Budget AX Router under £60 / $80

[Tech9]

I would take a new RT-AC86U for £65. Make sure it's new and not used with original box preserved. This model has some common issues indeed and is facing End-of-Life, but at least better than what you were looking at previously. When it works - excellent performer, one of the best in AC-class.

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AC86Us have been reliable for me and my customers since they were available. However, I don't think it is worth anything today (even a brand-new, in-box, example).

This router was the king of AC-class hardware. Until the entry-level RT-AX68U came along.

[ 386.4 alpha Build(s) ] Testing available build(s)

There are some odd regressions being discussed on the dnsmasq-discuss list from the PiHole guy (Dominik). https://lists.thekelleys.org.uk/pipermail/dnsmasq-discuss/2021q3/015598.html https://lists.thekelleys.org.uk/pipermail/dnsmasq-discuss/2021q3/015596.html I see Merlin is testing 2.86 out...

www.snbforums.com

Note that a single RT-AX68U was more performant, had more throughput, and lower latency than the pair of 2x RT-AC86Us it replaced. (Even if the customer insisted on a 2x RT-AX68U set up in the end).

Even for use as a mere Media Bridge today, AX class routers easily surpass it. Newer RF designs/implementations, newer SDKs, newer hardware. These all add up to making even the 'kings' of their domain seem less after a few short years pass, in the tech space.

I wouldn't buy it.

 

[cohen87]

I would take a new RT-AC86U for £65. Make sure it's new and not used with original box preserved. This model has some common issues indeed and is facing End-of-Life, but at least better than what you were looking at previously. When it works - excellent performer, one of the best in AC-class.

Tech9, there’s no guarantee that it will last at least a month.
I still think the Tp Link C2600 with open-wrt is a better bet performance and longevity wise, compared to the RT-AC86U.
Can I ask if the date of manufacture of the RT-86U’s reduces the risk of a hardware failure?

The RT-AC86Us have been reliable for me and my customers since they were available. However, I don't think it is worth anything today (even a brand-new, in-box, example).

This router was the king of AC-class hardware. Until the entry-level RT-AX68U came along.

[ 386.4 alpha Build(s) ] Testing available build(s)

There are some odd regressions being discussed on the dnsmasq-discuss list from the PiHole guy (Dominik). https://lists.thekelleys.org.uk/pipermail/dnsmasq-discuss/2021q3/015598.html https://lists.thekelleys.org.uk/pipermail/dnsmasq-discuss/2021q3/015596.html I see Merlin is testing 2.86 out...

www.snbforums.com

Note that a single RT-AX68U was more performant, had more throughput, and lower latency than the pair of 2x RT-AC86Us it replaced. (Even if the customer insisted on a 2x RT-AX68U set up in the end).

Even for use as a mere Media Bridge today, AX class routers easily surpass it. Newer RF designs/implementations, newer SDKs, newer hardware. These all add up to making even the 'kings' of their domain seem less after a few short years pass, in the tech space.

I wouldn't buy it.

Thank you. Does the RT-AX68U have better throughput on 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz than the AC86U for AC clients ?.

 

[L&LD]

Yes, that link I provided was (also) with AC clients connecting. The network improvement is substantial for that customer.

 

[sfx2000]

I still think the Tp Link C2600 with open-wrt is a better bet performance and longevity wise, compared to the RT-AC86U.

Erm - no... on the performance side at least...

And I'm in the QCA/OpenWRT community...

 

[Tech9]

Tech9, there’s no guarantee that it will last at least a month.

The routers with issues were manufactured around 2018. If this router is new and from let's say 2020 - go for it. As I said very good Wi-Fi performer and good ARMv8 + AES CPU. It can do about 600Mbps on Wi-Fi to common 2-stream AC client and about 200Mbps on OpenVPN. The price is right.

Does the RT-AX68U have better throughput on 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz than the AC86U for AC clients ?

No, skip this model. The same CPU/RAM as RT-AC86U and also facing EoL soon. Was never popular due to history of Wi-Fi connectivity issues and firmware delays. Often on liquidation price or simply unavailable. It was replaced by multiple different hardware platform AX3000/AX5400 devices.