Should I keep my AX86u

[Shortcut]

My son keeps telling me I should return my AX86u and get the TP-Link AX6000 because my RT-AC5300 died a few months after the warranty expired. He has an older TP-Link that he has never had a problem with it’s about 5-6 years. I have the AX86u set up in an Aimesh with an older AC68p which out lasted the AC5300 and it is working great so far. I’m over 70 years old and not quite sure what to do. I still have a couple of days to return my AX86u just looking for some other opinions.

 

[L&LD]

I wouldn't choose TP-Link or any other brand router over an RMerlin-Asus powered router if long term security and support are important to you. There is no guarantee that any single device will be as long-lasting as your RT-AC68P is. Not even from TP-Link.

'Working great' is all that is important today. How long it lasts is anyone's guess. But I would rather be using the best and most secure product available, than base it on just the length of owning it.

RMerlin firmware Security Reasons

 

[leerees]

My son keeps telling me I should return my AX86u and get the TP-Link AX6000 because my RT-AC5300 died a few months the warranty expired. He has an older TP-Link that he has never had a problem with it’s about 5-6 years. I have the AX86u set up in an Aimesh with an older AC68p which out lasted the AC5300 and it is working great so far. I’m over 70 years old and not quite sure what to do. I still have a couple of days to return my AX86u just looking some other opinions.

Send it back and get the TP-Link. Almost every single model of Asus router is currently suffering from major connectivity and firmware issues and there doesn't appear to be any news or fixes in sight.

 

[Volt]

Send it back and get the TP-Link. Almost every single model of Asus router is currently suffering from major connectivity and firmware issues and there doesn't appear to be any news or fixes in sight.

Ha. Ha. Funny joke.

 

[nickie]

I wouldn't choose TP-Link or any other brand router over an RMerlin-Asus powered router if long term security and support are important to you. There is no guarantee that any single device will be as long-lasting as your RT-AC68P is. Not even from TP-Link.

'Working great' is all that is important today. How long it lasts is anyone's guess. But I would rather be using the best and most secure product available, than base it on just the length of owning it.

RMerlin firmware Security Reasons

well, that's not entirely true... There are some tp-link (I believe most n and ac ones) routers that are supported by ddwrt and openwrt. I have a 1043nd v3 that has received updates on almost a weekly basis, and its support ceased in 2016 if I'm not mistaken.. It was with a old asus wl500 deluxe and a wl500gp that I started using ddwrt and were it not for the g only characteristic they served me well. it's true that tp-link firmware updates are a mess (I'm hoping Asus keeps updating my AC86U for a long time), but the open nature of the firmware of most of the routers they sell allows open source support (with the exception of current ax routers). Unfortunately, Asus has been using broadcom ax solutions which both openwrt and ddwrt will not support in the future.

 

[OzarkEdge]

My son keeps telling me I should return my AX86u and get the TP-Link AX6000 because my RT-AC5300 died a few months after the warranty expired. He has an older TP-Link that he has never had a problem with it’s about 5-6 years. I have the AX86u set up in an Aimesh with an older AC68p which out lasted the AC5300 and it is working great so far. I’m over 70 years old and not quite sure what to do. I still have a couple of days to return my AX86u just looking some other opinions.

Your AX86U promises to be a good workhorse router with firmware support over its product lifetime. Plus it offers a performance wireless mesh solution and extended product life for itself and like Asus routers... it has an upgrade path by design. And it enjoys Asuswrt-Merlin support and all that that entails.

I would not let one minor disappointment sway you. The impact on your overall technology cost is not that significant... not enough to ignore all of the other product attributes.

Revisit this decision when your current network assessment is something other than "it is working great."

Also consider using a UPS to protect your router from power disturbances and to improve the overall stability and security of your network.

This is also an opportunity for you and your son to continue to compare the pros and cons of two different home networking solutions. The broader your collective experience, the better for the both of you. There may be an AiMesh in his future.

OE

 

[RMerlin]

A lot of the currently reported Wifi issues have to do with a beta firmware or a very recent release based on that beta. The previous 384_xxxxx firmware should be working fine. I expect Asus to eventually resolve any recent wifi issues on the RT-AX86U, and support it for the long run.

 

[Maverick009]

The Asus Routers are really the best option, just as the Linksys were a long time ago before that. Asus has a recovery mode for firmware failures and/or bricked updates, where as others have a function to attempt recovery, but if the device gets bricked, that process may not work, as they do not build it into the bootloader like ASUS does. Also as was said before, you can never predict when hardware fails, and one out lasting another, does not automatically make it better by any means. I have two ASUS Routers, and have had Netgear and Linksys routers before, and currently a TP-Link Smart Switch. The Linksys got old and even 1 died on me a week after warranty, but the others lasted until I retired them due to age, The Netgear are decent, but one died due my fault with firmware update that went wrong and bricked it. The 2 Asus Routers, an RT-AC3100 Dual-Band and my top end GT-AX11000 still running quite well. The RT-AC3100 is probably now slightly over 3-4yrs old and still runs, connected to my GT-AX11000 in AiMesh mode.

