Today we got our hands on the ASUS RT-AC68U, a top-end router from the cohort of AC models from the Taiwanese manufacturer, which boasts the highest possible data transfer speed of 1900 Mbit/s. Powerful dual-core processor from Broadcom, 256 MB random access memory and two separate chips for each of the network bands allow you to count on stable operation even under heavy load conditions. We also note the presence of four Gigabit Ethernet ports, two USB connectors and a number of useful proprietary technologies.

Equipment

The ASUS RT-AC68U router comes in a black cardboard box, which is familiar to network equipment from this company, the design of which allows you to quickly evaluate the main technical characteristics of this model.

The delivery set is standard - inside you will find a fairly large router by the standards of user devices, three removable antennas, a power supply, a short Ethernet cable, a CD with proprietary utilities and accompanying documentation.

Design, connectors

The ASUS RT-AC68U model is made in the same proprietary design as most other routers of the Taiwanese company - there are such family features as a textured front panel, sharp edges and a wedge-shaped black case, a stand for vertical installation, etc.

However, once you put the AC68U next to any other brother in the product line, it becomes clear that it's not just about the design, but also about the size. Moreover, if from the front panel the increase does not seem too significant, then a look in profile and especially the weight of the device indicate that the developers have worked closely at least on cooling its components. As a result, the overall dimensions of the router are 220 x 160 x 83.3 mm, and the weight is 640 grams.

A standard set of information from the logo and model designation is placed in the upper right corner of the front panel, and ten blue indicators are located at the very bottom of the embossed front panel. From right to left, this is power on, activity in the 5.0 and 2.4 GHz bands, peripherals in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, connection status to Global network and the presence of wired clients connected to four RJ45 ports. If for some reason you are not satisfied with the constant blinking of the LEDs, then the entire indication can be easily turned off with one LED on/off button. It is located on the rear panel in such a way that it can be easily reached from the side working panel without turning the router 180 degrees.

The left side of the ASUS RT-AC68U case is free, on the right there are hardware buttons for launching a WPS dialogue and quickly enabling/disabling Wi-Fi modules. The top edge contains three threaded connectors for connecting external antennas; here, through the perforations of the case, you can see the metal shielding of the device components. All connectors and controls are traditionally concentrated at the very bottom of the rear of the router case.

In the very middle of the switch panel there is the aforementioned LED on/off button, which turns off not only the indication on the front edge, but also the backlight of the transparent decorative insert with the ASUS logo. To the right of the insert are four LAN ports, to the left is a WAN input, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 connectors, a power supply socket and a latching power button. Directly above it is a miniature factory reset button.

The developers decided not to tempt fate by equipping the relatively large and heavy case with a removable stand or holes for wall mounting. Therefore, ASUS RT-AC68U is installed exclusively vertically, resting on a durable non-removable base equipped with two rubber anti-slip pads.

Functionality

As a central ASUS processor The RT-AC68U is powered by a dual-core Broadcom BCM4708 chip with an operating frequency of 800 MHz; the same processor is responsible for organizing the Ethernet connection. The router is equipped with 256 MB of RAM and 128 MB of Flash memory. The wireless part of the system is built on two Broadcom BCM4360 processors, the first of which is responsible for the “classic” 802.11b/g/n standards, and the second for the current 802.11n/ac. Three external antennas operate in MIMO 3×3:3 modes.

As a result, the maximum data transfer rate in the 802.11n standard at 2.4 GHz is 450 Mbps, and when using Broadcom proprietary TurboQAM technology and compatible client equipment it increases to 600 Mbps. Taking into account the throughput of the 802.11ac interface at 5.0 GHz at 1300 Mbps, the total data transfer rate over the wireless channel for the ASUS RT-AC68U can reach up to 1900 Mbps. We also note the proprietary technology for increasing the coverage area wireless network ASUS AiRadar and the Quality of Service feature, which allows you to prioritize the use of bandwidth by various applications.

Interface

The ASUS RT-AC68U model operates under the proprietary “black” ASUSWRT interface, which is used in almost all of the company’s current routers. In most cases, the initial setup process is automatic; you only need to set a network name and password. All basic information is collected in the “Network Map” section - here you can quickly assess the connection status, security settings, number of wired and wireless clients, USB peripherals, operating mode, firmware version, etc.

Next comes the “Guest Network” section, which is especially useful for hospitable hosts who value their own privacy, but at the same time do not want to limit the rights of their guests. So that you don’t have to worry about the safety of your main account password and personal data in home network, just create one or two (maximum three for each of the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz bands) guest accounts and feel free to distribute them to friends and family. Within this account you can use an easier-to-remember password, limit session time, access to the local network, and even disconnect offending guests by MAC address.

In the “Traffic Manager” section ASUS router RT-AC68U can flexibly configure the bandwidth for individual services, applications and devices so that the consumer who is not demanding in terms of data transfer speed does not “cross the road” for demanding tasks. In the same section, in the “Traffic Monitoring” tab, you can assess the current situation with the separation of wired and wireless channels in real time, for the last 24 hours or for the last 30 days. The “Parental Control” section will be useful for those who, for educational purposes, intend to limit their children’s access to network resources.

And finally, the last two sections allow you to fully customize interaction with a variety of devices connected to two USB ports ASUS router RT-AC68U. It's interesting that standard features such as a file and print server, AiDisk and AiCloud services and the ability to work with 3G/4G modems, this model has added support for the Apple Time Machine backup service.

The “Advanced Settings” section contains items in which experienced users will be able to finalize all the necessary parameters, including mode, channel number and channel width wireless communication, transmitter operating schedule and power, MAC address filtering and port forwarding, setting up a built-in firewall and VPN, etc. and so on.

Exploitation

The ASUS RT-AC68U router was used in a regular business center with a fairly large number of neighboring Wi-Fi networks. An ultrabook was used as a client device Acer Aspire M3 with Broadcom Netlink BCM57780 (GE) Ethernet adapter and Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 W-Fi module (802.11n, 2.4 GHz).

A speed test using an Ethernet connection showed almost the maximum result for a 100-megabit connection.

Then we disconnected from the Ethernet network and switched to a Wi-Fi network in the 2.4 GHz band (802.11n), measuring the speed of access to the Global Network and the signal strength at three points: in the immediate vicinity of the router (point 1), at 5 meters through the wall (point 2) and 15 meters in a non-adjacent room through two walls (point 3).

The speed and strength of the signal naturally dropped, but not as much as was observed with the model under the same conditions.

To test operation in the Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard (5.0 GHz band), an external ASUS USB-AC56 adapter and a proprietary network utility were used.

Measurements were taken at the same three points as in the case of the previous range.

However, the results were noticeably more impressive, since even at the farthest measurement point the speed remained virtually unchanged and was quite comparable to the speed with an Ethernet connection.

Video review of ASUS RT-AC68U wireless router

Results

As a result, ASUS RT-AC68U is a top-end wireless router with a powerful hardware platform that allows you to count on high stability even in difficult conditions (several connected devices, diverse tasks). To get closer to the maximum declared speed of 1900 Mbps, you will have to use Wi-Fi 802.11ac client devices with support for Broadcom's proprietary TurboQAM technology, but even on relatively old Wi-Fi 802.11n devices you can get very decent speeds in the wireless segment . We cannot fail to mention two USB ports (USB 2.0 and USB 3.0), with which you can build a truly functional network infrastructure. Finally, we note that the cost of ASUS RT-AC68U abroad reaches $220, while the retail price tag for this device in Ukraine will be about $185.

The product was provided for testing by ASUS, www.asus.ua

	+
NAT	—
	+
DHCP server	+
	—
Antenna type (internal/external)	external
Number of antennas	3
Antenna gain, dBi	no data
Transmitter power, dBm	no data
Information security (WEP, WPA/WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, WPA2/RADIUS)	+/+/+/-
Web interface	+
Telnet	—
SNMP support	—
Quantity	1xUSB 3.0, 1xUSB 2.0	+
Maximum connection speed, Mbit/s	600 + 1300
Multiple SSID support	+
Connection interface (LAN port)	4x 10/100/1000 Ethernet
Login (WAN port)	1x 10/100/1000 Ethernet
USB	2 (1xUSB 3.0, 1xUSB 2.0)
USB connection (external drive/printer/3G modem)	drive/printer/modem
Firewall	+
NAT	+
VPN (virtual network) support	+
DHCP server	+
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)	+
Antenna type (internal/external)	external
Number of antennas	3
MU-MIMO/MIMO support	-/+
Web interface	+
Telnet	+
SNMP support	-
Dimensions, mm	220x83.3x160
Weight, g	640
Advanced encryption modes	64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise, WPS support
Power(PoE/adapter)	-/+
Built-in ftp-server	+
Outdoor installation possible	-
Bridge Mode	-
Other	AiMesh support (seamless roaming). Modes: router, access point, repeater, media bridge; AiCloud, Download Master, VPN server, SmartQoS, parental control, AiPlayer

To measure the radio channel throughput, we used two wireless adapters. The first is a fairly simple ASUS USB-AC53 with a USB 2.0 interface. The second adapter, ASUS PCE-AC68, is more sophisticated: it is equipped PCI interface Express, three external antennas and supports TurboQAM technology, thanks to which the router we are considering is considered the fastest on the market.

