Moving to 2 floor house, want Asus Merlin comp. router, any reason not to buy the RT-AX88U Pro?

[JarleH]

Want Asus and Merlin compatible. So, is there any reason to get something 'better' then the Asus RT-AX88U Pro?

Edit:
I have the older Asus RT-AX88U now.

 

[Piotrek]

There is nothing really significantly better at the moment.
You won't get a significant improvement in RT-AX88U Pro over RT-AX88U.
If you don't need to replace wait for Wi-Fi 7 routers.

 

[JarleH]

There is nothing really significantly better at the moment.
You won't get a significant improvement in RT-AX88U Pro over RT-AX88U.
If you don't need to replace wait for Wi-Fi 7 routers.

I may end up needing a repeater in the house, I fear that just the AX88U will not cover the whole house (I have to test). Can my old Asus RT-AC56U be used as a good repeater, or do I need to buy a new router and use the current AX88U as the repeater?

 

[Piotrek]

Can my old Asus RT-AC56U be used as a good repeater, or do I need to buy a new router

You can use RT-AC56U as Access Point (mode).
Please update firmware:

Asus RT-AX88U, Asuswrt-Merlin 384.14

Asuswrt-Merlin 384.14 is very old.

 

[Tech9]

Find out what do you need when you move to the new place. Don't buy hardware in advance.

 

[drinkingbird]

Want Asus and Merlin compatible. So, is there any reason to get something 'better' then the Asus RT-AX88U Pro?

Edit:
I have the older Asus RT-AX88U now.

It will depend on router placement, and the materials of the floors. Top floor near the middle will be best, but bottom floor may be ok. In either case I'd leave the two side antennas pointing straight up and the two back ones at 45 degree outward angles like \ /

My old AC router is on the top floor and covers both floors and basement with 5ghz no problem. I do have aluminum siding which helps keep the signal in, and standard wood floors.

 

[JarleH]

It will depend on router placement, and the materials of the floors. Top floor near the middle will be best, but bottom floor may be ok. In either case I'd leave the two side antennas pointing straight up and the two back ones at 45 degree outward angles like \ /

My old AC router is on the top floor and covers both floors and basement with 5ghz no problem. I do have aluminum siding which helps keep the signal in, and standard wood floors.

I can now verify that the router alone, can not cover the whole house, so yes, I need a Access Point / Repeater router also. Can find the old RT-AC56U

 

[JarleH]

I can now verify that the router alone, can not cover the whole house, so yes, I need a Access Point / Repeater router also. Can find the old RT-AC56U

Ooops, just found out I sold the RT-AC56U a while back. No wonder I could not find it...

What Access Point or router do you guys advice me to get to solve the situation? Get a new Asus RT-AX88U Pro and set the old Asus RT-AX88U as access point? Get a new mesh system? Any wifi 7 routers coming soon?..

Edit: Looks like wifi 7 routers are like a year away, so I guess not an option to wait for that...

 

[JarleH]

Just to finish this off; I ended up getting a cheap ASUS RT-AX1800U that was on sale. Set it up a few rooms over as a repeater(?), and it served the purpose.

 

[jerry6]

Just to finish this off; I ended up getting a cheap ASUS RT-AX1800U that was on sale. Set it up a few rooms over as a repeater(?), and it served the purpose.

Good move , I just picked one up for a friend that needed a new router and did not want to spend much $52.00 ca cause I had a $20.00 credit , he has a slow line and does not do much online this is the perfect router for him , cheap with built in security . I never heard of this model perfect timing Thanks

 

[JarleH]

Good move , I just picked one up for a friend that needed a new router and did not want to spend much $52.00 ca cause I had a $20.00 credit , he has a slow line and does not do much online this is the perfect router for him , cheap with built in security . I never heard of this model perfect timing Thanks

Here in Norway its actually more expensive now then when I got mine (currency/import issues I guess), but this one is a lot of router for the money, to my limited knowledge.