dual-band nodes going forward, Vlad. More in this post. https://dongknows.com/best-aimesh-routers-and-combos/

      Reply

45. Hi Dong,
    Thanks for all the reviews and comparisons.

    I’m confused which to buy between Asus RT-92U and RT AX88.
    Any suggestions please?

    Reply

    • Check out the reviews, Robin. But generally, if you’re thinking of a single router or your home is wired, then the RT-AX88U is a good choice. If you’re thinking of upgrading to a WIRELESS AiMesh mesh system at a later time, the RT-AX92U is a better choice.

      Reply

      • For a limited time sale, I have both Asus RT-AX88U and RT-AX92U almost at the same price.
        I plan to use it mainly as a single router since my house is not big and only around 65 m2.
        What do you think is the better value for money?

        Reply

        • Whichever is lower price, Robin. The RT-AX92U is cuter and has tri-band, but the other has more ports.

          Reply

46. Hi Dong, Thanks for all of the information you have up. I am looking to upgrade my wifi. I have 100 MB service from my provider (I could upgrade to 250 for another $24/month). My home is two floors and just under 3,000 sq ft. I have wired internet flowing to two different spots, both on different ends of the house, one upstairs and one downstairs (so no wired connections in the middle of the house). Because of this, I am looking for a two unit system, with each taking a wired connection. I have two dual band routers now that create two different networks. I understand that the mesh units create one network. Should I look for a two unit mesh system or buy two regular routers (if I do this, is there a way to use one as a bridge and only have one network)? Any other suggestions or recommendations? If we are just streaming TV, a bit of gaming and regular phone and internet surfing, is there any big benefit to increasing the service to 250 MB?

    Reply

    • You can use the current hardware in a router + AP setup, Curtis. Make sure the AP uses the same SSIDs and password as the router. More in this post about mesh. If you want to purchase new hardware, check out this post for a dual-band AiMesh set. Also, this post will help you decide the Internet speed you want/need.

      Reply

      • Great. Thanks. So could I use two Asus RT-AX3000 and set them up in mesh, with a wired link between the two? Seems much more economical that some of the other mesh systems I am seeing.

        Reply

        • Yes, you totally could, Curtis.

          Reply

47. Hi Dong, just saw this article. Would you recommend an Asus RT-AX86U vs a single Asus Zenwifi XT8? My house doesn’t seem to have any dead zones with my current generic Wi-Fi 5 router provided by my ISP, so I think single will be ok. Looks wise the XT8 will blend in with the surroundings, but would I be losing in anything in choosing this over the RT-AX86U? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Check their reviews for more, Ricky. But either will work.

      Reply

48. Hi Dong,
    Love your website. I’m looking to upgrade, internet is 50/50 FIOS, no plans to change, it’s fine.
    Home is 2500 sq ft with SONOS throughout. SONOS signal drops frequently.
    My bathroom Sonos and iPhone looses wifi signal (no signal at all, then comes back) , so like ability to have another AP there. Won’t be bandwidth heavy, seeking reliability.
    I like security, so looking at WPA3 and producer, consumer and guest VLANS
    (a) create and administer music, video media, b) consume media, such as SONOS, roku and c) friends who need internet access as well as untrusted devices such as RING doorbell.) This is also a hedge against IOT being used as vector for breach, in addition to regular permissions on the NAS.
    I don’t trust IOT devices to be secure, so minimizing exposure to my critical files to a few trusted devices makes sense to me.
    Next, I have Synology NAS and like to have link aggregation so copy 4k Apple ProRes intermediate video files to my PC for editing is quick (wired connection)
    have new Apple iPhone 12, so AX band is nice to have. I’ll probably folow Apple best practices setting this up.
    Like total cost under $400. Total of 32 devices, wired and wireless. The bandwidth heavy devices (roku, laptops are gig ethernet).
    I like the Asus AIMesh concept, but open minded to other brands. I want them to keep up with security though. Like to see history of firmware updates to patch against security flaws.

    Reply

    • Bathrooms are always problematic, Jim. That’s because they have thick walls and all sorts of things that block signals. Personally, I’d run a wired connection and put a broadcaster there. That said, you should check out this post.

      Reply

      • Based on your reviews, I did the click-thru to Amazon and bought the Asus RT-AX92U 2 Pack. I’ll put one unit in the master bedroom where I have a wired back haul (I totally forgot about) so should easily irradiate the bathroom in glorious Wi-Fi 6. 😉 Thanks for the ongoing current and accurate website. Frankly, you are better than the manufacturer’s own websites.

        Reply

        • Thanks, Jim. That was a good buy.

          Reply

      • Hi Dong,

        I bought the Asus Ax-86u based on your recommendation and my Zoom call, internet and streaming have been awesome with not a single drop. However my Sonos One speaker works intermittently ever since installing the router. There appears to be an incompatibility issue between Asus and Sonos. Any suggestions or solutions would be greatly appreciated.

        Thanks

        Reply

        • Check out this post, Glen. I’d recommend creating a separate SSID for Sonos, you might need to use one of the Guest networks — make sure you enable the Intranet access.

          Reply

49. Greetings from Croatia (Europe) 🙂

    I stumbled upon Your website by accident, and all I can say is that I’m glad I found Your site. You’re doing an awesome job around here.

    My current setup: Archer MR200 as my main router (and main WiFi) and a Xiaomi Mi Router 3 AC1200 wired to my MR200. Xiaomi is acting as a AP with separate WiFi (couldn’t really get it to work like a “mesh” system).

    Why 4G? For the moment, a 4G router is my only door to the internet, but in future I am planning on getting a landline.

    I’m looking to get a new router. What I plan to do is get a router which will be connected to my current MR400 which is then connected to the internet.

    I’m in a family house but I’m using one floor only, which consists of:
    – one half of the floor: 3 bedrooms, 1 toilet, 2 small hallways between the rooms
    – second half of the floor: kitchen + living room combo, 1 toilet.
    Total surface: 92 m2.

    Some of the devices that are connected to my network:
    (A) Wired:
    – 1 PC
    – 1 raspberry pi 4 as a NAS server
    (B) WiFi:
    – 1 PC
    – 2 smartphones
    – 1 LG TV
    – 1 Nintendo Switch
    – 3 IP cameras (one is a baby monitor)
    – 3 smart bulbs
    – 1 smart hub (with other child devices connected via Zigbee).

    What I’m trying to accomplish here is faster and stable LOCAL network (wired and wifi) – regardless of the speed of my ISP.
    Stable already is – fast, not so really. I don’t need a multi gig ports or any high-end bonuses.

    So, my primary candidate is the TP-Link Archer AX73.

    But here are the prices of some routers available here in Europe.
    1. TP-Link Archer AX73 – 115€
    2. TP-Link Archer AX20 – 80€
    3. Asus RT-AX86U – 340€
    4. Asus RT-AX68U – 190€
    5. Asus RT-AX58U – 150€
    6. Asus RT-AX82U – 205€

    I’d like to get (for example) a Asus AX58U, but prices here in Europe for Asus routers are way higher than for the TP-Link ones.
    And I don’t know if a Asus RT-AX58U is any better than the (at least on paper) way more powerfull Archer AX73?
    Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • If you want to stay on the budget, O. I’d recommend the Asus AX58U or the RT-AX68U. Check their reviews for more, but they are way better than the TP-Link in more ways than one. You have to use one to know the difference, just looking at the specs won’t help much. But if you just care about Wi-Fi speeds and coverage, they are all similar. The Asus ones will give you a lot of options in terms of “mesh”, you can use the current ones as AP with them easily. More here.

      And welcome to the site. Glad to have you, too. 🙂

      Reply

      • Thank You for Your answer.

        I ended up getting a RT-AX86U – so far so good 🙂
        If it’s not too much trouble, I need just another little suggestion – I’m still using the router with my Archer MR200 – which is a 4G router, and my only connection to the Internet.

        Could You please recommend me a 4G dongle which I can use with my new RT-AX86U?

        I’d like to get rid of the TPLink router and use only the Asus.

        Reply

        • This depends on your locale. You need to check with the router’s manual for the compatibility list.

          Reply

50. Dong,

    Would a good AiMesh system be to use the Asus RT-AX86U as the main router then to hardwire XD4 to be used exclusively as access points? Will be for a 3000sqft double story home. If you have any better recommendations let me know. I’m sure that using additional Asus RT-AX86U units as APs would be the best but also a much more costly way of doing the job.

    Reply

    • Yes if you have wired backhaul, Alex. More here: https://dongknows.com/best-aimesh-routers-and-combos/

      Reply

51. Hi Dong: Many Thanks for your always Great Great Insight, which you always have. I love your posts and articles and more than anything, I love that always try to answer every and all quesxtions to you. You Do An Excellent Job.

    Dong, I have one question, which I have tried to get answered, but haven´t really been able to find a definitiver answer.

    My question is this:

    You have very well explained here in this tread, how two 3-band routers, like for instance two Asus RT AX-11000´s use the 2´nd 5Ghz band as a socalled “Back-up” Band, to connect to each other and thus you therefore have the 1´st 5 Ghz Band and the 2.4 Ghz band to act as carriers, as if the two AX-11000´s were acting as two Dual Band Wifi 6 Routers connected to each other, so this is clear and obvious.

    What, to me at least is less clear, is when you try to connect two Dual Band Wifi 6 Routers, like for instance a set of Asus RT-AX-92u´s. Here you don´t have an extra 5 Ghz Band to carry the connection between the router and the node. I have therefore heard, that a set of RT-AX-92u´s are ONLY Wifi 6 routers, as long as the are used as single routers, but as soon as you pair them and thus become a mesh, they are no longer Wifi 6 routers, but “degrade” to becoming only a Wifi 5 router mesh. Is this true, Dong, because if it is, then the 92u can hardly call itself a Wifi 6 Mesh??? Is this so, Dong or do Wifi 6 mesh routers have a third non mentioned “Carrier Band”, so that both the 2.4 and 5 Ghz band, can be left alone to be what they were designatred to be, namely as a carrier signal to clients, with an uninterupted and dedicated Wifi 6 signal or how does that work, Dong?

    Have a Great Day.

    Sincerely Thomas.

    Reply

    • The RT-AX92U is tri-band hardware, Thomas — more on tri-band vs. dual-band in this post. As for how it functions as a mesh, you can read my review here. The gist is even in a fully wireless setup, you can open the 5GHz-2 band for clients, it’s not just a dedicated backhaul anymore. More on how AiMesh handles tri-band in that section of this post. Spend some time reading the posts I linked here and pay a bit attention, you’ll figure everything out.

      Reply

52. Can you review the Xiaomi AX9000 and the NetGear RAX70?

    Reply

53. Hey Dong,

    I’m moving into a 760sqft two-story apartment soon with gigabit internet, and I was wondering what my best option for ~$150 would be? My main heavy-hitter devices like my PC will be connected via ethernet, but I’m worried that the combo of apartment complex + the two story layout will make wireless a bit tougher. Is there anything that fits my budget or do I need to increase it?

    Thanks,

    Harben

    Reply

    • It’s impossible to tell since I’ve never seen your place, Harben. So maybe check out this post for more info in terms of what you can expect etc. But if the range is taken care of, any router on this list will do. I’d go with the Asus RT-AX3000.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the suggestion! I actually found a Blue Cave for sale locally for $50, don’t think I can do any better than that could I?

        Reply

        • That’s a great deal!

          Reply

    • Have you any experience using Moca 2.5 adaptors as a wired backbone for mesh routers. Am I likely to get better performance with my two ASUS mesh routers(XT-8) if I connect with Moca over my CATV wires, or just wirelessly over the backbone. Assume installation of proper Cat 5e backbone too difficult at location.

      Reply

      • I haven’t tested that, Perry. But wired backhaul is not ideal for this set though it generally works and if so works better than wireless. Just make sure your MoCA line is good.

        Reply

        • Dong, thank you. I was able to get the GoCoax Moca 2.5 adaptors working as a wired backhaul for the Asus XT-8’s. It registers as a 1 GB ethernet connection. Performance is steady. I assume this would be applicable to other mesh systems as well. For houses wired for cable but lacking cat-5 cabling between rooms, this seems like a good solution (its cheaper and easier to use existing wiring, even paying $115 for the Moca adaptors).

          Reply

          • Yes, I’ll work, Perry.

54. Hi Dong,

    Thanks for your quick response. To recall, I currently have the GT-AX11000 and would like to set up a Mesh system. I want to keep with a tri-band router, use a wired backhaul and preferably a router that supports the 160 band. In your informative article on Mesh systems, I think that I have narrowed it down to these 3 options. Of all the Wi-Fi router’s in your article on mesh capable routers , I am looking at one the following, Asus’s tri-band trio, the GT-AX11000, RT-AX92U, and Gt-AXE11000. I don’t know that I want the latter, the Axe11000. I am leaning towards another AX11000, although I like the idea of future proofing with the AXE11000,but….. What would be your recommendation be? Your suggestion would help me pull the trigger and get on with this set up. Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Another GT-AX11000 is ideal, Bernar. But you have wired backhaul, so any is fine. More here: https://dongknows.com/best-aimesh-routers-and-combos/

      Reply

55. Hi Dong! Any thoughts on the verizon g3100 router?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • It’s an ISP-specific router/gateway so, no, I don’t, Lucka. But it seems rather gimmicky. I’d always use a retail, standard router.

      Reply

56. Hello Dong,
    Thank you for such an extensive list. I currently have the Netgear Nighthawk X6 3200 Tri-Band router for a couple years now and the Nighthawk EX7700 wireless extender on my basement to connect PS4 hard wired for gaming and what not. I have network jacks on my living room, but I have been thinking on setting up network drops to other rooms as well. We have over 30 devices between smart home devices, and mobile devices and from time to time we experience connection issues especially with both me and my wife working from home and the kids taking virtual learning using mostly Microsoft Teams. For the most part our Wireless range gets all the way to about 10 feet around the perimeter of our home. Which of these from your list would you recommend for me to go about maximizing our network and productivity with so many devices? Keep up the good work!

    Reply

    • Hi Rob. I remember that one. It’s the very first tri-band router on the market. You got a piece of history there. 🙂

      Your case will work MUCH better if you use the EX8000 extender. Among other things, you can place it exactly where you should. But if you want to move on, I’d recommend the 2-pack Netgear Orbi 752. Note though, a wireless mesh is generally not ideal for real-time communication applications (vs. getting your home wired). But the Orbi will be better than what you have now. The Asus XT8 is a good choice, too.

      Reply

57. Hi Dong,

    Been following your website for a while now and I’m finally ready to move to a wifi 6 system. I live in a 3 floor town house and my modem and router (asus ac66u) is on the first floor, so I get sporadic connection when I’m in my bedroom on the 3rd floor.

    My question is that would an upgrade to Asus AX86U provide better range to my 3rd floor? Speed isn’t a concern I can also use 2.4ghz, just need more reliable connection.

    Alternatively I can get zenwifi Xt8, and create a mesh but I’m wary of the firmware and additional software issues this creates. Let me know what you think, thanks.

    Reply

    • No, William, you can read more on how to pick a router in this post (and you should!) but the short of it is that is Wi-Fi range is more related to the band than the actual router. For your case, there are just too many walls in between. I’d recommend getting a 2-pack tri-band set if you want to use them wirelessly. If you have wired your home, a dual-band set will do. The XT8 will likely work out, but you can also get the CT8 or the Orbi or Linksys Velop mentioned in this post.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong,

        I ended up getting the XT8 however my experience with it was very poor. When using just one the router works fine albeit the 2.4ghz speed was fairly low even after optimization. When using as mesh the node will get good speed when placed on the 3rd floor using dedicated wireless backhaul, however the connection will just randomly drop for no reason. When placing the 2nd node on the 2nd floor (much closer to the main node) the system simply refuse to work.

        Also after testing this system, I realized even on mesh most of time the client device will not seamlessly switch to the best node and requires a manual wifi on off on device to do so. Based on this I’m wondering if I should try a different mesh system or just look to add a wifi repeater/extender instead.

        Reply

        • There’s no seamless handoff, William and that depends on many things. You night just need to turn off the use of DFS channels. More on that in this post. You need to read (and pay attention when you’re at it) to figure things out yourself. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution and nobody knows your house better than you.

          Reply

58. Thanks for this rundown, Dong!

    My wife and I just moved from a one-level condo to a 2-story (plus basement) house, and now we’re regularly dropping network which is pretty rough for the whole “working from home” thing, especially since she’s frequently on video calls and can’t really afford to be reconnecting every 30 minutes. Sometimes both of our work laptops will be booted simultaneously, but it frequently happens to just one of us, and we haven’t noticed any issues with our mobile devices dropping. Trying to figure out whether this is a “replace the router” situation or if other troubleshooting is needed first.

    We’re using a 3.5-year old TP-Link Archer C7 (v2), so it doesn’t seem like the router itself should be outdated, but perhaps it’s just not optimal for a house over 3,000 sqft. And since the cable connection puts the router on the main floor within 5 feet of both our smart TV and the gas fireplace with its metal exhaust pipe (the only other option was in the basement), and with both of us working upstairs and regularly on the 5G band, it sure seems like any of range, bandwidth, or interference could be our culprit, especially since this was never as much of an issue at the smaller condo. Just updated the firmware last night and fixed a mismatched time zone issue as well, but that hasn’t resolved our problems yet. And while we do have several connected devices (3 total laptops, 2 smartphones, 1 tablet, 1 smart TV, 1 smart thermostat), this isn’t exactly a fully “smart” home that would need the most high-end internet setup, as far as I can tell.

    Assuming we just need a router better sized for our midsized home or to punch through that minor metal interference, it seems any of the TP-Link Archer AX3000, Asus RT-AX68U, and Netgear Nighthawk R7000 would suit our needs, but I’m curious if we should explore anything else before putting money into new equipment?

    Reply

    • If the current router can cover the entire home, Phil, then get the Asus RT-AX86U (or RT-AX88U), or any of the high-end dual-band or tri-band on this list. The RT-AX68U might do, too, though it’s a bit low-end. If you need more coverage, you’ll can consider one of these 2-pack tri-band systems. I assumed your new home is not wired, if it is though, you can go with (cheaper) dual-band system. More on that here.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the recommendations!

        The current model does cover the whole house, and well into the yard, so I don’t think a mesh system is necessary for us, just something that will hopefully end our losing wi-fi multiple times during a workday. And the home is not wired, built back in 1987 and not much in the way of tech upgrades.

        Think it’s a decent chance that ax86u will end our intermittent disconnects, and would be a significant improvement over even the three I was looking at?

        Reply

59. Hi Dong, I came across your site a few days ago and love the content, but I am still stuck in choosing a router/mesh that works for my home. Unfortunately, I bought the new eero 6 Pro three pack replacing my eero Pro (previous generation) and have realized, well, that they suck.

    My home is one floor and about 3000 sq. ft. The cable modem and eero 6 Pro gateway are located centrally in the house in a cabinet between the living room / media room. Unfortunately, that cabinet high up above the floor with 16’+ ceiling so changing the gateway’s position is a bit tricky. I do leave the cabinet doors open and have a computer fan on top of the eero gateway for cooling.

    3 bedrooms are on the left side of the house, and 2 rooms on the right side with the gateway being more or less center of the property. All the rooms (on both sides of the house) are separated from the main living area by a door which is usually closed. One node is in my office (furthest room from gateway about 30 feet) and the other node is in the laundry room (about 20 feet).

    Of course, I have terrible speeds in my office where I use an iMac 5k 2020, plus VOIP etc. And I also have a PS4 in my bedroom which suffers from a lot of lag. I’m realizing the iMac does not even support WiFi 6 and obviously, neither does the PS4. My house is a smart home so I have at least 40 devices connected (currently 44).

    Which mesh system or routers (to make my own mesh) do you recommend which will also be somewhat futureproof? I don’t think any of my WiFi clients will have WiFi 6 or 6E anytime soon unless the iPhone 13 has it or the PS5 which I intend to get.

    I’d really appreciate your insight. Thank you!

    Reply

    • I assume you’re doing all wireless, Houtan. In that case, go with the Orbi AX4200 or Velop MX4200. Make sure you use the star topology. If you have wired your home, then go with a dual-band setup, I’d recommend the Asus XD4. Don’t bother with Wi-Fi 6E.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong! I hope you’re well. Thanks so much! I really appreciate your feedback. Your assumption is correct about wireless setup and I am using the star topology as recommended. I am hoping one of the systems you recommended will solve my issues, but if not, I may have someone come run CAT5 cables.

        Is there any reason why I shouldn’t get the Netgear Orbi AX6000 (RBK852) which seems to be faster per the specs besides price?

        And same question for Linksys, why not the MX5 or MX10 besides price?

