Asus RT-AC86U vs RT-AX68U

[Ydnaroo]

Hi.

I'm a long time user of Merlin on my trusty old RT-AC68U. I'm looking for a new 'mid range' router to run Merlin and repurpose the AC68U as a mesh node. The AC86U and AX68U are 2 routers in the price range I'm looking at. I'm not too bothered about WiFi6 but am wondering if the AX68U might be a better buy for support life (which I think has been exceptional for the AC68U). Am I right in thinking that the AX68U is effectively an AC86U (same processor, speed, RAM & Flash) with AX radios albeit 3x3 instead of 4x4 on 5G? Any opinions on which way I should go. Definitely want to use Merlin.

Use: 150/30 Mbps Internet connection. 8-10 wireless clients (PCs, tablets, phones) 2-4 2.4G simple IoT devices 2-3 wired streaming devices and home grade NAS. Will be using as a VPN client and occasionally a VPN server when away from home. Smallish house but 'difficult' for wifi hence Mesh. Wired backhaul to single Mesh node. No gaming.

Cheers - Andy

 

[L&LD]

If you also have the RT-AX86U as a consideration, that would be 'the' router to buy today.

The RT-AC86U is a great router. The RT-AX68U isn't proven yet.

As long as you're not putting these into a cupboard and sealing the airflow to them, the RT-AC86U will serve you a very long time for the least cost. And, with those savings, let you get into AX/AXE routers sooner (if/when you have/want to).

 

[Hazel]

I fully agree with @L&LD. As a matter of fact, this particular question is asked a lot lately, which makes sense because both models are still available. Here's what others (and myself) wrote in reply to another users question, then you can take that into consideration as well (besides the fact that there's no need to convert you to Merlinism anymore... )

Should I get the ASUS RT-AC86U or ASUS RT-AX86U

hi there My first post go easy lol. Im have the ASUS RT68U and thinking of using that in a mesh and getting the ASUS RT-AC86U or ASUS RT-AX86U. I rather the AX buts it still $400 to buy. I can get the 86u for $200 and I dont have any wifi 6 routers. Is the ASUS RT-AC86U still relevant and...

www.snbforums.com

 

[Ydnaroo]

Hi both. Thanks for your replies.

Yep appreciate the RT-AX86U is probably the best of the crop for but feel it is overkill for my purpose and a little more than I'd like to spend. UK Amazon prices being £130 for the AC86U, £170 for the AX68U and the AX86U is £240.

I'm aware of the potential heat issues with the AC86U but don't think it would be a problem in my location and where my router is positioned.

L&LD, when you say the AX68U isn't proven do you mean reliability wise or something else?

I've looked at the link(s) provided and I'm kind of leaning towards the AC86U as it would probably be a better partner as the main router with the AC68U as a Mesh node.

One other question that has arisen from reading various posts is how can I determine if the AX68U supports AES-NI? I understand that the AC86U does by virtue of the BCM4906 chip. Is it safe to assume the AX68U does as it uses the same CPU?

Thanks again - Andy

 

[Hazel]

One other question that has arisen from reading various posts is how can I determine if the AX68U supports AES-NI?

Both the RT-AC86U (BCM4906) and RT-AX86U (BCM4908) have AES-NI support.

 

[L&LD]

@Ydnaroo, for myself, the RT-AX68U isn't proven for both reliability and else wise. That £40 price difference isn't worth spending to 'find out' for me.

£110 more for the RT-AX86U is worth it for me, over the RT-AC86U, easily.

 

[Ydnaroo]

@Ydnaroo, for myself, the RT-AX68U isn't proven for both reliability and else wise. That £40 price difference isn't worth spending to 'find out' for me.

£110 more for the RT-AX86U is worth it for me, over the RT-AC86U, easily.

Thanks. Time for a bit of thinking. Cheers - Andy

 

[Hazel]

how can I determine if the AX68U supports AES-NI?

Both the RT-AC86U (BCM4906) and RT-AX86U (BCM4908) have AES-NI support.

I misread your question, sorry. As far as I'm aware the RT-AX68U is also equipped with the BCM4906, which is the same chip that provides AES-NI on the RT-AC86U.

 

[Tech9]

Time for a bit of thinking.

Single AC86U or AX86U may be enough to cover your house. Both have better coverage compared to your AC68U. If you go with AC86U, buy new only from reliable supplier and with good warranty. This router has reliability issues history. Keep it in place with adequate air flow.