To measure throughput, we used three computers running IxChariot. Measurement scenario - High Throughput. During the test, data was transmitted simultaneously in both directions (from the adapter to the router and back). We conducted tests with each adapter in both ranges at different channel widths. In the latest test, the USB-AC53 was connected to the router in the 2.4 GHz band, and the PCE-AC68 was connected to the 5 GHz band. Data exchange was carried out between wireless clients and a third computer, which was connected to the LAN port.

Unfortunately, we couldn't find a way to visually check whether TurboQAM technology was used in our tests. Of course, the throughput indicators we obtained are far from the passport values. However, you can compare the results obtained using an adapter with TurboQAM support and without it. The result of 243 Mbps at 2.4 GHz is good, this is noticeably higher than that of other top routers that were in our test laboratory. The maximum throughput (obtained when using two adapters in different bands) is 368 Mbit/s. This is far not only from the 1900 Mbit/s declared by the manufacturer, but also from the performance of competitors. For example, a router

Network equipment is not a frequent guest on the pages of our website. This is understandable, because the number of fps in games does not increase from it, but CPU It does not accelerate with its help. But the Internet has become such an integral part of our lives, whether visiting social networks, watching streaming videos, launching online games, sending results after a benchmark session to HWBot.org, which is impossible to do without it. Moreover, the fleet of smart home appliances has long been no longer limited to just PCs; it is now accompanied by laptops, tablets, smartphones and smart TV receivers, and even household assistants. And all this can happen in one family! Now try to tie all this together so that each device can easily access the Internet and not disturb the other, and so that your neighbors do not interfere with you, given the growing popularity of wireless technologies. Ultimately, we come to the conclusion that we need a router that meets modern requirements, and even with an original design, since keeping a dull and unremarkable box at home is no longer comme il faut. And so, the ASUS RT-AC88U router that came to us for testing has all the necessary characteristics.

Model
Network standards	IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, IPv4, IPv6
WAN connection type	Automatic IP, Static IP, PPPoE(MPPE supported), PPTP, L2TP
Operating frequency	2.4 GHz / 5 GHz
Data transfer rate, Mbit/s	802.11a: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 802.11b: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 802.11g: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 802.11n: up to 600 802.11ac: up to 1734 1024QAM (2.4Hz): up to 1000 1024QAM (5Hz): up to 2167
Antennas	4, external
MIMO technology	2.4 GHz 4x4, 5 GHz 4x4
Operating modes	Router, Access Point, Bridge
CPU	1.4 GHz, dual core
Memory	128 MB EPROM, 512 MB RAM
Encryption	64/128-bit WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise, WPS support
Interfaces	RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for WAN x 1, RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 8, USB 2.0 x 1, USB 3.0 x 1
Buttons	WPS Button, Reset Button, Power Button, Wireless on/off Button, LED on/off Button
Dimensions, cm	30 x 18.8 x 8.4 cm (WxDxH)
Cost, $	298,99

This winter, ASUS introduced new models of dual-band routers on the domestic market that support the IEEE 802.11ac standard, among which the new product in question occupies not the last place. Devices with operating frequencies of 2.4/5 GHz are not new for a long time; they allow you to avoid interference from nearby routers, but the bandwidth of the same IEEE 802.11n is limited to 600 MB/s, which, for example, will not be enough for streaming 4K video . Therefore, all hopes are for the new standard, which in theory is capable of transmitting data at an order of magnitude higher speed.

Packaging and equipment

The ASUS RT-AC88U router comes in such a huge box that not every top-end video card can boast such packaging dimensions. Its dimensions are impressive - 40x26x14 cm.

The front side is designed in a classic style for ASUS network equipment. Here we see an image of the product, icons indicating its key features, and the like. The reverse already provides more information, it shows back panel router with a description of all slots, as well as a table comparing the coverage of key devices of the model range.

The RT-AC88U itself is placed in a separate compartment and actually occupies most of the area of ​​the box. Under it there is a compartment in which you can find the power supply and network cable, documentation and four antennas.

It would be nice to see a couple more patch cords, but on the other hand, such equipment is standard and is unlikely to be expanded even if the device costs more.

Appearance

The updated design is pleasing to the eye. The development of the style set by the previous model - RT-AC87U - only suits the new device. The decorative “notched” styling has been completely eliminated, and the surface of the router is now made of charcoal gray matte plastic. There is a truth and a minus, fingerprints collect on it very well, but getting rid of them is not so easy. In general, it is noticeable that the designers were inspired by the stealth theme, and perhaps also by the appearance of Lamborghini cars.

The good news is that the bottom of the router actually consists entirely of bars and there are no “dead” zones. This means that, at a minimum, the air flow will be quite intense. Behind the rubber plugs there are holes for mounting on vertical surfaces.

On the left side of the front edge there is a plastic cover, behind which is hidden USB port 3.0. It’s a little unclear why the creators brought a high-speed port here, while leaving a slower one at the rear. The capabilities of the router make it possible to turn it into cloud storage, but a flash drive sticking out in front is unlikely to please the user, and it may well be damaged by careless movement.

The developers used the right side of the front panel to locate buttons for turning off the LED indication and wireless modules.

The back face already has a classic layout. Here are the reset and WPS activation buttons, a USB 2.0 port, antenna connectors, eight LAN ports, a WAN port, a power socket and a device on/off button.

The side edges are unremarkable. They are perforated and there are a couple more connectors for antennas, made in the same style as the router and decorated with red inserts.

Separately, I would like to dwell on the operation of the LED indication of the router in question, which is now not as intrusive as, for example, the RT-AC66U model, in which very bright blue diodes literally illuminate the entire ceiling with their joyful blinking at night. The hero of today's review not only has the ability to turn off the display with one button, but also the diodes are absolutely invisible in the dark. By the way, they have a neutral white color, and in case of problems with a certain function, the corresponding diode will light red.

In general, the appearance of the router deserves all sorts of praise, just expect that its dimensions are very large and it will not be so easy to place it on a table near a PC.

Internal organization

ASUS RT-AC88U is equipped with the most powerful SoC on the market - a dual-core Broadcom BCM47094 based on ARM Cortex A9 architecture, operating at frequencies up to 1.4 GHz. 128 MB of NAND flash memory, soldered by one ESMT F59L1G81LA-25T module, is used to store the firmware, and 512 MB of DDR3 RAM is stored in two ESMT M15F2G16128A-BDB chips. Two Broadcom BCM4366 radio units provide speeds of up to 2167 Mbps in the 5 GHz band and up to 1000 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. The router contains four Skyworks SKY2623L/Skyworks SKY85405 power amplifiers and NXP BGU7224/Macom MAAL-011078 LNA amplifiers for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, respectively. It should be noted that the Broadcom BCM47094 platform supports 5 gigabit ports, so the first four ports and the WAN are connected through it. LAN ports five through eight are implemented using a Realtek RTL8365MB gigabit switch.

Most of the filling is hidden under solid metal plates, the removal of which can damage the device. I am glad that aluminum radiators with fairly advanced fins are installed on metal plates through thermal pads, which could have a larger area. Further operation of the device showed that the cooling system copes with the tasks assigned to it, even despite the powerful components.

The speeds declared by the manufacturer are achievable thanks to NitroQAM modulation implemented by Broadcom (aka 1024-QAM). Naturally, to achieve such speeds, customers must also support this technology. Also, 4x4 MU-MIMO technology should help when working with multiple clients, allowing the router to simultaneously support several devices without processing their requests one by one. True, again, don’t be fooled by the 4x4 numbers - the router, therefore, has the ability to work with two devices, moreover, supporting MU-MIMO.

Web interface and mobile application

When connecting to a router with a wire and trying to access any page, the user will be directed to the start page of the router’s web interface with the address 192.168.1.1. The router immediately offers to change the standard login and password to enter the interface, which will be very useful for inexperienced users. After this, we select the device operating mode (router, repeater, access point or bridge), the connection type and enter (if required by the provider) the appropriate settings. Next comes quick setup names and access to wireless networks in the 2.4 GHz/5 GHz bands. The last thing the user will be greeted with is a proposal to update the firmware, after which the router will download it, install it and be ready for use.

I think that most of the settings and the general appearance of the web interface will not come as a surprise to users familiar with the company’s routers - this is still the same ASUSWRT, albeit with the widest range of functions characteristic of a top-end device. The controls that are available on any tab are a quick transition to the settings of each of the wireless networks, a transition to checking the latest firmware, a choice of language, rebooting the device, a link to mobile applications, an icon that allows you to disable the WAN, as well as icons showing the activity of guest networks and the presence of connected USB devices.

The “Network Map” tab allows you to see all active clients of the router both via wired and wireless connections, their activity time, and MAC addresses. Also here the user can evaluate the load on the two cores and RAM of the device.

By switching to the “Guest Network” tab, we get access to an overview and settings of guest networks in two ranges. There is access restriction on the intranet and filtering by MAC addresses.