        Thanks again! I’m going to pull the trigger today based on your final recommendation. I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to figure this out and I was super disappointed my brand new $5,000 iMac doesn’t even have WiFi 6! That’s Apple for ya…

        Reply

        • Read the reviews to find out, Houtan. 🙂

          Reply

          • I ended up with the RBK852 and the speeds are night and day difference from the eero. It was shocking to say the least from less than 100Mbps to over 400Mbps.

            I am getting some latency in Chrome when loading websites however. Any recommendations for the best advanced wireless settings on the Orbi? Thanks again!

60. Nice review! Reminds me of doing reviews for TheTechZone a long time ago. I wish I could get back into it.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Steve. You can if you want to. Let me know. 🙂

      Reply

      • I would love to get back into it. I did a few reviews of Okidata printers (C8800 and C6100) back then. I also wrote some primers on IPv4 subnetting and Windows admin tricks of the trade. Email if you have the time.

        Reply

        • Will do, Steve. Happy Easter! 🙂

          Reply

61. Hello! I am moving to a new house, getting Fiber from Centruy Link.
    House is 2 stories 3,100 sq ft.

    They provide a modem and I just need to figure out what router would be best for fiber and the size.

    I know mesh are good for size, but not for the speed.

    Centurylink website does mention they install ONT outside or inside the home and it feeds off an ethernet handoff.

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Jacob.

      Reply

62. Hello Dong,

    I’ve always considered myself technology savvy but networking always scares me with all of the weird vendor-specific terms for the same thing and makes me wondering if routers from two different vendors would play well together. This takes me to my conundrum:

    Me and 3 other roommates (about 12-15 devices total) currently in a two-story 1500 sqft in a building with a lot of 2.4Gz routers from our neighbors clogging the channels. We have a TP-Link AX3000 that is barely enough to cover the two bedrooms on the second floor and gives an abysmal signal to the living room and my 1st-floor roommates. So I learned about cascading two routers and I originally planned on purchasing the Netgear RAX50-100NAR (refurbished from Walmart for $190) to be downstairs as the AP (the TP-Link would be the main router connected through WAN to the Modem and then from a LAN port in the TP-Link I would connect to the LAN port of the RAX50). Would this be a good setup?? I also found the Netgear AX4300 and AX6200 for around the same price on Costco and I wonder if those would be good alternatives to be the downstairs APs or even the main router (I would take any advice you could give me). Also, I’ve heard horrible things about Netgear’s firmware (I quite like TP-Links to be honest) so I don’t have to be married to any of those options.

    Thank you so much for all of the work you put into educating us about networking.

    Reply

    • I should also say that we have a 400Mbps speed, we live in an apartment in LA (so upwards of 15-20 SSIDs), and we have an in-apartment laundry room at the center of our first floor that makes it super hard for any signal to get from one side to the other (since the dryer an washing machine make a lot of interference with all of their metal). I was looking at the Asus suggestions you were making and it seems like the AX86U seems pretty hard to find right now… I feel like I would actually quite like their firmware (since I read in another forum that is based on OpenWRT). Could you perhaps offer something similar that would be around the $200ish price range??
      Thank you again!

      Reply

      • You want to get the place wired, Joan. Run a cable or two. And yes, Asus is the way to go.

        Reply

    • I don’t know if that’s a good option, Juan, since I don’t know what your expectations are. But I’ll work. You can use the Netgear in the AP mode, or the whole thing in a double NAT setup. Since the place is wired, though, I’d recommend getting an AiMesh setup.

      Reply

63. Hi Dong,

    I’ve read a bunch of your articles and reviews, but I still can’t figure out if tri-band is something I need or whether the dual-band RT-AX68U would be fine for me.

    Situation: Family of 4, heavy internet users on gigabit fiber, lots of streaming, Roblox, iphones, zoom calls. I’m a developer, and so I do need to download sizeable files from time to time. We’re in a medium size (~1500 sqft), long apartment in SF. Given the interference of the city (I probably see 30 SSIDs in my network dropdown) and the shape of the apartment, I run a MOCA connection through the old cable lines from my main router to the back and I’ve set up a Ubiquiti AP back there. My main router (TPlink Archer A20 v1.0) is on the fritz, and I was thinking I could just get the RT-AX68U in front to handle that half of the apartment. The Archer is tri-band, though — is dropping to dual band a bad idea? It seems like, even at gigabit, the 5Ghz total throughput on a single band would be roughly sufficient, but I’m guessing it’s maybe more complicated than that with multiple connected devices of different speeds and quality, etc? Should I get something like the RT-AX92U instead, even with its weird wifi6 behavior?

    Thanks for all your writings, btw. I’ve learned a lot.

    Reply

    • SF can be crazy on this front, but tri-band likely won’t help in your case, Brian. Prolly makes it worse. More on that here. I’d recommend a dual-band rotuer, like the RT-AX86U, or the RT-AX88U.

      Reply

      • whoops, yep, the RT-AX86U (not 68!). Thanks Dong!

        Reply

        • Sure, Brian. And yeah, big difference between the two. 🙂

          Reply

64. Hi Dong,

    Thanks again for your detailed analysis. I am getting fiber to my home and need to decide whether to use my own router (likely
    ASUS AX6100) vs. go with the path of least resistance and use the carrier’s option. The one they offer is a Calix GigaSpire gs2020e, and while I can’t find a whole lot of info about it on the web, at least not first-hand experiences, the specs don’t look too terrible.

    It’s a medium size house and we shouldn’t have a lot of coverage issues. What are your thoughts? We’re upgrading from satellite internet and an AirPort, so anything is an improvement 😛

    Reply

    • I have no experience with the Calix GigaSpire gs2020e, David. But generally, you should use your own router. You can always use one on top of the ISP-provided gateway. More about that in this post.

      Reply

65. Hi Dong,

    Thanks for the great article! Came across your site while looking for information on which device would be best to replace my Verizon FIOS Quantum Gateway with.

    I’m considering the Asus RT-AX86U and the Netgear RAX50. Do you have any thoughts are on what I can expect from either of those (or if you recommend something completely different)?

    My house is roughly 2000 sq ft covering two floors. My advertised internet speed is 1gig and I typically get in the neighborhood of 600mbps down / 850mpbs up from a desktop during high use periods.

    I have two Netgear GS110TP smart switches, and a Netgear GS108PEv3, 4 game systems (wired), 6 desktop pc’s and 3 printers (wired), 4 laptops (wi-fi), multiple wireless devices (phones, tablets, security system, doorbell, etc), 2 file servers, 1 multimedia server, 1 nas, and 1 vlan.

    Biggest concerns are throughput and reliability. I do some video conferencing but it is minimal. I am however often transferring files that range in size from 500mb to 4gb back and forth from desktops to servers.

    Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

    Reply

    • Go with the Asus, Aaron. Check out this post on what you can expect out of a 1Gbps Internet.

      Reply

      • Excellent. Thanks Dong!

        Availability seems to be an issue with the RT-AX86U if I want it at a competitive price. Is there an “upgrade” to this model or a comparable router you’d recommend?

        I don’t mind paying a little more if it gives me additional features / performance.

        Thanks again for everything!

        Reply

        • You can get the RT-AX88U.

          Reply

          • Thanks again Dong. Got one on the way for the same price I was finding the RT-AX86U for!

66. Dong,
    Thank you for your advice. I have a very large home spread among a few buildings, and bought an ASUS XT8 set of WiFi 6 AiMesh routers and am very happy (almost). There is still one area (home office above the garage) that has occasional connectivity issues, mostly for a laptop connected to a work VPN. Phones and TV’s have adequate bandwidth most times. It is difficult, but I am running a Cat6a cable from the main node to that area soon.

    Question: Which of the following three options below makes most sense? (All assume the Cat6a is installed and works, and I am sticking with ASUS so any extension is AiMesh compatible)

    A. Live with current wireless connectivity, add a wired gigabit switch ($20) and plug in the laptop(s)

    B. Buy another XT8 as an AIMesh Node ($370) to boost wireless connectivity (I can plug the laptop into it too as it has ports)

    C. Buy an ASUS RP-AX56 Wireless Range Extender ($99 – backorder only at present). While that should work with wireless backhaul, I can also add the $20 wired gigabit switch, plug in the RP-AX56, and have wireless backhaul.

    I’m leaning hard towards Option C – seems I’ll be able to plug the laptop in and also improve WiFi access to that part of my house. I know there are other AiMesh routers too, but they seem as expensive as option B.

    Thanks again for your wonderful site!

    Reply

    • You have to decide that yourself, Troy. Since your home is wired, you should have gone with a dual-band set. More here.

      Reply

      • Thank you. The 2nd node XT8 is in a detached building so tri-band was the choice to get wireless backhaul – your review helped me figure that out and works well.

        For the proposed node in the problem area – there is no wire at present. I will be attempting to run a Cat6a soon but that is very involved due to the structure. I was just looking for thoughts regarding a third Asus product to work as an AiMesh node paired with the XT8s. It doesn’t seem you’ve yet done a review on the RP-AX56.

        Reply

        • Food for thought and might help with the purchase decision – When XT8s are wired you can enable ‘Ethernet Backhaul Mode’ which will release more wireless bandwidth for end devices to connect.

          Reply

          • Thanks for sharing, Tom. That works with all tri-band AiMesh routers, by the way.

67. Hello Dong!
    First thanks for some amazing information, find your site today and for sure will visit from now on. But I’m kind lost with so many options.
    I live in a apartment (shaped a rectangle) with 1300 sqft, have a 500mb fiber internet (frontier) and the modem is at one side of the apartment and the main tv is at opposite side, my clients are 2 TVs for 4K content, and ps5 and two iPhones that are wifi6, besides that a printer and a tablet and old android phone, and 2 notebooks, my budget is at most 300, in the beginning I was thinking about the tp link ax50 change for ax6000 and after the asus ax86u and ax88u, but if you think other is better I’m open for any suggestions. Now I’m using the router from frontier and have connection and the main tv but sometimes have some slow speeds and watching 4K movies freezes
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Go with either of the Asus routers, Rafael. After that, make sure you set up the QoS accordingly. If your place has a lot of thick walls, though, you might want to consider the RT-AX92U or a tri-band set.

      Reply

      • Thanks a lot Dong!

        I was trying to buy the ax86 but in many places it’s sold out, then change my mind for the ax92u and will buy this one. I started to read your article about Qos! Again I really appreciate your help!

        Reply

        • Sure, Raf!

          Reply

68. Hi Dong, I recently started to read your column. I appreciate your brutal honesty. Costco has the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 RAX78 ax6200 on sale for $199, which seems like a good price. Unfortunately, I have found very little mentioned about it. Are you aware of that model or done any testing on it? Much appreciated.

    Reply

    • Hi Jeff. That model is has a lot of corners cut. It’ll work fine in most cases, but it’s in no way comparable to the RAX200. I’d not be too thrilled about Costco-exclusive deals. But you can always get it and return it later, Costco is pretty good with that.

      Reply

69. Hi Dong,
    Hoping for a bit of advice.
    Broadband connection is 50mbps at best. Currently in a small single storey 150m house with router at one end with Ethernet ports by the router and another at the other end of the house.
    Building a 350m single storey and going to put in Ethernet.
    Trying to decide which wifi solution to get.
    Think asus either ax86u router and add to it later or asus ax zenwifi.
    4 in the house using tv, xbox, pc, laptop, phones.
    Only 1 wifi 6 client i know of.
    Am i foolish getting ax or should I get ac? Any advice gratefully received.
    Cheers,
    Luke

    Reply

    • With that Internet speed — and if you only care about Internet access, then any mesh system. That said get any dual-band Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 one that you can use wired backhaul. The Asus Lyra Trio will work out well, too.

      Reply

      • Thank you Dong,
        Cheers Luke

        Reply

        • Sure, Luke.

          Reply

70. help me! so many choices! i just want to maximize my new xfinity gigabit plan… ~2000sq ft home, but want to future proof.

    debating between a mesh router (RBK852) or non mesh options
    RAX-78, RAX120, RAX 200 (netgear) or Asus (-92U, -89X, -88U)

    thanks!

    Reply

    • It’s hard to give you a recommendation with just that much info. Take a serious read at this post, Jimmy.

      Reply

71. Dong,
    Try getting a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (US) for testing all these routers, it’s allegedly got a Broadcom BCM4389 chip in it capable of 2×2 WiFi 6E, 160MHz channels (the first smartphone I know to do so). Whether it can be configured that way, IDK yet. The Apple iPhone 13 is rumored to be getting the same chip later this year. I’m curious to see how it does.

    Reply

    • Don’t expect too much from Wi-Fi 6E, Doug. It’ll be the same as a 160MHz 5GHz Wi-Fi 6 connection in terms of speed. The only difference is you can get that type of connection easier, but likely at a shorter range. More here.

      Reply

72. Hi Dong, great in depth reviews, I really appreciate them especially the comparison charts between all of the routers, and the inclusion of the USB tests for NAS performance.

    Please also review the Archer AX73 when you have the opportunity. It looks great on paper for it’s price, and I wonder how it stacks up against the competition in real world tests.

    Reply

    • Noted, Alex.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong, It is great pleasure to read your reviews. Depending on the location of my modem at home, I can only have up a daisy chain topology. I currently have TP-link wpa8631 onemesh powerline kit. It is 170 m2 and there are many walls. I have 4 devices streaming 4K and besides 3 laptops connected to the internet non-stop at the same time during 12 hours within a day. Which onemesh router do you suggest to use with onemesh powerline and which asus router that I can use with my powerline. I can buy tp-link ax90, ax73, ax6000, ax20, asus ax82u, ax92u, ax86u, axt8 mesh, ct8 mesh, ax92u mesh

        Reply

        • Go with Asus, Armagan. Check out this post for which you should get.

          Reply

      • Add another vote for a review of the ax73. It looks really interesting but no one I trust has reviewed it yet.

        Reply

        • Assuming you’re talking about the TP-Link AX73, Noah. If so, this one is not available in the U.S. (yet).

          Reply

          • Oh wow, interesting.

            It is available in Canada so I was not expecting that answer. Also explains why there are so few reviews from sources I know enough to trust.

            Thanks for the reply!

73. Hi,

    thanks for the great detailed review!
    I have fiber at home (theoretically up to 10Gb), I have a big box from the provider which has 1 ethernet 10Gb port (plug to the tv box), 4 classic ethernet ports and wifi 2.4/5Ghz.

    Don’t have problem with the speed or ethernet, but wifi signal can fluctuate a lot (tried setting manual channel or auto), but doesn’t seem to help.

    Range seems to be fine, but e.g. using GeforceNow in same room often show “spotty connection”.

    Was thinking of getting a ASUS GT-AX11000, which come with triple band (could keep one for visio/gaming). But it has only “2.5Gb” ethernet port. I could leave the tv box + nas plugged directly with lan on provider box and only use wifi devices with it.

    As it’s an investments for few years, do you think it’s best to go with that? Or at least a 5Gb port, like Netgear RAX120 for same price (but no triple band and seems no mesh possibility) or ASUS RT-AX89X (has 10Gb) (but also double band and here about 100 more).

    I don’t need mesh right now, flat is about 70m2, but I prefer to keep the option in the future as at some point we plan to move to bigger one (>100m2)

    Thank you!!

    Reply

    • A couple of things, Damien:

      1. If you get a router, you need to stop using the current box’s port. More here.
      2. You don’t really need a tri-band, a dual-band is fine, so maybe get the RT-AX89X if you like the 10Gpbs ports (plus it has more Gigabit ports.) More on dual-band vs. tri-band here.
      3. You can have a mesh with any of the Asus routers at a later time via AiMesh.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong!
        Thanks for the answer.

        I need to use the current box because it’s a modem (fiber)+ router, for what I read you can’t replace it but you can just turn off the router features (but still there is no bridge). In my case I’m mostly interested on Wifi, because that’s seems to be the weak part.

        So kind of thinking what’s best:
        – go with RT-AX89X which has 10gb port (but in other hand does 2.5Gb is really a limitation for wifi?)
        – go with GT-AX11000 so it’s a tri-band (could prioritise some clients. But as you said in the post will it really be noticeable?). In the other hand it’s better for future mesh if you can’t connect them by cable.

        Reply

        • You will likely see no difference between the two, Damien.

          Reply

          • Great!
            Thanks a lot Dong!!

            Then will go with the GT-AX11000 which is still 100 cheaper.

          • Sure, Damien. Have fun setting it up! 🙂

74. Hey Dong Im into buying a new router and decided it to be an Asus one with wifi 6
    Im between the rt-ax86u rt-ax88u rt-ax11000
    but where do i get the best performance over distance?

    Reply

    • Check out their reviews for the performance numbers, Anders. All three will give you similar Wi-Fi coverage. I’d also recommend these posts:

      1. On routers in general.
      2. On Dual-band vs. Tri-band.

      Reply

75. Can I use the ASUS AX89X to replace my Verizon FiOS G1100 router? The problem is the G1100 only allows for 16 devices to be connected and Verizon’s new G3100 only allows for 10 devices to be connected at any given time. I have 3 TVs, 3 Ipads, 4 laptops, and 2 fire ticks 2 ps5 connected at any given time, not to mention hooking up other wifi devices on the fly. I have Verizon FIOS internet, phone, and cable. I’m looking for a device that’s compatible with Verizon Fios but it allod for me to connect a minimum of 30 devices.

    Reply

    • Yes, Bernard. Check out this post.
      Also, this post will help you understand routers more.

      Reply

76. Hello Dong ,

    Have been reading your reviews and thought would ask you
    Im currently on a 500 Mbps plan ( planning to upgrade to 1 GBps next month) and need coverage for around 1200 SqFt. on 5Ghz . My use case would be 4k streaming (2 TVs) , good wifi 5 speeds wont hurt either.

    In India , Asus RT AX86U is not in stock, so my options are restricted to Asus RTAX88U ; recently launched TP-Link AX73( which has the same specifications on paper as Asus RT AX82U & Netgear RAX50 ) , and
    TP-Link AX600 … my budget doesn’t allow me stretch for any of the AX11000 models 🙁

    Of the afore motioned models , which would be the fastest , reliable and serve 1 GBps well for 2-3 years .. do u think I should purchase any of the above models – do you suggest any other model .

    Thanks
    Avik

    Reply

    • Get the RT-AX88U, Avik. It’s an excellent router.

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong

        Reply

77. Hello,
    Thanks for the valuable information and knowledge!
    I do have a question though..
    What would be a better option in my case? AX92U ($217) or AX86U ($249)? I’m planning to use it exclusively as a single device. Temporarily, just for one connected client, I may connect my old AC68U as AImesh or in old-fashioned way and that’s it. Currently I have 29 (including IoT) devices on my network with mixed usage (Netflix, browsing, gaming). No wired connections.

    Reply

    • I don’t know what your case is, Vlad. You should check out this post for more information.

      Reply

      • Sorry, did not want to concentrate too much on Aimesh. I will use it for a few months only. I plan to use a router as a single unit in a long-term. So, ignoring the AiMesh thing, what would be the best option for me? Thanks for an amazingly fast reply 🙂

        Reply

        • Either is fine. I’d go with the 86U.

          Reply

78. Hi Dong, your reviews are awesome! Please keep up the great work.
    I have a 1Gbps Fibre Broadband Internet which is connected to TP-Link AC1900 Router (2.4GHz @600Mbps | 5GHz @1300Mbps).
    I also have the ISP provided Linksys MAX-STREAM AC2600 MU-MIMO Gigabit Router (2.4GHz @800 Mbps | 5 GHz @1733 Mbps) as a spare.
    I have a 1200 SFT single storey apartment with about a dozen connected devices (Laptop, Tablet, Phone, TV, Printer, Media Storage).
    I’ve been encountering issues with wifi coverage, unstable wifi connectivity and slow speed…. specially at the edges of my apartment.
    My workspace is about 20 – 25 feet away from the router with a door in between. Router is placed 4 Ft. above ground level and 2 Ft. away from the wall.
    I’m looking to make full use of my 1Gbps internet speed and looking to replace my router.
    Appreciate your advise on which router should I go for.

    Many thanks!

    Reply

    • First, Arnab, you won’t be able to “make full use” of the Gigabit Internet since there’s no such thing as full use of a connection unless what you want is to clog it :). More here. Then get one of these Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 routers. Get a high-end, not a budget, one. I’d recommend one from Asus (or Synology).

      Reply

      • Thanks! Dong. I understand and expectation reset.
        I was evaluating ASUS RT-AX82U (AX5400) as you have rated it 9/10 and it is $130 less than ASUS RT-AX86U (AX5700).
        Appreciate your advise on which one to go for. Thanks again

        Reply

        • With that much different in the price, I’d go with the RT-AX82U, Arnab

          Reply

          • Thanks Dong.

