ASUS RT-N66U Dark Knight Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router Reviewed

[njweb]

The reason I don't measure signal strength or look at link rates is that they are very indirect indicators of performance. The bottom line is the throughput you get, which is what I measure.

Understood, that is what I figured. Thanks.

1. Re. the review:
Nice to see how well it did in location F on both 2 and 3 stream 2.4 GHz and that it was the only router, that I noticed (picked the 4 top routers for one of the wireless stats and compared those for 'performance by location), on 5 GHz that got a measurable speed (not blank) in location F using a 3 stream client.

- It had some significantly higher throughput in the other locations too compared to the other N900 routers.
E.g. location F's 3 stream 2.4 GHz throughput of the RT-N66U was about 3.5 times that of the fastest of the 3 nearest competitors.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanw...-linksys-e4200v2/1113-asus-rtn66u-dark-knight


2. Given what G37x was told by Asus about the TX power bug, I still need to get clarification from Asus on what they are changing in the transmit power display:
A) Is the 40mW currently displayed as the default (and max) really 40mW and they are just adding an option to boost it up to 500mW which seems very high.

or

B) Is the 40mW currently displayed incorrect and will be represented by the real value in the next firmware, which will also be updated to allow it to be bumped higher (reportedly 500mW according to what Asus told member G37x).

Either way, hopefully the default numerical value displayed after next week's firmware is applied will be equivalent to the current "40mW" default.
This way we can decide for ourselves whether or not to bump it up.
On a permanent basis I am not planning to boost it much, if at all, since it works great as is and bumping it up could actually have adverse effects (depending on the level it is set to of course).
I may experiment a bit though (if I feel so inclined) while staying within safe limits (whatever those might be for this model).

 

[dzernumbrd]

Vpn

hi Tim

I am wondering how this router performs as a VPN client? Connecting to say StrongVPN or PureVPN.

Are you able to generate metrics to test for this?

I assume the router CPU would be doing all the encryption/decryption so there could be some overhead if the router is doing it instead of the PC?

Thanks

 

[delair2]

Anyone, is there some known issue with the current/posted V2 test results? I ask because "Shikami" posted this comment "I think this router tested perfectly, unlike the E4200v2..."

 

[RogerSC]

Thanks again for posting the full review. While this router is a work in progress relative to the firmware support of the router's feature set, it is an impressive piece of work.

I'm still amazed by the difference in performance between the Netgear WNDR4500 and this router, it would be interesting to understand what happened there.

 

[njweb]

Thanks again for posting the full review. While this router is a work in progress relative to the firmware support of the router's feature set, it is an impressive piece of work.

I'm still amazed by the difference in performance between the Netgear WNDR4500 and this router, it would be interesting to understand what happened there.

One thing that comes to mind, aside from differences in the code (firmware) itself between the two routers, is the fact that the RT-N66U uses decent gain external antennae (perhaps combined with the gain - I don't know off hand what the gain on the WNDR4500's internal antennae is).

Asus also uses their implementation of beam forming (AI) which could be helping (I'm not sure whether or not the WNDR4500 has this).

 

[delair2]

Sharp eyes there, delair2. Yes, all wireless results are in the Performance Charts. The final review will be up tomorrow.

I got delayed because I added some new benchmarks to the charts. The new benchmarks show the results for the simultaneous up/downlink tests I've been running in Location A.

Mr. Easy: I think you just published the most comprehensive N66U review to date. Just curious, do you ever get any response/comments from the vendors on your reviews?

 

[thiggins]

Mr. Easy: I think you just published the most comprehensive N66U review to date. Just curious, do you ever get any response/comments from the vendors on your reviews?

Yes. An ASUS representative will be soon posting a response to some of the issues raised in the review.

 

[thiggins]

I am wondering how this router performs as a VPN client? Connecting to say StrongVPN or PureVPN.

Are you able to generate metrics to test for this?

I assume the router CPU would be doing all the encryption/decryption so there could be some overhead if the router is doing it instead of the PC?

The updated review has a VPN section. I tried establishing a PPTP connection with a Win7 client and could not.

PPTP normally doesn't encrypt the traffic itself, just the authentication. So processor load isn't heavy.

 

[Geraner]

The updated review has a VPN section. I tried establishing a PPTP connection with a Win7 client and could not.

PPTP normally doesn't encrypt the traffic itself, just the authentication. So processor load isn't heavy.

Hi,

VPN server is working without any problem for me.

