Support ending Dec 2024 for AC3100 - Need hardware buying advice?

[WirelessNoob77]

Hello!

I have had Merlin running on my ASUS RT-AC3100 for several years and it has been rock solid. Thank you to the developer! I will need to upgrade my hardware in December 2024 when the AC3100 is no longer supported. I am not a networking expert and the model numbers confuse me as to what is old and what is new.

From the supported models list, what is a model I should buy that will be supported for at least a few more years?

Thank you for your time. I appreciate the guidance.

Supported models​

• RT-AX88U
• GT-AX11000
• RT-AX58U V1
• RT-AX3000 V1 (same firmware as RT-AX58U)
• RT-AX86U
• RT-AX86S (same firmware as RT-AX86U)
• RT-AX68U
• RT-AC68U V4 (same firmware as RT-AC68U)
• GT-AXE11000
• GT-AX6000
• ZenWiFi Pro XT12
• GT-AX11000_PRO
• GT-AXE16000
• RT-AX86U_PRO
• RT-AX88U_PRO
• RT-BE96U
• GT-BE98_PRO

 

[Tech9]

Your router won’t stop working in Dec 2024 and you won’t be hacked in Jan 2025. If you really need a new one perhaps RT-AX88U Pro is good enough choice. Popular around model.

There are >100 similar threads in Wireless Buying Advice section. Take a look.

 

[Justinh]

@Tech9 is the AX88U Pro more like the AC3100 than the AX86U Pro?

 

[degrub]

@Justinh - run down the spec list, look at the current firmware supported - Merlin and Asus, search the threads, etc, etc. There is plenty of detail out there. Do a side by side compare.

 

[Tech9]

Actually, RT-AX88U Pro journey with Asuswrt-Merlin is currently uncertain as it stuck to Asuswrt 4.0 base. For guaranteed new Asuswrt 5.0 base Asuswrt-Merlin - RT-BE88U. Not listed as supported yet, but support confirmed by RMerlin. Yes, it’s relatively expensive.

 

[dlandiss]

I will need to upgrade my hardware in December 2024 when the AC3100 is no longer supported.

Hey, just ship it to me! I could use a nice access point with good radio range. I'll pay for shipping, of course

 

[Tech9]

It’s is like purchasing hope. Most attacks originate from inside the network after user error or through another compromised device. New “supported” router won’t prevent this. The attacks outside of the network are exploiting mostly newly discovered unknown vulnerabilities the new router won’t do anything about anyway.

@WirelessNoob77, if you router is good enough for your needs - close all open to WAN services and continue using it. OpenVPN server is safe enough access to your network. Otherwise - pay $250-400 for a new router and hope for the best.

 

[eibgrad]

If you're otherwise satisfied w/ the RT-AC3100, you could try FT (FreshTomato) (my preference) or DD-WRT as an alternative, esp. if you're NOT married to the Merlin AddOns. You might even like it more, since these support VLANs natively, making support for guests and IOT w/ wired ports trivial to implement. At the very least, these can extend your support indefinitely until you decide on a new ASUS router.

Just a thought.

 

[heysoundude]

If you're into considering contrary points of view for perspective, I would encourage you to look at your client devices' wireless capabilities, which are likely to get upgraded sooner/more often than the router, and what the replacments capabilities are.
I'm looking at a new iPad Air, and it's wifi 6e capable, whereas my latest (2mo old) router is only wifi6...
so I would encourage you to always jump ahead of where you ARE as far as you can, and to me that appears to be the BE series of Asus stuff. (A place I spend 15 or so hours per week at has just installed the latest ubiquiti wifi 7 APs, and coverage/speeds have improved not insignificantly.)

wifi theoretical speeds and throughput aside, you might also consider your WAN connection speeds. If you've a symmetrical fibre connection over 500Mbps, you can't not choose a wifi 7 router to upgrade to...especially if you forsee upgrading your speed package to/over 1Gbps. (there's a provider in my country that advertises it can provide 8Gbps symmetical in certain areas -that's 16 Gbps total throughput at saturation, something you'd need to upgrade the rest of your network to so to eliminate bottlenecks)

 

[jerry6]

Which router will be supported the longest ? Good question Asus has been good in the past with long term support , with all the new models being released , who knows how long they will be supported . If you are not upgrading clients and ISP speeds just use alternate FW for now . When you update line speed and clients look into something BE , hope by then the price will come down

 

[Tech9]

New router and Asuswrt-Merlin requirement - the new RT-BE86U is now the starting point. Next step up - RT-BE88U. Add 6GHz band requirement - RT-BE96U. The more you want the more you have to pay.

 

[5stringdeath]

Hello!

I have had Merlin running on my ASUS RT-AC3100 for several years and it has been rock solid. Thank you to the developer! I will need to upgrade my hardware in December 2024 when the AC3100 is no longer supported. I am not a networking expert and the model numbers confuse me as to what is old and what is new.

From the supported models list, what is a model I should buy that will be supported for at least a few more years?

Thank you for your time. I appreciate the guidance.

Supported models​

• RT-AX86U_PRO

I went from my AC3100 to the AX86U_PRO, no regrets, meets my needs, solid hardware, cost effective.

 

[Tech9]

I went from my AC3100 to the AX86U_PRO

This router has Asuswrt 5.0 stock firmware and Asuswrt 4.0 Asuswrt-Merlin. You have to choose which features you want to have. Can’t have all in one firmware. It was a good starting point about a year ago, but not anymore.