79. Hello Dong,
    How r u today? loves all of ur reviews. very in depths.. I have facing big problem with my routers and wifi. So my house is around 2000 sqft a square shape house, and my internet connection and router is on d one side of d house. And i am getting week signal in my room which is completely other side of the house which is approximately 40ft away from d router and our house is brick house and from router’s room to my room the signal has to come through 3 thick wall. Currently im using tp link archer c7 and archer c20 as a wps bridg. cant use the proper 5 ghz band because of d distance from room and alws signal drops or connection cut. and whenever we use microwave oven than cant get d signal. So now I am planing to get any wifi 6 router or wifi 6 mesh system. within budget around 250 to 300 usd. And i cant do wired network connection through d house. Can u pls recommended some wifi 6 routers or mesh system . my internet speed is around 50 to 60 mbps. and my phone and laptop alrd has wifi 6 enable.
    thanks

    Reply

    • There’s none, Saif, especially for your budget. Consider running a network cable.

      Reply

      • Hai Dong,
        Thanks for ur reply. running network cable is not possible.. If I increase d budget than what ur recommendation?

        Reply

        • Nothing can handle walls lie yours, Saif. But you can try the XT8.

          Reply

80. Hello, again, Dong. Love your site and continue to have it on speed-dial when looking for something new in tech. Thanks for your great work. My question today is regarding the newer TP-Link Omada EAP’s – specifically, the EAP660 and EAP 620, along with the WiFi5 EAP265. Wondering if you have plans to test these access points? I installed a 7-unit EAP245v3 system (after an arduous pull of 1,000′ of Ethernet in a cramped church ceiling) that has performed wonderfully. Looking to replace a single router system at another location with a 3 or 4-unit Omada EAP setup, but I’m uncertain how the WiFi6 units perform and I’m concerned about installing a WiFi5 system, not because of speed, but because my understanding is that WiFi6 handles traffic and large numbers of clients far better. As always, thanks for your terrific insight!

    Reply

    • I’d stay with Wi-Fi 5 for now, Doug. Wi-Fi 6 will not make much of a difference in this case. If anything, change the router to whatever with features you like

      Reply

81. Hi Dong,

    Thank you for these precious tests and reports !
    I was looking for updating all my network with 2 goals :
    – getting a wide mesh network to cover all the house
    – getting the best of the functionalities : QoS for visio&gaming/Parental control
    Reading your advices on comments, I was planning to get a RT-AX86U as a router, and Zenwifi XD4 as nodes. Also, all the house is wired.
    Aside, my wan line is in the basement and I suppose it doesn’t make sense to have latest wifi6 there (or even wifi). But, it looks like the latest functionalities for QoS and such are provided only with wifi routers.

    I would have 3 questions then :
    1 – If QoS/Parental control is present in the router but not on nodes, will the nodes provide the functionality ?
    2 – Is some router exists with the functionality of the RT-AX86U without the wifi included ? Is it a good idea even to get a router without it ?
    3 – More generally and a bit technical on Asus (mesh) routers/nodes : are the functionalities provided at the endpoint level or from the wan router ?
    For instance, with the following setup : Web > Internet Box > Asus router > Zenwifi XT8 or XD4 > PC
    Would functionalities like VPN, QoS enabled on the router or on the node ? My point is : for performance, it would be nice to have QoS all over the network, but the VPN from the router only. Could also be interesting to have a VPN on one node, and not on the other for instance.
    Thank you

    Reply

    • Sure, Aurelien,

      1. All features are decided by the router unit. More here.
      2. None.
      3. You can get the Firewalla Gold and a few access points.

      More on VPN here.

      Reply

      • Hi Dong,

        Thank you for your answer. thanks to the #1 answer, I’ll do as planned RT-AX86U to get the most functionalities and XD4 in addition if needed as a node.

        Regards

        Reply

82. Hello,

    I am planning on replacing my old Asus RT-N66U (no AiMesh) with a new Asus RT-AX86U (with AiMesh).

    I have a backyard shed with no wifi signal but with ethernet from the main router and I think I can use the old RT-N66U as an Access Point.

    How is the AP mode of the RT-N66U different from the AiMesh? Or is it essentially the same?

    Reply

    • It’s largely the same, Mike, and will work well. More on ap mode vs. AiMesh in this post.

      Reply

      • Thank you, the post did clarify it for me.

        Reply

        • Sure, Mike.

          Reply

83. Any plan to review the newly released TP-Link Deco X90?

    Reply

84. Hi Doug,
    Living in a large double story home with double brick walls, I’m looking for a strong primary router and at least one satellite node.
    Although mesh systems such as Netgear Orbi look good theoretically, backhaul, timeouts, and latency seem to affect these mesh systems.
    As such, I’m considering an ASUS GT-AX11000 as my primary with an RT-AX86U as a slave.
    Questions :
    1) Is this setup preferable to a pre-programmed consumer 3 unit mesh option ?
    2) Should the slave unit preferably be hardwired via ethernet ?
    Many thanks,
    Andrew,
    Durban, South Africa.

    Reply

    • Hi Andrew,

      First, check out this post on AiMesh. If your home is wired, I’d recommend getting a few units of dual-band routers, like the RT-AX86U, RT-AX82U, XD4, etc. More here.

      The name is Dong, by the way. 🙂

      Reply

      • Hi Dong
        My sincere apologies about getting your name wrong – was working since 03:00 this morning, and was caffeine deficient at time of writing. 😩
        Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to reply.
        Wiring the hubs is possible but tricky.
        Reading your posts and other sources suggests to me that a wired network appears to be the best option by some margin.

        Taking a different approach to my original question, would a wired / cabled “mesh” of 3 identical dual-band routers as you suggest be preferable to a strong output tri-band router and 2 cheaper satellites / slaves , each of which is cabled directly to the master router ? (as per my original choice)

        If using identical routers is preferable, why ?

        Also, are dual band routers advisable for future- proofing ?

        My main problem at home is weak signal in most areas due to the wall thickness.
        I have basic networking skills so doing a manual setup is possible albeit challenging for me.
        Incoming internet is fibre @ 100 MBS.
        Thanks again
        Andrew

        Reply

        • With that Internet speed, Andrew, it doesn’t matter much what hardware and how you use it — wired or wireless. Note though that wall can be extremely problematic and can block signals completely, no matter how strong a router you use.

          That said, I’d recommend going with the XD4. Getting a tri-band router (as the main unit) doesn’t do anything since its speed limits at its location. But it doesn’t hurt to do that. More in this post. Also, I’d recommend not to worry about being “future-proof” — you NEVER will be. Just get what works for what you need now. And considering your current Internet speed, anything you get is somewhat “future-proof”. 🙂

          Reply

85. Am I understanding well that in many cases, an very good Wifi 5 system is good enough (given the internet connection is 1Gb or less) and there may not be that much benefits from going to Wifi 6?

    One thing though, does the security protocol WP3 is enough to warrant the move to a Wifi 6 system? Besides Synology, I don’t think any other Wifi 5 system supports WP3.

    Reply

    • WPA3 is more of a software solution than hardware, John. So those without it now might get it in the future. The same goes for clients. Many existing ones don’t support WPA3 yet, and some might never get the update for it.

      Reply

86. What router would you advise for facilitating wireless youtube live streams and having multiple high data wireless devices connected.

    Asus RT-AX89X or the Asus AX11000?

    And is there a clear use case for both of them, or are they competing with each other?

    Reply

    • That depends a lot on your Internet speed, John, as well as your clients. But generally, if you have a lot of clients, I’d go with the Asus RT-AX11000. The difference between the two is minimal, though. More in this post.

      Reply

87. Dong hi,

    Lucky to stumble your amazing page!
    Unfortunately in my region home internet speed is 75mbps, and im thinking to change my wifi router from linksys EA2750 to asus wifi 6 routers. Reading from the ppls comment here, you suggested many ppl using the asus RT-AX86U or RT-AX88U. These 2 types are hard to get here and the available ones are ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, RT-AC5300, RT-AX82U, and TUF Gaming AX3000.

    What is your recommendation? Thank you!

    Reply

88. Dong hi,
    Unfortunately in my region home internet speed is 75mbps, and im thinking to change my wifi router from linksys EA2750 to asus wifi 6 routers. Reading from the ppls comment here, you suggested many ppl using the asus RT-AX86U or RT-AX88U. These 2 types are hard to get here and the available ones are ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, RT-AC5300, RT-AX82U, and TUF Gaming AX3000.

    What is your recommendation? Thank you!

    Reply

    • For your speed, any of them will do, Will. Just get the one that fits your budget. The TUF Gaming AX3000 is basically the AX3000.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the input. Sorry I’d post same comment, cos didn’t see this comment earlier when I refresh the page.

        The current router linksys EA2750 network is only up to IEEE 802.11n and the asus router network is 802.11ax (5GHz).

        Does it make any difference if I change to either the AX3000 or AX82u with my current internet speed?

        Reply

        • Comments are subject to approval, Will, as stated in the green line of text above.

          And no, your Internet will be the same if you use any of the routers. It’s too slow for you to have to worry about which to get.

          Reply

          • Indeed very slow =(
            Once again thanks so much for the input.
            Awesome guides in your website!

89. Do you think a single RT-AX86U would work in a 2 story home with approximately 2,000 sq ft on each floor (4,000 sq ft total)?

    I was also considering the cheaper TP-Link AX50 as a budget buy, which ones has the better range?

    My ISP connection speed is currently 200M but I have the option to upgrade to 1G if I desire.

    Reply

    • My guess is your place is a bit too large for just one router, Craig. You might need two. Check out this post before you do anything.

      Reply

90. Hi Dong,

    Great site!

    I just moved into a new home and I’m trying to decide the best way to take advantage of the 1.5 Gb internet (Total download speed up to 1.5 Gbps, Upload up to 940 Mbps) package I have.
    My home is about 3,000 sq. ft over 3 levels. Basement, main floor and 2nd floor.
    The Bell Home Hub 3000 (Sagemcom FAST 5566) Modem/Router is in the basement.
    It’s all that I’m currently using to provide wifi for the entire home.
    I have 1 cat5e drop per floor that I can utilize (already connected to the Sagemcom).
    I have a Smart TV and wifi speaker on each floor as well as about 10 wifi connected devices.
    My highest priority is getting maximum wifi performance for my laptop in my office on the 2nd floor.
    It’s a new i7, 16GB Ram with an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 160 Mhz Network card.
    What would you recommend I buy/install to get the best performance out of the internet package I have?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • If you have wired backhaul, Mark, just gets a dual-band system. I’d recommend a couple of Asus RT-AX86U units. Or one unit plus a set of XD4 (though you might not need more than 3 hardware pieces in total.)

      Reply

      • Update – I installed a single Asus RT-AX86U on the 2nd floor. The internet speed on the laptop in my office went from 200Mbps to 600Mbps. I will install a 2nd RT-AX86U on the main floor as well.
        Thanks for your great advice Dong!

        Reply

        • You’re welcome, Mark! Great job! 🙂

          Reply

          • Update – I purchased a 2nd Asus RT-AX86U for use on the main floor of my home. I plugged it in within 3 meters of the 1st AX86U and went through configuring it as an AiMesh Node. Setup went okay. I then brought it down to the main floor and connected the WAN port to the ethernet drop for Backhaul. Now when I log into the AiMesh Router it shows the AiMesh Node as disconnected. The 5e LAN drop each Asus is using is connected to the LAN ports on the Sagecom modem from my ISP. Any ideas on why this is not working?

          • That’s not how you set it up, Mark. The node needs to connect to the router. https://dongknows.com/asus-aimesh-overview/

91. Hi Dong

    great article, just moving broadband providers in the UK and can run my own Wi-Fi router.

    Only 3 of us in the house but multiple devices including gaming (xbox and be on wireless), online meetings and UHD streaming, typical UK 4 bed so 1600sqft type space.

    Which would you recommend? was thinking about the ASUS RT-AX88U (better than the 86 from the review) or one of the Netgear Nighthawks – RAX80 or above (RAX70 seems to be tri-band but not as high spec?). Both allow Mesh at a future date.

    Thanks Matt

    Reply

    • Go with either the RT-AX86U or the RT-AX88U, Matt. Check the reviews for their differences. After that, turn on the QoS according to your needs.

      Reply

      • thanks Dong – will try the 88U

        Reply

        • Sure, Matt.

          Reply

          • Hi Dong

            any reports of these units crashing – its so unstable. I’ve had the wireless SSID disappear and had to reset the router, then the lan ports all locked and now can’t connect to the admin interface.

            Going to take it back but just wanted to check if any know bugs?

            thanks Matt

          • No, Matt. I’ve been actually using these in various places with no issue at all.

          • sorted the issue! SKYQ box was interfering with the ASUS unit, reset the SKYQ unit and sorted it’s network, turned off it’s wifi and all sorted.

            now stable and quick – thanks

92. Hi Dong,

    Tks for great reviews. I just bought an Asus RT-AX86U and its absolutely a great router. I have a small question, which Wifi 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz authentication method should I choose? I have chosen WPA2/WPA3-Personal currently. All my devices are connected perfectly. Should I just use WPA3-Personal? I am looking at great connectivity and great security. Tks

    Reply

    • The current one is good, Zhuge. Some devices might not support WPA3. In your case, WPA3 is used when a supported device connects to the router.

      Reply

93. Hi Dong. I live in a 3 story 2200 sqft house and I tried both asus ax89x and ax92u. ax89x is an absolute beast, I get over 700 Mbps on my phone from my 1Gig internet. But my router is on the 3rd floor, and the 1st-floor signal is extremely slow.

    Switch to a pair of ax92u, one on the 3rd floor, one on the 1st floor, my phone can only get 300Mbps speed. And the 1st floor signal is much better by the mesh system.

    Which one should I choose? I really enjoy the ax89x though.

    Reply

    • I think you already know the answer, Peiwen. Check out the review of the RT-AX92U for more.

      Reply

94. Hi Dong,

    I’m moving to a one bedroom apartment, less than 900 Sq Ft. I will have 1 gigabit internet speed. Can you please tell me which wifi 6 router you recommend? Netgear Nighthawk AX6600, Asus AX86, Asus AX88, or Netgear Orbi AX4200? Or is there a different router you recommend?

    Reply

    • Get the RT-AX86U, Jorge.

      Reply

95. Thank you for the great information available on your website. However, I have to be honest and say that the more I read the less I am sure about what to buy.

    My network came with me to my new house. I brought an Asus RT ac86u and an Asus DSL 68u. However, this house is a big detached house and I now stream 4k videos via Plex around the house.

    With my new devices, I am keen to take advantage of WiFi 6.

    What I am currently trying to decide on is should I keep what I have and add an ax88u to mesh.

    Or would it best best to start fresh with:

    2 Asus ax88u in aimesh

    Or

    Zenwifi xt8

    Or

    2 Asus ac86u

    In each instance, one would be centrally located upstairs and another centrally located downstairs.

    They wouod all be directly wired to my gigabyte LAN for the backhaul, rather than wirelessly.

    I guess I am trying to ‘future proof’ as much as possible.

    Thank you for any advice you can give.

    Reply

    • Make sure your DSL device works as a modem (and not a gateway) and then get RT-AX88U (or any dual-band Wi-Fi 6 or 5 AiMesh router). Use the newer one as the main router and then the RT-AC86U as the wired node. Check out this post on AiMesh.

      Reply

      • Brilliant, thank you.

        Reply

96. Hi Dong,

    I currently live in a 1400 sqt condo with 1GB fibre broadband. I have an outdated ASUS RT-AC87U router and have black out spots in my master bedroom (furthest away from router, going through lots of concrete and doors). The average WiFi speed around the house is around 300 Mbps.

    Should I upgrade my router to one of the ones listed here, or explore a WiFi mesh option to improve speeds and eliminate the black out spot in my master bedroom? (note: my master bedroom does not have a lan port so I can’t set up AP point).

    Thanks for your advice in advance.

    Reply

    • Check out this post, Alex. Make sure you read it well!

      Reply

      • Thanks Dong. I’ve read through a lot of your other posts (AIMesh, how to set up wireless network etc.) and have learned a lot in the last day! I’ve come up with 3 options, which one would you recommend?

        Option 1. Buy a new Asus RT-AX88U as I don’t have the Asus RT-AX86U available in my region.

        Option 2. Buy 2 Asus RT-AX58U, set up with AIMesh and connect them via wired backhaul. The 2nd router will be placed in the living room which is separated from my master bedroom by only one bedroom.

        Option 3. Buy Asus ZenWifi AX Mini XD4 AX1800 3 pack. The main XD4 unit and the second XD4 connected via wired backhaul. The third unit placed in my master bedroom connected to the second XD4 in the living room via wireless backhaul.

        Reply

        • Go with #1, Alex. Your place is too small for a mesh system.

          Reply

97. This is the question I’ve been trying to explore and search but I can not find the data that would help me decide…

    Please, if you can help me understand based on my setup I would greatly appreciate helping me making the decision.

    I have a Synology 920+ set up with link aggregation to the Asus AC88U(4×4). Enabled on both ends.

    My computer is a 2019 16in MBP(3×3). It achieves up to 80MB/s transfer speeds to and from the NAS in the close range. My other MBP is 13in 2013 model and that one gets a clean 100MB/s uploads to the NAS.

    I understand that if I update to AX86U I am not able to use the AX standard, but the question is – would my NAS performance be positively impacted at all with the router swap to a more modern version.

    Beacause I could not find any tests with a dedicated NAS unit connected over LAN aggregation ports or similar Vs an HDD plugged to the Router where router is acting like a NAS I am asking these questions as finding conclusive numbers is really hard.

    Thank you and apologies if you have this covered and I was unable to unearth it. If you can share the link I will gladly do my own homework.

    Thank you,
    M.

    Reply

    • You’re all over the place, Martin, so it’s hard to answer your questions. Generally, the RT-AX86U will not change your NAS server’s performance but it will affect your MBPs’ Wi-Fi speeds. As for a router working as a Mini NAS server, check out this post for more.

      Reply

      • To be less scattered Vs transcendent and omnipresent… 😄

        My only point of concern is the Wifi transfer speeds to and from the Synology NAS unit. I’m trying to figure out the best option for my workflow at home. My current transfer speeds are avg 80MB/s on one machine or 100MB/s on the second. If these numbers will not be affected in a considerable way I’d reckon that there is no point in changing the router unit.

        If you need more info about what is in the NAS – it is populated by 2xExos x16 14TB + 2TB SSD, 8gb Ram, +1x1TB Cache.

        Router acting like a NAS with an attached HDD is not what I am after in terms of performance.

        The only lean idea I had to improve speeds of data transfer, besides pushing the WiFi – may be a pure wired connection via 2x QNAP QNA-UC5G1T – one attached to the router and one attached to the Mac. Even though the preference is maximizing Wifi performance.

        I hope I was more clear this time around.

        Sorry for being spaced out initially.

        Martin

        Reply

        • I doubt you consistently get 100MB/s on your MBPs via Wi-Fi that’s 800Mbps, something very hard to get out of a 3×3 Wi-Fi 5 connection (though not impossible).

          That said, that’s the speed between your laptop and the router and it’s generally slower than that between the router and the NAS (which is either 1Gbps or 2Gbps if you use LA).

          So I wouldn’t worry about it. There’s a chance your MBP might get faster Wi-Fi speeds when working with a Wi-Fi 5 router, though. But that depends on the version of the Wi-Fi card’s driver software.

          Reply

          • In retrospect the speed I mentioned is when I send bulky video files and images from a medium format camera that are 100MB+ in size get those speeds I mentioned. The router is within 15feet from the computer.

            I tried today with my smaller camera files and I paid attention more closely and it falls in the range of 70-80MB/s so you are very much correct that those speeds vary.

            I just need to add that connection on both MBP’s report is 1300Mbps not 800. The Mac that gives faster results is weirdly 2×2 and the slower is 3×3. Strange. 🤔
            Current router is Asus AC88U (WiFi5) running Merlin(384.19 or 386.1 b3) which is very close to my work table but far enough that pulling a direct cable is a trip hazard. I live in China and sometimes the way they pull cables from the ISP leaves things to be wished for.

            Thank you for your input so far – it has been helpful.

          • Sure, Martin. And yes I understand that 3×3 = 1300Mbps on paper. You’ll be lucky if you get half of that in sustained real-world speed. 🙂

          • I’ll go count my blessings then.

            Thank you for your time advice and input.

98. Hi dong. I know this is mostly about routers but can I get an opinion on a cable modem to match up with my ax86u? Looking at the mb8600 or the mb8611. Looks like the only difference is th four ports for link aggregation in the 8600 and the flat 2.5G on the 8611. Either you would recommend over the other?

    Reply

    • Get the modem that works for your Internet plan. It’s generally better to use one without Link Agregation that can deliver the same speed than one that’s with. LA can be completed.

      Reply

99. Hi Dong, I just wanted to know do you worry about TP-Link’s slow roll outs of updates to their routers, and the fact they seemingly drop updates to after a couple of years?

    Reply

    • TP-Link is not the only one like that on this matter. I’d say if you care about regular updates, go with an Asus.

