News Asus announces Wi-Fi 7 ROG Rapture GT-BE98 quad-band WiFi 7 (802.11be) gaming router

[erick_e]

ROG Rapture GT-BE98 | ROG Rapture GT-BE98 | Gaming Networking｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG Global (asus.com)

GT-BE98 quad-band WiFi 7 (802.11be) gaming router, support new 320MHz bandwidth & 4096-QAM, Multi-link operation (MLO), Puncturing, three 10G ports, VPN Fusion, Triple-level game acceleration, Mobile game mode, Quad Level Security and AiMesh support, RangeBoost Plus, AURA RGB​

• World‘s first WiFi 7 gaming router – Ultrafast WiFi 7 (802.11be) quad-band gaming router boosts speeds up to 25000 Mbps
• New 320MHz bandwidth & 4096-QAM – 2X data rate compares to WiFi 6/6E and increase throughput by 20%
• Multi-link operation – Simultaneously transmit across different bands and channels to increase the throughput to the device, lower the latency and improve reliability.
• Multi-RU puncturing – Segments a wide channel bandwidth into small units and enable puncturing to eliminate interference for the remaining bandwidth for more efficient use.
• Three 10G ports – Enjoy up to 10X faster data-transfer speeds for bandwidth-demanding tasks with 10 Gbps WAN/LAN port and LAN ports.
• Triple-level game acceleration - Accelerate game traffic every step of the way — from device to game server

 

[Tech9]

We run it in AiMesh with Asuswrt-Merlin already.

GT-BE98 WIFI 7

@RMerlin We gonna get your special sauce for this??? https://rog.asus.com/sg/articles/networking/wi-fi-7-promises-faster-and-more-reliable-networking-for-next-gen-devices/ https://www.techpowerup.com/302991/asus-rog-rapture-gt-be98-worlds-first-quad-band-wifi-7-gaming-router...

www.snbforums.com

 

[maverick09]

We run it in AiMesh with Asuswrt-Merlin already.

GT-BE98 WIFI 7

@RMerlin We gonna get your special sauce for this??? https://rog.asus.com/sg/articles/networking/wi-fi-7-promises-faster-and-more-reliable-networking-for-next-gen-devices/ https://www.techpowerup.com/302991/asus-rog-rapture-gt-be98-worlds-first-quad-band-wifi-7-gaming-router...

www.snbforums.com

Which version of the Merlin firmware did you use?

Was referring to the official Merlin release site, and I couldn't find a specific version for the GT-BE98?

 

[RTWZ80]

Which version of the Merlin firmware did you use?

Was referring to the official Merlin release site, and I couldn't find a specific version for the GT-BE98?

It was a lighthearted dig alerting erick_e that someone else had already earlier started a thread on the GT-BE98 as per the link posted.

 

[glens]

[As a quote]
New 320MHz bandwidth & 4096-QAM – 2X data rate compares to WiFi 6/6E and increase throughput by 20%

What? 20% throughput increase? Over what? 6/6E?

 

[posthaste]

Wi-Fi 7 is Here for Early Adopters: What You Need to Know

Wi-Fi 7 routers are available starting from $599

www.tomshardware.com

QAM, or Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, is a method by which data packets are translated to analog signals transmitted wirelessly. Wi-Fi 6E supports 1024 QAM, while Wi-Fi 7 increases that to 4K QAM. The increase from 1024 QAM to 4K QAM results in a 20 percent throughput increase. The result is higher efficiency, capacity and higher data transmission rates compared to Wi-Fi 6/6E.

 

[glens]

Well that's worded much better. Still, the other quote uses the term "2x data rate" and I've seen that elsewhere, for the quadrupled QAM.

This is the first I've seen "20% throughput increase".

What's that mean? You can pack the data twice over, double the radio bandwidth, now up to a base factor of 4x, and the end result will be only +20%?

 

[jsz]

20% throughput at 1-5 ft range

4k QAM is going to be overhyped unless theres a way to effectively improve SNR at distance.

The biggest benefit of WIFI7 seems to be multiband clients via "16x16" MIMO.. Which is just quad band 4x4.

16x17 for MediaTek since their 6ghz radio is 4x5.

 

[glens]

It's likely +20% (average) as a result of the 4x QAM. Before the 2x of the additional bandwidth.

I wasn't "around" for the intro to Wifi6, but think I recall seeing +20% about something about it.

 

[jsz]

It's likely +20% (average) as a result of the 4x QAM. Before the 2x of the additional bandwidth.

I wasn't "around" for the intro to Wifi6, but think I recall seeing +20% about something about it.

The problem I see is that QAM improvements don't really impact "real world" WIFI if competing hardware is close in specification.

A prime example is AC Wave 2 vs AX hardware with similar power output and design.

An AC86U and AX86S/U + Intel AX200 client (in my environment) will fall along the same 64-256 QAM range when you get into 20-40 FT distance with walls, regardless of an AX client being able to access 1024-QAM close range.

AC86U can also do 1024-QAM, but needs specific NitroQAM certified client/AP/router to function. I would imagine this is the same case for Qualcomms newer AX hardware with 4K QAM "support".

That's not to say that there aren't alternative benefits to running AX hardware.. Throughput and internal NPU/NSS speed is a bit better.

My M1 Macbook may not support 160mhz 2x2 streams, but it does do something funky when 160mhz bonding is enabled.

I actually get worse performance setting my AX router to 80mhz..which doesn't make sense unless the client is internally splitting streams to 1x1 + 1x1. Macbook shows NSS:1, but router shows NSS:2.. Both display low RX rate, but pulls speeds that are only possible with two streams. Confused the hell out of me.

My GT-AC2900 on the other hand doesn't work the same way.. The 80+80 (160mhz) mode makes performance significantly worse on anything that's not a modern intel AC/AX PC client or Broadcom router. Which obviously works fine with any config. (80, 80+80, 160mhz)

Given WIFI7's whole shtick seems to be client oriented, I don't see it catching on for years. IoT developers still choose AC/N hardware for cost. Imagine trying to convince those same people that they need to implement expensive clients. Wont happen.

Maybe we'll finally get 2.4G AX IoT products in the next couple years