Proprietary network security analysis and parental controls are grouped under the Ai Protection tab. It must be recognized that while for rare experienced users the network security assessment service will be more informative, for most others it can be very useful. Moreover, the analysis carried out not only gives a conclusion, but also on the spot allows you to move on to a specific setting that needs to be adjusted. Parental controls can be enabled and configured for specific device, making a binding by its unique MAC address and limiting access to certain categories of content.

Traffic prioritization settings are located on the “Adaptive QoS” tab. As elsewhere in the ASUS RT-AC88U, there are enough settings and capabilities here. You can limit certain clients, you can set priorities for groups of applications, and view web browsing history by client.

The Game Boost tab can only be called functional. From it you can switch to paid online service WTFast GPN, which allows you to reduce response time in online games. The real benefit of such a service remains questionable. You can immediately enable QoS prioritization and proceed to the network security analysis described above.

It’s easy to guess the purpose of the Traffic Analyzer tab - monitoring network traffic separately over wired and wireless connections, building graphs in real time.

The “USB application” section combines the settings of various services, the operation of which is implemented using devices connected via USB ports. There is no point in describing each separately, so we will limit ourselves to a general list: creating a network storage with access to it both via various protocols (FTP, DLNA) and organizing cloud access using a mobile application; print server; setting up a backup Internet channel with via USB 2G/3G modem; setting up automatic synchronization with another AiCloud cloud storage. I think every user will find something extremely useful features, in the screenshots above you can see in detail the full range of settings.

In the “Wireless Network” settings, the user can see settings for two bands separately. Here is the network configuration - name, password access, channel width, etc. Also in this section, you can filter access to wireless networks by MAC addresses, enable WPS, operate Wi-Fi in repeater mode for another network, as well as fine-tune the operation of transmitters.

Detailed external connection settings are available to the user in the “Internet” tab. Here you can find standard settings for most routers for the WAN connection itself, switching and port forwarding. Setting up “dual WAN” deserves special attention. The Broadcom BCM47094 platform allows you to connect additional incoming channel from the provider, which may be useful for office use. Please note that the physical connection is available through the first four LAN ports implemented using the SoC. In addition, settings are available in the section dynamic DNS. Users registered on the corresponding portal will have access to Domain name type "user.ASUScomm.com" for organization easy access to an internal network via the Internet.

The IPv6 and VPN sections do not need any special introduction. Here you can configure the IP address of the new format, create a VPN server, and connect internal clients that do not have this ability to external VPN servers.

Additional filtering options for client visits are available on the Firewall tab.

The settings of the ASUS RT-AC88U itself are placed in the “Administration” section. Managing access to the router, updating firmware, creating backup copies and restoring settings from them, as well as a feedback form - you couldn’t ask for more.

Logging of network activity, as well as access to the classic services ping, traceroute, WakeOnLan are implemented in the “System Log” and “Network Utilities” sections.

Separately, I would like to mention the presence of a mobile application for managing the router for both Apple devices and those running on the Android system. With its help you can wireless mode configure the router out of the box, and then monitor the activity of clients, adjust the channel width for each of them, deny access to the Internet, and also make changes to the global settings of the router.

Summarizing the above, the router’s web interface has maintained a certain balance between the intuitiveness necessary for inexperienced users and the widest range of settings and functions that are of interest to enthusiasts and people with special requests for its capabilities.

Performance testing

The ASUS RT-AC88U dual-band router is a high-end device aimed at home and SOHO use. During testing, I tried to take into account real scenarios of its use and compare its capabilities with the ASUS RT-AC66U router. For comparative testing The following devices were used.

Personal Computer:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K (3.5 GHz, 6 MB);
• motherboard: B150i Pro Gaming/Wi-Fi/Aura (Intel B150);
• RAM: HyperX Savage HX424C12SBK2 (2x8 GB, DDR4-2133, 15-15-15-36-1T);
• video card: ASUS STRIX-GTX980-DC2OC-4GD5 (GeForce GTX 980@1518/8010 MHz);
• drive: Plextor PX-128M5Pro (128 GB);
• power supply: Seasonic SS-1000XP Active PFC F3 (1000 W).

Mobile devices:

• ASUS ZenFone 2 (ZE551ML);
• LG Google Nexus 5;
• laptop HP Pavilion 15-n028sr (F2U11ea).

Testing was carried out in a two-room apartment of a so-called “panel” residential building with two options for placing devices:

• in the first case, the router and clients were in close proximity to each other, on the same desktop, the approximate distance was 0.5 m;
• in the second case, the router was in the first room, and the devices in the second, with a bathroom located between them, and the direct passage of the signal was prevented by two load-bearing reinforced concrete walls, the approximate distance being 15 m.

Test scenarios:

• copying files located in shared folder With open access on PC:

1. video file size 400MB;
2. a set of documents.doc, .docx, .pdf, as well as archives.zip, .rar, with a total size of 400MB;
3. a set of photographs.nef,jpg, total size 400MB;

• downloading a 1.4 GB video file from a popular file hosting service located in the UAIX zone separately on each device and simultaneously starting the download on two devices.

Testing at a frequency of 5 GHz was carried out purely in ac mode, and at 2.4 GHz, naturally, in the IEEE 802.11n standard, as in the most common conditions for using such devices.

There is nothing unexpected in the results; the old ASUS RT-AC66U and Google Nexus 5 lag behind their young colleagues in all respects.

The result with a strong signal is repeated for the document copying scenario.

Copying a small amount of photos from a desktop computer again does not bring surprises.

Downloading one episode of a famous fantasy television series from a file hosting service shows the real capabilities of routers in general and the ac profile with a gigabit Internet connection. Also for comparison, download results with a wired connection to a PC (gigabit port) and laptop (100 megabit port) were added.

As the placement conditions became more complicated, I had to get rid of the Google Nexus 5 and laptop results. Their receivers are too weak and do not produce consistent results. For example, the Speedtest service for Nexus 5 in the 2.4 GHz band produced download/upload results from 0.09/0.01 Mbps to 3.14/3.47 Mbps.

As you can see, the results deteriorated several times in comparison with close placement of the router and client, but still remained within reasonable limits. But it’s worth noting that an outdated router model copes with a 2.4 GHz network in some places even better than a new one. Although this can be attributed to a whole bunch of factors affecting the signal with such placement.

Connection speed was also tested through the Speedtest service (a proprietary application was used for mobile devices).

As you can see, the IEEE 802.11ac standard allows you to make the most of the capabilities of modern solutions.

Overview of working in a small office environment

Taking into account the positioning of the router, its hardware, as well as a wide range of capabilities, functions and optimizations, it was decided to conduct long-term testing in a small office with an area of ​​approximately 200 sq.m. The premises are located in a small two-story office building in the city center, which means the airwaves are busy. The number of constantly connected clients ranges from 15 to 25, only a few of which have access to the 5 GHz band and, accordingly, to ac-standard Wi-Fi. Carrying out measurements in several stages, taking into account the number of clients, as well as compiling the results would take too much time, so I will limit myself to a general analysis of the device’s operation and impressions.

The office has a standard single-band TP-Link router TL-WR1045ND, which under the load described above has to be rebooted almost every day. Load distribution is not effective and one or two clients watching online videos actually deprive others of the ability to browse even simple pages. In addition, when creating a network game in Counter-Strike 1.6, clients experience an abrupt increase and drop in ping from 25-40 ms to 250-290 ms.

The hero of today's review has not been rebooted even once since the moment of setup during his entire work, which is two weeks, the stability of Internet browsing has significantly increased, ping drops have disappeared during games local network. It should be noted that the router spent part of the day in direct sunlight, but this did not affect its operation - the cooling and the fairly spacious layout of the circuit elements on the board did their job. Of course, comparing a top-end device with a mid-level router is not entirely correct, however, this is a completely realistic scenario, which, I think, is found everywhere.

conclusions

The IEEE 802.11ac standard, which has finally gained popularity, implies the presence of devices that can work with it, and the gradual penetration of gigabit Internet access among ordinary users directly calls for a transition to new technologies. The ASUS RT-AC88U router certainly deserves all praise. Its high-performance filling will allow you to digest any load without spoiling your sensations. It is suitable for both home and office use, and the capabilities implemented in the firmware will allow an experienced user to actually make a small server out of it, while a “teapot” will be able to set up the device in five minutes using mobile phone. The only downside is that it takes a long time to load the device - up to a minute and a half - but who cares if, after setting it up, the owner can easily forget about it for several years. And of course we should not forget that the pleasure of using the excellent and powerful router worth the money.

A modern router is not just a secure bridge between the Internet and gadgets, but also a multimedia center, network storage, print server and more. ASUS RT-AC86U, in addition to all of the above, also offers additional features for lovers of online games. The site's editors evaluated the functionality of the gaming router from ASUS in practice!

