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ASUS RT-N66U - my review

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Geraner

Regular Contributor
Hi,

I just bought the new "ASUS RT-N66U Dark Knight Dual-Band Gigabit Wireless-N900 Router" and gave it a short test.
The unpacking video can be found here:
http://youtu.be/ba1qKZwhvLA

I have three locations, where I test my Wifi connection.
1) My office where the router is located. The laptop is about one meter away from the router.
2) Living room. About 20 meters distance to the router with only 2 thin walls between it.
3) Kitchen. About 30 meters distance to the router with 2 thin walls and one thicker wall between.

Speedtest has been done with the program "LAN Speed Test" version 1.1.7.
http://download.cnet.com/LAN-Speed-T...-10908738.html

Used inSSIDer to messure the signal strenth at each point.
http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

Comparing those 3 routers.
Netgear WNDR4500 - Firmware: Netgear Version 1.0.0.70
D-Link DIR825 - Firmware: OpenWRT Backfire 10.03.1
ASUS RT-N66U - Firmware: 3.0.0.3.72

My WIFI card in the laptop is a Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (2 antenna only)
Router was set to 40MHz and N-only if possible. Otherwise set to 20/40MHz auto.

1st location - Office
WNDR4500 on 2.4 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 25/27 Mbps
Upload/Download of 50 MB = 32/26 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 32/27 Mbps
Signal strength = 26 RSSI

DIR-825 on 2,4 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 101/109 Mbps
Upload/Download of 50 MB = 104/109 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 102/109 Mbps
Signal strength = 32 RSSI

ASUS RT-N66U on 2,4 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 66/63 Mbps
Upload/Download of 50 MB = 85/56 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 86/60 Mbps
Signal strength = 25 RSSI

WNDR4500 on 5 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 45/50 Mbps
Upload/Download of 50 MB = 50/37 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 48/45 Mbps
Signal strength = 40 RSSI

DIR-825 on 5 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 104/107 Mbps
Upload/Download of 50 MB = 106/88 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 101/77 Mbps
Signal strength = 35 RSSI

ASUS RT-N66U on 5 GHZ
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 110/118 Mbps
Upload/Download of 50 MB = 99/116 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 107/114 Mbps
Signal strength = 30 RSSI


2nd location - living room
WNDR4500 on 2.4 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 23/19 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 26/15 Mbps
Signal strength = 48 RSSI

DIR-825 on 2,4 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 75/80 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 77/112 Mbps
Signal strentgh = 49 RSSI

ASUS RT-N66U on 2.4 GHZ
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 77/81 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 79/74 Mbps
Signal strength = 36 RSSI

WNDR4500 on 5 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 50/91 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 51/75 Mbps
Signal strength = 50 RSSI

DIR-825 on 5 GHz

Upload/Download of 20 MB = 79/104 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 77/112 Mbps
Signal strength = 56 RSSI

ASUS RT-N66U on 5 GHZ
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 107/115 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 109/108 Mbps
Signal strength =50 RSSI

3rd location - kitchen
WNDR4500 on 2.4 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 18/13 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 18/- Mbps (canceled due to low speed)
Signal strength = 54 RSSI

DIR-825 on 2,4 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 25/23 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 23/37 Mbps
Signal strength = 53 RSSI

ASUS RT-N66U on 2,4 GHZ

Upload/Download of 20 MB = 70/55 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 67/62 Mbps
Signal strength =44 RSSI

WNDR4500 on 5 GHz

Upload/Download of 20 MB = 48/78 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 52/55 Mbps
Signal strength = 60 RSSI

DIR-825 on 5 GHz
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 42/75 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 48/84 Mbps
Signal strength = 66 RSSI

ASUS RT-N66U on 5 GHZ
Upload/Download of 20 MB = 85/80 Mbps
Upload/Download of 100 MB = 104/78 Mbps
Signal strength = 50 RSSI

As you see on the 5 GHz the performance is outstanding even when using only a 2 steam antenna! Also the router has a very strong Wifi signal as you see on the signal strengh compared to the other two routers.

