AX88u 2.4G range worse than AC87u

[micer45]

I have just bought the AX88U as my old router died, so thought I would just get the best, I was using a borrowed AC87U until it arrived

Reading reviews I thought the range would be better than the AC87U but I finding the opposite.

I have some 2.4G garage door controllers and with the AC87U they report 70% wireless strength, whereas with the AX88U just 40%, both routers in the same location.

I have quite a few IOT devices on 2.4G so was hoping for better

Is the AX88U just good for 5GHZ range?

 

[bbunge]

If you read through posts for router recommendations, the AX88U is seldom mentioned. The AX86U, however, is high on the list!

 

[micer45]

If you read through posts for router recommendations, the AX88U is seldom mentioned. The AX86U, however, is high on the list!

I had asked for recommendations in another thread and was told the AX88U was the best of the best

 

[ColinTaylor]

... was told the AX88U was the best of the best

By a single person that had only joined the forums 11 days earlier and has limited IT experience. Hmmm, I think I would have waited for a second opinion.

My sarcasm aside, the AX88U ought not to be significantly different on 2.4GHz. Have you tried different channels? Also make sure you're using 20MHz bandwidth, not 40 or 20/40.

 

[micer45]

Yes, sarcasm well deserved . Jumped the gun a bit, saw a cheap one on eBay and just went for it

Currently set to 20/40 will give that a go, thanks.

 

[ColinTaylor]

As I have no AX devices on 2.4GHz I have these disabled:

802.11ax / WiFi 6 mode
WiFi Agile Multiband
Target Wake Time

And in the professional settings I have these disabled:

Airtime Fairness
Multi-User MIMO
Universal Beamforming

YMMV

 

[MartinF]

I recently got an AX88U from Amazon, renewed by Asus. I've previously used TP-Link routers, which worked well but the software really sucks. My last one still works, an AC 1900 Archer C9. I have it set up as an access point, and have been comparing speeds on my 400/20 cable connection. At 5GHz, both max out at over 400mb/s. at 2.4GHz, the AC got 82, the AX got 114. But the range on the old C9 seems better. So, I'm not so sure it was worth it getting the AX88U, and I'm considering returning it, and perhaps getting a wifi 5 router with better range, like perhaps the AC86U, or similar.

Also, I never had problems with the TP-Link routers, but I'm having some wifi problems with the Asus. I might have been too quick to install Merlin (386.8_0) before fully testing with the stock firmware. But the ability to run Merlin was a priority, so I wanted to test it out even though I don't really think I need it yet. So, I don't know if the problems are Merlin or Asus, and I'll try to sort it out before deciding to return the beast.

FWIW, it seems like the problems might be mostly related to guest networks, but I'm not really sure yet. I've reset, and redid the guest networks, and so far, everything is OK. Maybe it just needed rebooting after so many changes. Or, maybe I made a mistake in connecting so many different pieces.

 

[L&LD]

Buying AC class routers today is likely money not so well spent.

The best range I've ever seen was from an Asus RT-AC3100 running RMerlin firmware, but it makes little sense to hang on to that today.

An Asus AX class router will be more useful in the future, including getting the 388.xx firmware updates and later, while all Asus AC class routers have been 'frozen' to 386.xx firmware today (verified by RMerlin himself).

Current Order of Recommended Routers Late 2021

In addition to the list above, the GT-AX6000 stands as the overall bang-for-the-buck offering in late 2022. With the most balanced hardware features and superior performance today.

If you still require more range, AiMesh is where 'coverage' has been heading, for a few years now.

 

[MartinF]

Buying AC class routers today is likely money not so well spent.

The best range I've ever seen was from an Asus RT-AC3100 running RMerlin firmware, but it makes little sense to hang on to that today.

An Asus AX class router will be more useful in the future, including getting the 388.xx firmware updates and later, while all Asus AC class routers have been 'frozen' to 386.xx firmware today (verified by RMerlin himself).

Current Order of Recommended Routers Late 2021

In addition to the list above, the GT-AX6000 stands as the overall bang-for-the-buck offering in late 2022. With the most balanced hardware features and superior performance today.

If you still require more range, AiMesh is where 'coverage' has been heading, for a few years now.

Thanks for the input. The frozen firmware is interesting; will Asus be updating their firmware for the AC class routers? I'm not a super user, and don't really know if I truly need the Merlin features yet. I have a home network with 4 users, and this will eventually be reduced to 2. But I do have a bunch of smart devices, mostly lights and switches so far along with Ring devices.

So, the bottom line is I don't want to look too far into the future, as it's a moving target. It may be that by the time I need the future products, they will be much cheaper or much better.