      Reply

100. Hi Dong,

     I am using a Tp-link AX10 located at 1st floor for a typical double Storey with 4 bedrooms. My mobile devices usually disconnect and experience very slow in WiFi speed at ground floor. Do you think all these issues will be resolved by getting a Asus AX86U? Also do u recommend using SmartConnect or having separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz? Thank you.

     Reply

     • I can’t answer the first question, Zhuge. I don’t live there. You should check out this post. As for the Smart Connect, it’s up to you, that has little to do with performance or coverage, but you’ll note that the 5GHz has a shorter range than the other band.

       Reply

101. Any comments/opinions on a wired router system, where the wifi antennas are quite physically separate from router (gateway)?

     I‘d like to locate most of my network equipment in the basement, and the wiring closet down there is the absolute worst place for a wifi antenna.

     I’m building a new system for a large home which has been cat5e wired. (Mostly). Wired devices would include a synology NAS, smart TV, a security camera NVR, and two Ethernet drops for computers. The wiring closet has a UPS, and I’d like to keep the network up during power outages. (Except for that power hungry NVR!)

     I’m considering a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter (4?) and a couple of Unifi access points. Or possibly an EdgeRouter, Unifi Switch and Unifi access points. I’m open to any manufacturer though. Maybe one of these consumer mesh systems would do if I could disable the wifi on the main router.

     I don’t see Wifi 6 being that beneficial at the moment, but it would be good ready for that.

     Any opinions/recommendations appreciated. Maybe Dong could do an article on wired / wifi systems where the router and the antennas are in physically different devices?

     Reply

     • There’s no such thing, David. Generally, a broadcaster comes with the antennas built-in (or attached.) It’s not worth it to think about separating them. More in this post.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong, I see you’ve compared Ubiquiti’s Dream Machine to their AmpliFi Alien, both are combination router / switch / wifi devices all in one. Maybe Ubiquiti could send you a Dream Machine Pro or USG, along with a wifi 6 access point, like the UniFi 6 lite. There are a lot of people that want to place their wifi antennas in a physically separate location from the other network devices. Doing a comparison review on that would be great.

         Reply

102. I am using an Asus ZenWifi AX system and I noticed under the professional settings that OFDMA/802.11ax MU-MIMO is disabled by default.

     Is this something I should enable? Anybody know exactly what this does and if it is a good idea to have it on or not?

     Reply

     • Turn it on, Colin. More here. https://dongknows.com/wi-fi-6-explained/#extra-mimo-vs-mu-mimo-vs-odfma

       Reply

103. Hi Dong,
     I enjoy your site very much. You provide so much information which I probably never use but I do enjoy reading them. Anyways, I need advice on getting a new router. I live on Guam and our network plan is mediocre but expensive. I am currently on a 50 mbps plan might upgrade to 75 mbps in the future. I don’t game anymore, we use our internet mainly for streaming and have a few smart home devices. Which Wi-Fi 6 router do you recommend? Only Wi-Fi 6 devices we have are phones and our home is relatively small.
     Thanks in advance!

     Reply

     • You can get any on this list or one of these Wi-Fi 5 ones, Van. I’d recommend an Asus since it gives you a lot of options including QoS which is necessary for your Internet speed.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong … I hope all is well with you and yours!

         Xfinity is dropping Norton AV/Malware protection as a free “perk” and instead of paying/subscribing to Norton or MacAfee I was wondering if the anti-malware protection included in the new Asus RT-AX86U would suffice? I’m planning to buy a new WiFi6 router soon, ideally that can be “meshed”. Any thoughts? Is this a bad idea?

         Any recommendation instead of the Asus RT-AX86U for a large one-level house?

         LOVE your detailed, clear reviews!

         Bruce

         Reply

         • Thanks, Bruce. We’re hanging in here. It’s been rather hectic. Hope things are good your end, too.

           Norton and AiProtection are two different things. I don’t use the former, I’d opt for Windows’s built-in Security suite instead. There’s nothing that can really protect you, it’s always on you. More in this post.

           Reply

104. Thanks for your informative videos. I am torn between net gears rax200 triband and their rax 120 dual band. I don’t understand why the dual band says coverage is 3500 sq ft and the triband is 2500 sq ft. At this point in time I have the nighrhawk 10 9000R which has been a great router. Currently have gig speed with 30+ devices in a 4000 sq ft 2 story house. If I spend the extra for triband I don’t want to also have to purchase an extender. Thanks for everything, Mike O

     Reply

     • If the current router worked out well, Mike, either the RAX120 or RAX200 will improve the situation. I’d go with the former, though. It’s a bit of a surprise to me that the X10 could handle your house since it’s quite large, you must have a lot of open space.

       Reply

105. Good afternoon Dong. I came here a few months ago and asked for a recommendation on a WiFi router and you mentioned the asus ax86u.

     I sadly had some other expenses come up that I had to handle before buying it and now I don’t see it on this recommendation list.

     Is there a router you recommend over the asus I mentioned now for around the $200-$250 price?

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • Read the post again, David! Take your time.

       Reply

106. Dong. Thanks for the writeup. Can I check when you did the RT-AX88U router benchmarking? Would it have changed with the new firmware updates?

     They aren’t selling the RT-AX86U where I am and will probably have to get the AX88U. But it seems wierd to pay more for a router and get less performance especially since they are using similar hardware.

     Reply

     • Check the published date of its review, Ace. And yes, firmware can change a lot, especially in Asus routers. I’d say it’s much better now, not to mention the fact it can run Merlin.

       Reply

107. Hi Dong,

     Thanks for putting together the one site that I feel I can trust for thoughtful recommendations instead of the obvious affiliate link click bait!

     I currently have a Netgear X10 R9000 AD7200 which is persnickety but has been a really great router for me. I currently run gigabit internet and will be upgrading at some point. I have an SB8200. I run a Synology NAS and use link aggregation for it. My house is filled with wifi enabled smart switches, plugs, and bulbs along with the usual Hue Hub. Apple TV 4K, Apple Home Pod, and my wife and I are both working from home with zoom conference calls. I block access to to all new devices, WAN, etc.

     Is there anything on the wifi 6 list that stands out to you as a good replacement for the R9000? Or is it wise to wait?

     Derek

     Reply

     • Nice choice of word for the X10, Derek. I remember the hypes about the 60GHz band. 🙂

       Most of the high-end routers on this list will be better than the X10. If you’re a fan of Netgear you can go with the RAX200 or RAX120. But if you’re a fan of the cutting-edge (which you seemed to have been, considering the X10) I’d recommend waiting for Wi-Fi 6E, the 6GHz band is much better than the 60GHz.

       Reply

       • Hey Dong,

         Happy New Year! I’m getting impatient waiting for a 6E to be announced. Would you recommend the ASUS RT-AX89X for me? Your review was positive and the port options seem to allow me to handle both multi-gig connection from my router and aggregation to my NAS.

         The only downside seems to be that it’s dual band. Correct?

         Thanks again.

         Derek

         Reply

         • The dual-band notion is not exactly a downside, Derk, go for it!

           Reply

           • In doing one final bit of research, ASUS indicates that the 89X does NOT support WAN aggregation ( https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1039053/ as of 2020/12/02 16:21):

             WAN aggregation support list.

             GT-AX11000
             RT-AX82U
             RT-AX86U
             RT-AX88U
             RT-AX92U
             Note: If it is not written in the specification table there is no support.

             Do you have any information that shows the 89X as capable of WAN aggregation? Or is it only dual WAN capable?

           • Here’s a screenshot, Derek. Also, read the review.

           • Thanks for the replies and the screenshot. The 89X is on order from Amazon through your link!

           • Good call! And thanks!

     • @Dong Ngo,

       That 60GHz is good for triggering the fan and nothing else; at least they provided the means to turn that radio off.

       Thanks for the guidance. I’ll wait for the 6E and keep an eye out for your reviews!

       Reply

       • Sure, Derek. 🙂

         Reply

108. I’m finding it difficult to find information on which router to buy for smart homes with lots of devices. I’ve tried several (both mesh and non-mesh) and but devices are always dropping which is super frustrating. I’m willing to spend a bit of money to solve this issue once and for all, but I’ve already invested in a few modestly priced solutions, like the OrbiRBR50, which haven’t worked, so I’m afraid to spend more money when most router reviews don’t mention anything about the number of smart home devices it can handle.

     To clarify, when I say a lot of devices, I’m currently up to about 60+ devices with a hope that I can double that. We’re usually streaming a lot on more than 2 or 3 at a time, but there are 18 Google Home speakers that are often all playing music in groups of 5-10. My house is 2500sq feet, but I would like it to reach the end of my back yard which is about 120 feet, or be able to put a satellite that can endure cold/wet weather in the gazebo. Any suggestions?

     Reply

     • Check out this post first, Rian. After that you should understand what a router can or can’t do. In your case, if you use a single router, get a high-end tri-band one, if you need multiple broadcasters, you need to run network cables first. You might want to get an outdoor access point for your backyard.

       Reply

       • What are good outdoor access points? I cannot find any lists from you.

         Reply

         • Not many options, Perry. You can use this one, or this one.

           Reply

     • @Dong Ngo, Oh wow, thanks for all your work, didn’t realize you had all this info on your site, I thought it was just reviews! Glad I commented 🙂

       Reply

       • Hey, I’m glad you did, too. 🙂

         Reply

109. One of the items I don’t see often enough in reviews is the maximum throughputs by the manufacture for items like IPS, VPN, etc. Do you have sources for these?

     Reply

     • No, Watts. Those generally are enterprise features. In home routers, they are not priorities.

       Reply

110. Some of these brands I used in the past ran on near fire. Would have to test the temperature on those myself.

     Reply

111. Hi Dong,

     Thank you for the great review and all these amazing articles! You really give a real-world feel to these reviews and it’s very helpful to a consumer.
     I have a small place (2000 sq feet) that has walls with metal in it, and I’m on two stories that are more long and rectangular than square. I have near gigabit internet, but don’t have a router that takes advantage of it. My goal is to cover the entire place as well as a bit of the backyard (200 additional sq feet at one extremity). I’ll be connecting a NAS that has 2.5 GBE capability, and eventually upgrading to a 10GBE switch to take advantage of the CAT6 cabling that’s already in my home. I’m looking at triband systems, because I want to dedicate one 5ghz network to work computers (my wife and I work from home and use bandwidth-heavy applications such as MS Teams), the other 5ghz for our iphones (11 pro and 12 mini, both being wifi-6 clients), 2.4 ghz for smart devices (fridge, oven, Alexa, etc.), and wired connections for the apple tv and 2 desktop computers. I am leaning towards the GT-AX11000, but the thought had occurred to me to think about Mesh solutions or maybe even two RT-AX86U… I’ve read all your articles, but I’m looking for a nudge in one direction or another. What would you recommend?
     Thanks in advance!
     Andrew

     Reply

     • The GT-AX11000 is a good call, Andrew.

       Reply

112. Any love for the idea of testing a stand-alone router with separate AP:s as a more scalable and future proof system?
     Im thinking of installing OPNSense on a box and then chosing the best AP solution for my house.

     Reply

     • I’ve done that many times, Evert. Here’s a review on the matter. More on using multiple broadcasters here.

       Reply

       • Greetings.
         I really appreciate your genuine efforts and the information. I have learnt a lot indeed.
         I tried reading a lot to decide by myself without troubling you but could not.

         I have been trying to get a router for my large 3 level house.

         I am trying to get a router which is
         MESH READY if possible Dual band
         Parental controls ( I don’t need smart home and gaming etc)
         Of course WIFI 6 with good connectivity
         If possible gig port for future update.
         I can spare up to $200.

         Please advise.

         Thanks in advance for your help.

         Reply

         • I have nothing for you with that budget, Sai. Maybe you should start with this post.

           Reply

113. Hi Dong,

     I just came across your site and wanted to say Thank you for your fantastic reviews and content – the Pinterest charts by GHz and Wifi5/6 client was particularly interesting.

     I was prepared to pay the equivalent of USD$933 for a Netgear Orbi RBK852 (and place the satellite directly above the room where my desk is (1st floor, 50ft from main router through 1 ceiling and 2 cavity walls) where I imagine it will be seldomly used BUT then I came across your site and would happily pay considerably less for an ASUS RT-AX88U based on your content/reviews.

     THE question I have for you is – which router (router software) would give me greater control of ensuring that only my desk wifi5 5Ghz client/adapter connects to the main router (or would I benefit from connecting to the satellite being in the room above me) only?

     I have immediate need for a mesh network per se however if I can operate the main Netgear router as the primary/standalone device because it delivers greater performance vs line of sight of the Asus… I would be prepared to pay more for the best hardware I can afford to deliver 1) the best performance at the distance I am sat at for working from home 2) Futureproofed for at least 3 years before having to consider upgrading again.

     The max I can get in my area is FTTC 350mb/20mb internet connection into a Linksys EA6350 router and 22 devices on 2.4GHz SSID (however only 11-15 at any one time), I recently purchased a TP-Link Archer TU9H AC1900 USB Adapter for my desk which is line of sight 10 metres / 32 ft away in the same room as the Linksys and get between 90-175 MB download and 37 MB down on the one device connected to my 5 Ghz Wifi5 client/adapter.

     At peak times, there could be 11 Wifi5 clients connecting at 2.4Ghz and I have it setup that I am the only 5Ghz Wifi5 client but I am not getting the best speeds…

     Linksys EA6350 has device prioritization and I can pick and choose which clients go on which network/SSID. Also I think understand that MiMO techology surpasses this allowing the router to control bandwidth by data type/spatiality but am I being dumb when I assume it has the intelligence to serve its bandwidth over a single SSID and the router software decides whether to put that device on 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz? If so, which device would allow me to override this function?

     Last question, do you know of any AX adapters USB3.0/USB C?

     Thank you,

     Anoop.

     Reply

     • You have loaded questions, Anoop. There’s no software for controlling which band on the client-side, but you can do that by segmenting your network, i.e. having multiple networks. For example, you can turn on the 5GHz Guest network, make it intranet accessible, and use that only for whichever client etc. (More here). Check out this post for Wi-Fi 6 adapter (No USB yet, but you can probably make one.) There’s no user-accessible for MIMO (you can only turn it on or off). I’d recommend you start with this post (and related ones.)

       Reply

       • Thanks for answering them all though !!

         I ended up following your links and found there is now an Intel AX210NGW WiFi 6E Card an upgrade to the AX200NGW WiFi 6 Card.

         I’ve ordered 11 of them and they’re set to arrive from China the week before Christmas; hopefully by that time there should be a 6Ghz WiFi 6E router available to purchase.

         Reply

         • 👍

           Reply

114. Hi Dong, awesome reviews~

     I wanna ask if I can get the Netgear RAX50 for $200 or ASUS RT-AX82U for $250, what are your thoughts?

     My house isn’t multi level tho

     Reply

     • Definitely the RT-AX82U, Ivan. It’s a $50 well-spent.

       Reply

       • Thanks for the incredible response~

         I am currently using Synology RT2600ac and I’m loving the customization! I was thinking to upgrade to WiFi 6

         Would this be an upgrade worth going for?

         Reply

         • Yes, totally, Ivan. Too bad Synology hasn’t released any Wi-Fi 6 routers yet.

           Reply

     • I am currently using Synology RT2600ac and I’m loving the customization! I was thinking to upgrade to WiFi 6

       Reply

     • Dong,

       Thank you for this post…and all the other reviews you do for all the new HW that is coming out. Really helps us stay current and make the right buying decisions.

       I am looking for a WiFi 6 Router that has multi gig WAN and multi gig LAN ports. I live in a small home; so my current WiFi coverages is fine; I just want to upgrade to WiFi 6 technology to get the most out of my fiber connection into the house.

       Do I need to look for a device with 2 multi gig ports…or can I make 1 multi gig port work and give me the full speed of my connection (Using Google Fiber and getting ready for the 2GB upgrade they are rolling out).

       My house is wired; so if I need a wired backhaul; I can do that. Just not sure what router to get.

       Any advise you have would be welcomed.

       Thank you Dong,

       -JJ

       Reply

       • The only routers right now with two Multi-Gig ports are the Asus RT-AX89X and the Zyxel G5. I’m reviewing a third one which is coming up soon. If you’re going to get 2Gbps broadband, multiple Multi-Gig ports are a must. Whether or not you need that kind of speed is a different story.

         Reply

       • @Dong Ngo,

         Thanks for the quick reply. I am with you on whether or not I really need that kind of speed, I am really just trying to future proof myself as much as possible, and limit multiple HW purchases. I an in the market for a new Router, so I figured it would be best to get something that will support my WAN speed as much as possible inside the home network.

         Really appreciate the feedback and your site…you help all of us solve issues that we all face with HW and networking

         Thanks again,

         -JJ

         Reply

115. Hi Dong and Happy Thanksgiving,
     Will make this short as possible. Am in need of a new router. We have a 7 yr old Netgear and we own our modem. Just my wife and me (6 devices) and occasional guests. Our home is 1917 sq. ft. Single level. Also, Ring doorbell, two security cameras (Wyze) and a 50 inch Samsung television. Will be purchasing an Echo Show, soon.
     Have read your articles and wish I understood everything you speak of. I was, apparently, born in the wrong generation for grasping technology quickly.
     We’re interested in security and are willing to spend, reasonably, to upgrade. I went to my local electronics store and received no help at all.
     What would you recommend for our home?

     Reply

     • I can’t give a specific recommendation, Doug, but you can start with the RT-AX86U. After that, follow this post IF you have connection issuess with your IoT (Ring, Zyze, etc.) devices. If your Netgear has worked out somewhat, this new router will make things much better. Happy Thanksgiving and good luck!

       Reply

       • Thanks, Dong. I appreciate your time and help.

         Reply

116. Dong – I’m moving into a 600+ Unit 2-bedroom, 1,100 sf apartment. Only can get cox so thinking of getting gigablast 940 up/ 940 down over premium 150/10 since I have a 4K tv and do lots of video conferencing. What router do you suggest? The rep at abt recommended the new eero pro 6 for $229. Thoughts?

     Reply

     • Which is why you should never listen to a sale rep, Jordan. Any on this list will be much better than the eero Pro 6, which I reviewed here. I’d recommend one of the Asus RT-AX8xU.

       Reply

       • thanks Dong!

         Reply

117. Hi Dong,

     I have been using a Netgear AC1450 since 2013 and it’s finally dying and I can’t figure out what the best way to replace it would be. Due to the layout of my house and work flows going on I only really care about the ability for multiple simultaneous low-latency connections(virtualized work machines + kids gaming) and long range(terrible cable placement and want a connection to the backyard). Pure throughput is irrelevant because it is unlikely the cable connection to the house will ever be upgraded beyond it’s current 1 Gb/s speeds. Since I will most likely use the router for the foreseeable future I want a Wi-Fi 6 router for the better multi-device support/ future proofing.

     I was wondering what would you suggest knowing that the Ac1450 reaches about 80% of the distance I was hoping before I can no longer stream video.
     I like Netgear because of their reliability and their no-nonsense software, but it looks like I would need a RA120 which is about 100$ more than I was hoping to spend. Am I over compensating on the range behalf? Would the RA80/45 be plenty? I don’t really want to go to a cheaper mesh setup like the nighthawk mesh because most of the computers are in the same area so I am afraid of a cheap satellite causing a lag bottleneck especially (currently) with mainly wi-fi 5 devices. The TP-link Deco X90 looks promising range/ performance wise for much cheaper than the Orbi setup, but sadly it’s not out. Would a single Ubiquiti AmpliFi Alien be enough or would you rather suggest the router plus mesh? I’ve been kind of avoiding mentioning Asus routers because I really don’t want to deal with buggy/inconsistent firmware, but you seem to suggest them a lot so I would be interested in if you think the RT86U or the RT88U would work well?

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • Check out this post, Nathan. https://dongknows.com/how-to-pick-the-best-wi-fi-router-for-your-home/. And then, don’t be cheap! 🙂

       Reply

       • I think I got overzealous writing my question and thus mislead you, because I have already read that and didn’t find my answer there, lol. My bad.

         So telling you the layout of my house is pointless/ a fool’s errand, I understand. So, I was wondering if you know what kind of coverage the Netgear Ac1450 is supposed to have using today’s numbers, so I can buy the next tier up. The only documentation I can find just says extreme range. I have no idea what that means. Is it supposed to cover 2500 sq ft, 3500? I don’t know. All I know is that it has six internal antennas and their marketing materials say the range bar is completely filled.

         Also I never meant I would cheap out, but I will never have more than 1 gigabit speed and I don’t use a nas so I have little purpose for a $700 multi-gigabit capable router. In addition, it has been seven years so I probably just didn’t realize how much the tier pricing has changed. 7 years ago Iphones used to be 300, now they’re a thousand.

         Lastly I am confused about how the number of streams a router has will affect performance. Do I need as many streams as people concurrently using a virtual machine/gaming, so each person can have their own stable Mu-mimo channel? Do I need double for a fast enough signal for each person? Or is it all marketing?

