Thinking about ax88u to replace my ac86u

[Max Nguyen]

I have about 42 network devices in my house about 25 of then are wifi . I have the ac86u on my main floor and gives my entire 2 story 4300sq/ft (with basement) house pretty solid coverage with no deadspots .

I upgraded to 940mb fiber today and I get about 550mb next to the router with my Samsung Galaxy s9. Aroind 250-300 everywhere else. l get full 940mb with my imac that is wired in.

I get my Samsung s10 this week that is wifi 6 complaint.

Is it worth getting a ax88u? I'd like to have the faster speeds on my new phone. But don't want to sacrifice speed or reliability for the rest of my devices.

Is the ax88u reliable yet? My ac86u is pretty Rock solid IMO .

UPDATE:
Pretty disappointing results.

These speed tests were taken with my Samsung galaxy s10+ using Wifi5 on a RTAC86U and WIFI6 on a RTAX88U. Both routers were wired in and both reached 930down/930up tested on my Imac that is wired in.

S10+ wifi5
Master bedroom 454/112
Master bathroom 381/198
Bonus room 302/104
Guest room 142/57
Kitchen table 568/319
Computer room 722/672
Garage 405/215
Great room 492/229
Theatre 139/64
Back door 198/54
Gym 431/212

S10+ wifi6
Master bedroom 323/154
Master bathroom 359/164
Bonus room 284/142
Guest room 170/78
Kitchen table 420/288
Computer room 708/710
Garage 289/188
Great room 440/293
Theatre 217/36
Back door 288/26
Gym 357/258

As you can see, the WIFI 6 were slower in most cases and very very slightly faster in fewer cases.

I'm gonna box this router up and return it. No real world advantage at all for me. I'll wait a couple years when Wifi6 is everywhere and all my devices support it.

 

[Grisu]

AX firmware is still more buggy than 86U's, so better wait a year and then AX will be even cheaper.

 

[Max Nguyen]

AX firmware is still more buggy than 86U's, so better wait a year and then AX will be even cheaper.

How buggy are we talking?

I know it's smarter to wait a year . But iI lik to be a little cutting edge. Gigabit fiber, s10 day one etc......

 

[L&LD]

I have about 42 network devices in my house about 25 of then are wifi . I have the ac86u on my main floor and gives my entire 2 story 4300sq/ft (with basement) house pretty solid coverage with no deadspots .

I upgraded to 940mb fiber today and I get about 550mb next to the router with my Samsung Galaxy s9. Aroind 250-300 everywhere else. l get full 940mb with my imac that is wired in.

I get my Samsung s10 this week that is wifi 6 complaint.

Is it worth getting a ax88u? I'd like to have the faster speeds on my new phone. But don't want to sacrifice speed or reliability for the rest of my devices.

Is the ax88u reliable yet? My ac86u is pretty Rock solid IMO .

The question today is; is it more reliable for you? You would need to test it and see it in your actual network usage and device mix.

Keep in mind, there is no point in trying to test maximum WiFi speeds today of handheld devices like phones. These devices are optimized for battery life, not performance. As you correctly stated, the reliability is the far superior metric here.

What (almost) Gbps ISP service will give you is the breathing room to have as many devices as possible max out your new internet connection. But not necessarily max it out by a single wireless device.

While it may be fun to play with the new, supposedly compatible, toys (an Asus draft AX88U with an unknown Samsung S10), I would almost bet a few dollars here that there are still a few more revisions we need to go through before it becomes a reality (on both Asus' and Samsung's behalf).

I'll be looking at your updates on this thread with interest!

 

[Dave Parker]

If you don't mind being a beta tester for Asus then by all means order the AX88U today. Try it for a few days and if it doesn't outperform the 86U you can always return it.

 

[Max Nguyen]

If you don't mind being a beta tester for Asus then by all means order the AX88U today. Try it for a few days and if it doesn't outperform the 86U you can always return it.

Ya I was hoping it would be better than a beta tester type experience seeing as it's been out for months in stores already.....