Specifications

• Network standards: IPv4, IPv6, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 450/750/1734/2167 Mbit/s, 2.4/5 GHz).
• Antennas: 3 external removable, 1 internal, MIMO technology (2.4 GHz 3x3, 5 GHz 4x4).
• Administration: UPnP, IGMP v1/v2/v3, DNS Proxy, DHCP, NTP Client, DDNS, Port Trigger, Port Forwarding, DMZ, System Event Log.
• Management: 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise, WPS support.
• Operating modes: wireless router; wireless access point; network bridge;
• Processor: dual-core 1.8 GHz.
• Memory: 512 MB RAM and 256 MB built-in.
• Ports: 1 x RJ45 WAN (10/100/1000 BaseT), 4 x RJ45 LAN (10/100/1000 BaseT), 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0.
• Light indicators: 1×power, 2×Wi-Fi (2.4/5 GHz), 1×Internet (WAN), 1 x WPS, 4×local network (LAN).
• Keys: power, reset, WPS, Wi-Fi switch, turn off indicator lights.
• Dimensions: 220×160×83.3 mm.
• Weight: 872 g.

Equipment

The router comes in large packaging. Under a colorful casing with a description of the device is a box made of thick white cardboard. The first thing that greets the user is a booklet for the gaming VPN service WTFast. The router is located on a cardboard podium. Three removable antennas are placed in a separate compartment. Also included in the package is a 19V/1.75A power adapter, LAN cable, warranty card and quick guide including in Russian. The packaging is made of thick cardboard and looks reliable and will withstand any transportation without any problems.

Appearance

ASUS RT-AC86U is a router aimed at the gaming audience, which is directly reflected in its appearance. The front panel is made of semi-gloss graphite-colored plastic, decorated with two red metal inserts and a chrome ASUS logo. The game with lines is noticeable, ASUS RT-AC86U looks aggressive like a gamer, the style is reminiscent of ASUS ROG gaming gadgets.

At the bottom of the front panel there are LED power and status indicators for each wired and wireless interface. In normal mode, the indicators are illuminated in cold white light, in case of an error - in red. The brightness of the glow cannot be called excessive; the indicators do not attract unnecessary attention even in a dark room. Despite this, the glow can be turned off by holding the special button on the back of the router.

At the top end there are three external removable antennas. Tilt and free rotation around its own axis allows you to change their position as desired. The rest of the space is occupied by ventilation grilles.

On the right are two keys: WPS and enabling/disabling wireless networks.

On the back panel there is a scattering of interfaces and keys. The first thing that catches your eye is a gigabit WAN port and 4 gigabit LAN ports for wired connection of devices. For peripherals, 2 USB are provided: versions 3.0 and 2.0. The router works with external storage devices, printers and cellular modems. Also on the rear panel there is an on/off key, a reset button and a connector for the power adapter. All free space is reserved for ventilation holes.

On the table, ASUS RT-AC86U is installed vertically on a non-removable stand with rubberized pads on the base. The possibility of horizontal installation is not provided, as is wall mounting. In general, there are no complaints about the build quality and materials. Due to the use of non-staining plastics, the router looks neat, unlike glossy competitors, which are instantly covered with dust and fingerprints.

Software

Immediately after the first connection, the configuration panel automatically opens at router.asus.com, the Russian language was automatically set. The system offers to change the login and password from the control panel, and configure security keys for Wi-Fi networks.

First of all, I would like to note the company’s approach to software updates. The router independently notifies about new firmware; the update is performed “over the air” and does not require user participation. If necessary, you can manually specify the firmware file. The company quickly corrects errors: for example, the sample we tested offered an update with a patch in the WPA2 protocol.

The appearance of the control panel is familiar from other ASUS routers. The default tab is “Network Map”, it shows the current configuration: information about the network and encryption, a list of connected devices. You can also immediately adjust some parameters: network name and encryption.

Powerful hardware for a home router: a dual-core 1.8 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM, provides many additional functions. For example, creating up to three independent guest networks in every range.

Proprietary technology is responsible for security and filtering of malicious traffic on the router side AiProtection, developed jointly with Trend Micro. The firmware has a built-in firewall for manual traffic filtering. Parental control will help protect children from suspicious information on the Internet. An unusual feature is a built-in traffic analyzer.

Particular attention is paid to network optimization and connection speed. Adaptive QoS Monitor allows you to assign a priority to each connected device. ASUS RT-AC86U is compatible with the service WTFast, which is designed to optimize the connection to game servers using Gamers Private Network. The service supports: PC, XBOX One and PlayStation 4. The router is supplied with a subscription for one device of your choice. The list of compatible games includes such titles as: Dota 2, League of Legends, World of Tanks, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Ghost Recon, Destiny 2 and others. The list of compatible products is constantly expanding.

The hero of today's review is equipped with two USB ports, one of them is version 3.0. The software matches the harness! Based on the router, you can create a local file, media server and home cloud. AiDisk and AiCloud 2.0- utilities for organizing and sharing files via the Internet. Pre-installed out of the box torrent client Download Master. A drive connected to ASUS can act as a Time Machine backup storage. The router also works with 3G/4G USB modems and printers.

In general, the control panel has a friendly interface. There are no difficulties setting up the network, each section is supplemented with descriptions and tips. Professionals will find options to fine-tune the router and additional features, such as a built-in VPN client.

A companion application is available for smartphones based on iOS and Android, which duplicates the functionality of the web control panel in a convenient format.

Exploitation

The router easily implements a 100 Mbit/s tariff even in a Moscow apartment loaded with wireless networks. The connection speed via the 5 GHz network was at the level of 80/90 Mbit/s for downloading/uploading data, which is quite expected, given the small number of 5 GHz access points in the visibility area. The 2.4 GHz network limit is at the level of 50/70 Mbit/s for reception/transmission, while the speed is maintained even through two walls, in the farthest corners of the apartment. I think that after fine tuning, taking into account the special features of all connected devices and access points around, you will be able to achieve great results.

Let's sum it up

At first glance, it may seem that a router for gamers is just a marketing ploy. In fact, the RT-AC86U stands out not only for its striking appearance. ASUS took care of the advanced hardware that is required for gaming gadgets and complemented the picture with the appropriate software capabilities. An adaptive QoS monitor and a WTFast subscription included will help mitigate the shortcomings of a wireless connection in online games. AiProtection, built-in firewall and VPN client will ensure your network security. AiCloud 2.0, AiDisk and other multimedia applications allow you to create a home file center based on the router.

Users who are far from computer games, will also not be disappointed. The hero of today's review is a good investment that will allow you to forget about upgrading your home network for more than one year. The router supports the most advanced communication standards, and an abundance of additional functions will help you create a convenient and secure home network.

Pros:

• Non-stainable materials.
• Removable antennas.
• High-speed USB 3.0 on board.
• Rich functionality.
• WTFast subscription included.

Minuses:

• No wall mounting.

May not like:

• A large number of ventilation slots on the back of the case.

34959

Mention of products 1

Hello, dear readers of my blog!

Today I’m reviewing perhaps the most productive dual-band router from the Taiwanese company ASUS - the RT-AC87U model (if you don’t take into account the tri-band 6-antenna monster RT-AC3200), which is not yet very common in Russia, but has everything on board the necessary capabilities to meet the needs of a large house or apartment for high-speed Internet and wireless exchange of multimedia content. The hardware base of the router is Broadcom BCM4709 and Quantenna QSR1000 chipsets with a clock frequency of 1 GHz, which ensure processing of all calculations with virtually no load on the processors of connected devices. Data transfer speeds in 2.4 and 5 GHz modes reach 600 and 1734 Mbit/s, respectively.

Taiwanese ASUS company doesn't need much introduction, being a very old player Russian market, however, I will still say that the company is known for its own production of high-quality motherboards and sound boards, video cards, monitors, routers, smartphones, tablets, laptops and various gaming peripherals. ASUS products have always been famous for their reliability, as well as the extended warranty period provided for them. Another big advantage of the purchase is adequate technical support, where the user can contact with any technical questions that arise.

With a large range of products, ASUS pays attention not only to the budget segment, but also to the top segment, designed for wealthy and advanced users, so in its portfolio you can find both very inexpensive routers (RT-N10U and RT-N14U) and more advanced ones models (RT-N65U and RT-AC68U). Before this test sample, I used a simple router from another company at home, operating only in the 2.4 GHz band, not having gigabit ports and providing very modest network speed characteristics. Considering the increasing congestion of the 2.4 GHz band and the increasing number of clients operating in the 5 GHz band, it is becoming increasingly important to purchase a router that meets the increasing demands of the user and has some reserve for the future.