I had looked at that Current Order of Recommended Routers Late 2021 link before, but I don't quite understand it. It was interesting, but I didn't see what was recommended really. I don't think I'll need mesh unless I get a bigger home, and I'm not really sure if I really like them. They probably have their place, at least for now, but I can't help suspecting that future portable devices will have better abilities to choose the best network, and simpler WAPs might be faster and easier if they are smart enough to coexist.

 

[L&LD]

The AC class routers will get updates (not all, obviously), but they will remain on 386.xx level firmware.

The link below may indicate why an AX class router (specifically, those mentioned) is superior.

Report - 2x RT-AX68U upgrade over 2x RT-AC86U in wireless backhaul mode

Note that a single RT-AX68U is superior to 2x RT-AC86Us (even if the customer still wanted another RT-AX68U in his home).

In tech, always buy newer hardware. Even if the price seems higher today, that price difference will only be exaggerated in the future (between 'good enough' and 'worth having' products for small differences in price, in the long run).

 

[Tech9]

I had looked at that Current Order of Recommended Routers Late 2021 link before

Recommended by someone who actively advertises highly unpopular AX68U router with long history of connection issues mentioned everywhere - here on SNB Forums, on Reddit, on BestBuy and Amazon customer reviews. The thread here is 10 pages long:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-ax68u-5ghz-band-dropping-disappearing.76091/

You're in Asus fans land. Some members here know nothing else. Fun fact - TP-Link Archer C80 for $50 has better range and throughput to existing AC clients than Asus RT-AX86U for $250. Yes, Asus has better support, but Wi-Fi range is not the best you can get.

Your AX88U has better range than AX86U in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Hopefully the new AX86U Pro is better. I think to buy one and compare.

 

[L&LD]

I'm not advertising anything. And I know more than just Asus products. I am sharing my experience with the people who may actually be interested.

Highly unpopular with you, only. Someone who doesn't use Asus routers in their own networks.

Fully supported by both Asus and RMerlin. The downloads per week are yet another indication of that too.

Yes, it may not be pretty, but the reliability and performance results are indisputable for many more than the few who have had issues so long ago.

Random sales reviews are hardly an indication of what to buy. Nor is reddit a great source of technical information either.

A $50 router with better performance but worse support/reliability and features for AC clients may tickle your fancy.

But those are the type of routers that I upgrade my customers from. And they're the ones that refer me to new customers.

Sure, we all have AC clients still, but the world has moved on. Try to catch up. Instead of recommending $50 options while looking down your nose on all, with your commercial network setups.

 

[MartinF]

Recommended by someone who actively advertises highly unpopular AX68U router with long history of connection issues mentioned everywhere - here on SNB Forums, on Reddit, on BestBuy and Amazon customer reviews. The thread here is 10 pages long:

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-ax68u-5ghz-band-dropping-disappearing.76091/

You're in Asus fans land. Some members here know nothing else. Fun fact - TP-Link Archer C80 for $50 has better range and throughput to existing AC clients than Asus RT-AX86U for $250. Yes, Asus has better support, but Wi-Fi range is not the best you can get.

Your AX88U has better range than AX86U in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Hopefully the new AX86U Pro is better. I think to buy one and compare.

I'm aware that most people are here in the Asus discussions because they either have or are interested in Asus, or they have some vested interest in belittling them in favor of their favorite brand that's that perhaps getting ignored in spite of being the best. And by "the best", I mean best for that person... at least in their opinion. So I don't take his or your opinions as facts; I'm very skeptical of most things, so I definitely do research everywhere I can.

I've been around computer discussions a long time, starting with usenet in the late 1980s. I frequented a group called ba.internet, along with a lot of programming groups. I also frequent Reddit, and know that there is a lot of misinformation there due to groupthink where people support what the rest of the group says, without listening to outsiders. But Amazon and Best Buy have the problem that more people post to complain than those who are happily using their new products, so I don't pay much attention to problems that may seem prevalent but are not. I've seen the results of this many times. I remember when Google came out with the Pixel 2XL that was panned badly, and I even cancelled my order at first, then bought anyway. Everyone was complaining; now people love it and think it was one of the best. Mine is still working, but the battery is fading.

I've had 3 or 4 TP-Link routers, starting with the TL-WDR4300 wireless N model back in 2013, and they worked well, but I hated the UI and lack of extra features. So I know, it's the best for someone who just wants a basic router and doesn't want to configure it - or who wants to use other firmware like DD-WRT, openWRT, etc. I went through a few on my early TP-Link, but always had some problems plus there was not any good support.

But thanks for your comments and reminder of the context, although I think you are being a bit unfair. But you're entitled to your opinion as much as the next guy.

 

[Tech9]

I think you are being a bit unfair

Your call. Just trying to warn you about incoming "recommended" links and "customer" stories. I have applied forum QoS to some members.