Upgrading RT-AC66U to either RT-AX68U or RT-AX86U, worth it?

[SoCalReviews]

I totally disagree.

"....and sorry but most would agree it's not the AC68U." was a response to

The original question I asked Tech9 was what he thought the best consumer wireless router Asus ever made was and then the question narrowed to the best Asus router you can currently purchase for less than $300 USD.

He refused to answer the questions but he did mention the RT-AC68U series of routers (AC1900P etc.) in one of his responses. He later seemed to agree that a seven year old AC router shouldn't be expected to compete with the newer routers like the AX86U.

So by totally disagreeing with my post you are effectively saying that you think "the RT-AC68U is either the best router Asus ever made or it's the best Asus router you can currently buy for under $300 USD."

I will respond to your post and say again....and sorry but most would agree it's not the AC68U. I owned many of them for many years (AC68Ps and AC1900P). They weren't bad routers. They were good routers at the time but their range, reliability and performance doesn't compare to the current AX86U which I have used to replace all of them.

 

[Tech9]

He refused to answer the questions

I don't know what's the best Asus router in 2021. What answer do you expect to have? The fact is RT-AC68U and variants are the most successful Asus router products so far. Based on users' feedback, the reliability is higher than most later models. Pretty good candidate for "best router Asus ever made" award. What's the next best one - I don't know. Only time will tell.

You narrowed the question to fit your hardware choice in your country. I don’t know what is the best Asus router in 2021.

 

[SoCalReviews]

I don't know what's the best Asus router in 2021. What answer do you expect to have? The fact is RT-AC68U and variants are the most successful Asus router products so far. Based on users' feedback, the reliability is higher than most later models. Pretty good candidate for "best router Asus ever made" award. What's the next best one - I don't know. Only time will tell.

The best overall router Asus has ever made up until this point in time is NOT the AC68U. I owned it and it's variants for many years. There are reasons I replaced ALL SEVEN of them with the RT-AX86U. Otherwise I would have kept using them.

The AC68U and variants for me had connectivity issues, range issues, lacked in performance compared to many current AX models. That doesn't mean they still aren't useful routers or still ok for many users as sold in their current reduced price range (at about half the retail cost of the AX86U).

 

[Tech9]

Thanks for posting your opinion in bold. Unfortunately, Asuswrt-Merlin statistics tell a different story. There are more AC68U variants out there than any other Asus model. The product is so successful that Asus made multiple versions of it and even a new V4 model is coming. The best router ever made for Asus is the one that sells best, from a business point of view at least. Thanks for sharing your experience and hardware choices anyway.

 

[RangerZ]

You are also comparing the old 382\384? firmware that you would have had then to the 386 that you have now. It's come a long way.

Range is pretty much the most important factor to me, and the 5G coverage is outstanding IMHO.

Old tech, as @Tech9 and I both have said: the volumes speak volumes and in 2020 the V3 and soon V4, old name, new box.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Thanks for posting your opinion in bold. Unfortunately, Asuswrt-Merlin statistics tell a different story. There are more AC68U variants out there than any other Asus model. The product is so successful that Asus made multiple versions of it and even a new V4 model is coming. The best router ever made for Asus is the one that sells best, from a business point of view at least. Thanks for sharing your experience and hardware choices anyway.

There are more AC68u variants out there because they Asus has been releasing those variants for the last eight years. Popularity alone and how long it's been available doesn't make it the best current router you can buy or the best router ever made by Asus up until now. However if you were going to use current trending popularity and "the one that is selling best" as the criteria for "best" then the AX86U would be easily winning that award right now.

Also the word "variants" doesn't mean much other than the design similarities outside and inside the router (same basic chips, ports, etc.) . Just because the AX86U is using a similar three antenna stand up design as the AC68U doesn't mean it has the same engineering inside. It's got different components, different radios, newly developed firmware, etc..

 

[Tech9]

Just because the AX86U is using a similar three antenna stand up design as the AC68U doesn't mean it has the same engineering inside.