 

[Ydnaroo]

I misread your question, sorry. As far as I'm aware the RT-AX68U is also equipped with the BCM4906, which is the same chip that provides AES-NI on the RT-AC86U.

Thanks. Cheers - Andy

 

[Ydnaroo]

Single AC86U or AX86U may be enough to cover your house. Both have better coverage compared to your AC68U. If you go with AC86U, buy new only from reliable supplier and with good warranty. This router has reliability issues history. Keep it in place with adequate air flow.

Yep, thanks for that. I've read your posts on working and repairing on faulty AC86Us with great interest and admiration (as someone with over 50 years experience in the electronics field as a hobby and job). Good stuff. It was this issue that has put me off the AC86U up to now. I had considered picking up a used item from eBay and after checking it worked pulling it apart to improve the cooling interfaces but when I saw the prices they bring I abandoned that idea.

Re coverage: one of the problems I have is that the interior walls in our house are made from blocks with a high carbon content and that coupled with foil backed plasterboard used in the ceilings makes it akin to living in a block of faraday cages! If I stand upstairs about 8ft above my current router the signal strength is around -75dbm which makes for a slow and erratic connection.

Having disregarded the AX86U initially, based on cost mainly, I might go that way having done a bit of reading. What had SNBForums done!

Thanks again to all.

Cheers - Andy

 

[Stephen Harrington]

£110 more for the RT-AX86U is worth it for me, over the RT-AC86U, easily.

Likewise @L&LD - have owned both.

Was never that fond of the RT-AC86U over the ancient and venerable RT-AC68U it replaced, seemed a bit “temperamental” despite me following your Guides and tweaking it regularly. Worked well enough but prone to the odd inexplicable weird behaviour - never quite trusted it. Wasn’t THAT sad (apart from the expense and inconvenience) when it got very unhappy about 2 months ago after a big lightning/power surge event here - WAN port and LAN port 1 fried.

The replacement RT-AX86U on the other hand is already feeling like a “new classic” - fast, stable, predictable and rock-solid after 8 weeks or so of throwing everything at it (touch wood), including most of the AMTM scripts and a few other wacky experiments. More than doubling my OpenVPN client throughput has also been a nice bonus …

Too early to tell about long-term reliability / longevity of course.

 

[Hazel]

Is there no possibility to create an Ethernet backhaul to the floor where you experience issues with coverage? I have an L-shapes apartment made of concrete with metal gaze in it, with double-glazed windows with an isolation foil which disturbs the radio signal, so I had no other option than to pull an Ethernet cable through some walls (floors are harder - I don’t have any - but maybe you can find some existing space next to holes that already been drilled for water or electricity. My WiFi coverage is perfect now and stable and even reaches quite far around the house..

 

[Ydnaroo]

Is there no possibility to create an Ethernet backhaul ...

Yep, already in place and being used with ISPs basic router & Mesh node. (BT Smart Hub 2 and extra Disk.)

Cheers - Andy

 

[Tech9]

Worked well enough but prone to the odd inexplicable weird behaviour - never quite trusted it.

This matches my short experience with AC86U. It has a mind of it's own quite often. I did many experiments with few AC86U units and I found 386 software unstable. The router works better and more predictable with 384 software. This is not a bug surprise, 384 is perhaps more mature.

 

[Tech9]

More than doubling my OpenVPN client throughput has also been a nice bonus …

Actually, both AC86U and AX86U must have near identical OpenVPN performance, unless multiple clients are used running on different CPU cores. OpenVPN uses one core only and the cores in both routers are the same with the same clock speed. Upgrading to AX86U for most users won't give OpenVPN boost. On your AC86U something else was using Core 2 along with OpenVPN client, you perhaps had Samba share active.

 

[Stephen Harrington]

On your AC86U something else was using Core 2 along with OpenVPN client, you perhaps had Samba share active.

Interesting info, thanks. Something else was going then, as it definitely wasn’t Samba.
Either way, it seems the storm event did me a favour of sorts, notwithstanding the hit to my bank balance …

 

[pirx73]

I'm looking for a new 'mid range' router to run Merlin and repurpose the AC68U as a mesh node.

I did exactly that. RT-AX68U is the new main router and AC68U is mesh node on second floor connected via Ethernet cable. Works like charm.

 

[Ydnaroo]

Just a bit of feedback for the thread. Having thought about it for a few days and done a bit more reading I have an RT-AX86U arriving tomorrow. Thanks again all for your help.

Off to search out the setup guide.