Reviving RT-AC66U

[Mpuk7]

I'm favouring the RT-AX58U I think now as that Amazon price is appealing. Trying to do some online comparison of the specs to work out whether it's beneficial to me to spend the extra as realistically without Wifi 6 devices I could even be fine with an AC model but again the AX choice is a bit of future proofing...
How does the processor in the AX58U compare to the AX86S? Would there be much in the way of network performance difference? Especially considering I have devices that are quite ancient as well.

My main interests would be transfer speeds for the following:
5 GHz ac on my laptop
5GHz on my Galaxy S8
Data transfer on my Synology (via a gigabit switch

Also the webcams that would be the devices furthest from the router (2.4GHz)

 

[Mpuk7]

Also is there an AX58U V2? Seem to have found that mentioned?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Also is there an AX58U V2? Seem to have found that mentioned?

Yes there is a V2 version. This is the one that isn't supported by Merlin's firmware but does theoretically have slightly improved hardware specs. It has a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor rather than a 1.5 GHz tri-core processor plus minor changes to the radio hardware.

The problem, as always with Asus, is that they typically don't differentiate the original and V2 models in their advertising. So over time the V2 model will silently replace the original.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/merlin-on-rt-ax58u-v2.78232/post-765757

Do not confuse this with the RT-AC58U V2 which is an old end-of-life model.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Update: It's looks like Asus UK are in the process of updating their store:

https://uk.store.asus.com/rt-ac58u-v2-122214131-90ig06q0-mu9b00.html

Sorry, my mistake. There's in incorrect link on the Asus product page that redirects to the AC model.

It's a pretty poor show that Asus' own product page for the AX58U has a "Buy" link that goes to the AC model - but the picture on the page is of the AX!

 

[Mpuk7]

Was just about to say, I've been caught out a few times as was searching for RT-AX58S and saw a bargain but was am AC56S. It also had the RT-86U on the Asus website for something like 'from £167.99' and when you click through it was the 86S. Going round in circles a bit now sorry as my Dad has helped me out financially allowing me to survive Christmas a bit more and freeing up some funds generally. After consulting the other half it was determined the one with the red stripe looked nicer... so may now be going back to the 86S and be more on the cutting edge of technology but keeping under the £200 mark.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Trying to find an RT-AX86S that's actually in stock (from a reputable supplier) in the UK is nigh on impossible AFAICT.

 

[Mpuk7]

The AX58U has gone up by £12 since lunchtime - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YZXMRJD/?tag=smallncom-21

 

[L&LD]

Do consider the RT-AX68U too (particularly when it is on sale). It is a very good entry-level AX class router. Much better than any AC class router ever was (including the old king, the RT-AC86U).

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 in wireless AiMesh backhaul mode in the link above.

I would not consider the RT-AX86s when the RT-AX86U is available for a few dollars more (depending on sales that day). It is an inferior, and crippled model and not worth saving a handful of dollars over the expected ownership period.

The RT-AX58U is not a model I can recommend anymore in late 2022 (still too buggy, too slow, with inferior hardware and artificial limitations - even with the excellent RMerlin firmware loaded).

 

[ColinTaylor]

I would not consider the RT-AX86s when the RT-AX86U is available for a few dollars more (depending on sales that day). It is an inferior, and crippled model and not worth saving a handful of dollars over the expected ownership period.

There is a significant price difference between the S and U models in the UK. The S is not a "crippled model", it just has different specs.

 

[L&LD]

That may be so, but those different 'specs' are exactly why the 's' variant is so cheap too. I am not speaking of local pricing. I am offering my opinion based on the actual hardware to be bought.

Half the RAM, half the cores, 1GbE ports, (slightly) different RF design. Not equivalent at all. And for many that want to use this as the main router for as long as possible, it is not the best use of their money either in the long term. YMMV.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I am not speaking of local pricing. I am offering my opinion based on the actual hardware to be bought.

No, you were offering an opinion based on price.

There's no point you keep repeating this argument about the price being "a few dollars more" when it doesn't apply in the country of the person asking the question. If it makes you comprehend this any better just think of the S and U models as entirely different products. The question is whether the OP wants to stretch his budget from £130 to something ~£168. An RT-AX86U at ~£262 (US$315) is double the price the OP was considering spending.

 

[L&LD]

No point missing the point I'm making either. I also offered the RT-AX68U model too. But maybe that doesn't meet with your approval either?

I'm not about to have omnipresent price facts at my fingertips, nor track where every person is located on earth either. They can take my opinion on the hardware purchase (to me, the price is irrelevant. That is how 'crippled' I view the 's' variant, and why I also suggest the RT-AX68U at a lower cost and similar hardware point).

Setting an 'arbitrary' budget without considering the current market/sale prices is not how to go about purchasing something that will be used for the next few years. Not saying that the budget is 'made up'. But it is not a budget for networking equipment worth purchasing today, regardless of where one lives.

A product/model has the merit of value on its own (vs what other products/models are currently available). This isn't up for discussion (all you keep bringing up is the cost at a specific place in the world which means little unless correlated to that region's relative monetary value), it is merely a data point that one should consider when a long-term purchase decision is being mulled over.

Why don't we let the OP decide on that themselves, shall we?