SPECIFICATIONS

Network standards: IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IPv4, IPv6;

Product Segment: AC2400 ultimate AC performance: 600+1734 Mbps;

Data transfer rate:

802.11a: 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps;

802.11b: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps;

802.11g: 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps;

802.11n: up to 450 Mbps;

802.11n TurboQAM: up to 600 Mbps;

802.11ac: up to 1734 Mbps;

Antenna: external antennas, 4 pcs.;

Operating frequency: 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz;

Encryption: 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise, WPS support;

Firewall and access control:

Firewall: SPI intrusion detection, DoS attack protection;

Access control: parental control, network filter service, URL filter, port filter;

Control: UPnP, IGMP v1/v2/v3, DNS Proxy, DHCP, NTP Client, DDNS, Port Trigger, System Event Log;

VPN support: IPSec Pass-Through, PPTP Pass-Through, L2TP Pass-Through, PPTP server, OpenVPN server, PPTP client, L2TP client, OpenVPN client;

WAN connection type:

Internet connection type: Automatic IP, Static IP, PPPoE (MPPE supported), PPTP, L2TP;

Support: Dual Link, WAN Bridge, Multicast Proxy, Multicast Rate Setting;

Utilities:

．Download master:

Support BT, NZB, HTTP, ED2K;

Supports encryption, DHT, PEX and magnet link;

Control of loading and output bandwidth;

Download schedule;

．Media server:

Images: JPEG;

Sound: mp3, wma, wav, pcm, mp4, lpcm, ogg;

Video: asf, avi, divx, mpeg, mpg, ts, vob, wmv, mkv, mov;

User-defined IP/MAC/Port rules with download and upload bandwidth control;

ACK/SYN/FIN/RST/ICMP with the highest priority;

．guest network: 2.4 GHz x 3 + 5 GHz x 3 (total up to 6);

．Print server: multi-function printer support (Windows only), LPR protocol support;

．file server: Samba and FTP server with account management;

．PPTP VPN server;

．network map;

．traffic monitor;

Special abilities: 3G/4G data sharing, AiCloud, Download Master, AiDisK, Multiple SSIDs, iTunes server, Time Machine;

Operating modes: wireless router, access point, media bridge.

Ports:

4 x RJ45 for 10/100/1000/Gigabits BaseT for wired network, 1 x RJ45 for 10/100/1000/Gigabits BaseT for WAN (broadband);

Buttons:

WPS, Reset (reset), Power (turn on/off the power), Wireless on/off (turn on/off the Wi-Fi wireless connection), LED on/off (turn on/off the indication LEDs);

LED indicators:

PWR x 1, Wi-Fi x 2, LAN x 4, WAN x 1, WPS x 1;

Power supply:

Mains input voltage alternating current: 110V~240V (50~60Hz);

Output voltage direct current: 19 V with a maximum current of 2.37 A;

Operating system support:

Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Mac OS X 10.1, Mac OS X 10.4, Mac OS X 10.5, Mac OS X 10.6, Mac OS X 10.7, Mac OS X 10.8, Mac OS X, Linux Kernel (Ubuntu support only), Linux;

Dimensions: 289.5 x 167.6 x 47.5 mm (WxDxH);

Weight: 747

PECULIARITIES

Now I propose to use the visual material posted on the official website and take a little look inside the device. Printed circuit board The router looks like this: the main processor with a RAM chip is located on the right, in the middle is a chipset that provides operation in the 5 GHz band with four radio modules and another RAM chip, and on the left is a chipset for a frequency of 2.4 GHz with three radios -modules. The edges/squares around the chipsets act as landing pads for cooling radiators, and, probably, additionally shield the crystals, reducing the level of interference.

The router uses three independent aluminum heat sinks for basic signal processing parts, which the manufacturer says helps ensure the device remains stable under heavy load. Radiators, by the way, do a good job of cooling all heating elements, transferring heat from the microcircuits to the air inside the case, so it is imperative to ensure convection air flow from below, without closing the side ventilation holes.

Thanks to the ability to work simultaneously in two frequency range x (2.4 and 5 GHz) with speeds of 600 Mbps (802.11n standard with Broadcom TurboQAM technology) and 1734 Mbps (802.11ac standard), respectively, ASUS RT-AC87U provides overall wireless data transfer speeds at 2334 Mbps. To provide such throughput, the manufacturer has provided the ability to aggregate two ports (LAN1 and LAN2).

Router ASUS RT-AC87U equipped with one WAN port and four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, one of which can be used as a second WAN port (LAN2, LAN2 or LAN4), and also supports hardware accelerated address translation (NAT). Thanks to hardware address translation acceleration technology, it provides switching speeds between external and local network segments (WAN-to-LAN) several times higher than conventional equipment with software NAT implementation. Its WAN-to-LAN translation speed is 2 to 5 times higher than that of routers with software NAT implementation.

By configuring one of the LAN ports to be used as a WAN port, you can organize two connections to the Internet and distribute Internet traffic between them, or set one of the connections as a backup. You can also choose a compatible 3G/4G USB adapter as a second Internet connection.

ASUS RT-AC87U with support for multi-user MU-MIMO (multi user-MIMO) technology works at full speed with several simultaneously connected clients compatible with this technology. This technology compares favorably with traditional single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) technology, in which individual devices often have to wait in line to transmit data. This technology also means that as new MU-MIMO-enabled devices are added to the network, the router's performance actually increases, so all clients are able to access the Internet at maximum speed.

The USB ports on the router are also not quite ordinary in terms of load capacity. USB 2.0 port provides power current external devices up to 1500 mA instead of the usual 500, and USB 3.0 boasts a current of 1750 mA instead of the standard 900.

Due to the use of ASUS Green Network technology in the router, energy savings of up to 70% are ensured in circuits working with a cable network, but in the end the power consumption of the router is still much higher than that of its slower and less sophisticated counterparts.

Router ASUS RT-AC87U, like other ASUS network equipment, has passed rigorous tests for compatibility with various equipment. It works flawlessly with a variety of wireless adapters, media players, drives, printers and other wireless devices, and support is also guaranteed newest generations game consoles Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation 4.

PACKAGE

Router ASUS RT-AC87U comes in a colored cardboard box, similar in design to the design of the boxes of all modern routers and wireless adapters manufactured by ASUS, but the color scheme for each device is different. The box is unusually voluminous and massive. The front side shows the router itself, as well as pictograms emphasizing the functional sophistication of the device.

At the back, the router's ports are shown in more detail and its real usefulness for the user is shown, including reliable wireless network coverage over a large area and protection from hackers. The client recommended by ASUS for such a high-speed router is the EA-AC87 access point.

The sides of the box again display the same pictograms as on the front side, and at the same time the technical specifications are given. There is also a sticker with the model name, firmware and hardware version numbers, serial number, MAC address and PIN code. The router is made in China.

The long side edges are also not deprived of information. Although almost all of it is presented in English, the majority of users will still probably understand what a treasure they are holding in their hands.

It is here that a small amount of information is given in Russian, I will not be too lazy to provide it.

It's time to take a look inside the packaging, which, admittedly, has an excellent design. Having taken the router out of the box, the user immediately sees the inscription in English: THE IMPOSSIBLE STARTS HERE.

If you pull out the black cardboard with the inscription, then under it there are 4 antennas, and even lower - the power supply, documentation and support CD.

EQUIPMENT

The RT-AC87U router package includes:

1 x RT-AC87U Wireless-AC2400 dual-band gigabit router,

4 x external antennas,

1 x RJ-45 gigabit cable,

1 x power adapter

1 x Quick Start Guide,

1 x Support CD (contains user manual and utility).

The power adapter, or power supply (as you like) is powered by an AC mains voltage from 100 to 240 V and has a constant output voltage of 19 V with a current of up to 2.37 A. Our router has very decent power consumption compared to simple devices that consume several times less. But this is understandable, the internal hardware stuffing obliges.

APPEARANCE

Visually RT-AC87U differs from the previous RT-AC68U model and returns to the flatter and more angular profile of the AC66U. At the same time, new angles and lines have been added to its design, which look harmonious and, at the same time, give aggressive notes. Undoubtedly, the design of the router case is inspired by the line of ASUS laptops of the advanced RoG (Republic of Gamers) series. Now the router looks either like an airplane made using Stealth technology, or like the hood of a car of the future.

From above, the router looks more classic, but the additional edges and beveled corners still add freshness to the design. It is worth adding that the case is made of matte black plastic, on which fingerprints are practically invisible. The extruded ASUS lettering is finished in shiny silver paint.

Closer to the front of the device there are symbols showing the purpose of the LEDs located on the front panel of the router. From left to right: power indicator, operation indicators of 5 and 2.4 GHz radio modules, four local port indicators LAN networks, WAN indicator (lights red if there is a connection problem) and the WPS function activation indicator.

ASUS RT-AC87U It really looks more like a small laptop, and the large slots on the sides of the case, designed for air convection, attract attention.

Let's look at the bottom of the router. There are also a decent number of ventilation holes here. To prevent the router from slipping on some smooth surfaces, rubber pads are glued to the bottom, and in order to place the router on the wall, there are two mounting holes for screw heads. According to the manufacturer, the case is compatible with VESA wall mounting.

There is also a sticker on the bottom of the case indicating serial number, MAC address and PIN code. The default IP address (192.168.1.1), the address of the web management interface, the SSID names of the two wireless networks, the default administrator name and password to access the router (will need to be changed during setup) are also indicated here.

