"Best" new router that supports Merlin?

[Tech9]

When you upgraded from AC68U to AC86U you moved from ARMv7 platform to HND ARMv8 + AES. This is a big step forward resulting in 5x speed in some operations. Upgrading from AC86U to AX6000 is ARMv8 1.8GHz to ARMv8 2.0GHz on the CPU. The benefits are 2.5GbE ports, AX support, 2x more cores, 2x more RAM and 388 firmware with future support. If you have mostly AC clients and your ISP line is up to Gigabit there is nothing to see AX6000 advantages on. If this is the case I would upgrade after AC86U routers lose support. If money is not an issue - upgrade tomorrow both routers. You decide. The question is - do you need one or you just want one?

 

[JohnD5000]

When you upgraded from AC68U to AC86U you moved from ARMv7 platform to HND ARMv8 + AES. This is a big step forward resulting in 5x speed in some operations. Upgrading from AC86U to AX6000 is ARMv8 1.8GHz to ARMv8 2.0GHz on the CPU. The benefits are 2.5GbE ports, AX support, 2x more cores, 2x more RAM and 388 firmware with future support. If you have mostly AC clients and your ISP line is up to Gigabit there is nothing to see AX6000 advantages on. If this is the case I would upgrade after AC86U routers lose support. If money is not an issue - upgrade tomorrow both routers. You decide. The question is - do you need one or you just want one?

OK, this makes a lot of sense.
And, to answer your question, I probably don't need one but want one. I was hoping to justify the want, but it sounds like I can not justify the need. I will not get much out of it since you are right, I don't need the 2.5GbE port, only have 1 client that can currently support AX, and don't really need the extra cores or ram since neither are currently overloaded. Maybe if the price drops to under $200 then it might make more sense.

 

[Tech9]

Read this:

Beta - Asuswrt-Merlin 386.9 beta is now available for AC models

The one thing I don't like with this firmware is the release number - 6.9 is somewhat inappropriate. @RMerlin, make it 386.10 release. ;)

www.snbforums.com

Beta - Asuswrt-Merlin 386.9 beta is now available for AC models

The one thing I don't like with this firmware is the release number - 6.9 is somewhat inappropriate. @RMerlin, make it 386.10 release. ;)

www.snbforums.com

@Smokey613 tried perhaps 6-7 different combinations and routers. Ask him what's the user experience improvement.

 

[L&LD]

@JohnD5000,

Don't put to much stock in theoretical similarities from non-Asus users.

The link below is what I would hope to expect from the upgrade.

Router to replace ancient RT-AC56U (large home)

Something is off. This router is popular and with very good feedback. I see V1 with V2 only from Canada and V2 is a new device on initial firmware. This V1 router is the same hardware like the many Asus RT-AX3000 variations, but with unlocked 4x4 5GHz radio like in AX5400-class RT-AX82U, etc.

www.snbforums.com

 

[jsz]

Hmm, I'm debating if I want spend the money and get the GT-AX6000 as my main and make my Rt-AC86U an AiMesh node. I currently have GT-AC2900 (basically a RT-AC86U with pretty lights) as main and RT-AC86U as node. Wasn't sure if mixing AX & AC was OK in mesh environment, but sounds like its OK,

YMMV, but the GT-AX6000 I purchased wasn't that much of an improvement in my environment, coming from a 2.5 year old GT-AC2900.

Bought two of them incase the first one was defective since many users shared high praise and I honestly wanted the Gen 2 BCM AX platform since I like progressive hardware.

Might just be something to do with my environment or local EMI. Good luck.

 

[XIII]

You're going to love it... It's a huge step up from the AC86U for me.

How do you notice?

I have also (recently) replaced my AC86U by an AX6000, but did not notice any improvements… (except for being able to run 388.1)

 

[Donga120]

How do you notice?

I have also (recently) replaced my AC86U by an AX6000, but did not notice any improvements… (except for being able to run 388.1)

Also went from AC86U > AX6000, noticed not much improvement, slightly lower temp of around 64C down from 77C or so which isn't exactly bad, but thats it really, Wi-Fi seems about the same. Only purchased as was a good price and wanted 388 lol.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

How do you notice?

I have also (recently) replaced my AC86U by an AX6000, but did not notice any improvements… (except for being able to run 388.1)

Much snappier... The faster quad-core certainly helps. Lower CPU usage overall, more RAM, zero swap file usage, etc. Speed test values are more real-world instead of being capped between 400-500Mbps due to CPU limitations... and really happy we no longer have to deal with the 86U bug that kept hanging scripts randomly.