         Thank you for taking the time to respond. It’s astonishing how few good review sites there are for one of the most important pieces of tech in everyone’s households.

         Reply

         • No problem, Nathan. There’s no way to know for sure how much space a router can cover. That depends a lot on the place itself. More on Wi-Fi range (and other things) in this post (it’s a long one but you can use the Table of Content). As for Wi-Fi streams, you can read about that (and more) in this post on Wi-Fi basics. For your home, chances are you’ll need multiple broadcasters, if so this post on mesh will help.

           Reply

           • Those were quite informative, thank you for the help!

             Just a clarification question on the wifi range article. If I understand it correctly Wi-Fi pretty much has a set range for the standard that no commercial home router will surpass. If so, what is the difference between non-mesh routers that companies say are for small to medium houses vs large houses. Is it just the amount of devices/bandwidth they were designed for? Or did I misunderstand. Consequently does that mean that the best Wi-Fi router from ten years ago will have the same signal strength/range of the best Wi-Fi router today?

             Second followup question on the Wi-Fi basics article since it hasn’t been Wi-Fi 6. Has Mu-MiMo expanded past four devices in 6? I see some companies advertising 8 stream Mu-MiMo, is that 8 devices or just 4 devices with 2×2 connections?

             Lastly a question about mesh.(I promise this is my last question). Sadly I can’t do a wired backhaul, so of the tri-band mesh routers (that are available in a two pack) which one has the the most reliable/lowest latency backhaul setup for “gaming”, since you mentioned in the range article that is where mesh might suffer the most. Secondly if a device was situated between a satellite and the base, will it automatically connect to the base or is there a way to specify a preference, such as if the base was providing slower throughput but lower latency. I would hope it’s not a black box with no configurability, but i don’t have experience with mesh networks only range extenders.

             Again, thank you so much for your help and experience!

           • You seem to have skimped through them, Nathan. Else you’d have noted the link to the Wi-Fi 6 within the post. But here it is you’ll find MU-MIMO in there, and when you’re at it, here’s the post on Wi-Fi 6E. This post talk sabout bandwidth etc. There’s no Wi-Fi that can be great for gaming. But just get the best possible one. More on that here. Again, take your time. There’s no short answers to your questions. You have to understand things yourself. 🙂

           • Yep, I definitely missed that. I read it on mobile and skimmed to the relevant MiMo section and didn’t remember reading you address Wifi6 above. My bad. I was hoping that maybe you had some intuition on how much overhead from various mesh backends add to your ping or if you had compared ping of a local NAS for standardized testing or something, but yeah no wireless solution is perfect. That pretty much answers all my questions other than the question of range/what a modern equivalent would be of my old Netgear AC1450 in terms of range. But I can always just return my purchase if it is too limited.
             Thank you for all the help! and have a good day.

           • Sure, Nathan. You, too.

118. Dong, I have read through the post and I wanted to know what you would suggest for my situation. I have a 2500 sf ranch with a basement. In the basement I have my modem and router to run my Control 4, receiver, and Sonos amp for my TV and speakers around my house. I have 4 kids using the internet, along with my wife and I. I was looking the RT- AX86U as an option because I have 207 mbps upstairs and 227 mbps downstairs on my Comcast modem router combo so it doesn’t seem like I lose a lot. I would like to replace that with my own modem and router, so I don’t pay rental fees. However you suggested to someone else the ZenWiFi AX or a 2-pack Asus RT-AX92U for a multiple level house. I was looking at the mesh routers originally but I don’t want to lose any speed because of the satellite router. So I was thinking maybe a really good single router is the best. I was hoping to send between $200-300, and $400 at the most. Please advise. Thanks

     Reply

     • I can’t really give you any specific advice, Bryan, since I’m not there. You should check out this post, instead.

       Reply

119. Hi Dong, thanks for the informative reviews. I currently live in a 3 story home that’s roughly 1500 square feet. I have an R7000 in a top floor bedroom corner – I know this is not ideal, but I don’t have the ability to move it to the center at this time. I am trying to get a stronger signal in the middle floor, and especially the basement. I have a 980~mbps down connection, and although my devices my not get this I’m trying to improve signal strength and connection speeds. If I were to jump into an RT-AX86U, do you think that will be sufficient? Or would you recommend a aimesh or other mesh system? Any recommendations are highly appreciated. Hardwiring unfortunately is not an option.

     Reply

     • Get the ZenWiFi AX, Mike. Or a 2-pack Asus RT-AX92U. Also, don’t expect that speed on any device.

       Reply

120. Hey Dong! I’m moving into an 1800 sq/ft, two story home with four bedrooms and I’m wondering if the Asus RT-AX86U would be a good option for me or if I should look into a mesh system. There is no Ethernet wiring throughout the house so it would have to be a tri band mesh I assume. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

     Reply

     • It’ll work great, Connor. Place it as close to the center as possible.

       Reply

121. HI,

     Thanks for the great reviews, especially the one on the latest EERO Pro 6. I think that I will be looking at an ASUS AX XT8 or Orbi 852 instead. Expensive, but looking for a bit of future proofing when I buy.

     I am looking to upgrade my ISP service, and have Verizon FIOS fiber to the house. However, the ONT is outside the house, and (because I also get cable TV from them), Verizon uses the cable interface out of the ONT. Which Verizon then cross connects (still on the outside the house) to the Cox cable coax that was there previously. So, no outdoor ethernet cable in place. Thoughts?

     I can’t find a balun that would let me utilize the existing coax run into the house, nor have any idea what the maximum throughput over cable would be.

     The existing service terminates via coax to an ActionTec device (supplied and purchased from Verizon). The Action Tec device is also my wireless network for the house. Wondering if I have to ditch the existing ActionTec device, buy a new one from Verizon, or if there is something else on the market.

     Thanks

     Reply

     • You might be able to relace that ActionTec device with one of your own, Howard. I don’t know which one to recommend since I don’t know what the current one actually is. But in that regard, check out this post on how to replace a cable gateway. But if replacing the ActionTec is not an option you can check out this post for other options.

       Reply

       • Thanks for the quick reply. The device is an ActionTec MI424EWR Rev 1. I actually bought this from Verizon, so its a “replace only if I have to” item.

         I would have commented “its paid for itself” in terms of avoiding rental payments, but more realistically its really a “its prevented them from taking more money from me…” thing.

         Reply

122. Good Morning Dong,

     While I have read your list here, I am still struggling on what I should be going to. My house is 3 levels @ 3500 sq ft excluding a finished basement, the current airport extreme sits literally dead centre of the house in the basement rafters to provide the best coverage. The house is fully wired, but I don’t believe I need a MESH setup right now but want to leave options open. I couldn’t find a comparable review for the DIR-X5460, which I was considering. I had looked at Alien, but my privacy is important to me on the network. Do you have any thoughts on this router type?
     Thanks,
     Jim

     Reply

     • That’s most definitely not “dead center” of the house, James. The same spot on the first or second-floor would be more like it. The X5460 is likely similar to the ax1500, you might want to avoid it. So, try one on this list here. Also, if you can’t move your router from the current location, consider getting a dual-band mesh with wired backhaul.

       Reply

123. Hi Dong,

     Excellent article. I just updated my home to gigabit internet and looking to upgrade my router as my old ac68u isn’t cutting it anymore. I have a medium sized house with 3 floors and lots of walls but don’t think I need mesh. Between the RT-AX86U and the GT-AX11000 , which one would you recommend? Is the Tri-Band the best option?

     Also, for connecting to the modem to the router, is it much faster to bridge the port?

     Thanks for your help and your great site!

     Reply

     • First of all, Howard, don’t expect Gigabit Internet on any device. As for a mesh, get a dual-band set if you have wired your home. If not a tri-band is a must. Your question of modem/router is a bit vague. You should start with this post to know which is which at least between modem, router, and gateway.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong,

         So if I don’t want to do mesh, would you suggest going tri-band over the ax86u?

         Thanks

         Reply

124. Hi Dong,

     I currently have a Dlink 868l (more than 3 years old) which is due for replacement.

     I recently read your article “Why It’s (Still) OK to Delay Upgrading Your Home to Wi-Fi 6” and was quite keen on the Asus RT-AC86U. However, price-wise, it is similar to the Asus RT-AX58U or TP-Link AX50 .

     Currently I have about 10 devices, with only 1 wifi 6 client. As for coverage, the room furthest from the router has a dead zone (just barely), which I supplement with an extender.

     I was hoping the better range of the AC86U would eliminate my need for the extender. Are the newer routers able to match the range of the AC86U? And given the similar pricing, do you think it would make sense to get either of the wifi 6 routers instead, and if so, which one?

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • Those Wi-Fi 6 routers you mentioned are mid-tiers and they are inferior to the RT-AC86U in terms of range and speed, Joe. I’d go with the Asus.

       Reply

125. I’m still using the latest gen airport extreme as my wifi access point (bridge mode). It’s centrally located in my house so all rooms have a good connection except my garage which is the only weak spot. I’m looking at the TPLink Archer AX50 to replace my airport extreme. I would only be using it as an access point like I am now with my airport extreme. I’m wondering if the range would improve at all with the Archer AX50 or any new router for that matter over my old airport extreme? Thanks.

     Reply

     • The short answer is yes, Ryan, but whether or not it can reach your garage depends on a lot of things.

       Reply

126. Hi all. After reading a few articles and comments on Dong’s site I pulled the trigger and bought the Netgear Nighthawk 6 mesh system. I bought the router and 2 satellite package and ultimately found out that I only need the router and a single satellite. Now I’m stuck with an extra satellite. A friend offered to buy it but I can’t find the router for sale outside of a package deal. Does anyone know what router this satellite can pair with and where I can get it? And just to be clear the wifi signal in my house (a Faraday cage!) has never been better. Thanks!

     Reply

     • For now, it only works with an MR60 router, Marv. Going forward there might be more, but that’ll going to be a while.

       Reply

       • Thanks for the reply. I am not a fan of e-bay but that is the only site that seems to sell the MR60 by itself without satellites. Does anyone know where I can purchase just the MR60 router? Thanks!

         Reply

127. Hi,
     Please help me choose a router among these models: Linksys MR9600, Velop MX5300, ASUS XT8, AX88U.
     All these models have nearly the same price. The apartment is around 170m2. No one play online game at home.

     Reply

     • Check out this post first, Hank. Then if you can live with just a single router, get the RT-AX88U, if not, then a 2-pack XT8 will do. Good luck!

       Reply

128. Love your reviews Dong! Found a very interesting Costco exclusive TP-Link AX3200 Tri-Band router and was wondering if you had any thoughts. Couldn’t find it on the TP-Link site.

     https://www.costco.com/tp-link-archer-ax3200-wi-fi-6-tri-band-mu-mimo-router.product.100697042.html

     Reply

     • It looks like a cheap AX router. I’d avoid this type of “exclusive” router. Get a general version instead, like the AX50. https://dongknows.com/tp-link-archer-ax50-review/

       Reply

       • Mind if I ask what makes it cheap? A tri-band Wifi 6 router with a quad core processor and decent amount of ports seems like a really good deal at this price point.

         Reply

         • I don’t know what makes it cheap, Joe, but it *seems* that way. If you want to know for sure, get it to find out.

           Reply

129. Mr. Ngo,
     Based on your reviews and my experience/expectations of routers, I bought the ASUS RT-AX86U. Thank you for recommending a solid router that replaced a 5th Gen AirPort Extreme Base Station. I was torn between the ASUS 86 and the Ubiquiti AmpliFi Alien and due to cost I went w/ the ASUS. Aesthetically speaking the 86U is no where in the same league as the Alien and much props to the design engineers at Ubiquity. The 86U is everything you want in a router, you hook it up in minutes(don’t forget to keep the same Wifi Network name and password) and enjoy seamless uninterrupted internet. I did also buy the Motorola MB8600 modem to go along with my new router. Dong will the RT-AX86U be making the technological jump to WiFi 6e with firmware updates if the hardware supports it?

     Reply

     • No, Steven. You’ll need to get a new router (and new clients) entirely. More here.

       Reply

130. Hello Dong!

     What are your thoughts between the AX86U and AX88U? There is a $50 difference. Does the 88U give me anything more than the 86U? More range, stability, etc?

     Thanks so much

     Reply

     • About the same range but the 86 has Multi-Gig and overall better experience. It has fewer LAN ports, though.

       Reply

       • Thanks Dong! If both were the same price, would you go for the 86U or the 88?

         Much appreciated

         Reply

         • I have both, Brandon. You need to pick one yourself, the reviews help. 🙂

           Reply

131. Dong, thank you so much for giving so much of your time and energy in preforming these tests and the write ups! I have used your guide several times to help colleagues pick the right router for their situation. I was curious if you could offer a spreadsheet to help quickly filter features & performance and narrow choices? Thanks again for sharing all your hard work.

     Reply

     • You’re welcome, Doug. And no, I don’t have such a spreadsheet to share.

       Reply

132. I bought an Asus RT-AX89X in April and thought it the best thing I had ever used–for about two months until it started losing any network (wifi or lan) connections (or even visible SSID, no networking at all, wired or otherwise). Initially it required a restart to come back, and happened about once a week. Buy the end of June it was every ten minutes.

     I sent it to ASUS for warranty repair in early July. It took weeks to get them to send a RMA. A week after they received it they contacted me and said it couldn’t be repaired and told me I would be contacted about a replacement. I heard nothing in the remainder of July or August. Late August I began pestering ASUS. I had to buy another router because of the delay… Promises of a replacement have been made twice, but no router has come. And they refuse to send me another equivalent router. Rough working with them.

     Now I’m promised reimbursement. I don’t know if they’re even still making the RT-AX89X. It seems to have had many hardware issues. Which is too bad, because it was an awesome router with two 10GB ports, two USB ports and eight regular ethernet ports.

     Long story to get to my question. Is anything out there even nearly as capable as the router I bought in May? Anything on the horizon?

     Thanks for any help.

     Reply

     • Ah, I hate that when it happens. Sorry to hear, David. Mine has been working fine so far (knock on wood.) As far as I know, it’s still the only one that’s with two 10 Gbps ports.

       Reply

133. Hello again dong. I am having a hard time deciding based on your buying guide. All of them look good but I don’t wanna spend more than I have to.

     Question for you. Is the ax86u worth the extra 100 over the tp link AX50?

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • Totally, David. Get it!

       Reply

134. Hi Dong

     I live in a 2500 square foot house but half of it is two levels and the other is off the back so the layout is longer. I have a R6400v2 router and an extender but the coverage is still poor along with a huge drop of in speed when we move away from the signal. And I don’t have any way of using wired connections. We only have 150mbs of speed although I am considering increasing to 500mb. I think any of these systems would be a huge improvement but my budget is $300 so I am leaning towards the X60.
     My question is around the drop of of speed with distance. Will 150mb speed be reduced much using either the X60 or MK63? And is one of these better than the other when the download speed is on the lowerside already and coverage is a priority? Thanks in advance!

     Reply

     • If you want faster than 150 Mbps, you need a tri-band, Marco. The systems you mentioned will work but they only work best if you have wired your home.

       Reply

135. Hello.

     I am needing a new router that would be good to use for work and also gaming/streaming. I will only have 2 hard line connections and the rest of my house will be WiFi. I have an 1800 sqft home and the modem/router will be in the master bedroom on one end of the house.

     WiFi range and speed/stability are important to me. I currently am signed up with cox preferred plan (350mbps I believe don’t quote me).

     My budget is 150 or less. Currently I like the AX50 by TP-Link I think that’s the model number. But any other options would you recommend with my needs/budget?

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • You won’t find one with that budget, David.

       Reply

       • what would you recommend then say under 200… or am i still way off budget wise.

         Thanks sir!

         Reply

136. Hi Dong!

     Thanks so much for the no-fluff and really informative content. It is greatly appreciated!

     I currently have a Netgear R7300 that seems to be failing (it is about 3 years old). I’ve tried reloading firmware and more or less anything I can think of, but the WiFi is almost completely unresponsive now and even cabled connections are starting to slow dramatically.

     I have a reasonably large house (over 3k sq/ft) and have the router in the center of the house underneath a wood floor. It’s actually done a fine job of reaching outdoor Nest cameras, doorbels, etc. I haven’t had any issues until it started to fail.

     We have gigabit internet and I’d like to take advantage of it and get better speeds if possible. I’m not as concerned with budget as I am with performance and a degree of future proofing.

     We stream all of our TV content and both myself and my wife WFH full time so we are on VPN’s all day. We have a fairly large number of devices connected total (27) about half via WiFi.

     I was considering the AX12 just for sheer performance but am concerned about range. I was also looking at the AX5400 is it just seems like a WiFi6 version of what I have now and seems to have more range.

     I’m curious what you think and if you’d be willing to make any recommendations.

     Thank you!

     Reply

     • Go with the Asus RT-AX86U, JD, or the RT-AX88U. But any AX5400 or higher-end on this list will do.

       Reply

       • Hello again Dong!

         Thank you for the amazingly fast reply.

         I may be in a situation where I have to replace my router tomorrow. Unfortunately the AX86U is not available to me locally and would take 1-2 days to get here, although I may try and hold out.

         Locally the best I can do from Netgear is the AX12 or AX5400. From Asus the only one available is the AC3100.

         If I can manage to hold out and get the AX86U I will definitely be using your affiliate link!

         Thanks again!

         Reply

137. @Dong, I am trying to decide between the Asus RT-AC86U and the RT-AX86U. Currently I have a Netgear AC2400/R6800 and its 5 GHz signal is a tiny bit weak at the corner of the house. 99% of my devices are Wifi 5. From your Wifi 5 and Wifi 6 router performance charts, it appears that AC86U has better speed at longer range (40 ft) than the AX86U?

     Does the AC86U have better range/coverage than the AX86U for Wifi 5 clients?

     Reply

     • The RT-AX86U is a much better router than the RT-AC86U but only if you have Wi-Fi 6 clients or need multi-gig speeds. Their ranges are similar. If you have mostly Wi-Fi 5 clients and sub-Gigabit Internet, go with the latter.

       Reply

138. Hi Dong,

     I love your site! It’s so hard to find practical reviews without the fluff on other review sites.

     I could use your help with my wifi-6 upgrade plans.

     Here’s my scenario:
     Large home, 4200sf, but over 4 floors. Every room in the house is wired with CAT5e. Gigabit FiOS modem and single wifi router in the basement, 24-port switch.
     I’m thinking to buy two higher-end wifi 6 routers, using one as an access point, placed more centrally (2nd floor ceiling), in order to have a single SSID throughout.
     Seems like Asus would be best, although Netgear’s UI has always seemed easier.
     Do I need tri-band? (I have a mix of clients)
     Do I need multi-gig port? (I have one NAS device)
     I’m not a gamer, but have 20+ devices (7 people in the home)
     Not planning on tweaking, just want strong signals over 4 floors.

     Thanks so much for your time!

     Reply

     • Check out this post, Moshe. Generally, get a few dual-band AiMesh routers. Like the RT-AX86U and a set of ZenWiFi AX Mini will work well. Also, don’t expect Gigabit speed on your end device, it likely won’t happen.

       Reply

       • Hi Dong,

         Thanks again! Two more quick questions:

         If I have a mix of wifi5 and wifi6 clients, don’t I need the 2.4GHz band?

         Also, is using AiMesh with wired backhaul better for seamless handoff compared with using an AP?

         Reply

         • I don’t understand your question about the 2.4 GHz band, Moshe. It’s irrelevant. And yes for the 2nd question.

           Reply

139. Hi Dong,

     Great website. I’m a fan now. I live in Lima, Peru and my apartment is long and narrow with thick concrete walls. The place is prone to very weak/dead zones. I just upgraded to 1 Gbps of internet and am looking to build a new wifi network possibly mesh so that my equipment will be better up to speed with what I’m paying for. Any particular suggestions for these concrete walls? Thanks

     Reply

     • Happy to have you here, David. Thick walls are always problematic. You should think about running a network cable and get a dual-band system using wired backhaul.

       Reply

       • Running a network cable isn’t going to be an option given the odd configurations of our apartment and since we’re renters. Given that, what would be my best wifi options? I’m done and need to move on from these apple airport and airport extreme. You’ve opened my eyes to a new world.

         Reply

         • That depends on how your rental is, David. Check out this post, maybe it’ll make the “new world” even wider. 🙂

           Reply

140. Hi Dong,

     I am in a 2,900 sq. ft house, currently using a Netgear nighthawk x6 in the front of the house (lower level) and a Netgear ex8000 extender upstairs in the middle of the home. They are connected via wifi, no Hardline connection between the two. The nighthawk x6 is connected to my comcast xfinity gig internet box (with its own wifi turned off). I do have Sonos speakers throughout the house using the 2.4 channel i assume.

     I’m looking to improve speed and stability throughout the home for 30+ devices, including 4 people needing to use Zoom simultaneously.

     I could potentially hardwire a line to the other side of the 1st floor for an AP over there, I don’t have one currently. 2nd floor is difficult due to firebreaks between levels.

