New models to be introduced with 3006.102.2

[JarleH]

You can test the new firmware with $130 cheaper RT-AX86U Pro. Asuswrt-Merlin changes on top won't fix closed source issues in 3.0.0.6 (Asuswrt 5.0) base. Beta tester subscription anyway.

Ok, but its not officially supported by Merlin. This is now the cheapest one I can find. The 2 others supported cost close to 1000$ here in Norway. The RT-BE88U is under half the price.

 

[Tech9]

Ok, but its not officially supported by Merlin.

It is actually, currently on Asuswrt 4.0 base. Based on you requirements from another thread and an RT-AX88U you already have - RT-BE88U will be overkill waste of money for you with no much real life user experience improvement. Of course, you decide what to do with your money.

 

[JarleH]

It is actually, currently on Asuswrt 4.0 base. Based on you requirements from another thread and an RT-AX88U you already have - RT-BE88U will be overkill waste of money for you with no much real life user experience improvement. Of course, you decide what to do with your money.

The advantage I will get over my AX88U is better router hardware (for example for VPN) and maybe a little bit faster internet. And to take the advantage of that I also need to get 2 new 2.5g switches, + new cat 6a/7 cables, which adds about 250€ more on the router. So you are most likely correct that the value for the money is most likely low.

But I do not follow you on the firmware, the official firmware for the BE88U is 3.0.0.6, not 5.

RT-BE88U｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS Global

Dual band WiFi 7 router with speeds of up to 7200 Mbps. Dual 10G ports, Quad 2.5G ports and Quad Gigabit ports. Quad-core 2.6GHz CPU. Backup WAN, Subscription-free network securi

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[Tech9]

But I do not follow you on the firmware, the official firmware for the BE88U is 3.0.0.6, not 5.

Asuswrt 5.0 is 3.0.0.6 firmware. It's available for most AX-class Pro models as well.

 

[bennor]

But I do not follow you on the firmware, the official firmware for the BE88U is 3.0.0.6, not 5.

Here is what Asus says about ASUSWRT 5.0 (aka 3.0.0.6.x firmware):

https://routerkb.asuscomm.com/?page_id=14282

 

[Wendigogo]

Do you guys think ASUSWRT 5.0 will be ported back to "old" RT-AX (non-pro) devices ?

I don't plan to change my RT-AX88U atm but really hope to have vlan support.

Hardware won't be enough to support these new features?

 

[jerry6]

Do you guys think ASUSWRT 5.0 will be ported back to "old" RT-AX (non-pro) devices ?

I don't plan to change my RT-AX88U atm but really hope to have vlan support.

Hardware won't be enough to support these new features?

Don't hold your breath I have the AX1100 Pro which has 3006 FW out from Asus , I will wait for Merlin no matter how long it takes . Dont think any non pro version will get 5.0 just look at official Asus FW have not seen any non pro with 5.0

 

[swejuggalo]

Do you guys think ASUSWRT 5.0 will be ported back to "old" RT-AX (non-pro) devices ?

I don't plan to change my RT-AX88U atm but really hope to have vlan support.

Hardware won't be enough to support these new features?

If I were to guess, reserved for Pro and never devices. But more for marketing rather than possibility to do so. But who knows.

 

[Sander_H]

Very nice for folks following the upgrade path.

RT-AC86U -> RT-AX86U -> RT-AX86U Pro -> RT-BE86U

Tbh, the BE86U is a bit of a let down. Does not support 6Ghz. If you are coming from an AX86, only worth of note is MLO. Overall speed increase will be minimal otherwise. I'd rather wait for the BE86U Pro.

 

[Wendigogo]

Don't hold your breath I have the AX1100 Pro which has 3006 FW out from Asus , I will wait for Merlin no matter how long it takes . Dont think any non pro version will get 5.0 just look at official Asus FW have not seen any non pro with 5.0

If I were to guess, reserved for Pro and never devices. But more for marketing rather than possibility to do so. But who knows.

Dammit! I don't want to spend hundreds of bucks to only have a firmware upgrade.
I don't care about hardware upgrade as that won't make any noticeable differences.

Is an AX Pro version with 8 LAN ports exists btw?