And for the record, ~£168 on an 's' model is money poorly spent even vs. the ~£262 of the superior, RT-AX86U, to me. When even today's models can struggle with 1GB RAM and 4, 2GHz cores, buying a 512MB RAM, 2-core example is just poor judgment from my experience. If the idea is to use that equipment as the main router for the longest possible time.

 

[ColinTaylor]

No point missing the point I'm making either. I also offered the RT-AX68U model too. But maybe that doesn't meet with your approval either?

I have not given "approval" of any routers. I have only discussed the price and availability of the models the OP has stated that he's interested in. Other models and manufacturers are available.

I'm not about to have omnipresent price facts at my fingertips, nor track where every person is located on earth either. They can take my opinion on the hardware purchase (to me, the price is irrelevant. That is how 'crippled' I view the 's' variant, and why I also suggest the RT-AX68U at a lower cost and similar hardware point).

Setting an 'arbitrary' budget without considering the current market/sale prices is not how to go about purchasing something that will be used for the next few years. Not saying that the budget is 'made up'. But it is not a budget for networking equipment worth purchasing today, regardless of where one lives.

If you don't have the "price facts" available to you then stop telling people in another country that one router is "a few dollars more than another". The price maybe irrelevant to you but if you'd bothered to read this thread you'd realise that's not the case for the OP. If price is not a consideration why doesn't everybody just buy the most expensive router Asus sells?

A product/model has the merit of value on its own (vs what other products/models are currently available). This isn't up for discussion (all you keep bringing up is the cost at a specific place in the world which means little unless correlated to that region's relative monetary value), it is merely a data point that one should consider when a long-term purchase decision is being mulled over.

Yes, "relatively speaking" (i.e. disposable income) Asus routers are more expensive for UK consumers compared to US consumers, as well as being more expensive in absolute terms. So again, if you don't know this stop telling people to buy something that's outside their stated budget.

Why don't we let the OP decide on that themselves, shall we?

Indeed.

 

[L&LD]

Again, you miss the point.

I'm offering reasons of why it should be bought even if it is more expensive. The decision is not mine to make, nor do I pretend to know the nuances of the OP.

I didn't need the price facts you gave me to come to the proper conclusion, which didn't change with those facts. Your logic is not the only way.

I will continue to offer my thoughts regardless of your insistence otherwise.

 

[Tech9]

Going round in circles a bit now sorry as my Dad has helped me out financially allowing me to survive Christmas a bit more and freeing up some funds generally.

TP-Link Archer C6 as Access Point to your VM Hub. Cheap and small size Gigabit ports router with decent range. It has Access Point mode in firmware. Leave network monitoring for later. This router will give you good Wi-Fi without ruining your Christmas. This is what you need at the moment.

 

[Mpuk7]

Thanks for all the advice, sorry I missed the last few comments there.
ok, so this morning I did try and buy a RT-AX86S which with discounts went down to £120 or thereabouts. I've seen that after Cyber Monday when the 86S was around £172 it has jumped up to be closer than the 86U prices so considerably over £200.

I can however get an RT-AX58U V2 with the same discount for as little as around £50-60 but considering the differences mentioned above between the AX58U and the V2 model and no Merlin support for the latter.

Would an RT-AX58U V2 be worth it for around £50-60 as not much more than the suggested Archer model? I could still get an AX86U with the discount down to around maybe £180 in total.

Looking at what people have here it does seem that the AX86U is the one of choice?

 

[Mpuk7]

I can also get an RT-AX68U for around £90?

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AX58U (v1 or V2) is not a recommended model anymore and hasn't been for a long time now. I would not consider that model today.

What I would do is buy both the RT-AX68U and the RT-AX86U and see which one is 'enough' router for you and your networking environment. Test the less expensive model first, and if it comes up short, open the box to test the better one (RT-AX86U). Return the one you don't want.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I think the main benefit of the AX68U and AX86S/U for a lot of people on these forums is the hardware crypto with OpenVPN. So with those routers they can get over 200Mbps using something like NordVPN. The AX58U doesn't have hardware crypto so OpenVPN speeds will be limited to about 50 Mbps. If you don't intend to use OpenVPN this is probably not an issue for you.

Likewise, I don't know whether having a router that's supports Merlin's firmware is relevant to you. Given your current router I would guess not.

IIRC your main issue is WiFi coverage. In theory the AX68U and AX86S/U have better radios than the AX58U (three+four stream vs. two+two stream). I don't own all those routers so I can't say whether that makes a difference in real life, especially given the legacy clients you have.

So that's a long-winded way of saying that I can't give you any personal recommendations. Try to find some comments from UK owners of these routers. American reviews regarding WiFi are mostly meaningless to us as the power output and channel availability is completely different than the UK. If you can buy from a company that allows you to return it if it doesn't suit you, all the better.

 

[Mpuk7]

Thanks all, appreciate the advice as always. Food for thought and difficult decisions for the best to suit my needs so can see the value of returning it.
So ultimately the two of favour will boil down to the AX86U and the AX68U so will use those as a shortlist (or the Archer also mentioned)

Also to add that OpenVPN would be a consideration for me as I use that at the moment (or did till the AC66U died). The config options on the VM Hub3 are painfully basic and despise the inability of using the 192.168.1.x address range.
I may also check in with VM about a swap to a newer hub, they've just upped me from 200mbps to 250mbps.