On the front side of the case, sloping down, in addition to the LED indicators, there are two buttons on the left: turning off the LED indicators and turning off the radio modules. If someone is bothered by the generally not very intrusive glow of the LEDs, then they can be turned off by holding down the corresponding button for a few seconds. If you don't need to broadcast in Wi-Fi networks, then also hold the second button for a couple of seconds. It should be noted that if the process of turning off wireless broadcasting is in progress and at this moment you press the button to turn off the indication, then nothing will happen, the indication will also light up. To then turn on the indicators and the Wi-Fi network, you will need to press and hold the corresponding button again.

On the right front there is a plug on a special flexible leash (so it doesn’t get lost), shaped like the buttons on the left, it blocks access to the USB 3.0 port. It’s not clear why this port needed to be closed with a plug? Perhaps this was done for aesthetic reasons, after the developers clearly determined that this port must be in the front. The port connector, as expected in version 3.0, is blue.

Rear view of the router. Here is the bulk of the switching elements and connectors, including four coaxial connectors for connecting antennas.

Let's look at them in turn from left to right. Antenna connector, USB 2.0 port (you can connect a printer, storage device or 3G modem), WPS wizard launch button, Gigabit WAN port and another antenna connector.

To the right are four gigabit LAN ports, the first and second of which (Teaming port) can be used for link aggregation, thereby almost doubling the throughput of a gigabit network.

Another connector for the antenna, a recessed small red button to reset the router, a power on/off button, a socket for the power adapter and the last, 4th coaxial connector for the antenna.

Like this ASUS RT-AC87U looks with connected antennas - monolithic, stylish and powerful. A small note: if the antenna does not screw onto the socket, it means that you have not clearly oriented it along the axis, do not apply excessive force, the antennas should be screwed with light force, and at the end tighten the connector more tightly.

The antennas can be oriented any way you like, which in some cases can improve the RF signal strength for customers. To be honest, I did not notice much difference from changing the orientation of these antennas, not having special instruments for measuring field strength.

The router with power on looks something like this. The red WAN indicator is on because there is no cable connected to it at the time of shooting.

WEB INTERFACE AND SETUP

As with all modern ASUS routers, ASUS RT-AC87U ASUSWRT firmware is used. The router is accessed via the web interface; after turning it on for the first time, its address is 192.168.1.1, which you need to dial into address bar web browser. To determine the IP address you can use special utility from ASUS Discovery.exe, which must be downloaded from the official website. Later, for convenience, I changed the IP address to another one in order to save the settings of devices on my network that already have fixed addresses.

So, turn it on and go to the router. We are greeted by a wizard for setting up an Internet connection. In the version of the firmware that I originally had, the translation into Russian was approximately 95 percent complete, so there were pieces of English text.

The manufacturer is constantly working to improve the firmware and over time there will be no untranslated places in the web interface left at all.

Next, I completed the connection setup by selecting my ISP connection, PPPOE, and entering a username and password. The setup of a wired Internet connection is completed, you can proceed to a further tour of the router interface and setting up its parameters. Perhaps I will skip something to reduce the volume of the review, but the user can find out everything in more detail and reliably from the user manual. ASUS RT-AC87U in Russian and look in my album.

When logging into the router address, you need to enter the login and password of a user who has administrative rights, by default it is admin/admin, they, of course, need to be changed, at least the password to a much more complex one. After entering the password correctly, the main interface window opens, where the network map is presented.

The router itself found more than new version firmware and suggested updating it. The update process takes about 3 minutes and during this time the router cannot be disconnected from the power source.

The wireless adapter on the computer showed two frequency ranges for the router, of which the one that operates at 5 GHz turned out to be the very first in my immediate environment! Yes, this range is not yet very developed among our population.

I check the performance of the router along the shortest path, that is, to the provider that provides me with 50 Megabit Internet access. Ping - 1 ms! Excellent, the access speed is also as advertised.

In the wireless network settings, separately for the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, we set the encryption type to WPA2-Personal and the network access key password. Click the Apply icon.

Here, in the System tab, you can see the load on the router’s main processor and the status of its DDR3 memory, of which it has only 256 MB. If it had more memory, it would be... a completely different router.

If you click on the circle with the image of the globe, a tab will open on the right, which shows the IP address received on the WAN interface, the addresses of the DNS servers of the provider and the gateway. Here you can disconnect from the Internet, for example, in order to receive a new dynamic address from your provider.

If we click on the Wireless Router link at the top of the page, we are immediately taken to the Administration tab, which can also be accessed by clicking the corresponding link on the left side of the screen. Here you can choose which of the three modes the router will operate in.

For example, wireless router mode (default):

In this mode, ASUS RT-AC87U connects to the Internet via PPPoE, DHCP, PPTP, L2TP or static IP and provides wireless and local networking. In this mode, NAT, Firewall and DHCP are enabled by default. UPnP and Dynamic DNS are supported for corporate and home users.

Access Point (AP) Mode:

In access point (AP) mode, the RT-AC87U connects to another router using an Ethernet cable to increase the wireless network coverage area. In this mode, the firewall, IP sharing and NAT functions are disabled by default.

Media Bridge mode:

Media Bridge mode provides high-speed connections for multiple devices simultaneously. To install the Media Bridge mode, you must have two RT-AC87U routers, one of which is configured as a Media Bridge, and the second as a router. In media bridge mode, wireless devices connect only to the P-AP, and client devices need to be connected to the media bridge using a network cable.

Well, since we went to the Administration tab, let’s look at the System settings, where you can change the administrator login and password, set the time zone and NTP server to synchronize clocks, add clients and limit access to the router from outside. A very useful tab, like many others, and in order for the changes you make to take effect, do not forget to click the Apply icon.

Everything is already clear with the firmware update, so I move on to the next tab, Manage Settings. Here you can restore factory settings, save user settings to a file and restore them if necessary from this file. In a newer version of the firmware, along with saving, an additional option named Transfer ASUS DDNS name appeared, when I turned it on, I constantly lost my DDNS registration.

After you register and register your product on the ASUS website, you will have access to free 7 GB ASUS WebStorage cloud disk space where you can upload files. Not very much, but thanks for that too.

After clicking on the Clients circle on the right, a window opens listing the clients connected to your network, indicating their name and MAC address. You can view either all clients at once, or filter them by connection type - wired and wireless. On the right is a blue icon of the connection with which the client is currently connected to the network, and on the left in a gray box is a schematic image of the client.

If you click on the gray square, an additional window will open in which the client can specify the necessary pattern to facilitate his associative perception.

The circle with the inscription USB 3.0 becomes active only if a drive is connected to the corresponding port. I started experimenting with a high-speed Silicon Power Marvel M70 flash drive with a capacity of 64 GB and ended up with 4 TB hard drive. Formatted as a file NTFS system The flash drive was recognized normally and displayed in the Information window. Here you can safely remove the drive, and at the same time proceed to setting up the media server and AiDisk. Enabling the option to reduce interference from USB 3.0 can improve the quality of the router's wireless communication with clients, but I did not enable this option since the connection within the apartment was already very stable.

On the right side of the screen you can see the Disk Utilities subtab. In it, you can manually check the file system of the connected hard drive for errors, and also set a schedule for automatically scanning the disk.

You can see the list of file systems supported by ASUS routers, and specifically about ASUS RT-AC87U we can say that it supports disks with a total number of partitions up to 8: FAT32 - up to 2 TB, EXT2, EXT3 and EXT4 - up to 4 TB, NTFS - up to 4 TB, FAT16 – up to 2 GB, also supports the HFS+ file system. Maximum supported file size in file systems: FAT32 – 4 GB, EXT2, EXT3 and NTFS – 8 GB, FAT16 – 2 GB. The file size of 8 GB looks far-fetched, since I was able to upload an 11 GB video file to the connected drive using the router.

Well, the flash drives connected to the router are visible, external drive A Seagate 2 TB with additional power also detected and read files perfectly, but it contains some movies larger than 20-40 GB. Even a small external drive without additional power, the Seagate Backup Plus Fast 4 TB, was seen and working, and yet the two drives in it are combined into a RAID!

To set up additional access to a drive or hard drive from a network or the Internet, you need to create a new user and give him read and write rights to the necessary network folders (the administrator already has full rights). So, for example, access to folders is configured using the Samba protocol, used by many media players. First, of course, you need to enable access.

Access to an FTP server, which can also be very useful for sharing content over the Internet, is configured in a similar way.

There is also a small setup wizard to make the process easier.

In this wizard, you set a name for DDNS registration, that is, constant access to your folders from the Internet, even with a dynamic address issued by your provider. The only time this doesn't work is when you receive a "grey" address of its internal network from the provider. If DDNS registration is successful, your address will look like this: xxxxxxxx.asuscomm.com, where xxxxxxxx will be replaced by the characters you selected.

After this, we receive a message that the setup was successful and we can use this bonus from ASUS with the address ftp://xxxxxxxx.asuscomm.com.

The AiDisk setup wizard finally produces the final addresses for using FTP, and the registered DDNS appears in the network map. If your address is displayed in yellow exclamation point, it means you have a “gray” internal IP address from your provider, or after saving the configuration file, the DDNS setting was lost and you need to do it again.

After setting up the FTP server and DDNS, I was easily able to FileZilla client connect to your home storage device straight from work and quickly transfer some files to a connected flash drive. The connection and file transfer speed was very high, covering almost the entire bandwidth provided by the home provider.

