ASUS GT-BE98 Pro Firmware

[DMV]

So I was under the impression that ASUS released updated firmware for the GT-98 Pro and ordered it.

Whoops. Getting ready for delivery today I went to the support site to download the new firmware and realized it was the non-Pro that received the firmware update.

Is it correct that the Pro firmware hasn't been updated since 11/30/23? Does the ASUS GT-BE98 Pro still suffer issues setting up AiMesh and with 6GHz connection? I'll be setting it up for mesh with my AXE11000.

I was an early adopter with the AXE11000 so I guess I'm ok dealing with the bugginess. Sucks to have not paid proper attention though.

 

[RMerlin]

Just be patient, I'm sure it will come. Keep in mind that most of Asia just got back from a week off for the Lunar New Year holiday.

 

[Alaska99]

I returned mine... Asus think we are their beta tester. 3 months without bug correction for this 1000$ buggy router is unaceptable!
If I pay for a premium router, I want a premium debugging!!

 

[L&LD]

That's not what you're paying for though.

You're paying for features that are 'theoretically', cutting-edge. You're just feeling that sharp edge, still, today.

 

[Lax]

I returned mine... Asus think we are their beta tester. 3 months without bug correction for this 1000$ buggy router is unaceptable!
If I pay for a premium router, I want a premium debugging!!

Me too. I called ASUS support and even asked for beta firmware. But sadly there's none after 32882, pathetic. Reverted back to my AXE16K and returned BE98PRO to Amazon from where I bought.

 

[Lax]

That's not what you're paying for though.

You're paying for features that are 'theoretically', cutting-edge. You're just feeling that sharp edge, still, today.

ASUS has been releasing firmwares for BE98, but not for the
PRO model which is what we are complaining. BE98PRO is so buggy and the performance really suffers if you configure all the available features. Not worth the price of $800+tax

 

[L&LD]

No consumer router is bug-free when 'all available features' are enabled.

I agree not worth the price. But you're still using it 'wrong' if those are your expectations.

 

[Alaska99]

If you buy a car for $100k you have the right to expect that it won't break down every 10km. It's the same for this router. If Asus sells a router with features, we are entitled to a router with features that works. Currently Asus is using us as a beta tester to do their development work for them! If only this router was supported by Merlin that would make things more bearable since Merlin fixes Asus errors much faster than them!
In the meantime, this router is good for nothing and certainly not worth the price with several features sold that don't work!!

 

[L&LD]

Yes, agreed, you are entitled.

Comparing a router for a few hundred dollars isn't the same as a $100K car.

And the car may still have issues that won't be fixed, no matter what you say.

Everyone knows cutting edge = beta tester. Why are you surprised?

Complaining about it won't change anything but your blood pressure.

Test a new product, if it works close enough to satisfy you, and, you feel it offers 'enough' value, great. Otherwise, return/sell it.

But don't read the marketing crap and believe it.

 

[Plak]

Honestly the axe16000 was a similar experience and they started releasing firmware updates after a few months so it's nothing surprising. I am really loving then BE98 PRO and don't have any issues honestly with two of them in a aimesh. I left all settings to default and all devices are working really great. Patience, the firmware updates will come.

 

[Lax]

No consumer router is bug-free when 'all available features' are enabled.

I agree not worth the price. But you're still using it 'wrong' if those are your expectations.

I'm not complaining about the bugs, I'm only complaining about the firmware release cycles, no updates in three months when you have many bugs reported. I don't understand why you would support ASUS on this

 

[Lax]

Honestly the axe16000 was a similar experience and they started releasing firmware updates after a few months so it's nothing surprising. I am really loving then BE98 PRO and don't have any issues honestly with two of them in a aimesh. I left all settings to default and all devices are working really great. Patience, the firmware updates will come.

Probably you are just using the router as is with just updated WIFI SSDs. I have 5gbps up/dwon fiber and my home is wired Dell 10gbase-t switch with media server etc.
AXE16K performs better than the BE98PRO due to the buggy firmware.

 

[L&LD]

I'm not complaining about the bugs, I'm only complaining about the firmware release cycles, no updates in three months when you have many bugs reported. I don't understand why you would support ASUS on this

I'm not supporting Asus for ignoring required firmware updates.

I understand that Asus has for the past year or more trying to move the code base to 3.0.0.6.xxx for all their supported routers. This is not a trivial matter, particularly for the many models that must be taken into account.

Limited resources, worldwide, even for something as big as 'Asus', mean things don't happen overnight for anyone.

Even when compared to the 'competition', they're still the best choice for their core clients and most popular models.

I'll repeat; these cutting-edge models (like all new hardware) should be evaluated well within the return period, and a decision made then.

Even if you got 'fooled', and issues start after this return period, selling the hardware is always an option (as is sitting on it too until the firmware catches up), and buying/using something that works.