Thanks for your replies anyway.

 

[Tech9]

Tbh, the BE86U is a bit of a let down. Does not support 6Ghz.

The same with RT-BE88U. It's dual-band 2.4GHz + 5GHz.

I don't want to spend hundreds of bucks to only have a firmware upgrade.

You are going to have to. Business, needs sales to survive.

 

[Wendigogo]

You are going to have to. Business, needs sales to survive.

And I need money to survive.
So I'll find another way to have vlan on my actual Asus Merlin router.

 

[Tech9]

Look at all consumer AIO devices as cheap disposable hardware with experimental features. At some point you'll have to replace the whole thing for whatever technical or marketing reason and start over. Why cheap? Because business class equipment with similar specs on paper will be much more expensive. Why experimental? Because consumer market allows using customers as beta testers.

 

[jerry6]

Look at all consumer AIO devices as cheap disposable hardware with experimental features. At some point you'll have to replace the whole thing for whatever technical or marketing reason and start over. Why cheap? Because business class equipment with similar specs on paper will be much more expensive. Why experimental? Because consumer market allows using customers as beta testers.

Unfortunate but true , if I get 5 to 7 years use out of my router I'm happy . I stopped chasing the latest and greatest years ago , seems you can never catch up playing that game , every 6 months something new and "better" is released , bugs and all

 

[jerry6]

Dammit! I don't want to spend hundreds of bucks to only have a firmware upgrade.
I don't care about hardware upgrade as that won't make any noticeable differences.

Is an AX Pro version with 8 LAN ports exists btw?

Thanks for your replies anyway.

just buy a cheap switch if you need more lan ports cheaper and better odds they will work I bought this a while ago works well and was cheap at the time https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0C1YCZ944/?tag=smallncom-20

 

[el pescador]

I'm due a renewal soon. I like news......

 

[swejuggalo]

just buy a cheap switch if you need more lan ports cheaper and better odds they will work I bought this a while ago works well and was cheap at the time https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0C1YCZ944/?tag=smallncom-20

Might not be an option if built-in VLAN is the feature that is desired.

 

[MF-Bra]

In the guest network pro I can only view clients currently connected on the router but not on the nodes, is this the intended way to work ? Or it should show all clients connected across all devices ?

 

[bennor]

Do you guys think ASUSWRT 5.0 will be ported back to "old" RT-AX (non-pro) devices ?

No. It likely will not be "ported back" to older routers. Only routers that support 3.0.0.6.x firmware (WiFi 7 ROG series models and select WiFi 6 Pro models) will support ASUSWRT 5.0 features. Some of the routers that support ASUSWRT 5.0/3.0.0.6.x: GT-AX11000 Pro, GT-AX6000, ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000, RT-AX86U Pro, RT-AX88U Pro, ZenWiFi Pro ET12, ZenWIFI Pro XT12.

Currently Asus-Merlin 3006.102.x firmware is limited to just a couple of routers (GT-BE98 Pro and RT-BE96U) with more (RT-BE88U and RT-BE86U) per the first post possibly coming soon. Gnuton fork of Asus-Merlin 3006.102.x supports GT-BE98.

 

[portets]

Guys, no big real world use difference for RT-AX88U Pro owners. The new models are also dual-band with the same bandwidth limitations on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. I would say RT-AX88U Pro is the better price/performance ratio device. Super cheap for AIO Router + Switch + AP. Component SMB system will be probably better and more flexible in a long run, but much higher as initial cost and not as user friendly. Nothing SMB fits in $250.

All true but I held out a few more months on an ac1900 device to get the RT-BE88U instead of the RT-AX88U Pro. I am extremely happy. Best port config of any "ordinary" consumer AIO device, 20% faster per band, and MLO. Even without MLO I can almost saturate my 2 gig fiber connection. 1.9gbps to a BE200 Wi-Fi 7 laptop without MLO(until Win 11 24H2) and the lowest ping I've seen over a wireless connection. The RT-AX88U Pro wouldn't have given me the port config I wanted or been able to reach my max throughput. Totally worth the higher price(for me). Also 10g ports and SFP+ means I can later upgrade to 10g fiber and ditch my ONT for a direct fiber to the router.