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Upgrade from AX88U to BE98

Thermaltake

Thermaltake

Senior Member
Hi, I currently have AX88U and I'm very satisfied with it. It's stable, running Merlin FW since day 1 for like 3-4 years now. My plan is to change ISP and have 2+Gbps network, and I saw BE98 router with 2,5Gb ports and 10Gb ports, everyone is saying good things about it.
So my question is in your opinion is it worth upgrading from AX88U to BE98 or is it just waste of money. I have a lot of wifi devices 2.4 / 5Ghz compatible, maybe some wifi 7 ready, and about 3-4 lan connected.
 
Last edited:
Thermaltake said:
Hi, I currently have AX88U and I'm very satisfied with it. It's stable, running Merlin FW since day 1 for like 3-4 years now. My plan is to change ISP and have 2+Gbps network, and I saw BE98 router with 2,5Gb ports and 10Gb ports, everyone is saying good things about it.
So my question is in your opinion is it worth upgrading from AX88U to BE98 or is it just waste of money. I have a lot of wifi devices 2.4 / 5Ghz compatible, maybe some wifi 7 ready, and about 3-4 lan connected.
Click to expand...

What problem are you trying to solve? If none, then save your money on both counts, ISP speeds and network upgrades.

OE
 
OzarkEdge said:
What problem are you trying to solve? If none, then save your money on both counts, ISP speeds and your network.

OE
Click to expand...

No problem, just upgrading. Funny thing is that this ISP that I'm currently on is expensive and have only 1/500gbps speed, and they are dumping upload it's not going over 470Mbps. This other one that I want to replace this current one is less expensive and have simetrical up and down and it's 2gbps speed. Plus they have way more quality network then my current one, they invested way more in developing optic and in equipment.
 
I would only upgrade to speeds I don't need and can't use without expensive LAN upgrades... to cut expenses and save money (the math is not there). And I would not touch WiFi7 product until they mature beyond the bleeding edge.

OE
 
Thermaltake said:
running Merlin FW since day 1
Click to expand...

GT-BE98 has Asuswrt-Merlin fork support with slower release cycle. This model is not supported directly by RMerlin. The firmware is in work-in-progress state and you may not get the stability you are after. Better save money and trouble. In case you want to test your luck - make sure you have return options and don't miss the return window.
 
With AX88U which is in my room, I don't have good 2.4Ghz signal when I went to toilet. Two thick walls separate my room and toilet, and while in toilet I have only 1 bar and internet is dropping. I tried to everything in config. but non of it works. Do you think BE98 will be better with signal ? I was thinking AX88U would have stronger 2.4 signal, this really surprise me how poor it is.

I have 10gb tplink switch and plan was to do 10gb local network, and connect internet on it when arrives that 2gb speed so I would be future proof. But I won't achieve my 2gb speed on wifi since AX88U can't handle more than 1Gb speed via lan. I don't use ISP router for nothing I open dmz and disable everything on that one, so Asus is my main router (in wireless mode). AX88U is kind of absolete with 1gb lan ports.


I saw that Merlin only support Pro model for now, since that's US model. EU model is without Pro. What exactly is slower release cycle ? I didn't have any problem on AX88U with stock firmware, it was also working without problem.
 
Last edited:
Thermaltake said:
With AX88U which is in my room, I don't have good 2.4Ghz signal when I went to toilet. Two thick walls separate my room and toilet, and while in toilet I have only 1 bar and internet is dropping. I tried to everything in config. but non of it works. Do you think BE98 will be better with signal ? I was thinking AX88U would have stronger 2.4 signal, this really surprise me how poor it is.

I have 10gb tplink switch and plan was to do 10gb local network, and connect internet on it when arrives that 2gb speed so I would be future proof. But I won't achieve my 2gb speed on wifi since AX88U can't handle more than 1Gb speed via lan. I don't use ISP router for nothing I open dmz and disable everything on that one, so Asus is my main router (in wireless mode). AX88U is kind of absolete with 1gb lan ports.


I saw that Merlin only support Pro model for now, since that's US model. EU model is without Pro. What exactly is slower release cycle ? I didn't have any problem on AX88U with stock firmware, it was also working without problem.
Click to expand...
TX signal strength is limited by the regulator in your country. Applies to all models/vendors. So no, should not change if both are already hard configured to that limit. Two thick walls will be tough for any of the available bands, particularly if they are concrete or brick or plaster based. 2.4GHz has a tough time as the moisture in those walls absorbs it particularly well, just like in a microwave. Maybe leave the doors open ?

