ASUS & new 802.11ac : news ????

[emax.b]

No news about it from Asus

 

[Used.Identity]

I'm twiddling my thumbs as well. Been holding out for an updated model.

 

[claykin]

First gen DRAFT 802.11ac? I'm sure it will be a gem.

Do you feel like joining the "wifi router beta test"?

 

[Mark Uhde]

I think it's great that they're not. It's just a bad idea to introduce such products. Unlike 802.11n draft products, the world isn't desperate for faster wireless speeds. 40MHz 2x2 MIMO in the 5GHz band offers more than adequate real-world throughput for any wireless application I can think of. The real benefits of 802.11ac will be multi-user MIMO (which isn't implemented yet) and improved low-power/single stream performance. Lets wait for client devices and for multi-user MIMO to be available before talking 802.11ac like it matters, or is a good idea...

 

[smlunatick]

Not sure about Asus but I have seen Netgear's unit on sale on a web store site.

 

[RMerlin]

Asuswrt has some references to a device named RT-AC66U in the webui files.

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

Just got a press release from Asus about their new 802.11ac RT-AC66U router.

Singapore (June 4, 2012) ― the ASUS RT-AC66U router integrates dual-band Gigabit wireless with fifth generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology, also known as 5G WiFi, which enables speeds up to three times faster than existing 802.11n. As one of the first routers to achieve this, it tops Gigabit wireless requirements with a combined 2.4GHz/5GHz bandwidth of 1.75Gbps. This massive data rate makes it an excellent high speed router for demanding online applications, coupled with exclusive ASUS AiRadar signal amplification and shaping technology. Easy ASUSWRT setup, multiple SSIDs, and IPv6 support further enhance networking, while strong USB-based capabilities turn the RT-AC66U into a 3G, FTP, DLNA, and printer server for genuine multi-role functionality.



Going beyond Gigabit Wi-Fi to triple wireless-N speeds

The RT-AC66U goes even further than the successful high speed RT-N66U dual-band router. Working in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, it is one of the world’s first dual-band wireless routers to support the advanced 802.11ac wireless protocol, enabling 5GHz operation at up to 1.3Gbps. These new capabilities are made possible by the inclusion of Broadcom’s powerful 5G WiFi chips. As the 2.4GHz band can work at 450Mbps on its own, the concurrent combined bandwidth of the RT-AC66U is 1.75Gbps. It uses sophisticated ASUS AiRadar technology to strengthen signals to devices, amplifying transmission in all directions to better overcome environmental obstructions and improve data rates. The inclusion of 5G WiFi makes the RT-AC66U one of the most future-proof routers on the market, ready for the next generation of high speed networks.



Extensive feature list enhances networking experiences

The RT-AC66U maintains the tradition of networking excellence established by previous ASUS high speed routers. It allows for easy and fast setup in just three steps with the ASUSWRT dashboard, and upholds strict QoS standards for the most reliable networking and download multitasking available. With QoS, the RT-AC66U has better bandwidth optimization, and offers Download Master capabilities, which mean fast background downloading even post-shutdown. Up to eight SSIDs are supported, so users can easily setup distinct networks with different access privileges and levels of security without having to compromise passwords. The RT-AC66U supports the new IPv6 standard for better packet transmission and addressing.



USB applications extend router versatility

With its twin USB ports, the RT-AC66U becomes a true multi-role device. Attaching a 3G dongle allows it to share 3G connections among several users on different devices, while full DLNA compatibility affords smooth connectivity with a variety of entertainment platforms, including game consoles, Blu-ray players, smart TVs, and set-top boxes. The RT-AC66U can also serve as a dedicated FTP server and printer server, letting users share resources for greater productivity while reducing costs as there is no need to buy standalone server hardware.



Full 802.11ac product lineup

In addition to the RT-AC66U router, ASUS has also released the PCE-AC66 and USB-AC53 clients, both capable of 802.11ac speeds. The dual-band PCE-AC66 offers a PCI Express client card for desktops, with 3 x 3 high-powered transmission. It can sustain 1.3Gbps in 5GHz and up to 450Mbps in the 2.4GHz band. For easy USB upgrades to 802.11ac, the USB-AC53 compact dongle plugs into any USB port, with 2 x 2 802.11ac. In 5GHz, the attachment can maintain 867Mbps, while in 2.4GHz it works at 300Mbps, achieving a total throughput of around 1.3Gbps. The PCE-AC66 and USB-AC53 are enabled by Broadcom’s 5G WiFi chips, and demonstrate ASUS technology leadership in bringing an 802.11ac ecosystem to consumers.



