Solved ASUS AX6000 vs RT-AX88U Pro

[SevenFactors]

Hello World!

I'm looking to upgrade my home router. I've opted for the RT-AX88U Pro as it seems to be the latest supported router on Merlin's list and it also supports the latest Merlin firmware 388.3

I was checking the router on the net, on the official Asus RT-AX88U Pro page. Now once I got on amazon to check and purchase the router I came to find that there is a variant which they call ASUS AX6000. This variant features 8x GB ports, which I would very much like. It seems to only support 1 WAN port.


Queations

• Is the ASUS AX6000 (RT-AX88U Pro) featuring 8x GB ports supported by Merlin?
• Are the specs RAM, chip, etc the same (ASUS AX6000 vs RT-AX88U Pro) ?

I see another router on Merlin list with a similar model number GT-AX6000 but clearly this is a much different router model.

 

[SevenFactors]

After doing some more research I found a side by side comparison.
It is clear the specs are not the same.

RT-AX88U Pro Review: Asus Saved its Best for Last | Dong Knows Tech

The new Asus RT-AX88U Pro is everything the previous model, the RT-AX88U, should have been. It has enough to make Wi-Fi 6 exciting again and is a steal at $350.

dongknows.com

Turns out that both share the same RT-AX88U model name where one is the regular and the other Pro Too bad the Pro version is not the one with the extra LAN ports.

Anyways, It looks like I've answered my own question.

 

[Smokey613]

In the past, Asus routers with 8 ports have had some issues with ports 5-8 failing. If you need more than 4 LAN ports, get a small inexpense switch plugged into one of the LAN ports of the Asus.

 

[RMerlin]

Having a pair of 2.5 Gbps ports is far more useful in 2023 than having four extra 1 Gbps ports. You can easily add these yourself with a $20 switch.