     I’m curious to know what you’d recommend i do to improve consistent speed and performance with my gig internet.

     Should i start a new system (wifi coverage isn’t an issue currently)? Looking to spend under $1,000 to improve total home speeds. I have been drawn to your write-ups on the new ASUS wifi 6 systems.

     Thanks for any help you can provide.

     Reply

     • Kevin,

       Wireless setup is never good for real-time communication. And using an extender as you’re right now is the worst. That said:

       1. Try to run network cables. If you can then just get a dual-band mesh system that supports wired backhaul. Things like the ZenWiFi XD4 or a couple of RT-AX86U (or similar) will do.
       2. If you must go wireless, get a tri-band system, like a couple of GT-AX11000, the ZenWiFi AX, or the Orbi RBK852.

       After that, it’s a good idea to turn QoS on appropriately.

       Reply

141. hi dong.. am planning to setup AiMesh on currently used AC66U B1 with AX56.

     care to advise which one should i set as the main router?

     Reply

     • The latter, Tara. It’s better if you have a cable to connect the two since both are quite modest routers.

       Reply

       • Well noted dong.. AX56 it is then.. yes, i’ve already set the wire up.. thanks for the advice! ^^

         Reply

142. Still torn on which router 6 to go with. I need reliability, speed. I do IT work. So i have multiple computers running, downloading etc. What do you suggest i buy and future proof?

     Reply

     • Check back in a bit for my upcoming review, Derek. I think you’ll like that one. And most of the routers mentioned here will likely work out, too.

       Reply

       • Ok when is that review coming?

         Reply

         • Soon. 🙂

           Reply

       • Is this the AX86U that you just reviewed today?

         Reply

         • You’re ahead of me, Mike. I’ll update this post soon.

           Reply

143. Thanks Dong,

     Have you found the buggy firmware and inconsistent WiFi speeds to be an issue at this stage? Has firmware updates fixed those issues since your last full review on the GT-AX11000? Also, does this router have 160MHz Channel Support? I could not find that info in the review.

     Again thanks for your quick response and your reviews are much appreciated for those of us who are knowledgeable about IT, but not good enough to play in your sandbox :)!

     Bernard

     Reply

     • I bought the GT-AX11000 a couple months ago and have not noticed any problems or inconsistent speeds.

       Reply

144. Hi Dong,

     I have been waiting to get my hands on the Asus RT-AX89X. I like all the features that it has including the 160MHz Channel support, the multi gig ports, and the number of LAN ports. I will be moving soon into a 3200 sq ft home, so I need a router than can cover a house that size, I will have devices like smart lights, and several other smart home devices including smart TVs for streaming content such as Netflix. More than 2 dozen connected devices. I will have 400 Mb Internet, but may bump that up to the 1 Gb service. My question is, what other router would you recommend with the availability of the AX89X being what it is? I looked at your articles over and over and even looked at the full reviews on some models, and I was able to ignore the cons of the AX89X, but somehow I find it hard to ignore the cons on the other routers. I want to wait for the AX89X to become available, but there is no telling what that will happen. What’s your recommendation on the next best WiFi 6 router out there?

     Thanks.

     Reply

     • You can get the GT-AX11000, Bernard. I’ve been using one and it’s great.

       Reply

145. Hi, I’ve been trying to decide between the tp-link ax10, tp-link ax50, and the netgear ac2000 (r6850). I don’t have many wifi 6 devices in the household but I was thinking that getting a wifi 6 router would be better for future proofing. I know they all have MU-MIMO so it will handle many devices better. An important aspect for me as well is reliability and ease of setup. When I looked at reviews for the netgear ac2000 (r6850) some people had some difficulty setting it up. There were also some reviews that the tp-link ax50 ran hot sometimes. Even if the theoretical bandwith of the tp-link ax50 is higher than the tp-link ax10, I feel like my internet provided by my ISP is not fast enough to take full advantage of the higher theoretical bandwith of the ax50. Which router would you recommend? Thank you.

     Reply

     • I think you need to understand about a router’s bandwidth, first, bin. So first check out this post, and then this one. You’ll be able to come to the conclusion yourself.

       Reply

146. Promise this is going to be the last question. Even though I don’t have many clients require WI-FI6 support for now, looking closer if RT-AX88U should be me primary and ac3100 secondary/node or vice- versa

     Reply

     • Either is fine, technically, Jarek. Figure out which should be where based on your needs.

       Reply

147. Thank you for your quick response, really appreciate. Even though you have my full trust, something’s ringing in my ears that any time soon AC-3100 will not going to be enough to support repeater you’ve mentioned.At the moment with the ASUS support I can’t get even close to the wired speed, I would rather to spend the $ once and be covered for next 4-6 years as technology advance on the daily basis.

     Reply

     • Nope, you’re right, Jarek. Nothing lasts forever. But what I recommended will work for now. If you want to move to Wi-Fi 6, check out this post.

       Reply

148. Dong. I can’t express how lucky I’m by founding your forum with tons of very valuable information. I would like to ask for your advise similar to the post from May,9. I currently have an Asus AC3100 router serving my 3 level home, which unfortunately is “buried “ in the darkest corner of my basement, whereof FIOS Gigabit connection enter the house.FIOS ONT is connected to the router and from there signal is getting directed to the HP managed switch, which serves all wired connections without a major issue. Problem I have is a WiFi distribution and signal (speed and strength).Up until last week UniFi AP AC PRO served with great success as the main source of WiFi for entire home (approx.40 devices). Works great and reaches all rooms decently, but unfortunately reached out it’s Iife span and entire “load” now has to taking care of by RT-AC3100.I am looking to improve the network and future-proof it with wifi6 compatible with current hardware. I would keep 1 router back where its right now and found placement for second either in the middle of the home or on the 2nd level. The second router will be placed about either 15 up to 40 feet apart separated by a floor. WPA3 support would be good, but not required unless you think I should wait for that feature. I always have 40+ devices connected These devices range from echos, PCs, Macs, apple TVs, multiple apple phones and multiple smart TVs, home security system, home security camera system etc. I utilize about 3TB of data a month on my cable internet. It would be great to be able to achieve max. speeds consistently through my router.

     I want to stay with Asus (I like their firmware support and user interface) and am hoping to continue utilizing my existing hardware (AC3100) Unless you convince me to exit the AC3100 I can create wired backhaul and I do consider the cost, but this would not be a critical factor. about cost of the new router(s). I do want the new router to continue to have the same features included in the AC3100 (such as QOS and Parental controls). What would you suggest I do? Performance and features are what I am looking for.

     Reply

     • Glad to have you, Jarek. Looks like your have your entire house wired, in that case, you only need an access point. Keep your RT-AC3100 and get the RP-AC1900 or the TP-Link EAP245. The latter is a bit cheaper and works better, but it will require a bit more work. Either will allow your network to be controlled by the router.

       Reply

149. Dong,
     Have you run any vpn client speedtesting to compare between units? I am looking at upgrading my AC88U with it’s dual core 1.4ghz proc to the AX6000 and it’s quad core goodness. Currently my max speed on the AC88U is around 5MB/s on a good day but averaging less than 3MB/s of speed. Not sure if you have already done that or would consider adding that as a recordable dataset when comparing these units.

     Thanks in advance!

     Reply

     • No, Olin. When it comes to VPN, I only test it to the extent of if that works or not. I can’t test EVERYTHING on a router, unfortunately.

       Reply

150. I finally received my AX11000 today. I started from scratch and made the AX11000 the main router and the AC3100 a node. I have a couple issues I’m hoping for commentary on so I don’t have to re-invent the wheel. My AC3100 was superb with stability and i’m hoping to achieve the same with the mesh.
     I’ve had it twice drop connectivity with multiple devices at the same time and am trying to tweak the settings to ensure stability and performance.

     I have some additional questions…
     1. I used to reboot the AC3100 for good measure once a week. I think that will be a good idea with the new setup to reboot both nodes. Any input you have on how to reboot both nodes and in the best order. I see you can set a reboot schedule, but am unsure if it will just reboot the one node or both since you can’t specify.
     2. Roaming Assistant under the wireless professional tab…. I had this turned off on my AC3100, but should it be on and what dBm should I set it to (default -70dBM)
     3. I found one of the keys to connection stability for all my devices on the AC3100 was turning off “airtime fairness”. (it made a huge difference) I have done the same on the new setup, but it leads to a general question about the “Professional” tab under wireless settings. Any chance you have done or would do a write-up for you thoughts on each of the professional tab settings in an aimesh network? Would love to get your opinions.

     Reply

     • The restart schedule generally will restart just the router, Bob, however it’ll force the node to reconnect which is has similar effect. I’m some combo the node will restart, too, but I can’t confirm yours.

       Yes, it’s a good idea to have ATF off. It’s a bit if a neglected feature. You can read more about dBM in this post. https://dongknows.com/asus-aimesh-overview/

       Reply

151. Thanks, I just bought an AX88U too and I’ll do a little comparison with the TPLink to see which is the best for our home

     Reply

152. Hi Dong, on your recommendation I have purchased a new TPLink AX6000 router, but am still trying to figure out the best setup. My current router, an ASUS AC87R is great, but is located centrally, but in the basement of a two story house. I have a pretty rectangular home and wired for ethernet in a few places on each floor. Currently we have a weaker signal near our garage/front door and we would like to add some wireless doorbell/cameras. I was thinking I could either a) keep the AC87R as a router and turn off the wireless AP, then run the new AX6000 on the first floor or b) run the AX6000 in the basement and then run the AC87R as an AP on the second floor above the garage/front-door. Any easy way to evaluate which scenario would be better. Do you recommend any sort of heat mapping software for Android or OSX?. Thanks!

     Reply

     • You just need to try different scenarios out and see which works best for you, Ross. There’s no software or app that can really help with that. Also, keep in mind that Wi-Fi doesn’t remain the same, it changes depending on the environment. More on that here. In your case, it’s better to use BOTH router’s Wi-Fi, just use the same Wi-Fi network and password, and yes, one of them in AP mode.

       Reply

153. Well, I bit the bullet and ordered the Asus router.

     Reply

154. Hello, Dong.

     My D-link 890l has been lately been dropping 2,4Ghz occasionally, which sadly drops my Harmony hub, PS4 etc. out and I have to reboot the router. Sometimes it works for a month or two and then it can do the drops weekly… Irritating.

     There’s a sale on network things on one store here now and I’m really looking for a replacement for D-link.
     One thing I want, is to have a good QOS-which would keep things running (gaming, YT and video watching etc.) smoothly.

     I have something like 15 – 20 wireless connections at time, two-storey building with some concrete walls (and floor/ceiling). Range has not been an problem, though.

     First I was really considering buying Netgear XR500 (205€, there’s also XR700 for 295€ but that AD is waste of money), but it seems that DumaOS is slow and quite buggy (though they are readying version 3…)

     Then I got my eyes on Asus RT-AX88U (289€), which seems to have very good hardware, though I don’t have AX-devices and most likely won’t have for a while.

     Cheaper consideration is Netgear R7800 (129€).

     I have tons of gaming consoles (something like 40), but of course just a few of them on WiFi (Wii U, Wii, Xbone, PS4, Switch Lite, a couple of Vitas etc.) Main consoles are wired (XboneX, PS4 Pro, Shield, LG C9 and main computer).

     XR500 has good price and R7800 has even better price 😉
     But I’m still thinking about that AX88U, not because of the Wifi 6 stuff, but more for the capabilities and tinkering possibilities it has… After all, I may enjoy more tweaking and tinkering with network and other things, than then actually gaming! xD

     But most important thing is, that watching streaming videos and gaming at the same time is fluid, because kid can be playing, I may be gaming or watching videos and GF can be watching streaming videos also.

     So, what’s your take? Sorry about the long post, but I wanted to cover it properly…

     Reply

     • Get the Asus, Miika. Your network is long overdue for an upgrade.

       Reply

155. Hey Dong I’m new here too as well as a lot of guys above (or below), I’m in the process of upgrading my internet service from a regular Liberty cable of 100mbps to a optic fiber dedicated line of 1gigabit. I know I need to change my router (right now is an old apple airport express) and I’m deciding of Wifi 5 or Wifi 6. I have a medium apartment in a high rise with all cement walls! (1100 square feet). I’m a bit new at this so I don’t know what means when you mentioned 2X2 or 4X4 clients or any abcXabc !!!! can you help me with guiding me what to look for and explaining what the 2X2 ect… nomenclature
     thanks in advance
     Victor

     Reply

     • Glad to have you here, Victor. I’d recommend you read this post, and then this one when you have time. If you need a quick decision, get one of the tri-band routers on the list, and place it as near the center of your home as possible.

       Reply

156. Hi Dong, thanks for your informative posts! Prior to finding your site, I purchased the Asus GT-AX11000 router.. then, after some shoddy connection issues, I started researching more about Mesh systems (and Asus AIMesh), and that’s when I came across your website. I’m not a gamer, but I do run Autodesk Revit, which warrants the gaming-style PC I built, and BIM 360, which hosts cloud-based 3D Building Information Models, among other things. I am constantly involved in video conferencing while using these programs. I’ve read a lot, but I am having a hard time deciding what to do: return the Asus (stacking another node to use AIMesh seems unnecessarily expensive) and switch to a mesh system? Could it be a settings issue? The router location is definitely a factor, but moving it could pose a bigger issue..

     My router is situated under a steel staircase in an A/V closet, and my main desktop is upstairs, across the house (about 50 feet straight shot through 4 walls and a floor). As I type this, I’m starting to laugh about how ridiculous my expectations might be. I have a ton of systems running on my wifi as well, but some of the major clients are hard-wired through the router inside the AV closet. I have a feeling I need to try moving the router, but I’d like to know if you have any thoughts and/or other recommendations to try before I relocate my modem (i.e. install a new coax run) and/or the router (new cat6 run)?

     Thanks in advance, and I’ll be looking you up when I am making a tech decision from now on!

     -Jason

     Reply

     • Glad to have you here, Jason. Moving the router is a must, you can leave the modem where it is but place the GT out in the open, or you can get another AiMesh router and link to the GT via a wired backhaul. You can find out more about how to set up a router in this post.

       Reply

157. Will you be testing the new Asus AX86u?

     Reply

     • You have to wait and see, Ruvim. 🙂

       Reply

158. Thank you so much. Amazing response! It’s been trial and error here with these various systems. I really wanted the RAX200 to work out but am I missing something with setup on that extender? It seemed to make it worse and I tried a few different configurations. I don’t mind spending some money for strong, fast signals across the home as I have two children doing remote learning, I’m now working from home and my wife operates a small consulting business from home.

     It seems the GT-AX11000 is the genie of routers. If I were to use it with another ASUS router for an AI mesh setup, would that be the best hypothetical setup? It would seem to be about the same price as the RAX200 and the extender. At the moment, though, I’m surprised how well the Velop is working, although I understand its feature set may be more limited. Can I pay you to come to my home?!? 😉

     Reply

     • If you get the GT-AX1100, you can later use another unit or the RT-AX92U to expand the network, Matt. I’ll let you know next time I’m in Texas. 🙂

       Reply

159. Dong – your information and testing is by far the most comprehensive and helpful I’ve found the last three weeks. Even with all this information, I’m struggling to find the best solution for my home. And I’ve been trying a number of WiFi6 devices. My home is two floors – just under 3,000 square feet. The problem — cable connection is in the end room on the second floor, so that’s where my router is located. I have 400 download and it’s consistent to the router. I have about 35-40 devices (lots of IOT stuff) using our network. The old router wasn’t cutting it.

     So I’ve tried the RAX200, the RAX120, the Nest WiFi and now the Velop MX10. RAX200 worked well on the top floor but incredibly slow speeds at the end of the house on the first floor. Tried the new AX8 extender and it seemed to actually slow the whole network down? Tried the RAX120 and it was slower than the RAX200 (I thought it would be a stronger signal).

     ASUS routers are impossible to find now. I am thinking that given my situation, a Mesh setup is probably best. It seems the Netgear extender isn’t really a Mesh network, even with the same SSID. They didn’t seem to hand off traffic as a device moved about the home.

     Right now, the Linksys seems to be the best so far — am I stupid for considering it over the RAX200 and an extender, or waiting to see if I can get a hold of the twi-band ASUS and another ASUS for an AI Mesh setup?

     Thank you so so much for your insight.

     Reply

     • Hold up for an Asus set, Matt. By the time they are available again, they will come with better firmware that makes them more stable anyway. For your, a tri-band system like the ZenWiFi XT8 or CT8 will take care of it. Alternatively, if you could run a cable to the middle of the house and place a router there instead, a single router will probably.

       Reply

160. Hello, I am new to the site. I love the information. Sadly I am confused by the two charts. I have a lot of devices connecting via WiFi and a large home with two floors and about 3,500 square feet. We have only one WiFi 6 capable device, an IPhone 11. My internet speed is 1 gbps in theory via a Fios connection so fast. If I am willing to spend a lot for wireless, particularly a mesh system, which mesh system is likely the best investment? I had been leaning towards the Orbi rbk852 system. Is having just one device capable of WiFi 6 a reason to wait? I am willing to spend money to get WiFi closer to my incoming fios speed. I just am confused by the charts and don’t want to waste money. Thank you for any advice.

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, Roy. The charts are quite clear. Make sure you look at them closely. They show the max sustained speed of the router when working with a 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 client (currently the fastest available for the standard) and high-end Wi-Fi 5 clients.

       As for what you should get, this post might help, and this one, too..

       Reply

161. Sorry man, but this is a list of most commercial router, not a real buying advice guides. There a lot of missed model here. Be honest with you, this is what you recevied and what you present.

     Reply

     • Not sure what you meant, JT. But the entire website is one big buying guide. Also, it’s a work in progress. 🙂

       Reply

162. Hi Dong, love your site not sure how I never ran across it before! Keep up the great work!

     I cut the cord years ago and I have been relying on streaming services (NetFlix, etc) and my NAS Media Server that houses all my media for our entertainment. With both my wife and I working from home for the forcible future I decided to upgrade our Comcast internet plan. For $10 less a month I am going from something like 105Mbps to 1 gig. Now I need to update our network.

     We are currently running a Netgear CM500 modem and ASUS RT-AC87U router, generally I have been pretty happy with both (although I have never seen anything close to the 105Mbps speeds but I imagine that is comcast not the hardware). I have ordered a Netgear CM1100 largely because it was impossible to find another 1Gig Modem, everything is sold out and on back order. It hasnt arrived yet so if you have a better idea I am all ears.

     For the router ,I haven’t ordered a router yet as I will see how the current one works out but I think I need to replace it. House is about 3200 sqft, wife and I currently work near the router but I think I am going to turn one of the bedrooms into her office which is at the other end of the house on the 2nd floor. I am not looking for a cheap solution but a good long term solution. I am thinking Wifi 6 and 3 channel? Should I do a mess router? In the reading I have been doing it looks like you sacrifice some speed with a mess but gain coverage? I am still trying to decide with is more important to me. (Note, house is wired with a OnQ box but since it was built in 2004 I dont think it has CAT 5 certainly not CAT 5e, I have run at least one CAT 5e cable under that house for a specific use).

     Also, For the NetGear RAX120 you mention they are great for a NAS. I have a NAS that is my hub for all media and storage. What about RAX120 or any other Router makes it a better Router for a NAS? I had not considered that there might be unique. requirements so that NAS works at an optimal level

     Thoughts, suggestions? Brand and model numbers welcome.

     Thanks in advance.

     Reply

     • All routers are good for dedicated NAS servers, David, though ones with multi-gig network ports or Link Aggregation are generally better with a compatible server. I think you misunderstood my take on this front. What I meant was that the router itself can work great as a mini NAS server. As for which router you should use, check out this post.

       Reply

163. So I just came across your site for the first time today. What a great site Dong! Great reviews on all the things I love.

     I have a rather large home (three stories, about 9,000 square feet, plus live on a 1.5 acre lot). I am currently have 1Gbps Fiber and am running four Apple Airport Extremes, and needless to say, they are lacking quite a bit now. We have many rooms without signal, and this is with most of my 100+ devices wired except for various laptops, ipads, and iphones (the home automation is all wired). I am looking for a great Mesh system and so far have settled on the Asus ROG GT-AX11000. I have seen mixed reviews on this with a number of issues, but wonder if those aren’t more user-related with setup. I’m fairly experienced in IT, but not as much on the networking side.

     I’m am looking for coverage, performance and good parental controls.

     My questions are:
     1) Do you think the Asus ROG GT-AX11000 is a better choice than the other options for these purposes or would the newer Asus Zenwifi AX XT8 be better since it is newer.

     2) Would someone need multiple GT-AX11000’s or just one for the main router (and its features) and then less expensive Asus AX routers to complete the mesh? I would plan to do a wired backhaul back to the main router.