The Guest Network tab allows you to create up to three guest networks in each of the two bands (2.4 and 5 GHz), although cutting the bandwidth of the guest network channel, unfortunately, is not provided in the settings.

When you create a guest network, you specify its SSID name, authentication method, network validity period, and whether or not clients are allowed to access your internal intranet. You can add a MAC address filter, allowing only trusted clients to access the guest network.

The AiProtection tab is a proprietary feature of ASUS routers, which allows you to make the Internet more secure and warn about attempts to hack the network. The technology works based on technical solutions from Trend Micro. The tab has two sub-items - Network Protection and Parental Control.

In Network Protection, you can scan your router settings for compliance with security requirements, enable blocking of malicious sites (the database is constantly updated), intrusion prevention, and enable blocking of infected devices on the network. Agree, these are very necessary functions in a premium product.

There is an option to enable alerts, where you indicate your address Email, where administrative alerts about infected devices or security violations will be sent (only Google account is supported).

We do a security check; unsatisfactorily configured items are highlighted in red.

Right in the same window we enable all the necessary protection.

We rescan and make sure that now the security of our network fully satisfies the security requirements, although, of course, the ideal option would be to rename the administrator.

Enabling the Parental Control option may make it difficult for young idiots to stay vigil around the clock on social networks and on those sites that they are not yet old enough to access. Even downloading files can be prohibited, although it is very convenient that all these options can be configured independently for each client on the network.

Even the work schedule is set in the settings and now your child will not sit at night with his smartphone under the covers and will go to do his homework on time, rather than hang around on Skype. I can imagine how the parents reading this review are itching their hands with joy...

Tab Adaptive QoS service - bandwidth monitoring. There is a bandwidth monitor with an option for additional application analysis.

It should be noted that if Additional application analysis is enabled, the operation of the router’s web interface will slow down significantly, since its processor will be busy with additional work, but it will be possible to see which application or process is consuming traffic.

You can configure the QoS service by setting the channel bandwidth.

Priorities for various types traffic and on various ports can be assigned manually or automatically using an adaptive method

Tab Web History shows clients' web surfing history.

The Traffic Monitoring tab allows you to see firsthand the passing traffic in real time, or statistics for the past 24 hours and daily. In terms of using the tariff with paid traffic- useful thing.

Traffic is shown via WAN, LAN and Wi-Fi interfaces.

USB application tab. Several are hiding here useful applications, some of which I already covered when setting up an FTP server in AiDisk. Also here is File/Media Server, Print Server (connect any printer with a USB interface to the router and print to it from any network client), 3G/4G for use as a modem wireless 3G/4G USB adapter (The list of compatible adapters is very extensive) or Android phone, the Time Machine utility for backing up files (will be understandable to users of Apple technology) and the beloved Download Master (downloading files).

To start using this or that application, you need to install it or activate it. Download Master and the Print Server utility are automatically downloaded and installed from the Internet. After installation, a window appears with information about the successful completion of the process, and, very nicely, with links to textbooks and video lessons. This user-friendly attitude is found in many pages of the ASUSWRT web interface. I will also note that for each newly connected drive, the Download Master utility will need to be installed again, since it creates service files and folders on the disk. If the drive was removed from the router and then connected again, this is no longer necessary, unless, of course, you formatted it.

Now, if you click the link to Download Master, an additional window will open in the browser with the address http://192.168.1.1:8081/downloadmaster/task.asp, where you will again need to enter your username and password, then the file download control panel will appear. Now you can download files using the Bit Torrent, NZB and aMule protocols without using computer resources.

I mainly use torrents, so I immediately did not fail to take advantage of this opportunity. Specify the torrent file to download.

A list of files to download is displayed, from which you can select only the ones you need.

That's it, the downloading process is going on, and much more fun and more evenly than on the WD My Cloud EX4 network drive, which has a similar function. ASUS RT-AC87U uses almost the entire bandwidth of the download channel, while in the WD My Cloud EX4, due to the overload of the single-core processor, the file download speed always varied within a wide range.

On the right side of the loading screen you can see Additional Information and statistics on torrents.

The ASUS RT-AC87U has a dual-core processor, so it downloads faster than a NAS, but the processor load is still quite high, as is memory usage, so you shouldn’t use the router to download and distribute hundreds of torrents, which often happens on computers. As a convenient tool, this feature is quite suitable, but nothing more.

The print server supports two methods: ASUS EZ and LPR, I did not have to install it due to the physical absence of a printer.

AiCloud 2.0 tab. This application allows you to access your data from anywhere there is an Internet connection. AiCloud provides access to your home network and cloud storage using the AiCloud application on an iOS or Android device, naturally DDNS must be configured or your provider must provide you with a fixed external IP address.

Login at https://xxxxxx.asuscomm.com, where xxxxxx is the address of your registered DDNS, or use a fixed IP address, without using the ASUS website. In this window you can perform operations with files located on a drive connected to the USB port...

... and even launch video viewing of files using the downloaded free VLC player.

The Smart Sync subtab allows you to synchronize the necessary data with cloud storage.

There are several options for setting up synchronization, as well as providers providing cloud storage services.

At the end of the process, a long access code for the folder is created, which can be sent by mail.

As you can see, a synchronization task has been created in the panel.

In order to cut off hackers guessing your password, we will enable brute force protection. I tried unsuccessfully to enter the password three times in 2 minutes and this “shop” is closed, only the router administrator can turn it on again.

There is also the Logs tab, where you can see who accessed the disk and from what IP address.

The wireless network settings tab is, in principle, intuitive. Here, for each range, you can set the network name, its key, assign a channel and its width. The b/g Protection option is enabled to ensure the router is compatible with very old wireless devices.

Enabling access to wireless clients via WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) provides easy and safe way creating a wireless network. You can set up WPS using PIN code or WPS button. Personally, I have not yet taken advantage of this opportunity.

The WDS (bridge) sub-tab allows the ASUS RT-AC87U to connect to another access point. WDS can also operate in repeater mode. But in this mode, devices connected to the access point will only have access to half the speed of the wireless access point.

The Wireless MAC Address Filter allows you to control packets from devices with a specific MAC address on a wireless LAN. When you enable the filter, you can accept or reject packets from devices with a specified MAC address.

The RADIUS Settings subtab allows you to configure additional parameters for authorizing wireless clients through the RADIUS server. This is required when you select "WPA-Enterprise/ WPA2-Enterprise/ Radius with 802.1x" for the "Authentication Method" option in the "Wireless Network - General" menu. For home users this is a useless option, and advanced network administrators the enterprises will be satisfied.

Well, the last sub-tab in the wireless network settings is Professional. Professional wireless setup allows you to configure advanced wireless network settings. However, it is recommended to use the default values. There are many more options in the 2.4 GHz band settings than in the 5 GHz band.

Local network tab with several subtabs. The range of IP addresses of the network and its mask are set, a DHCP server for automatic distribution of addresses with a list of manually assigned addresses excluded (up to 64).

There is also a subtab called Routes, which allows you to add routing rules to the RT-AC87U. This is useful when connecting multiple routers other than RT-AC87U to sharing one Internet connection.

The next IPTV tab, I won’t hide it, caused me concerns about my setup with the Rostelecom provider. In my simple router, I had to specify the number of the LAN port where the cable for the IPTV set-top box was connected and the connection type Most, but here I didn’t see such a setting, so to begin with I just selected the port and left everything else as default. Surprisingly, my worry was in vain and the IPTV set-top box started working as soon as I configured the port.

The Switch Control subtab contains only two options - enabling Jumbo Frame (in theory, it can sometimes speed up the network) and NAT acceleration. We leave everything as default.

The Internet tab allows you to thoroughly configure the settings that were previously configured in the Internet Connection Wizard.

Here you can enable dual WAN mode. It provides secondary WAN resiliency for backup access, or load balancing to optimize bandwidth, maximize speed, improve response time, and avoid congestion for both WAN ports. As a second WAN port, you can specify an Ethernet LAN port and a USB 3G/4G adapter. Simply a great option!

Subtab Port switch. Switchable port allows you to temporarily open ports for connections from the Internet when network devices require unrestricted Internet access. There are two methods for opening incoming ports: port forwarding and port switching. Port forwarding opens certain ports at all times and devices must use static IP addresses. Port switching opens an incoming port only when a network device requests access to the switched port. Unlike port forwarding, port switching does not require a static IP address for network devices. Port switching allows multiple devices to share one open port, and port forwarding allows only one client to access an open port. Perhaps somewhat incomprehensible to ordinary users, but advanced system administrators will undoubtedly appreciate it.

The Port Forwarding subtab allows you to remote computers connect to a specific computer on the local network. To function properly, some P2P applications (such as BitTorrent) may also require port forwarding to be configured. If you need to specify a range of ports for port forwarding for network clients, enter the service name, port range (for example, 10200:10300), IP address and leave the local port field blank. When the firewall is disabled on your network and you set port 80 to be used by a web server on the local network, this web server will conflict with the RT-AC87U web interface. If you have assigned ports 20:21 to your FTP server on the local network, this FTP server will conflict with FTP server RT-AC87U.

