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Buying a router sometimes comes with a few surprises, but most people don’t expect to have much trouble getting a consistent and reliable connection in every room. Many find themselves hunting for a solution to eliminate internet dead zones, and a repeater or range extender—especially a cheap barebones option—is often considered.
Standalone routers often encounter challenges such as frequent changes in access point authentication, fluctuating network connectivity speeds, low bandwidth, and poor connectivity. Fortunately, mesh technology-based extendable routers from ASUS can effectively address these connectivity issues.
However, do we really need to purchase a top-end router with all the latest features, or can we explore more affordable options that still provide comparable benefits and potentially enhance our home Wi-Fi coverage? Read on to find out more.
Stretching Your Dirhams
If you would like to upgrade your home network, which currently runs using an old router, consider buying an ASUS router with AiMesh support. By adding an AiMesh router to your existing setup, you can create a mesh WiFi system. This type of system utilises separate units strategically placed throughout your home to manage a single network that covers the entire area. Additionally, this approach would have reduced e-waste by extending the life of your old router, thus contributing to sustainability goals. And, not to mention, it is also easier on your pocket.
Better Than Buying a WiFi Extender
If you find yourself in need of wider Wi-Fi coverage but don’t have an extendable AiMesh wireless router, you may consider getting a range extender. However, this option requires managing two separate devices, each with its own settings. For those who are not tech-savvy, this may be a challenge, and it’s possible to end up with a suboptimal setup that doesn’t perform as well. On the other hand, adding two or more AiMesh routers to your network is straightforward and can be done with just a few clicks or taps. Moreover, any newly added ASUS router(s) will automatically copy the network settings from the main router.
Extendable Router Network vs. Regular Router Network
Unlike standard routers or range extenders, extendable routers offer a unified WiFi network throughout the entire home. If you need to expand your network coverage, you can effortlessly integrate another unit. There’s no need to switch networks as you move around because the routers collaborate to determine which one provides the best signal for each connected device. The routers function seamlessly together, automatically transferring the connection between themselves without requiring any input or interaction from you.
ASUS routers are made extendable by using the technology known as AiMesh. AiMesh-compatible wireless routers can be linked together to create a comprehensive mesh WiFi network that covers your entire home. ASUS has integrated AiMesh into their routers for numerous years, resulting in a vast selection of options to choose from. The greatest advantage of AiMesh technology is that all compatible routers work seamlessly with each other.
If the idea of setting up an extendable network seems daunting, don’t worry. The ASUS Router mobile app simplifies the process. Setup is straightforward, and the app provides tools to easily monitor your network topology. You can optimize your home network with ease, including determining the best placement for your node and managing each connected device with rich features. All of this can be accomplished with just a few taps on your smartphone.
With a standard router, it may be necessary to turn your WiFi on and off frequently as you move about to maintain a connection. In some instances, your device may remain connected to the range extender, even when you’re closer to the main router, resulting in a weaker signal. Additionally, setting up and determining optimal device placement for a range extender, if it has an app at all, can be more difficult.
Performance is Key
Compared with range extenders and similar networking devices, extendable routers typically come equipped with more powerful hardware and advanced features. They feature faster processors with multiple cores and are loaded with firmware that includes numerous built-in optimisations. Take, for instance, the ASUS RT-AX53, which boasts a robust dual-core processor and 256 MB of RAM. These specifications are more than enough to manage a busy home network and include a plethora of useful tools and features for gamers. While you may find affordable mesh Wi-Fi systems on the market, their hardware is often slightly underpowered compared to ASUS extendable routers. Additionally, their firmware provides fewer features and configuration options.
The Value Goes Beyond WiFi Extension
The benefits of an ASUS extendable router extend beyond simply extending WiFi coverage. You can enjoy full commercial-grade security and network features throughout your entire network, without the need to pay for a subscription. If you currently use a router provided by your internet service provider or one that you purchased, you may find that ASUS extendable routers are competitively priced, with numerous advanced features that can save you a significant amount of money in the long run.
ASUS AiProtection employs Trend Micro updates to protect your home network automatically by blocking malicious websites and detecting and isolating infected devices. Instant Guard provides a one-tap secure VPN server, offering robust security for public WiFi access from anywhere. For parents, advanced controls enable easy monitoring of their children’s online activities, setting reasonable screen time limits, and customizing settings for each connected device via a single app. In contrast, most competing range extenders come with basic WPA2 or WPA3 security and lack advanced features, making it impossible to control them centrally.