But that being said, you're right. I ordered one from best buy and will try it out for a few weeks and if I hate it I'll return it.

 

[L&LD]

Ya I was hoping it would be better than a beta tester type experience seeing as it's been out for months in stores already.....

But that being said, you're right. I ordered one from best buy and will try it out for a few weeks and if I hate it I'll return it.

This is a draft AX product, until (and if) they can give Final AX level firmware, it will continue to be beta hardware for a while.

 

[Max Nguyen]

This is a draft AX product, until (and if) they can give Final AX level firmware, it will continue to be beta hardware for a while.

Ya I suppose I'll have to get used to that. I just find it odd that they can retail a product for what, 4 month? And still give a beta experience. Ah well. I guess I'll try it out.

 

[L&LD]

Ya I suppose I'll have to get used to that. I just find it odd that they can retail a product for what, 4 month? And still give a beta experience. Ah well. I guess I'll try it out.

It's up to us to be able to restrain ourselves. It's their job to make us break our resolve.

I want the chance to test one in my network too. Will be looking for your posts!

 

[Max Nguyen]

It's up to us to be able to restrain ourselves. It's their job to make us break our resolve.

I want the chance to test one in my network too. Will be looking for your posts!

I'm by no means a wifi expert. But I will just try the router in the same spot and go to every room that I spend most of my time. I'll record 6-7 speeds on my ac86u on my Galaxy s9 and Galaxy s10 using Wireless5.

I'll then plug in my ax88u and do record the same results from my galaxy s9 on wireless 5 and the new s10 on wireless 6.......

That's about as scientific I will get. I should have results some time next week.

 

[L&LD]

I also don't do scientific too well. I'm more real-world testing.

All I can suggest is to not carry over any assumptions from your existing router (nor SSID's either!). Use the defaults provided after flashing the firmware you will be testing on and then properly resetting to factory defaults (yes, even on a new router).

 

[Max Nguyen]

I also don't do scientific too well. I'm more real-world testing.

All I can suggest is to not carry over any assumptions from your existing router (nor SSID's either!). Use the defaults provided after flashing the firmware you will be testing on and then properly resetting to factory defaults (yes, even on a new router).

I'm proably gonna use the same SSID's. I do'nt really want to set up all my devices if I don't have to.

But I wiill be completely unplugging the old router and making sure all my devices are all connected again before testing the new router.

That way i can get a real apples to apples comparison

 

[L&LD]

I'm proably gonna use the same SSID's. I do'nt really want to set up all my devices if I don't have to.

Test as-is to start, sure. But if results aren't up to expectations (at least match what you now have, right?), then at least 'forget' the network, reboot a single/main device and re-associate and reboot that device again as a quick test.

I know it doesn't make sense, but when it needs to be done, it can make a big difference to performance and network reliability too.

 

[Max Nguyen]

Test as-is to start, sure. But if results aren't up to expectations (at least match what you now have, right?), then at least 'forget' the network, reboot a single/main device and re-associate and reboot that device again as a quick test.

I know it doesn't make sense, but when it needs to be done, it can make a big difference to performance and network reliability too.

Ok I'll reboot my 2 test devices after forgetting the new network.

I have a rather clever SSID and would hate to loose that too lol

 

[PhantomRay]

I'm by no means a wifi expert. But I will just try the router in the same spot and go to every room that I spend most of my time. I'll record 6-7 speeds on my ac86u on my Galaxy s9 and Galaxy s10 using Wireless5.

I'll then plug in my ax88u and do record the same results from my galaxy s9 on wireless 5 and the new s10 on wireless 6.......

That's about as scientific I will get. I should have results some time next week.

Really looking forward to your result too

 

[Max Nguyen]

Pretty disappointing results.

These speed tests were taken with my Samsung galaxy s10+ using Wifi5 on a RTAC86U and WIFI6 on a RTAX88U. Both routers were wired in and both reached 930down/930up tested on my Imac that is wired in.