Complaining doesn't accomplish anything, particularly on this forum (Asus doesn't monitor anything here). Complain with powerful effect: return the device and ask for your money back. Asus, like all mega-corps, doesn't see/hear anything else.

The responsibility is (always) on the consumer (buyer beware) to obtain a match for their needs. If those needs aren't met, that is why a return is the best thing to do. Because it is resonated with the manufacturer. If you simply keep it and complain (in a small corner of the internet), nothing will ever be done.

Or change.

 

[Lax]

I'm not supporting Asus for ignoring required firmware updates.

I understand that Asus has for the past year or more trying to move the code base to 3.0.0.6.xxx for all their supported routers. This is not a trivial matter, particularly for the many models that must be taken into account.

Limited resources, worldwide, even for something as big as 'Asus', mean things don't happen overnight for anyone.

Even when compared to the 'competition', they're still the best choice for their core clients and most popular models.

I'll repeat; these cutting-edge models (like all new hardware) should be evaluated well within the return period, and a decision made then.

Even if you got 'fooled', and issues start after this return period, selling the hardware is always an option (as is sitting on it too until the firmware catches up), and buying/using something that works.

Complaining doesn't accomplish anything, particularly on this forum (Asus doesn't monitor anything here). Complain with powerful effect: return the device and ask for your money back. Asus, like all mega-corps, doesn't see/hear anything else.

The responsibility is (always) on the consumer (buyer beware) to obtain a match for their needs. If those needs aren't met, that is why a return is the best thing to do. Because it is resonated with the manufacturer. If you simply keep it and complain (in a small corner of the internet), nothing will ever be done.

Or change.

From now on, let the owners of BE98PRO speak, in this thread. I'm happy to explain every details of the bugs that I encountered. No more thread crapping, please.

 

[Jepz]

Question: How is the 10 GbE port performing in Upload latency with the BE98 Pro?

Just curious since AXE16K 10GbE ports have crappy upload latencies, at least here it gaves me C grade line in bufferbloat tests (+60ms upload) whereas my AX86U gave me A/A+ with the same ISP/speed.

 

[Ceejus]

I got one of these bad boys for Christmas and am loving it so far. But then again, my newest router was from 2017 and I had been completely missing out on the benefits of 802.11AX, nevermind 802.11BE. The way I saw it, sure, I could have saved some money by going with a discounted 6E router but if the BE-98 Pro was available at a little extra (Newegg had a $100 off deal on December 21st if you used Affirm), why not just go with that instead? I do agree that had I already had a 6E router, it would not have been worth the upgrade, but it was in my case.

The only WiFi 7 device I have so far is an S24 Ultra. Since no one in my vicinity is using the 6 GHz band, I figured screw it, might as well try out the new 320 MHz bandwidths. What I'm seeing thus far is a bit odd. I can see in both my phone and my BE-98 Pro admin page that my bandwidth is indeed >4 Gbps but certain things take forever to initially load whenever I am connected to WiFi 7 (ie: updating the weather info on my main widget takes over 1 minute but only when connected to WiFi 7). 8K streams will load no problem but the initial connection takes significantly longer than it does when I am connected to my 80 MHz-wide 5 GHz band. And yes, for the record, this is the case right smack next to the router with solid RSSIs.

I'm no expert by any means but from what I've read, this may have something to do with either the 320 MHz-wide bandwidths I'm using or the fact that the channels are set to Auto. Apparently channel scanning in the 6 GHz range with large bandwidths is a lengthy process but what I can't quite wrap my head around is why if I'm already connected, this would be a factor for each new thing I'm loading up.

 

[Ceejus]

Question: How is the 10 GbE port performing in Upload latency with the BE98 Pro?

Just curious since AXE16K 10GbE ports have crappy upload latencies, at least here it gaves me C grade line in bufferbloat tests (+60ms upload) whereas my AX86U gave me A/A+ with the same ISP/speed.

Happy to test this out for you but would need to know the best method for going about this while only having Asus Stock firmware. I have one of the 10G ports connected to a 10G port on my Netgear SX10 switch.

 

[L&LD]

From now on, let the owners of BE98PRO speak, in this thread. I'm happy to explain every details of the bugs that I encountered. No more thread crapping, please.

From now on, I'll respond as I see fit. Wherever I see fit to respond to.

You asked a question, and I answered it.

Doesn't matter what bugs you've encountered. Complaining doesn't help one iota, as I explained in my post above. You may not like it, but the facts remain the same.

 

[RMerlin]

From now on, let the owners of BE98PRO speak, in this thread.

Do I count?

 

[Tech9]

Do I count?

If you start sharing in public space issues discovered with your sample units you may not get another from Asus and the community may not get another Asuswrt-Merlin firmware. You also don't have $1000 charge on your credit card and it makes a huge difference in expectations. In your specific case - NO, you don't count.