RT-AX58U - increase in speed even for AC-only client

[lucluke]

However, the 5 GHz band is limited to two transmit streams, according to someone at Asus.

Is there a way to unlock it?

 

[lucluke]

@RMerlin what would be the proper way to denote this in 4x4:4 format?

DeviWiki uses 4x4:2

https://deviwiki.com/wiki/ASUS_RT-AX58U

 

[K-2SO]

https://deviwiki.com/wiki/ASUS_RT-AX58U

Intel Lantiq? No.

https://wikidevi.wi-cat.ru/ASUS_RT-AX58U

 

[RMerlin]

Is there a way to unlock it?

It's most likely a hardware limitation, not an artificial lock.

 

[Ola Malmstrom]

Interesting! Just noticed that the AX58U is very well priced here in Sweden right now. New price at a dealer is 1890 SEK (about 194 USD). The same dealer sells the AC86U for 2270 SEK (about 223 USD).

What's wrong with the AX58U compared to the AC86U? Why do they sell a newer router to a better price?

What I can see is that

• the AX58U has a 3*1.5 GHz processor and the AC86U a 2*1.8 GHz processor. In my mind not a big difference. Is the AC86U equipped with a 64 bit and the AX58U with a 32 bit processor? Can't find this info.
  
• the AX58U has only one USB port. Doesn't matter.
• the wifi specs as discussed here is of course different. The AX58U should have a big advantage here.
  
• it is unclear if the AX58U can run a OpenVPN server. This is important (at least to me...). There is nothing about this in the user guide.

 

[L&LD]

Nothing wrong with the RT-AX58U. But you do have to know what and why you're buying it for.

If you have a fast connection (I'm guessing anything over 250Mbps up/down symmetrical) and you want or need to use a lot of the router's features, then you will be better served with the much faster hardware (not RF) that the RT-AC86U has.

Same with if you need the fastest OpenVPN performance and your ISP speeds are more than anything over about 70 or 80Mbps (up/down). The RT-AC86U is superior here too.

However, if you don't need to use all the features the router offers, don't have 1Gbps symmetrical ISP speeds and don't ever use VPN features on the router, then the RT-AX58U starts to look pretty good.

Particularly when you have AX clients and even more so when used as an AiMesh node (of course, wired always preferred).

There is also the little issue of the radios/streams you need to know about. The 2.4GHz radio is a 2x2 AX capable device. The 5GHz radio is a 4x4 transmit and a 2x2 receive AX capable device vs. the 4x4:4 AC capable 5GHz radio and 3x3:3 AC capable 2.4GHz radio in the RT-AC86U.

As you can see from the above, the RT-AC86U is still the more capable router, overall, and particularly as the main router.

As a secondary router (or a main, with the limitations listed above), the RT-AX58U easily bests it. Particularly in AiMesh (wired) node use.

It is a great way to start with an AX router (if you have a few AX clients today) and keep saving for the real upgrade (currently the RT-AX88U) and then make the RT-AX58U an AiMesh node then.

HTH.

 

[RMerlin]

Is the AC86U equipped with a 64 bit and the AX58U with a 32 bit processor?

No, they both use the same ARMv7 32-bit CPU core.

 

[lucluke]

It's most likely a hardware limitation, not an artificial lock.

It uses BCM43684 like other 4x4:4 models and has all 4 antennas connected:

 

[K-2SO]

Is the AC86U equipped with a 64 bit and the AX58U with a 32 bit processor?

No, they both use the same ARMv7 32-bit CPU core.

AC86U is ARMv8 64-bit, no?
https://www.broadcom.com/products/wireless/wireless-lan-infrastructure/bcm49408
Same CPU 4-core in RT-AX88U. 2-core variant in RT-AC86U.

 

[RMerlin]

AC86U is ARMv8 64-bit, no?
https://www.broadcom.com/products/wireless/wireless-lan-infrastructure/bcm49408
Same CPU 4-core in RT-AX88U. 2-core variant in RT-AC86U.

Sorry, mis-read it as AX56 and AX58. These two are 32-bit, the AC86U however is indeed 64-bit armv8.

 

[Trrusst]

Guys, without any intention of hijacking this thread, I'd appreciate your opinion on replacing my current RT-AC87U with an RT-AX58U. I have a 500/25Mbps connection and I was looking to get a mainstream AX router since I've got my first AX device in form of an Intel AX200 WiFi Card inside a laptop.

 

[Ola Malmstrom]

Thanks for the comparison between AX58U and AC86U. Great info!! Also the information above in this thread that the AX88U is the (current) recommendation if you need VPN speed as well as AX support.

Is there a comparison table between the most popular ASUS models where the differences are shown next to each other?

It would be very nice if this included info about AES-NI, 32/64 bit CPU and possibly some other vital information not easily found by an amateur such as myself. Dual WAN capability or possibility for separate VLANs?

 

[RMerlin]

Guys, without any intention of hijacking this thread, I'd appreciate your opinion on replacing my current RT-AC87U with an RT-AX58U. I have a 500/25Mbps connection and I was looking to get a mainstream AX router since I've got my first AX device in form of an Intel AX200 WiFi Card inside a laptop.

Definitely a worthwhile upgrade, unless you have 3 or 4 stream clients on your network.

 

[Trrusst]

Thanks, RMerlin! AFAIK, I have no 3-4 streams devices - maybe iPhoneX? Even the AX200 WiFi card seems to be 2 streams (specs say TX/RX Streams 2x2)

 

[thiggins]

All smartphones are 2 stream devices. It's rare to find more than that in a mobile device. The only product I know of is an older MacBook Pros with 3 streams. I don't know if current MBP's still have 3 stream Wi-Fi radios.

 

[maxbraketorque]

All smartphones are 2 stream devices. It's rare to find more than that in a mobile device. The only product I know of is an older MacBook Pros with 3 streams. I don't know if current MBP's still have 3 stream Wi-Fi radios.

Depends on what you consider old, but my 2016 MBP is 3-stream.

 

[L&LD]

@maxbraketorque that's old.

If the current ones don't have AX WiFi, then they are old too. But, they will only be two-stream/two antennae (afaik).

 

[maxbraketorque]

@maxbraketorque that's old.

If the current ones don't have AX WiFi, then they are old too. But, they will only be two-stream/two antennae (afaik).

My daughter says that about me too.

Newest MBPs are definitely not AX. Are there really any mainstream brand laptops being sold with AX wifi? Just last month I bought my wife a loaded 2020 XPS13, and AX was not an option.

 

[K-2SO]

My daughter says that about me too.

You're not alone. Both of us feel better now.

 

[L&LD]

Wow, that is sad. They will be 12 years behind in WiFi when the next one worth buying is available then?