AX86U to replace AX88U

[neil0311]

Is that a stupid move? Not enough reason to spend $270 with tax to upgrade?

The main reason is for the 2.5Gb WAN port to connect to the Arris S33 cable modem 2.5Gb port. My connection from my ISP is 1.2Gbps and May increase to 2Gbps later in the year.

 

[bbunge]

AX86U - Newer electronics, 2.5 GB port... many of us recommend it... more than enough reasons! May not be good reasons but...

I bought one about a year ago. I do not have nor plan to get Gig service but it is a GREAT router for what I do have.

 

[Threska49]

AX86U - Newer electronics, 2.5 GB port... many of us recommend it... more than enough reasons! May not be good reasons but...

I bought one about a year ago. I do not have nor plan to get Gig service but it is a GREAT router for what I do have.

It is. Needed to update my ten year old router (N66U). Did note the 2.5 GB didn't recognize the same on the modem (ES2251)

 

[RMerlin]

Is that a stupid move? Not enough reason to spend $270 with tax to upgrade?

The main reason is for the 2.5Gb WAN port to connect to the Arris S33 cable modem 2.5Gb port. My connection from my ISP is 1.2Gbps and May increase to 2Gbps later in the year.

If you need it for your connection, then nothing wrong with it. You should able to get a decent resell value out of the RT-AX88U. You could also wait for that 2 Gbps increase to occur, at which point the RT-AX86U may have dropped in price, or one of its alternatives might be more appealing.

 

[Poseidon]

Try finding an open box 86U. Sometimes they pop up on New Egg and/or Best Buy. They’re usually customer returns within the return period and are almost brand new.

 

[KevTech]

Only one port is 2.5 and the other four LAN ports on the router are just 1 gig so you might still be limited to 1 gig if connecting devices to those.
If 2.5 port on router is going to modem with a 2.5 port and you connect your PC to one of the remaining LAN ports on the router you would be limited to 1 gig.
What you would need is a router that has 2.5 WAN and 2.5 or higher LAN ports.

 

[ColinTaylor]

What you would need is a router that has 2.5 WAN and 2.5 or higher LAN ports.

... or more than one device (wired or wireless) accessing the internet at the same time.

 

[Threska49]

Try finding an open box 86U. Sometimes they pop up on New Egg and/or Best Buy. They’re usually customer returns within the return period and are almost brand new.

Open box. Mine was one of those "box is damaged but contents fine".

 

[neil0311]

Only one port is 2.5 and the other four LAN ports on the router are just 1 gig so you might still be limited to 1 gig if connecting devices to those.
If 2.5 port on router is going to modem with a 2.5 port and you connect your PC to one of the remaining LAN ports on the router you would be limited to 1 gig.
What you would need is a router that has 2.5 WAN and 2.5 or higher LAN ports.

I use aggregation now to combine the 1Gb ethernet ports on my current Arris T25 eMTA into a virtual 2Gb link. I have WAN aggregation enabled on the AX88U.

I ditched voice, so I bought an Arris S33 to replace the T25 and it has a 2.5Gb port on it. I plan to use the AX86U with the 2.5Gb port as the WAN port and connect it with the S33 modem. I don't have any wired clients, so all the clients are using WiFi5 or WiFi6, and I've got the 5GHz network running with 160MHz (no channel conflicts) and full bandwidth, so I can get upwards of 1.3Gb in speed tests, depending on how Comcast is feeling that day.

 

[neil0311]

Only one port is 2.5 and the other four LAN ports on the router are just 1 gig so you might still be limited to 1 gig if connecting devices to those.
If 2.5 port on router is going to modem with a 2.5 port and you connect your PC to one of the remaining LAN ports on the router you would be limited to 1 gig.
What you would need is a router that has 2.5 WAN and 2.5 or higher LAN ports.

None of my clients are wired, so I don’t care what the wired ports support. The router sits in a closet.