Of course they are different. By the way, why is Asus releasing so many AC68U variants year after year? I strongly believe they sell well based on reliability history, performance and current price point. Folks around with up to 300Mbps ISP can get a good and proven performer for $100. What’s wrong with that? Why consistently pushing personal hardware choices to others? Just enjoy your routers.

 

[SoCalReviews]

You are also comparing the old 382\384? firmware that you would have had then to the 386 that you have now. It's come a long way.

Range is pretty much the most important factor to me, and the 5G coverage is outstanding IMHO.

Old tech, as @Tech9 and I both have said: the volumes speak volumes and in 2020 the V3 and soon V4, old name, new box.

I have retired my AC68Ps and AC1900P. I doubt a firmware upgrade is going to to much to change the radio hardware itself which is the core issue.

The range on the AX86U is far superior to the AC68U and it's two core AC variants especially with 5Ghz. If range is the most important thing to you then you need to own the AX86U... take note of the recent SNB comparison tests for the current AX routers... It's one of the best.

Asus has been rebranding old models to sell as new economy models for a long time. I'm sure the highly successful and popular AX86U will end up rebranded some day in the distant future as well.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Of course they are different. By the way, why is Asus releasing so many AC68U variants year after year? I strongly believe they sell well based on reliability history, performance and current price point. Folks around with up to 300Mbps ISP can get a good and proven performer for $100. What’s wrong with that? Why consistently pushing personal hardware choices to others? Just enjoy your routers.

I am enjoying my routers. I want other users to enjoy the same great routers which is why I tell those in this forum who ask for opinions on what Asus router to purchase... that I believe the AX86U is the best overall wireless router Asus has ever made up until now.

I don't play word games or tone down my opinion based on some future hypothetical situation that hasn't happened. I wouldn't make that statement unless I believed it and had experience as an actual owner of the equipment. It's not just a coincidence that many other long time Asus owners feel exactly the same way I do.

 

[Tech9]

The range on the AX86U is far superior to the AC68U and it's two core AC variants especially with 5Ghz.

According to trusted SNB member living in another country, this is not always the case. Perhaps a valid statement in North America.

I believe it's the best overall wireless router Asus has ever made.

I come from a home lab with Xeon firewall. It was replaced with about $1500 more compact system. I found the home lab is taking too much of my time. What is best for you is perhaps only a good disposable toy in my eyes. See, we all have different opinions.

 

[SoCalReviews]

According to trusted SNB member living in another country, this is not always the case. Perhaps a valid statement in North America.



I come from a home lab with Xeon firewall. It was replaced with about $1500 more compact system. I found the home lab is taking too much of my time. What is best for you is perhaps only a good disposable toy in my eyes. See, we all have different opinions.

From what I have read that's the only SNB member in another country that I read had an issue. Most other SNB members are not reporting those problems.

We aren't discussing enterprise grade routers in this forum. This is a forum for consumer grade wireless routers. I have friends that use consumer grade routers (including Asus) in their home but work on multi-million dollar government and enterprise systems as well. I have never heard them refer to these Asus routers as "toys" because they understand that different grades of equipment are used for a different applications.

 

[Tech9]

I have never heard them refer to these Asus routers as "toys"

They perhaps don’t want to offend you. Your $300 piece of equipment is actually $100 or less hardware and software, including router, switch and access point. The rest is re-sellers profit, marketing, logistics and perhaps $20 in future support, the send by mail thing in Asuswrt. Sorry, it’s a toy in my eyes.

 

[SoCalReviews]

They perhaps don’t want to offend you. Your $300 piece of equipment is actually $100 or less hardware and software, including router, switch and access point. The rest is re-sellers profit, marketing, logistics and perhaps $20 in future support, the send by mail thing in Asuswrt. Sorry, it’s a toy in my eyes.

Ok, Sure.

Have fun posting in your "toy forum".

 

[Tech9]

Have fun posting in your "toy forum".

