RT-AX88U Pro Hardware revision changes?

[teknomedic]

Hello all,
First post here, but looking for some information as Google failed me. RT-AX88U Pro hardware v1.0 vs hardware v3.10??

I ordered an Asus RT-AX88U Pro from Amazon a couple weeks ago and it was hardware revision 1.0 (Manufactured 2023). I flashed it with Merlin and all seemed well for about a week, but then my network went down. After a power cycle of the router, no issues again for about a week and then another crash. So, I ordered a replacement. I just opened the package and the new RT-AX88U Pro now shows hardware revision 3.10 (Manufactured 2023). I'm not well versed with Asus, but that seems like a big jump.

Does anyone know what changes were made or if this is a new "unknown" revision? As I said I tried Google, but nothing came up for any hardware changes on this router.

At any rate, hoping this one does better than crashing once a week. ha.

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @teknomedic.

After flashing RMerlin firmware, did you perform a full reset? Did you perform an M&M install without importing any old backup config file(s)? Did you plug in any USB drive(s) that were previously used for amtm/scripts?

No clue about the HW version. But it probably just means they found a cheaper supplier for some parts. I wouldn't expect it to be 'better'. The RT-AX88U Pro is a very high-performance and reliable router (and I've only seen HW v1.0).

 

[Gar]

Maybe where it's assembled, who knows? I've been waiting for a sale so I can add one to my setup.

 

[teknomedic]

For the original router after I opened the box I did the following...

I wasn't sure if Merlin updates everything or relies on anything from official firmware so...
....Flashed latest Asus firmware = Ver.3.0.0.6.102_33308
....Full factory reset
....Flashed latest Merlin firmware = Ver.3004.388.6_2
....Full factory reset
....Manual setup of my network settings with a few reboots tossed in for good measure.
....AX88U Pro up and running.... for about a week with no further adjustments, then the first crash (half of wifi devices disconnected, other half stuck in some really slow limbo of kinda wifi service and eithernet devices limping along. Rebooted... lasted another week, then 2nd crash where everything was disconnected so a bit worse than the previous crash. Rebooted and working again, but I decided to order it's replacement because I've been down that road with routers before, lol.

No USB drives were ever attached.
This is my first Asus router and my first time flashing non-official firmware on any router so no settings were imported.

Sadly you're probably correct. Haven't really seen any router revisions make the hardware "better" in the past, just cheaper for the manufacturer and the same price for the consumer, lol. Sadly I can't tolerate weekly crashes and resets though. As for the hardware revisions, if there's anything I should document side by side between the v1.0 vs 3.10 before I return the v1.0, hopefully someone will let me know soon. I'll probably ship out the v1.0 later today or tomorrow.

 

[teknomedic]

Maybe where it's assembled, who knows? I've been waiting for a sale so I can add one to my setup.

Possibly. Although the stickers on both routers say "Made in Vietnam", but I guess only Asus knows currently.

 

[neil0311]

Just bought 3 new RT-AX88U Pro units for our new home that we’ll be closing on in a couple of weeks.

They were all manufactured in 2023 and are hardware rev 1.0.

 

[Tech9]

They were all manufactured in 2023 and are hardware rev 1.0

This is very bad. You've got old routers right from the start...

 

[neil0311]

This is very bad. You've got old routers right from the start...

 

[jerry6]

Just bought 3 new RT-AX88U Pro units for our new home that we’ll be closing on in a couple of weeks.

They were all manufactured in 2023 and are hardware rev 1.0.

return them

 

[neil0311]

return them

Why???

 

[neil0311]

Folks, I was merely giving the OP the info that I received hardware rev 1.0 with a recent purchase, not complaining that they were “old” units.

 

[glens]

Heck, they're probably "better" than the replacement anyway, that is if the hardware change wasn't due to some previously-unnoticed problem with it. I'd initially guess it was more of a cost-effective (and/or supply chain) driven change...

 

[L&LD]

@glens, Yes, as noted in post 2.

 

[davidle0612]

Hello all,
First post here, but looking for some information as Google failed me. RT-AX88U Pro hardware v1.0 vs hardware v3.10??

I ordered an Asus RT-AX88U Pro from Amazon a couple weeks ago and it was hardware revision 1.0 (Manufactured 2023). I flashed it with Merlin and all seemed well for about a week, but then my network went down. After a power cycle of the router, no issues again for about a week and then another crash. So, I ordered a replacement. I just opened the package and the new RT-AX88U Pro now shows hardware revision 3.10 (Manufactured 2023). I'm not well versed with Asus, but that seems like a big jump.

Does anyone know what changes were made or if this is a new "unknown" revision? As I said I tried Google, but nothing came up for any hardware changes on this router.

At any rate, hoping this one does better than crashing once a week. ha.

Same here. I ordered 2 RT-AX88U Pro on Amazon. Both have different hw version, 1.0 and 3.1. Both were listed as from Vietnam, 2023. While the ver1.0 router is very stable and ver3.1 one is very unstable that slowing down from time to time and needed frequent rebooting. In 2 occasions, the 'ver3' router totally stopped working so also rebooting needed. I really doubt about the ver3 listed router. In engineering and manufacturing world, hardly a release jumps version that far instantly.

 

[jayd]

Same here. I ordered 2 RT-AX88U Pro on Amazon. Both have different hw version, 1.0 and 3.1. Both were listed as from Vietnam, 2023. While the ver1.0 router is very stable and ver3.1 one is very unstable that slowing down from time to time and needed frequent rebooting. In 2 occasions, the 'ver3' router totally stopped working so also rebooting needed. I really doubt about the ver3 listed router. In engineering and manufacturing world, hardly a release jumps version that far instantly.

I bought mine very recently on Amazon too and now you got me a little worried because mine says v3.10. But it hasn't given me any problems yet. It's actually working pretty well. We'll see how it goes from here.

 

[jayd]

Possibly. Although the stickers on both routers say "Made in Vietnam", but I guess only Asus knows currently.

I'd like to know if all of the AX88U Pros are made in Vietnam or are some made in Taiwan. Mine says Vietnam too. I wonder if anyone here got theirs from Best Buy/Walmart/or any other online store and if it says the same thing.

 

[Tech9]

I'd like to know if all of the AX88U Pros are made in Vietnam or are some made in Taiwan.

What exactly is your concern? Majority of Asus routers I've seen were made in China. Majority were made not by Asus themselves, but by a global company called Arcadyan. They manufacture different brand devices by order and specs in their manufacturing centers in China and Vietnam.

 

[jayd]

What exactly is your concern? Majority of Asus routers I've seen were made in China. Majority were made not by Asus themselves, but by a global company called Arcadyan. They manufacture different brand devices by order and specs in their manufacturing centers in China and Vietnam.

What exactly is your concern with my question? It's a fair thing to ask to know if these routers have a difference in quality based on where they're manufactured. Others make it sound like if they're made anywhere but Taiwan, they are inferior quality. China gets the most hate.

 

[Tech9]

if these routers have a difference in quality

Your question has no answer at the moment. The device is fairly new for reliability statistics.

 

[jayd]

Your question has no answer at the moment. The device is fairly new for reliability statistics.

Okay. That's understandable. I guess this thread is what sparked my concern about this. But as long as my router is working fine, then I have no problem where it was made.