Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsA reliable router that is highly customizable
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2016
I purchased this router in August of 2015. I am using the stock firmware (updated). Since purchasing it, I've had very few issues (which I'll go over later). Setup was quick and easy. I literally plugged my cable modem in, along with the machines I wanted wired into the network and it worked. Very little setup was involved.
For the wired network, I have 2 PCs wired in, a Xbox One, and a Playstation 4. Connecting wirelessly, I have multiple cell phones, a tablet, a smart thermostat (Ecobee3), a laptop, a PS3, a wireless printer, and an Xbox 360. At no point have I had network disconnects occur due to the router. It has handled all network traffic lightning quick like a champ.
I live in an 850 sq ft single story house. The router is centrally located, and I have found that I can still connect via the wireless from across the street. Mind you, this is with the transmission power turned down (more on this later also).
I've been very impressed by this router. Especially since I upgraded from an old school Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router (WRT54GL) due to my router not being able to handle the bandwidth that a modern cable provider provides. Using the stock firmware, it is highly customizable. Despite being highly customizable, it is simple enough for the average user to be able to setup without needing advanced tech support.
The only issue that I had with this router was connecting my HP Photosmart wireless printer to the wireless network. Changing out my old router for the new one and going through the setup, it seemed like it should be a simple affair. It was not, and it took me months to figure out that I needed to 1) Buy a USB cord (A-Male to B-Male) 2) Hook the printer up to my PC using this cord, and then install the HP software. The router administration pages made it seem like this wasn't needed and that I just needed to download the ASUS software. Had I looked at the HP documentation instead of the ASUS documentation, I probably would've been fine. All in all, the issue was mainly on me. I will say that ASUS's documentation was a bit misleading (in my opinion). I can't fault the router for that though, so no stars have been taken off.
Transmission power: Earlier in the review, I stated that the range on this router is pretty strong despite me turning down the transmission power. Some would ask "Why would you turn down the transmission power? Doesn't that hurt the range or signal?". In my opinion, the default settings for this router's transmission power is excessive. For those not in the know, transmit power is a unit of power measured in milliwatts for the transmitter. The higher the power, the more milliwatts being used by the transmitter. Now, think of your average car. Would you want to put stronger fuel in it than what is needed and recommended for your use? What would happen if you continually used fuel that is stronger than what you needed?
The short answer is: Nothing good.
The long answer: You would be cutting the lifespan, along with the reliability. You *may* see a temporary increase in performance, or you may see a decrease because you pushed things too hard. You are more likely to see issues the higher the level you push things.
All in all, I recommend testing different transmit power levels. I seriously would recommend cutting your transmit power down to fit only what you need it to, and not increasing it beyond the defaults. Those that have reported short lifespans of their router, transmitters dying, or overheating most likely left the settings on default or raised them even higher. If you want this router to last a long time, cut the transmit power down.
Updated review:
It's now been about 5 - 6 years with this router and it's going strong still. I now have my laptop hardwired along with a PS4 and Xbox Series X. I'm on a 800 Mbps data plan with Xfinity (using my own modem) and consistently will get speeds over 900 Mbps at times (wired). Speeds aren't as strong over wireless, but I also have *a lot* of noise in the house (Philips Hue bulbs, Nest front door camera, smart locks, tons of Google / Alexa devices, along with other wireless cameras, etc.).
I am now in a house that's a bit larger (1,057 sq ft with a basement) and the range still works throughout the house and the yard. This router is a workhorse! I've upped the transmission power a little bit (to the default settings), but I don't think it really was needed.
I will say that I wasn't getting my full speeds for awhile due to not having the right settings. As with any router that you own, this can be a factor in your speeds - so if you're not getting the promised speeds hardwired to your router (but are getting them hardwired to your modem), it's time to do some troubleshooting. All in all, despite the numerous other routers available since this one came out, I still highly recommend this one due to it being such a workhorse.