Bells and Whistles
Although many mesh Wi-Fi systems from brands other than ASUS can provide good Wi-Fi coverage, they often lack essential security tools such as antivirus protection, intrusion prevention systems, advanced parental controls, VPN, and online gaming tools. Moreover, if you opt for a router and range extender combo, you will only have access to advanced features on the router, not the range extender. On the other hand, with extendable ASUS routers, you gain the advantage of having access to all advanced features. Even if you use different ASUS routers with varying prices and manufactured in different years, you will still benefit from all the features of the main router throughout your network, providing coverage to all devices connected to it.
An Extendable Router Gives Your WiFi Network Room to Grow
While a traditional router or range extender may be sufficient for your current needs, an extendable router ensures that you have the flexibility to expand your WiFi network as your needs change. Whether you renovate your basement, add to your home, or move to a larger residence, AiMesh allows you to easily extend your network. With comprehensive security, user-friendly management tools, and a robust feature set, ASUS routers regularly receive recognition as the top routers on the market, making them a great choice for anyone setting up a home network. Whether you need a gaming-focused router, an all-purpose performance router, or a budget-friendly option to get you started, ASUS has a variety of extendable routers to meet your needs.
Here are some ASUS extendable routers to consider…
ASUS RT-AX53U
This is an AX1800 Dual Band WiFi 6 (802.11ax) router that supports MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology, with AiProtection Classic network security powered by Trend Micro. It is also compatible with the ASUS AiMesh WiFi system. The RT-AX53U supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections. It offers networking speeds of 1800Mbps — 574 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1201 Mbps on the 5GHz band.
ASUS RT-AX58U
This is an AX3000 Dual Band WiFi 6 (802.11ax) router supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology, with AiProtection Pro network security powered by Trend Micro/ This router is also compatible with ASUS AiMesh WiFi system. The RT-AX58U supports 160MHz bandwidth and 1024-QAM for faster wireless connections, with a total networking speed of about 3000Mbps — 574 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 2402 Mbps on the 5GHz band.
ASUS TUF-AX3000
The ASUS TUF Gaming AX3000 Dual Band WiFi 6 Gaming Router comes with a dedicated gaming port, AiMesh for mesh WiFi, and AiProtection Pro network security. It supports the latest WiFi 6 (802.11ax) standard, featuring 160 MHz bandwidth with the latest OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology to deliver great WiFi capacity and efficiency. WiFi 6 also enables faster networking speeds of up to 574 Mbps (2.4 GHz band) and 2404 Mbps (5 GHz band) — up to 2.5X faster than 802.11ac dual-band routers.
ASUS RT-AX82U
This AX5400 Dual Band WiFi6 Gaming Router offers WiFi 6 802.11ax, Mobile Game Mode, ASUS AURA RGB, Lifetime Free Internet Security, Mesh WiFi support, Gear Accelerator, Gaming Port, Adaptive QoS, and Port Forwarding. The RT-AX82U is also an extendable router that supports ASUS AiMesh, a unique mesh-networking technology that creates a whole-home network using multiple ASUS routers. With easy central control and seamless roaming, even non-experts can set it up with any AiMesh-capable routers you own. Say goodbye to WiFi dead zones.
ASUS RT-AX88U Pro
The RT-AX88U is a 4×4 dual-band Wi-Fi router that provides 160MHz bandwidth and 1024-QAM. It offers a total networking speed of about 6000Mbps-1148Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 4804Mbps on the 5GHz band. With a combination of OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology, 802.11ax technology provides up to 4X greater network capacity and efficiency in traffic-dense environments.
ASUS GT-AX6000
The ASUS ROG GT-AX6000 Dual-Band WiFi 6 (802.11ax) Gaming Router offers dual 2.5G ports, enhanced hardware, WAN aggregation, VPN Fusion, Triple-Level Game Acceleration, and free network security. It is also an extendable router. The GT-AX6000 has dual 2.5 Gbps Ethernet ports that support link aggregation and load balancing, giving you the flexibility to give massive bandwidth to connected devices or take advantage of ultra-highspeed internet connections.
ASUS RT-AXE7800
The AXE7800 Tri-band WiFi 6E (802.11ax) router offers the new 6GHz band. It also accompanies features such as ASUS Safe Browsing, enhanced network security with AiProtection Pro and Instant Guard Sharable Secure VPN, Free Parental Controls, a 2.5G Port, and Link Aggregation. WiFi 6E has up to seven additional high-speed 160 MHz channels, enabling multi-gigabit speeds with stable and consistent connections. It increases network capacity while reducing congestion, delivering higher performance for every WiFi 6E device.
ASUS GT-AXE16000
The ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 is the world’s very first quad-band WiFi 6E gaming router, delivering incredible speeds of up to 16000 Mbps. With this router, ASUS ROG has unlocked the full potential of the four frequency bands — 2.4 GHz, two 5 GHz bands, and 6 GHz — with 160 MHz channels in the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands to bring users the fastest speeds possible.
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