 

[jsz]

Much snappier... The faster quad-core certainly helps. Lower CPU usage overall, more RAM, zero swap file usage, etc. Speed test values are more real-world instead of being capped between 400-500Mbps due to CPU limitations... and really happy we no longer have to deal with the 86U bug that kept hanging scripts randomly.

Funny enough, the AX86S is also noticeably faster than than AC86U/GT-AC2900 with the same CPU+ RAM combo (4906+512MB), but the radios do indeed load faster on GT-AX6000.

Also went from AC86U > AX6000, noticed not much improvement, slightly lower temp of around 64C down from 77C or so which isn't exactly bad, but thats it really, Wi-Fi seems about the same. Only purchased as was a good price and wanted 388 lol.

Out of box, the AX86S was the best improvement for real world wifi at distance in my home (coming from GT-AC2900).

 

[shabbs]

Resistance was futile. GT-AX6000 on it's way to me. Will be here tomorrow. Let's GO!

And she's all setup. Very nice.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

And she's all setup. Very nice.

So the elephant in the room, what all inquiring minds want to know... did you install the regular version, or the ROG version?

 

[shabbs]

So the elephant in the room, what all inquiring minds want to know... did you install the regular version, or the ROG version?

HA! Did the regular non-ROG skin. Don't care for the ROG-theme to be honest. Keep it simple and familiar. And I have a feeling RMerlin will drop support for that going forward.

 

[AppleBag]

HA! Did the regular non-ROG skin. Don't care for the ROG-theme to be honest. Keep it simple and familiar. And I have a feeling RMerlin will drop support for that going forward.

I installed the ROG theme just so it kept the router "feeling like something new" while still keeping all the links, etc. in the familiar places. At first I was unsure about it, but the more I use it the more I kinda like it over the "boring" (really, I have no problem with it, just kinda vanilla) stock theme.

Plus, since I'm relatively CSS fluent, I've done a few CSS tweaks to make it even more to my liking. I'm considering doing a whole new theme for it based on the ROG theme, but using the dark Nord color scheme. =)

 

[Viktor Jaep]

I installed the ROG theme just so it kept the router "feeling like something new" while still keeping all the links, etc. in the familiar places. At first I was unsure about it, but the more I use it the more I kinda like it over the "boring" (really, I have no problem with it, just kinda vanilla) stock theme.

Plus, since I'm relatively CSS fluent, I've done a few CSS tweaks to make it even more to my liking. I'm considering doing a whole new theme for it based on the ROG theme, but using the dark Nord color scheme. =)

 

[visortgw]

... and your ISP line is up to Gigabit there is nothing to see AX6000 advantages on. ...

This is incorrect. The 2.5 Gbps WAN port in conjunction with 2.5 Gbps modem port will show marked improvement in actual WAN speeds. I only saw 400-500 Mbps download speeds with RT-AX88U and a 1 Gbps down/35 Mbps upload ISP connection. Immediately after upgrading to GT-AX6000 (ISP provided modem already had 2.5 Gbps port), I routinely started seeing ~1100+ Mbps download speeds.

 

[Tech9]

This is incorrect.

You cut "mostly AC clients" from the quite. On what AC client and Gigabit LAN client you can see routinely ~1100Mbps download speeds? About your AX88U showing 400-500 download on Gigabit ISP - it depends on firmware and settings. You can get up to 940Mbps (Gigabit) from AX88U.

 

[hancox]

This is incorrect. The 2.5 Gbps WAN port in conjunction with 2.5 Gbps modem port will show marked improvement in actual WAN speeds. I only saw 400-500 Mbps download speeds with RT-AX88U and a 1 Gbps down/35 Mbps upload ISP connection. Immediately after upgrading to GT-AX6000 (ISP provided modem already had 2.5 Gbps port), I routinely started seeing ~1100+ Mbps download speeds.

Let me guess - QoS of some kind was enabled on the AX88U, and not the AX6000

 

[visortgw]

Let me guess - QoS of some kind was enabled on the AX88U, and not the AX6000

Nope.

 

[Tech9]

Nope.

Both AX88U and AX6000 have about 400Mbps CPU packet processing capabilities. Everything else is NAT acceleration. 2.5GbE ports on AX6000 don't guarantee 2.5GbE performance. It's "up to and sometimes". There are many users with AX88U reaching full 940Mbps (Gigabit) speeds. Your $300 upgrade is mostly in speedtest. Minimal user experience improvement in normal everyday Internet use. With your asymmetric ISP - one way only.

 

[jsz]

I can attest to higher Speedtest results via 2.5G router + modem, but it was only 10mbps higher max top end speed for me... Speed test being run from router itself.

It's possible the ISP messed something up on provisioning for the above user.