     3) Where can we buy these? It seems Amazon and Best Buy are sold out, and the other online retailers like BHP, New Egg, etc do not have very friendly return policies, at a minimum requiring consumer to pay return shipping. At first I was concerned I couldn’t buy any of these due to hardware issues, but am now assuming that with so many people working from home lately, that frustration levels tipped over and Asus and others haven’t been able to keep up the supply chain.

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, Chris.

       1. It depends on what you want, but yes, generally the GT-AX11000 is better.
       2. The latter. If you have wired backhaul, a couple of units of RT-AX3000 will do, too. You can mix AiMesh routers.
       3. You just have to wait, it’s tough time right now for the vendors.

       Reply

164. hi dong, i’ve read a bunch of your reviews and some of your comments below. i wanted to say GREAT write up. you’re one of the reviewers who understand how to test a router thoroughly to it’s limits. Too many reviewers test out theoretical speeds with capped internet speeds of 300Mb’s.so once again, thanks for the AWESOME reviews. On to my question… im currently on the Netgear Orbi RBK50, and i want to upgrade routers since I just upgraded to symmetrical gigabyte internet. I don’t need any of the routing features since i have a dedicated pfsense box. I only need a AP. Ubuiqiti’s Alien just came into stock and i’m considering buying it… I’d like to do VLAN tagging to isolate my IOT products, and im not sure which wifi 6 router will support that. I know Ubuiti’s other routers do, but i can’t find any info about the new alien.

     Is there any router you suggust besides the alien? Or would that remain a good choice. THank you in advance

     Reply

     • First, read this post, Ian.

       For your situation, just get the new Orbi RBK852 and use its Guest network for your IoT devices and you’re set. In fact, your current RBK50 should work fine. There’s no need to upgrade, yet.

       Reply

165. i have 800mbps internet, 5500sqf 2.5 storey, 7 bedroom. i dont have wifi 6 client and use internet for browsing and streaming. No nas or file transfer between network. My current ISP router have deadspot in some rooms. Should i get zenwifi CT8 or XT8?

     Reply

     • Check out this post, Aliy. With that, either will work for you, depending on your needs.

       Reply

166. Thanks again for the responses. You make a great point. I can go with the AX11000, then wait for the next updated version of the AX1100 to replace the AC3100, which I’ll give to a family member.

     Reply

167. Thanks for your write-up and your response to questions. I currently have an Asus AC3100 router serving my 3 level home. Works great and reaches all rooms decently, but I am looking to improve the network and future-proof it with wifi6. I will keep 1 router smack dab in the middle of the home on the 2nd level. The second router will be placed directly under the other router on the 1st level, about 12 feet apart separated by a floor. WPA3 support would be good, but not required unless you think I should wait for that feature. I always have 45+ devices connected to my router and it does pretty well and with their latest firmwares has been very stable. These devices range from echos, PCs, Macs, apple TVs, multiple apple phones and multiple smart TVs, plex unraid media server, Home security system, Home security camera system etc. I utilize about 3TB of data a month on my cable internet. Cable is docsis 3.1 and the level I have is 950mb Down and 35mb Up. It would be great to be able to achieve those speeds consistently through my router.

     I want to stay with Asus (I like their firmware support and user interface) and am hoping to continue utilizing my existing hardware (AC3100) Unless you convince me to exit the AC3100 and buy two new devices. I do NOT have a wired backhaul and am not worried about cost of the new router(s). I guess that means choosing between ax1100, Zenwifi and AX89X. I do want the new router to continue to have the same features included in the AC3100 (such as QOS and Parental controls). What would you suggest I do? Performance and features are what I am looking for.

     Reply

     • Get the GT-AX11000, Merk. You can try it out with the AC3100 as an AiMesh node first, and upgrade to another GT unit at a later time.

       Reply

168. I just want to say a big thank you Dong Ngo. Stay safe sir

     Reply

     • You, too! And you’re welcome! 🙂

       Reply

169. So sad that the X60 is so slow. Could it be a firmware problem? I was all ready to buy this but I think Im going to go with XT8 instead

     Reply

     • Consider the X60 only if you have wired backhaul, Idoblu.

       Reply

     • Yes, it’s quite slow in a wireless setup. If you have wired backhaul, it’ll work great, however.

       Reply

170. Dong, Thanks a lot, but tri band? I was thinking AX89X and an ASUS 3000ax as a mesh, but maybe the Asus Zen will serve the purpose. I was also looking at future proofing with the 89X with the multigig port.
     Any insight?

     Reply

     • Tri-band if you don’t have wired backhaul, Sandeep. More on that here.

       Reply

171. HI dong

     I did read both reviews and was impressed with booth units.

     For me, it only comes down which one has the strongest signals

     Also in Switzerland where I live, you can buy additional units
     Ct 8 units which make me also wonder how many satellite units you can add on each system I know Asus unit supports
     AiMesh

     Thanks

     Reto

     Reply

     • Ok, then go with the Asus, Reto. Five units are what Asus recommends. But if you use a wireless setup, I’d say three.

       Reply

172. Hi dong

     Thank you for the quick reply.

     But if you had to chose between the orbi or the asus zenwifi
     Which one would you take

     Thanks

     Reply

     • The thing is I don’t have to choose, Reto, I have them both. 🙂 Seriously, you need to read the reviews and figure out which one you should get. Both should work for your needs equally well, though. By the way, for a wireless setup, you shouldn’t use more than three hardware units. Since you can only buy the ZenWiFi in a 2-pack, maybe the Orbi is a better fit for you.

       Reply

173. Hello Dong, your site is very useful, I love it! Currently I have a RT-AC88U primary router and I want to setup AiMesh with WIFI 6. If I add a WIFI 6 router like ASUS RT-AX3000 as node, will I able to use WIFI 6 connection even though my primary router is WIFI 5? My question is what type of WIFI (6 or 5) connection is available when we mix both WIFI 5 and WIFI 6 devices in a mesh setup.

     Reply

     • Yes, both types of clients will connect just fine, Faisal. Chances are though, that your system will use the 80MHz channel width instead of the 160 MHz (though not necessarily always the case), meaning your Wi-Fi 6 clients will not connect at their top speed. More on that here.

       Reply

174. Hi dong

     I really enjoy your very detail reviews.

     my question is

     I live in a very old house with massively thick stone walls.
     We currently run 3 eeros which hard hardwired by cat 6
     And as you can imagine, it works but could be better.

     I notice it extremely when I walk from one end of the house to another while on a what’s app call
     The call loses typically quality or drops entirely
     So I am looking to update to a wifi 6 mesh system.

     I am torn between wifi 6 Asus zen wifi ct 8 and the Orbi RBR850

     What would be your recommendation I need the most reliable and strongest signal possible.
     Which one has the stronger signal strength ct 8 or RBR850
     Also, how many satellites can you add to each system?

     Thanks

     Reply

     • Hi Reto, the issue you’re having is called seamless roaming or handoff. For that to work, both sides (router and client) have to support it. Generally, you should stay at one spot when using Wi-Fi calling. In other words, if you’re looking to have no issue while doing Voice over IP or video call while walking around your home, I don’t think there are any solutions that will give you that for sure. But any other mesh system will be better than the Eero, especially considering you have wired backhaul.

       Reply

175. Hi Dong,
     Recently found your website and it has saved me a ton of time researching. Great reviews! I was hoping you could recommend what ASUS AImesh units would be best to match up with the ASUS – ROG Rapture AX11000 I just ordered. I have a 3000,sqft house. I was considering the ASUS RT-AX92U AX6100, but then I saw your review on the ZenWifFi XT8 and now I am confused again on which to purchase. If you have another product in mind please let me know.

     As a side note I have Gig internet through spectrum using Netgear CM1100

     Thanks again for all the work!
     John

     Reply

     • If you have wired backhaul, just get a couple of dual-band router, like the RT-AX88U. But if you intend to use a wireless setup, use AiMesh tri-band routers. As for which, that depends on your budget. Use the GT as the main router, though. More on that here.

       Reply

176. Thanks for the great info. I am looking for a new WIFI6 , 2400 sq feet with 3 floors. Got Comcast Xfinity. As of now we have 20 devices ( laptops/TV’s Iphones ). I am thinking a Mesh setup with a satellite on each floor and not a single Router. Any advice would be appreciated.

     Reply

     • This depends on if you have wired backhaul or not, Sandeep. If you have a wireless setup, make sure you place the main router on the 2nd floor (in between the satellite units) and use tri-band hardware.

       Reply

177. Doug, Can you hardline the back haul between them? Freeing up 2nd 5gz band?

     Reply

     • Not at the time I tested it but that might be possible now. BTW, the name is Dong :).

       Reply

178. Would 2-3 ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000’s in mesh be the best system on the market?

     Reply

     • Yes, for now.

       Reply

179. Have you tried Merlin’s firmware which is a step above the stock Asus firmware. Go to snbforums to find the latest version

     Reply

     • I have heard a lot about it, Paolo. Will likely try it out soon.

       Reply

180. Hey Dong, great write up and very thorough but what would you suggest for smart home automation and multiple wireless IP cameras. (lots of devices). Biggest concern is the wireless IP camera’s, I can stream one camera at a time with no issue, but on my RTSP server if I try to build a Grid View to view more than one camera at once I get severe degregation in data transfer rate between all the cameras. I need something that can handle multiple devices constantly streaming data at once. Do I need to look at a 12 stream device or is the CPU/RAM more important for handling this request. Money isn’t an issue and I want to stay away from mesh systems as I know an upgraded wifi 6 router will be more than strong enough to cover the area I’m working with.

     Reply

     • It’s likely not your router, Cameron, but your Internet connection. More on that here. It’s likely your upload pipe is all used up. If those cams are local, though, then get a tri-and router, like the RT-GT-AX11000 or Netgear RAX200.

       Reply

181. Hi Dong. I just found your website. Great information. I was hoping you could help me. I currently have the Asus RT-AC86U but for some reason anything working on the 2.4 ghz band will no longer connect. My laptop and printer can’t even see the network. I have already tried several trouble shooting steps but it appears this is a common issue with this router.

     Can you recommend a new router? My home is approximately 1900 sq ft, both mine and my wife’s phone can connect to Wifi 6, I play some PC games, play PS4, have wireless cams setup outside, and stream 4k media on two separate TVs. Thanks in advance for any help.

     Reply

     • The RT-AC86U is a great router, Rey. Try updating its firmware, Rey. If that doesn’t fix it, reset and set it up from scratch. But if you want to upgrade, the AmpliFi Alien or the RT-AX88U will work well for your needs.

       Reply

182. Dong, do you know of any on this list that would allow me to send logs to a remote system (Splunk or sysmon) so that I can use logs in my own alerting system?

     I am leaning towards the Netgear RAX40 or up but looks like they will only email logs to you unless you know otherwise (manual only shows email alerts at least).

     Thanks in advance for any info you might have.

     Reply

     • I haven’t looked much into this, Upirons, but all Asus routers can save their log file to a separate computer (log server).

       Reply

183. Hi Dong

     I have bad experience with the AC88U whereby I do not get near to 300Mbps on my iPhone with 5Ghz band. It has been a widespread issues with the 5ghz band on this model.

     I am planning top upgrade to WiFi 6 router but I am not sure if AX11000 will face similar issues down the line like AC88U?

     Reply

     • Sorry, YT, but I’d blame the iPhone first. You can upgrade, that won’t hurt — the GT is clearly better. But if you expect better results on your iPhone, chances are you’ll be very disappointed. More on that here.

       Reply

184. Hi Dong,

     I read through your review (which was really helpful!), but still, I think I need an exact model to go with so I can decide. Rn we (me and my partner) are using ‘TP-LINK Archer C7 AC1750’ which, to be honest, is really underperforming. We have been using it for 2,5 years now and the Wifi is disconnecting from several devices, few times a day and we need to restart the router to make it work.. just a mess. So we decided to invest money and buy some router that provides stable, reliable and powerful connection. Money is not an issue here (we live in Czechia, so the prices here are different anyway).

     We are both passionate gamers, so this is n1 priority. Also streaming, so stability is the most important for us. About the coverage, the router we use rn is having trouble reaching 1 bedroom + balcony (still having the signal its just really low), so something with better coverage would be really nice to have (which I think all of those above provide). We have 1Gb/s speed provided in our apartment and 2 ethernet connectors from the wall in our gaming room, so we can both connect our PCs into separate LAN ports in router.

     Models I was thinking of are GT-AX11000, RT-AX88U and maybe GT-AC2900 which is cheaper but lacking Wifi 6. I am open to any other option, if it provides better connection than those mentioned. I would really appreciate your help here.

     Thanks a lot!

     Reply

     • Get the GT-AX11000, Martin. It’s a great router overall but especially so for gamers.

       Reply

185. Thanks Dong. just did for both and move to 3.0.0.4.386_25217 instead after I read the release notes. Let me monitor the performance. Thanks again and good work.

     Reply

     • 👌🙋‍♂️

       Reply

186. Hi Dong
     Got my XT8. I’m facing similar problem where the node get disconnected frequently in a day and overnight for the past 3 days. so todaye I’m testing the node by reverting it back to the version that you tested. 3.0.0.4.386_24926. Do you think I should do it on the main router as well?The main now is at the latest firmware 3.0.0.4.386_25224.

     Btw, I’m from Malaysia. So I dont think I can get 160Mhz channel bandwidth unfortunately. Anyway, the speed and wifi6 really fast though. I used to have around 200+mbps with my Lyra and now i get over 500mbps. my fiber is 500mbps anyway.hopefully to upgrade in the future and thats the reason for me to purchase this XT8.

     Reply

     • Yes, they both should use the same firmware version, Leonard.

       Reply

187. Some great info and I hope you can help me.We have a 4600 SF house (older with additions which means walls and odd configurations – not your typical four sided home. We also have a separate pool house approx 30 yards from the current modem location and a detached garage probably another 30 yards in the other direction. The home was built in 1974 so no ethernet connections or network cables and currently subscribe to our cable internet. We have tried multiple mesh systems including Linksys Velop and currently Eero. We do not get wi-fi in the garage and the signal is too weak for streaming in the pool house. Video games only work properly in the room with the modem and main router.
     1. I’m sure I should replace my cable rented modem with my own…what do you recommend?
     2. I have a cable outlet in the pool house, should I add a modem or additional main router there?
     3. Garage has nothing to connect to…what is the best option to get my wireless signal out there?
     4. Any other suggestions for complete wi-fi coverage?
     Thank you for any input. I have spent countless hours researching and money on systems that are not getting the job done.

     Reply

     • Hi Wendy. It’s impossible to give you the specifics without being there. I’d recommend getting some local professional service.

       Reply

188. Thanks Dong for all this impresive reviews. I have a question, if you have a budget of $400 you will get a fancy Wifi 6 router like the AX-11000 from Asus or the Netgear AX12 or you will get an Ubiquiti Dream Machine for Home use with 15-20 devices? Thanks!

     Reply

     • Sure, Moises. Glad you’re here. Go with the GT-AX1100, I’ve been using one myself. But if you want to see how it stacks up against the RAX200, check out this post.

       Reply

189. Hey Dong! Excellent review there comparing all the WiFi 6 routers.
     Can you look into Xiaomi AX3600 and compare amongst the WiFi 6 routers?
     That AX3600 seems like a great value WiFi 6 router to all those you have reviewed.

     Reply

     • I have no contact with Xiaomi. Also, I only routers that are available in the US market.

       Reply

190. What routers do you recommend for large houses?

     If you recommend any mesh systems, It must go wirelessly(except the “main” one), since I can’t get a wire across the house.

     Thanks in advance

     Reply

     • Get the tri-band ones on the list, Ben.

       Reply

191. Hey Dong,

     Thanks for all the insight on my next router.

     I’m torn between the AX11000 and the XT8.

     Currently running a Nighthawk X8 AC5300 with 1gb fiber, moderate gaming and heavy streaming use.

     Thoughts?

     Reply

     • The Netgear you have is quite capable, Matt. I don’t think the RT-AX11000 will give you much better performance on existing Wi-Fi 5 devices. More on that here. The XT8 is a mesh so if you need more coverage, it’s definitely better than the Netgear. By the way, the XT8’s latest firmware (ver. 3.0.0.4.386.25224) can be buggy in certain cases. If that happens to you, use the previous version (3.0.0.4.386.25217) instead until a newer version is available.

       Reply

192. Dong,

     I ended up buying 2 gtax11000s. My home is about 3700 sq ft. Question for you, I only have the ability to connect the main router to an ethernet cable. The second is setup as a node. In terms of speed and connectivity, would you recommend I leave it this way, or should I connect my node to an ethernet cable with this powerline adapter?

     https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/powerline/PLP2000.aspx

     I have a 1 GB connection. We stream A LOT of 4K and HDR content and I play 4K games. Just want the best experience possible. If I need to, I could even have another ethernet port installed, but I would prefer to avoid it.

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • No Powerline, Jake. The wireless connection between the two is much faster than any Powerline adapter. Just don’t leave them too far away from each other. Btw, it’s always bullshit when a vendor claims their PLA to be faster than 1Gbps when the adapter itself only has 1Gbps ports. The actual speed will be even much lower.

       Reply

193. Outstanding review. Thank you. I am replacing my Luma Mesh system for a 3000 square foot home. I think the TPLInk AX3000 has the best combo of coverage and features. Do you feel it will have sufficient coverage for 3000 square feet?

     Reply

     • Yes if it’s open spaces, Michael. Otherwise, you need a more powerful router or even a 2-pack mesh systems.

       Reply

194. I have the RAX120 as main router and wireless but i have two areas where i want better reception in 5Ghz, i have cat6e everwhere,. Which acces point or mesh do you recomend me to install, i will need two AP hardwire back to the RX120.

     Reply

     • You can use any APs, Jose, or routers in AP mode.

       Reply

195. Hi Dong, great write up!

     Currently I’m using Asus Lyra AC2200 mesh router that come in 3pack. Im thinking of getting the Asus Zenwifi AX XT8.’

     1. Can I used the lyra as nodes to connect to the XT8?
     2. based on your test, how far can the node of the Zenwife AX XT8 be located wirelessly from the main one?
     3. Do you think XT 8 is a good choice or should I get other wifi6 routers?

     Reply

     • Thanks, Leonard.

       1. Yes. Make sure you upgrade it to the latest firmware first.
       2. This depends on things you have in between them. If line of sight, it can be as far as 100 feet.
       3. Yes, it’s a great choice.

       Reply

196. Dong,

     Great website, I’m glad I found you after the CNET days!

     I’m hoping you could help a decision. I currently have a 3 unit Google Wifi setup, with 1gb/60mb down/up via coax.

     Since the entire family (and neighborhood) is “working /schooling” from home now, I am consistently seeing lag, slowdowns, and buffering.
     I’m in a 2 story + basement house, with 49 devices connected (lots of streaming devices, and IoT).

     Last week I purchased the Orbi AX6000 mesh, and found immediate speed boosts but numerous drop outs and compatibility problems.
     It was not my first choice, but the Asus ZenWiFi XT8 and Amplifi Alien Mesh were both out of stock.
     I have returned the Orbi because of an incompatibility on the daughters Chromebook and lots of complaints from the family.

     I’m back on the Google Wifi temporarily while I find the right setup.
     Currently Asus ZenWifi XT8 is in stock, but of course Alien Mesh Kit is still out of stock.

     I do not have capability of running a wired backhaul for the Alien, but seem to like it’s features better (mainly coverage). Plus I’ve managed Ubiquiti products in my work environments and think they make great hardware.
     However, I’ve always adored Asus’ level of configuration in their home networking software.

     Any advice you could shed on which could be a better fit in my environment.
     I appreciate any guidance you can provide.

     – Brad

     Reply

     • Glad you’re here, Brad.

       Google WiFi is terrible (as well as Eero). It was good years ago and hasn’t improved much since. Orbi is good but it has a lot of lag.

       For that kind of speed, I’d recommend running network cables in the house. In this case, just get a could of dual-band AiMesh routers.

       If you can’t do that, get the Asus ZenWiFi XT8 or a couple of units of the GT-AC5300 or GT-AX11000.

       Reply

197. Dong both of these are on sale for 299 which one should I get?
     Netgear AX12 (RAX120) or TP-LINK Archer AX11000? Thanks.

     Reply

     • I haven’t tested the TP-Link, but the RAX120 will work out well, especially for that price, Michel. Get it!

       Reply

198. Hi Dong,

     I have 1gb speeds from my ISP my current Orbi maxes out at 600mb 4ft away, I have 3 wifi 6 clients in my home, and about 25 devices at any given time. If I wanted to take advantage of the 1gb speed over wifi what would you recommend ? It doesn’t have to be a mesh system.

     Thanks.

     Reply

     • Just because you have 1Gbps Intenet doesn’t necessarily you’ll get that at every device, Michael. You’re fine right now. More on that here, and here.