S10+ wifi5
Master bedroom 454/112
Master bathroom 381/198
Bonus room 302/104
Guest room 142/57
Kitchen table 568/319
Computer room 722/672
Garage 405/215
Great room 492/229
Theatre 139/64
Back door 198/54
Gym 431/212

S10+ wifi6
Master bedroom 323/154
Master bathroom 359/164
Bonus room 284/142
Guest room 170/78
Kitchen table 420/288
Computer room 708/710
Garage 289/188
Great room 440/293
Theatre 217/36
Back door 288/26
Gym 357/258

As you can see, the WIFI 6 were slower in most cases and very very slightly faster in fewer cases.

I'm gonna box this router up and return it. No real world advantage at all for me. I'll wait a couple years when Wifi6 is everywhere and all my devices support it.

 

[Jayce Ooi]

Pretty disappointing results.

These speed tests were taken with my Samsung galaxy s10+ using Wifi5 on a RTAC86U and WIFI6 on a RTAX88U. Both routers were wired in and both reached 930down/930up tested on my Imac that is wired in.

S10+ wifi5
Master bedroom 454/112
Master bathroom 381/198
Bonus room 302/104
Guest room 142/57
Kitchen table 568/319
Computer room 722/672
Garage 405/215
Great room 492/229
Theatre 139/64
Back door 198/54
Gym 431/212

S10+ wifi6
Master bedroom 323/154
Master bathroom 359/164
Bonus room 284/142
Guest room 170/78
Kitchen table 420/288
Computer room 708/710
Garage 289/188
Great room 440/293
Theatre 217/36
Back door 288/26
Gym 357/258

As you can see, the WIFI 6 were slower in most cases and very very slightly faster in fewer cases.

I'm gonna box this router up and return it. No real world advantage at all for me. I'll wait a couple years when Wifi6 is everywhere and all my devices support it.

Guess that I am not the only one to have slower Wi-Fi 6 compare to Wi-Fi 5. Hopefully, future firmware can improve AX clients performance. Let's wait and see...

 

[Max Nguyen]

Guess that I am not the only one to have slower Wi-Fi 6 compare to Wi-Fi 5. Hopefully, future firmware can improve AX clients performance. Let's wait and see...

Ya I will return this and wait for more models out there. Like whatever they replace the 86u with. I dont really need an 8 port/4 antenna monster like the ax88u

 

[L&LD]

Pretty disappointing results.

These speed tests were taken with my Samsung galaxy s10+ using Wifi5 on a RTAC86U and WIFI6 on a RTAX88U. Both routers were wired in and both reached 930down/930up tested on my Imac that is wired in.

S10+ wifi5
Master bedroom 454/112
Master bathroom 381/198
Bonus room 302/104
Guest room 142/57
Kitchen table 568/319
Computer room 722/672
Garage 405/215
Great room 492/229
Theatre 139/64
Back door 198/54
Gym 431/212

S10+ wifi6
Master bedroom 323/154
Master bathroom 359/164
Bonus room 284/142
Guest room 170/78
Kitchen table 420/288
Computer room 708/710
Garage 289/188
Great room 440/293
Theatre 217/36
Back door 288/26
Gym 357/258

As you can see, the WIFI 6 were slower in most cases and very very slightly faster in fewer cases.

I'm gonna box this router up and return it. No real world advantage at all for me. I'll wait a couple years when Wifi6 is everywhere and all my devices support it.

I would not be using a handheld device to test WiFi performance with. Even one that is WiFi6 capable.

Don't you have a laptop computer that you can test with? While using it plugged in or in Performance mode while on battery power? That would be a better test, even if you were only testing a WiFi5 device on both routers.

 

[Max Nguyen]

I would not be using a handheld device to test WiFi performance with. Even one that is WiFi6 capable.

Don't you have a laptop computer that you can test with? While using it plugged in or in Performance mode while on battery power? That would be a better test, even if you were only testing a WiFi5 device on both routers.

Ya that's fair. But I don't have a wifi6 laptop, nor would I buy one right away. So the only device I have is the new samsung galaxy s10+.

I'm sure my next laptop and wife's phone will all have wifi 6. Then i'll be more worth it I think.