What is the better purchase between the AX88U and AX86U?

[richardeid]

It seems like a few of the bigger retailers are OOS on the AX88U. Is this signaling anything beyond just a restocking issue? I'm a happy AC-88U user and my girlfriend needs a new router so I'd like to do the direct upgrade from 88 to 88. Amazon's last price on it was $299 but Newegg has it in-stock for $349. I won't pay that much if I know it'll be back in stock at Amazon. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[ATLga]

It seems like a few of the bigger retailers are OOS on the AX88U. Is this signaling anything beyond just a restocking issue? I'm a happy AC-88U user and my girlfriend needs a new router so I'd like to do the direct upgrade from 88 to 88. Amazon's last price on it was $299 but Newegg has it in-stock for $349. I won't pay that much if I know it'll be back in stock at Amazon. Anyone have any ideas?

For what it's worth, it was also $299 at Micro Center up till the 21st. I think that's the last day I saw it at amazon for $299 too. Most likely when it's back in stock at amazon, it'll be $349 again.

 

[Clark Griswald]

With the 6E routers now being discussed, I'm hoping wifi 6 routers will get significantly lower in price, since the "Marketing" will let everyone know that wifi 6 is worthless
My sig shows my upgrade path AC88 then to AC86. My thoughts were to upgrade to an AX86 and use AC86 and AC88 as APs, yet after reading Tim's article I will probably stay with only one AP.

Stay Safe Everyone

 

[riroku]

Sorry for the bump but I didn't want to make a new thread for this. I was running 3.0.0.4.384.9318 awhile back in December which was great. However, I updated to future releases for and merlin 386.1 - to the current. Some reason my router is blocking a lot of website randomly now and I have no clue why. For example, I can no longer view form.gle links from google doc. I have to disconnect from the internet and use my LTE and the link works fine. I was also recently on the phone with my bank trying to reset my account my password using a temporary ID which would take me to the create password page. However, it would take me to that page then automatically refresh so I couldn't reset my password until I disconnected from my home network and use my hotspot LTE then it worked.

Is there a fix for this or does anyone know why this is happening? I'm also having problem accessing my bank statement PDF. It's just blank white until I disconnect and use LTE. I have turned off AIProtection but I'm still getting blocked on some website randomly

I even did a clean reset and updated to 386.2_6 stock with AIProtection off and it didn't fix the issue at all. Is there some other setting I need to change on this router

 

[L&LD]

You should flash the firmware you want first, then do a full reset to factory defaults afterward. Do not use a saved backup config file to configure the router afterward.

Fully Reset Router and Network

Best Practice Update/Setup Router/AiMesh Node(s) 2021

 

[riroku]

You should flash the firmware you want first, then do a full reset to factory defaults afterward. Do not use a saved backup config file to configure the router afterward.

Fully Reset Router and Network

Best Practice Update/Setup Router/AiMesh Node(s) 2021

I actually did. This is with a full reset and factory default. I never use any backup config when I set up my router as I keep it simple. I don't touch any setting except turn on AIProtection and turn off WP. I still can't access forms.glel links and still have issue accessing some website even with fresh reset and factory default using those links. I have done it so many time now that I memorize the steps

 

[riroku]

Just an update on the router after owning it for one year.

Everything has been running stable (386.2_6 Merlin) software wise but there has been hardware issue. Two of the ethernet port randomly died (2.5G port and port 3). They no longer work which is disappointing. I don't know how to warranty it with asus and don't have an extra router to send this one in.

Other than that, everything still is running. I still recommend the AX86u but the hardware problem is definitely disappointing for the longevity since I have been through two of these. First one had a broken 5GHZ band and didn't keep memory after setting. This one works but has two broken port after awhile

 

[SoCalReviews]

Just an update on the router after owning it for one year.

Everything has been running stable (386.2_6 Merlin) software wise but there has been hardware issue. Two of the ethernet port randomly died (2.5G port and port 3). They no longer work which is disappointing. I don't know how to warranty it with asus and don't have an extra router to send this one in.

Other than that, everything still is running. I still recommend the AX86u but the hardware problem is definitely disappointing for the longevity since I have been through two of these. First one had a broken 5GHZ band and didn't keep memory after setting. This one works but has two broken port after awhile

I haven't seen many users in this forum posting about hardware problems with the AX86U. I own seven of them for use in mulitiple locations and every one of them has been rock solid reliable for more than a year. This is the first time I've heard of major hardware issues for two different AX86U routers with the same owner. Maybe it's just bad luck.

Hardware failure isn't always the fault of the router. It can happen with other factors such as power surges, lightning strikes, extreme environments like high room heat, being on or near high heat sources for long periods of time, etc.. Make sure your router has adequate ventilation around it and it's not in an enclosed area. Make sure your power source including any power strips used are of good quality and in proper working condition. Extreme power fluctuations on an electrical circuit can also put stress on the router's internal components.

Regardless of the reason check with Asus support. If you don't buy another new one first you still might be in the window for a repair, replacement or exchange with the older one.

 

[L&LD]

No hardware failures on any RT-AX86U routers I have installed for customers, nor with the two I have either for the past year.