       Reply

199. Hi Dong, fantastic article and website! I practically read every one of your articles today. Anyways, I have a new home that is almost finished being built and I’m pre-planning my networking. It’s going to be a 3500sf, 2-story house with no basement. Just 2 floors. I have every room wired with Cat6e and I will have somewhere between 400-1000 Mbps with the ISP I end up going with. The main router will be located in a fairly central location on the second floor. I’m definitely going to go ahead and get WiFi 6 to do some future proofing.

     My debate is, do I get a beefy single router and hope it gives me good coverage throughout, or go with a mesh system? I’m leaning toward a mesh system with one main and one node as I think that will be enough. Based on your articles tri-band seems pointless, especially as I have dedicated wiring and can therefore have a wired backhaul.

     Based on this information, if you were recommending a single router and alternatively a mesh setup, what would your two recommendations be?

     Thanks so much!!!

     Reply

     • Way to go, Rodney! Running network cables is the best investment for your home. With that, you can get away even with Wi-Fi 5. Like one or two units of the Asus RT-AC86U or Blue Cave. Or even the Lyra Trio. You can also try the Synology RT2600ac. The point is you have many options. Basically any mesh system that supports wired backhaul will work out, so you just need to pick one with the highest data rate (3×3 or faster) on the front haul.

       But if you want Wi-Fi 6, I’d recommend the Asus RT-AX89X. Try just one unit to see if could cover the entire home. I might be given the fact you’re going to place it in the middle. If it turns out to be not adequate, you can get another dual-band AiMesh router, like the RT-AX88U to extend later. Note that you can use tri-band routers, even in a mesh, though, you’re right, that’s not necessary.

       Reply

200. Hi Dong –

     Oh, I know you, lol!

     I actually need your advice on the procurement of a new AX router for my home/business.
     Very recently, I have been noticing reviews that are negative in terms of quality on Netgear, so they are scaring me off.

     What Wi-Fi 6 router is really the best of breed – in quality, capability, performance and telephone technical support?
     Please pick two that you like the best, I’ll deal with the money part. Or do you think that I should wait and stay on AC.

     I’m also rather leery of units that have built-in fans – they eventually go.

     You have a very nice website and I appreciate all your help!

     Brian 🙂

     Reply

     • You sure do, Brian! 🙂

       I don’t generally need help so support is not really what I care about. Also, vendors tend to respond to me much faster than with general consumer — but you already know that, too :). If you want something simple and super easy to use, I’d recommend the Alien. If you want something with great features, get an Asus, like the GT-AX11000 or the RT-AX89X (it does have a fan but most AX routers do.)

       Hope that helps! Glad you are here.

       -Dong

       Reply

201. Hi Dong,

     Thank you for your in depth and informative reviews! I am going to update and upgrade my current router setup, which is the older model of the Asus AC66U to a more capable router. I am trying to decided between the Asus AX88U, the AX11000 or the new Asus Zenwifi XT8 mesh network (2 pack). I am looking for a router with good range, fast speeds and low latency. My primary query however revolves around the latency of a mesh system vs a normal system. A few people who live within the house online game etc, I was therefore wondering what you think would be a more suitable solution in terms of reliable speed and low latency. I am worried that the latency may increase if a client is connected to the node and not the primary router using the Zenwifi system, or whether this is in fact negligible. Alternatively would it be a better solution to go for the AX88U or the AX11000 and then if needed expand into a mesh system down the line using the AiMesh system Asus supports.

     Thanks
     Guy

     Reply

     • Generally, Guy, a wireless mesh will have slightly higher latency than a single router or a mesh with wired backhaul. However, if your Internet connection itself has low latency, any mesh should work. But it’s really case by case. Asus had a pretty good QoS and that might help. If you’re a gamer, the GT-AX11000 is the way to go.

       Reply

202. “Linksys MX10 Velop AX (model MX10600) is a Wi-Fi system that includes two Linksys MX5 Velop AX routers (model MX5300)”

     Reply

203. Hi Dong, Thanks for your reviews. I really enjoy reading your articles and learn quite a lot. I am debating what I should buy for my next router, hopefully you can give me some recommendation. I am living in a 3 storey house (basement and upstairs), approx 3700 sq ft. The house is tall rather than wide. I am currently using the Asus GT-AC5300 with approx 40 devices connected at all times. 50% on CAT6 hardwired. 50% are wireless smart home devices, phones, tablets, and IP Cams. Signal strength is good at every corner of the house. But I am experiencing some performance issues with this router: 1) some occasionally connected devices got timeout when it first try to connect, it may take few tries to get connected. 2) couple IP cams show connected but no Tx/Rx activities, can’t even ping them, specially the ones I changed IP after first installed, I do set them up with reserved IP. Look like the router lose their routing. Let them sit for a day, it may come back next morning without rebooting the router, 3) internet streaming/VPN connections are pausing (I can tell it is not an issue on the other end because I can stream fine using my cellphone on cell network). It all looks to me that I am overloading the router with too many devices, however checking the router, CPU and memory usage are mostly less than 50%. My internet is at 150Mbps now, but I am upgrading to 1Gbps. I also want to upgrade to WiFi 6 as well. So, I am wondering what router or approach would can solve my issues. 3 options I can think of:
     1) Buy the new Asus ZenWiFi and setup my current GT-AC5300 as node under AiMesh, all 3 using wired backhaul, so I can have one device on each floor. My current AC5300 has good signal strength at every corner already. Not sure if this will help. But at least, sharing the load among all WiFI devices with the 3 nodes.
     2) Just replace my current router with RT-AX89X or GT AX-11000 – hoping that it can handles all the devices and my problems goes away.
     3) Use the ISP provided router as router to handle WAN, DHCP and wired devices. Get the ZenWiFi and set both units up as APs to handle WiFi device only. – Sounds like I am putting all the load to the ISP router, under utilize the expensive ZenWiFI router at all.
     By the way, we are not gamers, we don’t necessary need gaming speed, but we need stable streaming and VPN connections. Any advice you can give me? Thanks in advance.

     Reply

     • You should get the ZenWiFi CT8 and use them as the add-ons to the RT-AC5300, Louis. Or you can use one as the router and the RT-AC5300 as a note. Basically your first choice.

       Reply

204. Are you aware if there are any WiFi 6 USB (802.11 ax) adapters on the horizon?

     Reply

     • No, Greg, but my guess is there will be. You’ll need USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) or faster, though.

       Reply

205. Very glad I found your site. Your reviews are very helpful. I’m in the process of moving to a new home (1700 sq ft ranch + basement) that will have 400M internet. Also going to set up streaming on 4 TVs (though don’t expect more than 2 at any time) so looking to upgrade from a much older router. I’m struggling to decide between a budget wifi 6 or a wifi 5. Wifi 6 routers seem to still be buggy based on customer reviews, but have some nice speed and features. After looking around, looking at the TP-Link AX3000, Netgear RAX40, and Netgear R7800. What would you recommend? Thanks,

     Reply

     • Glad, you’re here, Mike. Those are budget routers, they are no really better than a high-end Wi-Fi 5 router. With the same amount of money, if recommend a good Wi-Fi 5 router instead.

       Reply

206. Your articles are very informative, which brings me back a few years when I was younger and very much into tech. Unfortunately, (and fortunately) a family and kids have taken over my life.

     In any case, I’ve been using an Asus RT-AC68W for the last 5 years and it has treated me well, for the most part. I moved into a 3 story townhouse a couple of years ago and have been contemplating upgrading it ever since, mostly for coverage. I went with the TP-Link Deco M9plus (3 piece) from Costco about a month ago, but am torn if I should try something else. First and foremost, the coverage is definitely better with a Deco on each floor (top 2 via ethernet backhaul, bottom floor via wireless). However, my speeds aren’t that great. The max speed is equivalent to the older Asus if I’m right next to a Deco.. However, as I move away from each Deco, the speed tends to drop off more quickly than the Asus. The most frustrating part is that the Seamless Roaming function doesn’t work very well. I double-checked to confirm that it is on. Also, I recently upgraded to Gigabit internet (at no additional cost) with AT&T, yet my top speeds remain the same. Directly through the modem/router combo, the speed is closer to 700mbps. But speeds through the Deco barely surpasses 300mbps when I’m right next to the Deco. I know it’s not ideal to use apps like SpeedTest to measure Wifi speeds, but at least for comparison purposes, the speed should at least increase now that I have Gigabit internet right? In fact, the Asus is faster then the Deco if I’m 100 feet away from the Asus, but only 50 feet away from a Deco. What gives?

     I’m tempted to upgrade to a newer Asus router, since their router worked so well for me for so long. And if I’m upgrading, I want to future proof it a bit with a Wi-Fi 6 router. With a budget of $200 or less, Do you think the Asus-AX3000 router is a good option?

     Reply

     • I actually vin the process of reviewing it, Todd. So you’ll know soon. 🙂

       Reply

207. Sir, you are fascinating! I love your replies to some of these comments, and your comment about BS in your Twitter description explains a lot.. Applause! I just stumbled upon your page tonight/this morning. I started looking at routers because I suspect my RT-AC87U cannot keep up with newly added smart home devices, specifically the Google Next Home Max we bought on Black Friday. It started having connectivity issues that seemed to snowball, I went round and round with Google and finally got it replaced. Well, a week in with the new one and it’s starting to have issues again, specifically with the always-on camera operating as a Nest Cam, it’s a new replacement as opposed to remanufactured unit. There’s a 4 total cameras now with aspirations of at least one more. Given that, I believe that’s currently 5 always “streaming” devices given the Hub is 2 devices in one (smart speaker and camera) plus the Nest Mini speaker, 2 phones, 2 tablets, 2 PS4, a laptop, a network printer and a DTV box/”server”.. (obviously not all working at one time) I just think it’s too much for a 5 year old router. I believe I’m set on the GT-AX11000 instead of the RAX200 or RAX120, probably mostly because I’m a Asus fan if nothing else. I really just wanted to drop a note to say I’m impressed by your knowledge but I suppose I do have a question.. Is the Asus a true 160MHz unit or 80x80MHz unit? I guess that would be the deciding factor for “future proofing”. Thanks a lot for your time and reading my novel, have a great day!!

     Reply

     • The GT-AX11000 supports true 160MHz channel bandwidth, Matt. However, I believe your issue is not the router but your Internet connection. My guess is you’re using a DSL broadband plan which doesn’t have enough bandwidth for all those upload-heavy devices. You might need a better Internet connection with a bigger upload pipe. More of bandwidth here and on upload here.

       Reply

208. Hi. Very informative. I miss your reviews on cnet. I have gigabit internet. But at best the wifi speeds I’m getting are around 600 megabits. I have a dlink dir-882 AC2600 router. Even with 3×3 macbook pro I’m not getting 800+ speeds which I think it should. So I have been considering on getting an update. Should I go for a wifi 6 router to help me get closer to that gigabit speeds or try with a wifi 5 router to see if I can find some improvement. Currently I don’t have any wifi 6 devices but if getting one can improve my current devices and also future proofs for wifi 6 devices maybe it’s the right thing to do?

     Reply

     • Glad you found me here, Bunny. Wi-Fi 6 won’t help because your Macbook doesn’t support it. Also, you can’t expect full 1Gbps even if you have that Internet plan. That’s because, in your network, most parties involved, at best, perform at 1Gbps. Since that’s the ceiling speed, the sustained real-world speed will be lower. So 600Mbps is close to the best you can get. That’s not to mention the bandwidth (of both Wi-Fi and Intenet) is shared between multiple devices. For more, check out this post on bandwidth and this one on how to test your speeds. In short, you’re doing pretty well there! I only have around 300 Mbps, so please don’t rub it in! 🙂

       Reply

209. Thanks Dong Ngo. That’s a quite good review. One complaint I have with amplifi, is that mesh repeaters do not “repeat” the 5gz Band, only the 2.4 one. That also has been confirmed by Amplifi Tech Support when I asked them. I think with Zenwifi is another story right? which one would you choose? Alien or Zenwifi? Thank you!

     Reply

     • The Alien Kit should work on 5GHz, Ruben. But I’d pick the ZenWiFi XT8. It has more features and is cheaper.

       Reply

210. Dear Dong,

     I enjoyed your CNET videos…..However, I was sad that you did not include the ASUS RT-AX58U or AX3000 in your Best of WIFI6. Can you possibility do a review on it?

     Thank you

     Reply

     • That’s a maybe, Simon. 🙂

       Reply

211. Dong your site is great but it is crazy to me that you haven’t performance tested the Linksys Velop MX. I thought 2 of them would be needed but a single MX5300 unit covers my entire 2 story house and backyard. It’s very fast and powerful, good looking wife approved, and so far stable (haven’t tested mesh). I’m very curious how it stacks up with your NAS testing. Grab one for $299 at Costco. It’s almost perfect and I like it a lot but a few software cons such as lack of real parent controls, real-time speed of devices, and can’t access cable modem 192.168.100.1 port 80, has me wondering what else is there to consider. Hence.. I’d love to see some performance comparisons. Thanks!

     Reply

     • I have to pick and choose, Chip. I have only two hands. I have reviewed Velop systems before and might do that again. 🙂

       Reply

     • OK, so I gave in and reviewed the MX10, just for you, Chip. 🙂

       Reply

212. Hey Dong, I’m looking for a WiFi 6 router and I quite like your reviews. I’m deciding between the ASUS ax88u and the TP-Link ax6000. I’ve seen you tried the tp-link ax3000 but not the 6000. Do you have plans to review it I the future?

     Reply

     • I might, Al, but just get the RT-AX88u, you’ll love it.

       Reply

213. Are there any 8×8 or 4×4 clients for iMacs or MacBook Air laptops? My understanding is nothing usb yet but any devices that you can plug in via thunderbolt 3 or gigabit ethernet and use as a bridge to achieve near gigabit wifi speeds. I have a gigabit fiber connection and the fastest I am getting via mesh is about 600-700. Thinking of switching to a faster 12 stream router but looking for a good client adapter. Wondering if there is a way to achieve close to gigabit wifi speeds using a usb adapter or plugging in an ethernet cord into a bridge.

     Reply

     • What you get is close to a Gigiabit already. Don’t expect true 1Gbps since the connection tends to fluctuate. As for faster Wi-Fi, you’ll need to wait. Using Mac limits your opinion in terms of clients.

       Reply

214. Another honest and trusted review Dong. I want to replace my Synology Mesh Network (2600 main router + 2 x 2200) slow, limited range and regular dropouts. I don’t have any Wifi6 enabled devices yet but will in the next couple of years. Live in a two floor house. At present, one of the 2200 mesh units is connected by CAT 6 cable and the other uses wifi backhaul. Would like option for link aggregation and parental controls, but also one that just works and saves my wife and family moaning when we have weekly wifi problems.

     Reply

215. Hi.
     I am wondering if there is anything I would mis out, getting the ZenWifi XT8 configuration with one working as a router, and the node in mesh setup, either with backhaul(160 Mhz possibilities?) or without.

     I need to cover 3 floors at aproximately 300+ squaremeter, whereas I the router is located in a corner (not ideal..) My biggest fear is to buy something that lacks something which I will regret later.

     For me its either the Alien, ZenWifi or Orbi, because of mesh and looks. Recommendations and why? (Learning towards ZenWifi)

     Great review/list btw!

     Reply

     • All of them have a backhaul, Oystein, wireless or you can use a network cable. Hardware placement is one of the most important things in setting up a mesh system. Any of the systems you mention will work as long as you place the hardware strategically.

       Reply

216. I have one as well did not realize what a deal it was at $299 from costco two months ago. Went back to write a review and product was no longer available there and then I found out its selling for 100 bucks more as a regular price. I am on firmware version 1.7 via web interface but the app only gave me firmware upgrade during initial setup and kept indicating I’ve got the latest firmware more than a month later but that wasn’t true. I do like the overall speed and coverage increase over my previous Amplifi HD router. I was interested in Amplifi Alien router since I can still return the Linksys MX5 but I’d be loosing USB 3.0 port it’ll cost more.

     Reply

217. Is the Asus RT-AC88U better than the TP-Link Archer ax11000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router?

     Reply

     • The Asus RT-AC88U is Wi-Fi 5 router so, no, it’s not better than the TP-Link Wi-Fi 6 one, Virginia.

       Reply

218. Thanks for this write up – great info! Are some of these routers more suited to serving a high number of devices? We have many clients in our household and am not sure what specs to look for in a router to ensure it can handle so many connections.

     Reply

     • Chances are they ALL will serve your need just fine, Bill. But if you’re not sure, get a tri-band router (like the RAX200 or the Asus GT-AX11000). If you don’t know the difference between tri-band and dual-band, check out this post. And you’re welcome! 🙂

       Reply

219. Perfect will do thanks. Now just have to wait for them to be back in stock. There sold out 😢

     Reply

     • There’s no rush, unless your Orbi is dead. Hang in there! 🙂

       Reply

220. I did read your review and I was torn lol that’s why I asked. It’s to replace a single Orbi unit.

     Reply

     • Get the Alien, you’ll love it. 🙂

       Reply

221. Would you recommend the Asus ax11000 or the AmpliFi alien? Looking to replace an old single unit or I.

     Reply

     • Since you ask the question, Drew, I think the Alien is a better choice for you. Do read my review on them, tho. 🙂

       Reply

222. Hi Dong,

     I’m now using 2 pack of Asus RT-AX92U (AX6100) and is going to set up the 3rd unit to cover a dead spot in my house that cause the slowness in that area. My connection is wireless backhaul.

     Actually, I did upgraded from RT-AC86U (2 pack) previously and I don’t find much different, except that AX92U support Wifi 6 (my Samsung Note 10+). But since I’ve already sold my AC86U, I need to keep using 3 pack of AX92U. It’s a lot of investment.

     Reply

     • Yes, Wichai. If you have wired backhaul, you won’t see much of a difference betweeen the two sets. But the Wi-Fi 6 will be better in the future when you have more clients. 🙂

       Reply

223. I have rt ac87u so it doesn’t support aimesh
     So what you say about the UDM with one of their AP

     Reply

     • The UDM is great but I haven’t had time to test it as a mesh yet. I suspect it will work well. If you like something super easy to use, get the AmpliFi HD.

       Reply

224. Sorry to bother you.
     I was wondering if you can help me.
     Im trying to upgrade my old asus to wifi 6 router.
     I want a main router and also gonna have another one as mesh but it going to be hard wire
     I wanna see what you recommend.
     looking for
     speed
     reliable
     range
     and good interface

     Reply

     • If you want a single router, Barbosa, just get any of this list. If you want a mesh, I’d recommend not using Asus yet. Get the Orbi Wi-Fi 6. But you don’t need Wi-Fi 6 right away. In that case, just get the Asus Blue Cave or RT-AC86U and use it with your old router. If your old Asus router supports AiMesh, then you’re good to go.

       Reply

225. Hello Dong! Which router do you personally use in your own home?

     Reply

     • I actually have all on this list (and more), Dale. :). But I use mostly a set of one Asus GT-AX11000, one Blue Cave and one Lyra Trio (single unit) in an AiMesh setup with wired backhaul.

       Reply

226. Hi Dong, loving your site and reviews. I’m trying to decide if now is the right time to upgrade my router and desktop network card to wifi 6.

     I do have a quick question: I have a 4×4 Wifi 5 card now with an Asus AC88 router. My computer’s connection speed to my router ranges from 1.3 to 1.5 Gbps (gigibit fiber) but I don’t usually get above 500 mbps on speed tests. Do you think upgrading would help my connection speeds?

     Ethernet would be ideal but not doable without a sizeable project.

     Thanks!

     Reply

     • Thanks, Stephen.

       A couple of things:

       1. The speeds you mentioned are “negotiated” speeds. The real-world sustained speeds tend to be much lower, generally, you’ll get above half of those at most.
       2. You don’t want to use the Internet (speedtest.net) to test the Wi-Fi speeds. More on this here.

       That said, moving to Wi-Fi 6 will not improve a lot, considering 4×4 Wi-Fi 5 is actually faster than 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 when 80MHz channels are used and many Wi-Fi 6 routers don’t support 160MHz channel, nor do many Wi-Fi adapters. So for now, I’d say stay with that RT-AC88U, it’s a great router. Getting Wi-Fi 6 router might improve things just a tiny bit, not worth the effort and cost.

       Hope this helps. 🙂

       Reply

227. Can’t believe the new Linksys Velop MX5300 did not make the list. I have It and it is awesome! I upgraded from my 3 year old Linksys EA9500 V1. You should do a review on the new Linksys!

     Reply

     • OK, Brent, I’ll see if I can get time for it. 🙂

       Reply

228. Is it correct these WiFi 6 routers aren’t capable of 6GHz spectrum Wifi 6 and will not be ?

     Reply

     • That’s correct.

       Reply

229. Thank you for the information. I think I will wait for the prices to come down or a possible sale, along with more devices that support it. Currently, my iPhone 11 Pro is the only device I have that can take full advantage of it.

     Reply

     • Good call, Joe. And you’re welcome!:)

       Reply