Unless you have a tremendous amount of lan bandwidth needs ( video editing over network, etc) or have an extreme number of users, a 1 Gbit/s based lan should be more than enough usable bandwidth, particularly if just using for internet and gaming. Latency to/from the gaming server is more of a concern than the absolute LAN/WAN speed once you get to 1 Gbit/s LAN/WAN.
 
degrub said:
TX signal strength is limited by the regulator in your country. Applies to all models/vendors. So no, should not change if both are already hard configured to that limit. Two thick walls will be tough for any of the available bands, particularly if they are concrete or brick or plaster based. 2.4GHz has a tough time as the moisture in those walls absorbs it particularly well, just like in a microwave. Maybe leave the doors open ?
Click to expand...
And the 2.4GHz band carries further and is better at perpetrating walls than 5GHz and even more so for 6GHz.
 
Thermaltake said:
What exactly is slower release cycle ?
Click to expand...

Means the fork may start alpha/beta cycle after stable Asuswrt-Merlin was already released for other models. For initial 3006 release the time difference was in months. You may have to wait longer.
 
jb68 said:
I went from AX88u to BE98 but the router was so buggy with lan dropouts wifi dropouts etc and went back to the AX88u
Click to expand...

Even with latest firmware ?


I will sign new deal with new ISP soon and get that 2Gbps. I need it for work. I work with video editing I have server at home, NAS and all kinds of stuff that will have benefit from that speed, and me also for downloading and uplouding files. So thats why I asked for new router. If anyone have any suggestion for some router with ports greater than 1gb if that BE98 is not that good as you say.
 
Does the server on the other end of the upload give you that much bandwidth as well ?
Many internet facing servers only allocate minimal bandwidth to a single client - commonly 100 Mbit or so.
 
degrub said:
Does the server on the other end of the upload give you that much bandwidth as well ?
Many internet facing servers only allocate minimal bandwidth to a single client - commonly 100 Mbit or so.
Click to expand...

NAS does, and I need it for transfering files also.

So any suggestion for router that have high wlan and 2.5 or even better 10gb ports ?
 
Thermaltake said:
NAS does, and I need it for transfering files also.

So any suggestion for router that have high wlan and 2.5 or even better 10gb ports ?
Click to expand...

Have you considered the AXE16000? I bought one a year or so back and it flies. It's Wifi 6E, but has 2 10G ports, 1 2.5 port and 4 1G ports. The Wireless is not bad at all, with my Samsung S24 Ultra getting damn near my full connection. (AT&T Fiber running at 1300/1300) With antenna like these, it should smoke anything you throw at it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z792WWF?tag=snbforums-20

I also use a QNAP switch that has 4 10G ports on it and 8 1G ports: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DKSFXNW?tag=snbforums-20 (I believe it's been outmoded by a model with 4 10 ports and 6 2.5 ports) See here: https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-QSW-M21...bE-Deployment/dp/B0BK2PNLSL/?tag=snbforums-20

I'm pretty much just planning to sit back and wait with this setup.
 
Chris313AllNight said:
Have you considered the AXE16000? I bought one a year or so back and it flies. It's Wifi 6E, but has 2 10G ports, 1 2.5 port and 4 1G ports. The Wireless is not bad at all, with my Samsung S24 Ultra getting damn near my full connection. (AT&T Fiber running at 1300/1300) With antenna like these, it should smoke anything you throw at it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z792WWF?tag=snbforums-20

I also use a QNAP switch that has 4 10G ports on it and 8 1G ports: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DKSFXNW?tag=snbforums-20 (I believe it's been outmoded by a model with 4 10 ports and 6 2.5 ports) See here: https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-QSW-M21...bE-Deployment/dp/B0BK2PNLSL/?tag=snbforums-20

I'm pretty much just planning to sit back and wait with this setup.
Click to expand...

I didn't, it's looking very good. It even looks like BE98. What's the difference between those two except BE98 is newer and a bit different design and ports a slightly better cpu with same amount of ram.
And as I google a little bit I see that AX16000 is still stuck with 3.0.0.4 firmware...

Still don't understand why is everyone so against BE98. I assume they fix all lan drops and all the funny bugs with latest firmware ?
I'm also looking for something to buy to be future proof so I don't have to buy router every few years. My AX88U is now 7 or 8 years in my home and it's showing a little weakness in cpu and memory section when I do some stuff, and the main problem on it is only 1gb ports.
 
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Thermaltake said:
Still don't understand why is everyone so against BE98.
Click to expand...

I personally don’t mind if you spend money on it, go ahead. You asked for opinions. You are looking at wrong device for future proofing. Asus may change the hardware revision during fixing issues process like some other manufacturers did already.
 
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I mean I saved some money just for that, so money is not the problem right now. I forgot to mention, I bought apartment next to my current so in future I would like to connect two places with one network.
 
I would be looking for modular system with gateway at the ISP device, a switch with 1-2 APs in one of the apartments and another switch with 1-2 APs on the other side. You can have one physical network with two connected logical networks with own settings as per requirements. With Asus and current state of firmware and AiMesh you are investing in unknown.
 
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