 

[riroku]

I haven't seen many users in this forum posting about hardware problems with the AX86U. I own seven of them for use in mulitiple locations and every one of them has been rock solid reliable for more than a year. This is the first time I've heard of major hardware issues for two different AX86U routers with the same owner. Maybe it's just bad luck.

Hardware failure isn't always the fault of the router. It can happen with other factors such as power surges, lightning strikes, extreme environments like high room heat, being on or near high heat sources for long periods of time, etc.. Make sure your router has adequate ventilation around it and it's not in an enclosed area. Make sure your power source including any power strips used are of good quality and in proper working condition. Extreme power fluctuations on an electrical circuit can also put stress on the router's internal components.

Regardless of the reason check with Asus support. If you don't buy another new one first you still might be in the window for a repair, replacement or exchange with the older one.

Well the first one was out of the box from Amazon so it was pretty much DOA so I exchanged it.

the second one has been running since December 4, 2020. Sits in a corner in my living room that is pretty much in the open on a small table. All the wires are hard connected into a patch panel and go into the ceiling so the cables are rarely touched. Everything was working until around September of this year the 2.5gb port and port 3 stop working. I’ve tried connecting new cable and to many different devices but they get no signal. The other ports work fine though.

Could be bad luck but who knows.

 

[SoCalReviews]

Well the first one was out of the box from Amazon so it was pretty much DOA so I exchanged it.

the second one has been running since December 4, 2020. Sits in a corner in my living room that is pretty much in the open on a small table. All the wires are hard connected into a patch panel and go into the ceiling so the cables are rarely touched. Everything was working until around September of this year the 2.5gb port and port 3 stop working. I’ve tried connecting new cable and to many different devices but they get no signal. The other ports work fine though.

Could be bad luck but who knows.

You are the only owner of the AX86U that I have read inside or outside this forum that had a hardware problem with two of them. There might be other owners that this happened to in the world but I have never read about it happening. There are hundreds of AX86U owners that are members of this forum that run their routers 24/7 and most of those owners have had zero hardware failures.

As I said before I own seven of them and they have run 24/7 for over a year with zero problems. I haven't even needed to reboot any of them except firmware upgrades. So you can decide what you want about your AX86Us but considering how rare your problems are compared to most other owners... Yes I would say it's either incredibly bad luck or some other problem unrelated to the AX86U that is stressing your router... problems with your electrical source, poor ventilation, etc..

I am not here to try to convince you of anything. Those are just the facts. If you are disgruntled in the Asus AX86U after having two bad experiences with it and you are convinced that these routers are problematic then maybe you should try a completely different brand and/or model of router. Doing that might be able to help you to move on.

 

[riroku]

You are the only owner of the AX86U that I have read inside or outside this forum that had a hardware problem with two of them. There might be other owners that this happened to in the world but I have never read about it happening. There are hundreds of AX86U owners that are members of this forum that run their routers 24/7 and most of those owners have had zero hardware failures.

As I said before I own seven of them and they have run 24/7 for over a year with zero problems. I haven't even needed to reboot any of them except firmware upgrades. So you can decide what you want about your AX86Us but considering how rare your problems are compared to most other owners... Yes I would say it's either incredibly bad luck or some other problem unrelated to the AX86U that is stressing your router... problems with your electrical source, poor ventilation, etc..

I am not here to try to convince you of anything. Those are just the facts. If you are disgruntled in the Asus AX86U after having two bad experiences with it and you are convinced that these routers are problematic then maybe you should try a completely different brand and/or model of router. Doing that might be able to help you to move on.

I think you may have misread my post. I said I still recommended this router. I never said I was disgruntled about it, hardware issue happens. I may be in the minority of defects, it could be user error or hardware error. I figured it was worth noting.

I also never said you were trying to convince me of anything. I was just posting my personal update regarding this specific router and my experience with it thus far just in case someone stumbles on this post while searching.

Anyway, thank you for time and suggestion

 

[SoCalReviews]

I think you may have misread my post. I said I still recommended this router. I never said I was disgruntled about it, hardware issue happens. I may be in the minority of defects, it could be user error or hardware error. I figured it was worth noting.

I also never said you were trying to convince me of anything. I was just posting my personal update regarding this specific router and my experience with it thus far just in case someone stumbles on this post while searching.

Anyway, thank you for time and suggestion

Go back and read my post more carefully. I said "If" you are disgruntled about it then.... I didn't say that you "were" disgruntled about it. I was simply being polite by expressing to you my support for your free choice of options. I didn't want you to feel my advice should pressure you at all in making your own decision about trying a different router or brand if that was what you wanted to do.

I emphasized the same thing with "I am not trying to convince you of anything." I don't want you to feel that I had been pressuring or making a claim just because I post positive things about the AX86U or that I own seven of these routers and never had a single issue with any of them. I was only explaining to you the facts from my own personal hands on experience how very rare problems were with these routers.

You are welcome. I understand you were posting to inform others and emphasizing the claim that you had hardware failures with two AX86U routers in one year. I hope you find a solution that works for you.