As @RMerlin said, a lot of the current issues are related to ASUS ironing out bugs in the new 386 firmware, and releasing it slowly to routers in the RTM channel when ready, but the 384 firmware revisions are quite stable and running as expected. Every manufacture is different on hardware/firmware but IMO Asus has done a decent job and has a better failsafe in their hardware. Firmware is fairly decent and for some RT routers, you have the option to use the Merlin WRT firmware, not to mention some of his features/fixes get added to the stock firmware too.

 

[Shortcut]

I live in a fairly large house 4000sqf + on 2 floors plus I have a dock about 225 feet away with a wifi extender on it. The AC5300 would reach the extender and had fairly good 2.4ghz for them. Any ideas between the AX86u vs the TP-Link on range or should they be about the same as the AC5300. I need wifi at the dock for the grandkids when the visit in the nice weather I cannot test at the dock now as it's closed down for the winter.
Thanks for the above advice.

 

[Lee MacMillan]

I ditched my Archer C8 when it had gone over 2 years without a firmware upgrade. I bought a refurb AC66U_B1 (which I'm still using) which was released about the same time as the TP-Link. It has had regular firmware releases in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it. Out of curiousity, I recently checked the TP-Link website and the C8 still has not been updated so its firmware is now almost 5 years old. Based on (lack of) support, I would never buy a TP-Link product. YMMV.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I live in a fairly large house 4000sqf + on 2 floors plus I have a dock about 225 feet away with a wifi extender on it. The AC5300 would reach the extender and had fairly good 2.4ghz for them. Any ideas between the AX86u vs the TP-Link on range or should they be about the same as the AC5300. I need wifi at the dock for the grandkids when the visit in the nice weather I cannot test at the dock now as it's closed down for the winter.
Thanks for the above advice.

Unless someone can tell you from direct experience, you'll have to assume that the routers have similar range due to similar power limits mandated by the governing regulatory agency. If you must know, try both, but I'd buy the router I wanted for other reasons.

OE

 

[tallytr]

My son keeps telling me I should return my AX86u and get the TP-Link AX6000 because my RT-AC5300 died a few months after the warranty expired. He has an older TP-Link that he has never had a problem with it’s about 5-6 years. I have the AX86u set up in an Aimesh with an older AC68p which out lasted the AC5300 and it is working great so far. I’m over 70 years old and not quite sure what to do. I still have a couple of days to return my AX86u just looking for some other opinions.

Keep that router, its the best there is or at least not worse than others...
I keep Asus because switching to a new user interface? No thank you

 

[Shortcut]

Thanks for all the help I'll be keeping the AX86u. Just hope it last longer the AC5300.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Based on past experiences, I have declined positions because their network(s) and workstations were a disjointed hodge podge of equipment from multiple vendors.
Part of my duties for one would be o provide support of the operation of users desktops. These ranged from legacy machines recycled from department upgrades and thin clients trying to be desktops to "user installed" and (then) current machines company machines. Typically, Any machines that were purchased new, their purchase was influenced by some current public advertising campaigne, usually Gateway.

While it might only be 2 pieces, a mesh router and a mesh node, they work well together extending each others features.
Simply for the sake of ease of use, interoperability with a familiar interface and maximizing their feature set,

I'd stick with your current working ASUS setup or replace it all.

 

[willyburz]

I've been on the Asus train for years now. Security, and updates. They are consistent "my AC3200 still gets quite a few updates throughout the year." My new AX86U is on it's way as we speak.

 

[energyd]

I've heard you could directly flash ax88u firmware onto the tp-link ax6000 (in china it's xdr6060)

 

[nickie]

I ditched my Archer C8 when it had gone over 2 years without a firmware upgrade. I bought a refurb AC66U_B1 (which I'm still using) which was released about the same time as the TP-Link. It has had regular firmware releases in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it. Out of curiousity, I recently checked the TP-Link website and the C8 still has not been updated so its firmware is now almost 5 years old. Based on (lack of) support, I would never buy a TP-Link product. YMMV.

As I said, there some models that are supported by opensource firmware. The C8 is one of them. But yes, if you want to keep using the original firmware, tp-link ceases to support the hardware in short periods of time. My current asus experience is new since I've just returned to using asus hardware a month ago when I bought a AC86u. Hopefully it will get support for a few years. The tplink 1043nd v3 I own and is used as a wap has not been supported since 2016 and I've updated it to the latest ddwrt just a few days ago.

 

[jmpr]

I have bought Asus XT8 coming from a TPLink C6 tha has lots of unresolved severe bugs, as you can see in 50 pages long posts in their forums. Never again TPlink for me. My Asus XT8 is perfect. Your router and mine are "new" and perhaps you have to wait for some new firms to be really perfect. I used the C6 for about 3 months before keeping it in a drawer.
Before the C6, I was using for my FFTH the same touter I had for DSL, an Asus N55U-D1, that is still supported.