Further information on 5G WiFi can be found at www.5GWiFi.org

 

[ZeDestructor]

So more of the same really: the current N900 routers equipped with the BCM5300 + dual BCM4331 modified to use a BCM4360 in place of of the 5GHz BCM4331. Same as in the Netgear R6300 and the Buffalo one.

 

[Dr_ARCHer]

I think at this point, only Broadcom is shipping draft ac SoCs.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
I now know why the firmware updates have disappeared for the RT-N66U. There are still so many little problems which they need to fix.

They all dropped what they were doing and jumped into getting the RT-AC66U ready to go out the door.

we might have a obsolete router in our hands

 

[RMerlin]

Howdy,
I now know why the firmware updates have disappeared for the RT-N66U. There are still so many little problems which they need to fix.

They all dropped what they were doing and jumped into getting the RT-AC66U ready to go out the door.

we might have a obsolete router in our hands

That's not true. They had already announced weeks ago that the next RT-N66U firmware release would only be in June. They haven't abandonned it, they just aren't releasing one new release every month. Beside, the RT-AC66U uses the exact same firmware as the RT-N66U. Any firmware development (aside from the hardware-related parts) would apply to both routers.

 

[Daybreak]

That's not true. They had already announced weeks ago that the next RT-N66U firmware release would only be in June. They haven't abandonned it, they just aren't releasing one new release every month. Beside, the RT-AC66U uses the exact same firmware as the RT-N66U. Any firmware development (aside from the hardware-related parts) would apply to both routers.

Howdy RMerlin,
That's OK, I'm using your firmware here.

 

[Guz]

Howdy,
I now know why the firmware updates have disappeared for the RT-N66U. There are still so many little problems which they need to fix.

They all dropped what they were doing and jumped into getting the RT-AC66U ready to go out the door.

we might have a obsolete router in our hands

Deja vu!!!!! Those of us who own a RT-N56U know all about this. We were getting updates fast and furious when it came out, then the number of updates slowed down for some reason, and then RT-N66U came out and we got "nut'n". Even though there are still some bugs still crawling around inside our routers.

In my personal opinion, I think Asus is too infatuated on getting things out the door quickly, rather than putting out quality, well tested products.

That and I don't think they have enough programmers for their routers. I can't explain it, but I have a gut feeling that they only have one, maybe three guys that write and test the firmware for all their routers. They get slammed from up above saying "We need this NOW!!!! Forget older stuff, we make money on new stuff".

 

[RMerlin]

Deja vu!!!!! Those of us who own a RT-N56U know all about this. We were getting updates fast and furious when it came out, then the number of updates slowed down for some reason, and then RT-N66U came out and we got "nut'n". Even though there are still some bugs still crawling around inside our routers.

Asus seems to be in the process of migrating all their existing routers (at least the recent ones) to their new Asuswrt codebase. The RT-N56U seems to also be scheduled for that. Once that happens, the good news is, any bug fix they do for one router can simultaneously be applied to other routers (outside of hardware-specific issues, of course). Hopefully that will mean better firmware quality once their development team can all focus on one single codebase. God knows they need improvement in that area.

 

[Harsh132]

It is unlikely that anything will change for the better. We looked at what a black gui web for 56 there is nothing good has not been found. Them time to think about the overall change in programmers because the farther away the more there is recourse. Sorry for my english.

 

[AnthonyArmato]

In my personal opinion, I think Asus is too infatuated on getting things out the door quickly, rather than putting out quality, well tested products.

That's not only Asus, that's every company.

 

[Harsh132]

That's not only Asus, that's every company.

I do not agree, and this confirms Zyxel, but this offtop here

 

[AnthonyArmato]

I do not agree, and this confirms Zyxel, but this offtop here

Okay, not "every" but certainly most. Back on topic.

 

[RMerlin]

For those interested, Asus has posted the PDF manuals for the RT-AC66U on their website. I saw them popup on FTP today.

Sadly, no GPL code that I could have grabbed and looked at

 

[cythraul]

Unlike 802.11n draft products, the world isn't desperate for faster wireless speeds.

Like me, some people may need a new router and were prepared to get a RT-N66U until they saw that the RT-AC66U is almost available. While they may not need an AC router now, AC devices will be coming out fairly fast in the following months.