Settings:
- Broadcast support: disabled
- Force MPPE Encryption: MPPE 128
- DNS Server using Norton DNS 198.153.192.40 + 198.153.194.40
- Client IP adress 192.168.10.2 - 192.168.10.10
- setting up one username and password to connect with
- setting up a DynDns accout to connect to my router (getting dynamic IP address from my ISP)

Was away in town and connected to my home-network via 3G connection and setting up the PPTP VPN connection in Windows 7. Connection was no problem. Could easily access files on my NAS in my home network.

/Geraner

 

[jerryk]

Hi,

VPN server is working without any problem for me.

Settings:
- Broadcast support: disabled
- Force MPPE Encryption: MPPE 128
- DNS Server using Norton DNS 198.153.192.40 + 198.153.194.40
- Client IP adress 192.168.10.2 - 192.168.10.10
- setting up one username and password to connect with
- setting up a DynDns accout to connect to my router (getting dynamic IP address from my ISP)

Was away in town and connected to my home-network via 3G connection and setting up the PPTP VPN connection in Windows 7. Connection was no problem. Could easily access files on my NAS in my home network.

/Geraner

That is great. The failed VPN server was a big roadblock for me.

 

[Geraner]

I have to add, that I had to enter the IP-adress of my NAS to access it. \\192.168.x.x in the windows explorer.
Mapping via the hostname was not possible. - This will hopefully be solved in one of the next firmware updates.

 

[thiggins]

VPN server is working without any problem for me.

Thanks for the report. I will try it when I get a chance.

 

[falu]

new firmware

Just noticed:

ASUS RT-N66U B1 Firmware version 3.0.0.3.96
1. Fixed ppp connection fails after setting idle timeout
2. Fixed Turkey lang related bugs
3. Fixed Virtual port fail issue
4. Fixed NAT loopback bug
5. Fixed Media server bug
6. Modified setting DMZ, related pptp packets will be redirected to that
DMZ pc
7. Modified WDS site survey
* For Download master:
1. The file will not be removed when remove the completed task.
2. Fixed multi-language related bugs.

Looks like the last one was a beta version. The "enabled" instead of "enable" is still quite annoying, but it's nice to see NAT loopback and DLNA are back in business (fixme). Just bought the device few days ago, there is a UTP cable included as EYHERHEY cable Am I the only one?

 

[Geraner]

I made a short video about the VPN server function in the RT-N66U.
http://youtu.be/f32IhsUgS48

/Geraner

 

[dzernumbrd]

The updated review has a VPN section. I tried establishing a PPTP connection with a Win7 client and could not.

PPTP normally doesn't encrypt the traffic itself, just the authentication. So processor load isn't heavy.

I made a short video about the VPN server function in the RT-N66U.
http://youtu.be/f32IhsUgS48

/Geraner

hi Tim/Geraner,

Thank you for testing VPN server and also thank you for making this video.

I am also interested in router acting as a VPN client to a third party VPN server (as opposed to the router itself acting as a VPN server for mobile devices).

Does the VPN client functionality work for either of you?

Thank you very much,
D.

 

[Geraner]

This router does not have a VPN client mode. Only a VPN server mode.
To use VPN client you have to install Tomato firmware instead. Asus firmware only supports VPN server so far.

 

[kamaran]

This router does not have a VPN client mode. Only a VPN server mode.

What's the difference (including use cases) please?

 

[thiggins]

Server mode is required to connect to another router.
Client mode is used to connect individual users

 

[dzernumbrd]

This router does not have a VPN client mode. Only a VPN server mode.
To use VPN client you have to install Tomato firmware instead. Asus firmware only supports VPN server so far.

Oh I see I am probably confused - not an expert on network stuff.

I was looking at this demo web UI for the router:

http://service.asus.com/demoui/RT-N66U/RT-N66U/RT-N66U/192.168.1.1/index.html

I saw under the demo "WAN" link that there was a "WAN Connection Type" of "PPTP" (which is what I call "VPN client") - there are also places on the UI once you select that option to specify your VPN username/password and server. So I thought that was the "VPN client" but perhaps my terminology or understanding is wrong?

Regarding the "use cases" question - the "use case" I was thinking of is:

1. I subscribe to PureVPN, join this router to PureVPN then all my devices on my local network go through the VPN. So I can access Hulu or Netflix etc on my computer, my phone (via apps) or my media PC for my TV. This way I don't need multiple PureVPN accounts for all my different PCs.

2. For the VPN server my use case was to be able to connect my Android phone to the VPN server on my home router and access the Internet more securely via my phone.

Thanks,
D.

 

[NightOwl326]

Yes. An ASUS representative will be soon posting a response to some of the issues raised in the review.

So what happened to this response? Inquiring minds want to know....