A virtual DMZ allows one computer to be exposed to the Internet so that all incoming packets are forwarded to the installed computer. This feature is useful when working with some applications that use undefined incoming ports.

We have, in fact, already configured the DDNS subtab.

NAT Passthrough sub-tab, you need to enable NAT Passthrough in it to allow packets (VPN) to pass through the router to network clients.

The IPv6 tab allows you to enable the use of this type of addressing in the network. It’s not in great demand yet, but with the gradual introduction of smart things connected to the World Wide Web, this will someday be relevant.

A very useful tab - VPN, allows you to configure VPN connection to your home network from the outside, after which you can take advantage of working on a remote desktop and open network folders. The VPN server types you can use are PPTP and OpenVPN.

In the case of OpenVPN, ASUS RT-AC87U will automatically generate an .ovpn file with an authorization key certificate. You can distribute this .ovpn file with username and password to all users who need to connect to the OpenVPN server.

VPN subtab. VPN clients often use a connection to a VPN server to access private resources that are isolated from public networks. Some devices, like set-top boxes, Smart TVs and Blu-ray players do not have VPN support software. ASUSWRT VPN provides VPN function to access all devices on your home network without having to build VPN support into each device.

Of course, having set up the VPN, I definitely wanted to test it in action. The connection was successful and I received the address 192.168.10.2 from the address range that was in the settings.

And I’ve already connected to the router’s web interface directly from my workplace.

I even managed to connect network folder on a flash drive connected to the router.

The same folders, but on a 2 TB hard drive, they are visible as if they were on a working local network.

Copying a file from a home drive connected to the router via VPN, the speed is almost the maximum according to my tariff, 50 Mbit/s. Then I went to the remote desktop of the home computer that had been prudently left turned on and worked fine on it, without any use TeamViewer programs. As you can see, VPN is a great thing!

The Firewall tab is very important to ensure the security of your network. You definitely need to enable it, but protection against DoS attacks is usually disabled, although you can also enable it. By default, the option to ping the router from an external network is also disabled.

Here you can filter URLs by keywords in the address and filter keywords. There are, however, limitations: compressed web pages, such as Baidu, and https requests, such as Gmail, cannot be filtered.

Two more sub-tabs, Filter network services and Firewall for IPv6, where you can even schedule filters to turn on!

The Syslog tab can be very useful in identifying possible problems, as well as when contacting ASUS technical support. By the way, I contacted ASUS technical support, from where they sent me a link to download more in Russian. new firmware, not yet posted on the site. It’s not in vain that ASUS gets its money.

I looked at the Administration tab almost at the very beginning, so I’ll go straight to the Network Utilities tab. To be honest, I didn’t see anything particularly interesting here (ping, netstat commands), well, maybe only except for the ability to turn on the desired sleeping device over the network.

TESTING

While testing the ASUS RT-AC87U router, I did not identify any very strong flaws that could not be corrected in future firmware. Sometimes the TV player does not see the DLNA server running in the router, appears for a split second and disappears, and at the same time you can freely access the drive connected via USB 3.0 via Samba from another media player. Once again the download process in Download Master shut down, then, after dancing with a tambourine, it started working again. I contacted technical support and they sent me a link to the new firmware version. VPN and FTP function perfectly, and the speed of file transfer over Wi-Fi is very pleasing.

The ASUS RT-AC87U does cover some decent territory. The Wi-Fi of my old router was no longer visible on the smartphone, unless you left the entrance, and the ASUS RT-AC87U breaks through on the street on both sides of the house about 20 meters to the left and right of the entrance, while it stands in the geometric center of the apartment.

Regarding speed: to work with such a powerful router, the manufacturer recommends using Wi-Fi point access ASUS EA-AC87. I couldn’t find such an adapter, but I still had to get it for testing PCI-E adapter ASUS PCE-AC68, which I installed in the computer. This adapter has three remote antennas, which I placed above the system unit.

The bulk of the tests took place at a direct distance from the router ASUS RT-AC87U to the antennas of the ASUS PCE-AC68 adapter is about 5-6 meters, while in the path of the Wi-Fi signal there was one brick and one plaster wall. At a frequency of 5 GHz, the adapter established a connection with the router at a speed of 877 – 702 Mbit/s; the speed during data transfer was often at the level of 702 Mbit/s.

First, I’ll measure the speed of the Internet between me and the provider in our city. I have a 50 Mbit tariff, although it is theoretically possible to connect to a 100 Mbit Internet. At the beginning of the test, the access speed increases to 95-97 Mbit for about a couple of seconds, but then the provider’s shaper smoothly reduces it to the required value.

Internet access speed via cable (1 Gbit LAN):

Internet access speed via WiFi connection in the 5 GHz band:

As you can see, the access speed is almost the same, only the ping time has increased slightly. Even on cable, there is a greater variation in ping time, depending on the IP address received from the provider.

The speed of data exchange between the router and a hard drive or flash drive connected to a USB 3.0 port is, of course, far from what is provided by computers with powerful hardware, but it is still better than its competitors.

The average reading speed from a high-speed SP flash drive via a USB 3.0 port was about 38 MB/s, with data transmitted via Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz range (at a distance of 5 meters, through two walls).

The average reading speed from a Seagate external hard drive via a USB 3.0 port at a distance of 5 meters, through two walls, was about 41 MB/s, and writing to it was 32 MB/s. The connection speed between the adapter and the router during testing was from 702 to 877 Mbit/s

The average reading speed from a Seagate external hard drive via a USB 3.0 port at a distance of 3 m within line of sight was about 45 MB/s, and writing to it was 35.5 MB/s. The connection speed between the adapter and the router was from 877 to 1300 Mbit/s, most often remaining at 1053 Mbit/s, which did not affect the transfer speed in any way due to the not very high exchange rate via USB 3.0. I specifically included in the screenshots the readings from the ASUS PCE-AC68 adapter utility and Windows Explorer.

Using a 1 Gbit cable connection, the router's USB 3.0 interface ASUS RT-AC87U, oddly enough, it works faster, achieving the following indicators: when reading - 57 MB/s,

and when writing - 48.5 MB/s.

The speed of reading and writing data in the 5 GHz band over Wi-Fi from a WD My Cloud network drive connected to the router via cable was a more impressive 63 MB/s (at a distance of 5 meters, through two walls).

For comparison, the read speed of a WD My Cloud drive through a router over a gigabit cable is 78 MB/s.

and recording to it is 81 MB/s!

After forcing the ASUS PCE-AC68 adapter to switch to the 2.4 GHz band, the connection speed with the router was 197 Mbit/s, and the file transfer speed was a not-so-dismal 14.5 MB/s, which is even one and a half times faster than the speed of a 100 Mbit wired network (at a distance of 5 meters, through two walls).

The resulting table, where I summarized the results.

Well, ASUS would not be an ASUS company if it had not released mobile applications for the operating system Android system for use with ASUS RT-AC87U. These are, first of all, ASUS AiCloud, AiPlayer and Download Master Client. This is, for example, what the interface of the ASUS AiCloud program looks like, with which you can easily navigate through the shared folders of network devices.

Currently active network devices highlighted in bluish color.

By going to the shared folder, you can watch photos and movies, as well as listen to music.

By the way, on smartphones and tablets running Android, the router’s web interface opens very quickly and without any errors.

Well, that’s probably all I wanted to say about the hero of my review, it’s time to sum it up.

RESULT

Router RT-AC87U ASUS turned out simply excellent, both in its stylish appearance and in its range of consumer qualities. Despite the powerful hardware, its body on top does not heat up very much, which indicates a well-thought-out heat dissipation system. The high performance it demonstrates on a Wi-Fi network makes it a clear leader in the productivity solutions market. By installing such a router in a multi-room apartment or cottage, you will forget about slow Internet and stuttering movie playback for several years. Potentially, the RT-AC87U can provide consumers with a channel bandwidth of more than one hundred megabits of Internet, distributing it to several consumers and, at the same time, pumping ultra-high-definition video from a network storage device. Additional “bonuses” of double Internet with redundancy, 3G/4G support USB adapters, cloud synchronization, support for DLNA, FTP and VPN servers, advanced network security capabilities, advanced parental controls and filtering of unwanted content force users to take a closer look at this miracle of technical thought and design.

Truly, INCREDIBLE STARTS HERE, as the manufacturer wrote inside the box. Eh, if it weren’t for the price... Buyers would have already swept them off the shelves!

I also liked the responsiveness technical support ASUS and the fact that the manufacturer is constantly working to improve the firmware. Let's not forget the three-year warranty on the product.

Pros:

Excellent performance indicators;

Excellent set of consumer features;

Possibility of using dual Internet connection;

Stylish appearance with the possibility of vertical placement;

Large Wi-Fi coverage area;

Not very strong heating of the case;

Convenient interface for configuration;

Adequate technical support;

Manufacturer's warranty 3 years.

Minuses:

It is not possible to set the Internet channel width for the guest network;

Very expensive price.