Different opinions are based on different experience. You insist your opinion is stronger, even posted it in bold few times. Below I quote another SNB member's opinion, coming from different experience than yours, but close to mine. You can learn a lot from this member. I was actually surprised you have purchased seven home routers. I don't know about your hardware choice popularity. Your local experience also affects your opinion on this one. I live in Toronto, Canada and your router of choice was always available around in at least 3 major retailers. No big demand here, I guess.

network that will run more like an appliance and less like a toy

 

[RMerlin]

"Best" is a very subjective word. Not everyone has the same needs.

I favor the RT-AC66U_B1 for most of my customers because of its price vs performance ratio. For them, there's no point in spending three times the price to go with an AX86U. A 100$ router will be able to route their 30 Mbps Internet connection, and cover their apartment. But if someone actually had the need for the AX86U's better wifi or CPU (this was the case for a customer a few months ago), and the price was no issue, then the RT-AX86U is a better choice.

My only problem right now with the RT-AX86U is its price.

 

[L&LD]

Price is always my problem with the latest tech. But I'd rather spend it where I should rather than save a hundred dollars and spend even more later.

 

[Tech9]

I favor the RT-AC66U_B1 for most of my customers because of its price vs performance ratio.

Exactly my point in this thread. @kevindd992002, the thread starter, lives in a 60sqm apartment with 200Mbps ISP and two users. RT-AC66U B1 for $100 is all he needs - perhaps the best budget router around. For $20 more the router changes shape to vertical form factor - RT-AC68U V3, comes on sale quite often. Wi-Fi range and speed covers all the requirements. All connected AC clients, even with 1-stream radios, will get full ISP speed.

 

[SoCalReviews]

I defined what I considered "best" in earlier posts in this thread. It was an overall combination of price, performance, hardware, features, reliability, connectivity, footprint, flexibility (Merlin support). In the history of Asus wireless routers I believe the AX86U is the best overall router they ever made up until this point in time. It's my opinion based on all the past Asus routers I have owned, personal experience and test results from current AX routers available.

I don't have this opinion just because I own the router. I don't remember ever claiming that about an Asus router in the past ten years going back to the N66U. If you define the criteria of "best" as just what best suits someone's needs then you could make that claim for just about any decent router at any price. That kind of defeats the purpose of any best router statement. You might as well not make that type of statement ever if that is your criteria.

The $250 USD price tag is historically expensive for the average router purchase but I remember the AC68P and AC1900P being in the $170-$200 USD range five or six years ago. If you consider economic inflation it's not that much difference in cost. The fact they haven't been able to keep it in stock at major online retailers while other models and brands have been readily available tells you that the price isn't a major factor keeping people from buying it.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Exactly my point in this thread. @kevindd992002, the thread starter, lives in a 60sqm apartment with 200Mbps ISP and two users. RT-AC66U B1 for $100 is all he needs - perhaps the best budget router around. For $20 more the router changes shape to vertical form factor - RT-AC68U V3, comes on sale quite often. Wi-Fi range and speed covers all the requirements. All connected AC clients, even with 1-stream radios, will get full ISP speed.

Of course... and if you go back and read my replies I recommended keeping the current router until he is ready to spend the money on the AX86U or newer/better router since he wouldn't see enough of a performance difference to justify the purchase.

The AC68U is a waste of money because it's still going to be eight year old AC router technology and support for it will likely be phased out in five years. Then he will be shelling out another $120 USD or more for a V2 or V3 of the AX86U when Wifi 7/BE technology is being established. In the long run when you play that catch up game you pay the same or more money to have last generation old technology.

 

[Tech9]

Someone posts a thread for basic router needs, gets a recommendation for $300 router best for someone else. Someone needs an external HDD, gets a recommendation for $1200 5-bay NAS, diskless. Do you people read what the question is or just describe what do you see around you? What is this "best Asus router" discussion about? And why we have to have price limit if we want the best? Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 for all and call it a day. May not have Merlin for now, but will work well with the new iPhone or Galaxy. Latest technology available today, futureproof.