On the Asus router you can activate telnet to login to the router.
Same information here:
admin@RT-N66U:/tmp/home/root# uname -a
Linux RT-N66U 2.6.22.19 #1 Tue Nov 22 10:29:48 CST 2011 mips GNU/Linux
admin@RT-N66U:/tmp/home/root# cat /proc/cpuinfo
system type : Broadcom BCM5300 chip rev 1 pkg 0
processor : 0
cpu model : MIPS 74K V4.9
BogoMIPS : 299.82
wait instruction : no
microsecond timers : yes
tlb_entries : 64
extra interrupt vector : no
hardware watchpoint : yes
ASEs implemented : mips16 dsp
shadow register sets : 1
VCED exceptions : not available
VCEI exceptions : not available

unaligned_instructions : 3
dcache hits : 2147483648
dcache misses : 2466245968
icache hits : 2147483648
icache misses : 2571660263
instructions : 2147483648
admin@RT-N66U:/tmp/home/root# cat /proc/meminfo
MemTotal: 255560 kB
MemFree: 219072 kB
Buffers: 5264 kB
Cached: 14904 kB
SwapCached: 0 kB
Active: 10756 kB
Inactive: 13492 kB
HighTotal: 131072 kB
HighFree: 107800 kB
LowTotal: 124488 kB
LowFree: 111272 kB
SwapTotal: 0 kB
SwapFree: 0 kB
Dirty: 0 kB
Writeback: 0 kB
AnonPages: 4088 kB
Mapped: 3588 kB
Slab: 6676 kB
SReclaimable: 1024 kB
SUnreclaim: 5652 kB
PageTables: 404 kB
NFS_Unstable: 0 kB
Bounce: 0 kB
CommitLimit: 127780 kB
Committed_AS: 10384 kB
VmallocTotal: 1015800 kB
VmallocUsed: 4636 kB
VmallocChunk: 1009144 kB

Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: CPU: BCM5300 rev 1 pkg 0 at 600 MHz
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Using 300.000 MHz high precision timer.
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Memory: 255144k/131068k available (2411k kernel code, 6704k reserved, 504k data, 124k init, 131072k highmem)
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: nf_conntrack version 0.5.0 (2048 buckets, 16384 max)
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: eth0: Broadcom BCM47XX 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet Controller 5.100.138.9
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 5.100.138.9
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: eth2: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 5.100.138.9
Looking forward to see the first test form Smallnetbuilder.com on this product.

/Geraner

P.S. see my review after two weeks of usage of the RT-N66U.
 
Last edited:
Nice, didn't know it's been released already in some markets. Don't even see the product on Asus' global site yet.
 
This is awesome. Thanks for posting this info! How much did you pay (Swedish Krona)?

The FCCID becomes valid in the USA for this router on Jan 15th. Does that mean on the 15th the router will be available here in the USA?
 
Cost 1.750 SEK here in Sweden. It's about 250 US$. I'm glad that you appreciate this information and my video.
 
Any way you can test USB transfer speeds?

Any wireless disconnects, internet disconnects, or misc. other problems?

And thanks for all the information you have provided at this point!
 
Last edited:
If you go to Asus Support web site and search for RT-N66U, you will find a link. Through it, you can find the firmware and the User Guide.
 
Updated post above with:
"Router was set to 40MHz and N-only if possible. Otherwise set to 20/40MHz auto." and change signal strengh from dBm to RSSI as measured with inSSider.
 
Information from the router log
Jan 1 01:00:06 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.17.4
Jan 1 01:00:06 syslog: module ledtrig-usbdev not found in modules.dep
Jan 1 01:00:06 syslog: module leds-usb not found in modules.dep
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.17.4 (2011-11-22 10:17:21 CST)
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Linux version 2.6.22.19 (root@asus) (gcc version 4.2.4) #1 Tue Nov 22 10:29:48 CST 2011
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: CPU revision is: 00019749
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Determined physical RAM map:
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: memory: 07fff000 @ 00000000 (usable)
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: memory: 08000000 @ 87fff000 (usable)
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Zone PFN ranges:
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Normal 0 -> 131072
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: HighMem 131072 -> 589823
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: early_node_map[2] active PFN ranges
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: 0: 0 -> 32767
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: 0: 557055 -> 589823
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Built 1 zonelists. Total pages: 65535
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Kernel command line: root=/dev/mtdblock2 noinitrd console=ttyS0,115200
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Primary instruction cache 32kB, physically tagged, 4-way, linesize 32 bytes.
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Primary data cache 32kB, 4-way, linesize 32 bytes.
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Synthesized TLB refill handler (20 instructions).
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Synthesized TLB load handler fastpath (32 instructions).
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Synthesized TLB store handler fastpath (32 instructions).
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Synthesized TLB modify handler fastpath (31 instructions).
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: PID hash table entries: 512 (order: 9, 2048 bytes)
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: CPU: BCM5300 rev 1 pkg 0 at 600 MHz
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Using 300.000 MHz high precision timer.

Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: console [ttyS0] enabled
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Dentry cache hash table entries: 16384 (order: 4, 65536 bytes)
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Inode-cache hash table entries: 8192 (order: 3, 32768 bytes)
Jan 1 01:00:06 kernel: Memory: 255144k/131068k available (2411k kernel code, 6704k reserved, 504k data, 124k init, 131072k highmem)
.
.
.
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: sflash: found no supported devices
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: _nvram_init: allocat header: 2280849408, size= 32768
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: sdhci: Secure Digital Host Controller Interface driver
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: sdhci: Copyright(c) Pierre Ossman
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: u32 classifier
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: OLD policer on
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: Netfilter messages via NETLINK v0.30.
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: nf_conntrack version 0.5.0 (2048 buckets, 16384 max)
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ipt_time loading
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ip_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: net/ipv4/netfilter/tomato_ct.c [Nov 22 2011 10:29:11]
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 1
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ip6_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 17
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: 802.1Q VLAN Support v1.8 Ben Greear <greearb@candelatech.com>
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: All bugs added by David S. Miller <davem@redhat.com>
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: VFS: Mounted root (squashfs filesystem) readonly.
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: Freeing unused kernel memory: 124k freed
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: Warning: unable to open an initial console.
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: et: module license 'Proprietary' taints kernel.
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: eth0: Broadcom BCM47XX 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet Controller 5.100.138.9
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: Algorithmics/MIPS FPU Emulator v1.5
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: wl_module_init: passivemode set to 0x0
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: PCI: Enabling device 0000:01:01.0 (0000 -> 0002)
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 5.100.138.9
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: PCI: Enabling device 0000:02:01.0 (0000 -> 0002)
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: eth2: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 5.100.138.9
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usbcore: registered new device driver usb
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: SCSI subsystem initialized
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ufsd: driver 8.5 (U85_S[2011-11-01-13:41:37]) LBD=ON with ioctl loaded at c01fa000
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: NTFS support included
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: Built_for__asus_n66u_2011-10-27
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ehci_hcd: USB 2.0 'Enhanced' Host Controller (EHCI) Driver
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: EHCI Host Controller
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: EHCI Fastpath: New EHCI driver starting
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: irq 6, io mem 0x18004000
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: USB 0.0 started, EHCI 1.00
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usb usb1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: hub 1-0:1.0: USB hub found
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: hub 1-0:1.0: 2 ports detected
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ohci_hcd: USB 1.1 'Open' Host Controller (OHCI) Driver
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ohci_hcd 0000:00:04.0: OHCI Host Controller
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ohci_hcd 0000:00:04.0: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 2
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: ohci_hcd 0000:00:04.0: irq 6, io mem 0x18009000
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usb usb2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: hub 2-0:1.0: USB hub found
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: hub 2-0:1.0: 2 ports detected
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usblp
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: drivers/usb/class/usblp.c: v0.13: USB Printer Device Class driver
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: hub 1-1:1.0: USB hub found
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: hub 1-1:1.0: 4 ports detected
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: starting userspace STP failed, starting kernel STP
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: vlan1: dev_set_allmulti(master, 1)
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: vlan1: dev_set_promiscuity(master, 1)
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: device eth0 entered promiscuous mode
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: device vlan1 entered promiscuous mode
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: device eth1 entered promiscuous mode
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usb 1-1.4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: device eth2 entered promiscuous mode
Jan 1 01:00:07 WAN Connection: Ethernet link down.
Jan 1 01:00:07 WAN Connection: Fail to connect with some issues.
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: device wl0.1 entered promiscuous mode
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: topology change detected, propagating
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: port 4(wl0.1) entering forwarding state
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: topology change detected, propagating
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: port 3(eth2) entering forwarding state
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: topology change detected, propagating
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering forwarding state
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: topology change detected, propagating
Jan 1 01:00:07 syslog: Password for 'admin' changed
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: br0: port 1(vlan1) entering forwarding state
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: usb 1-1.4: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jan 1 01:00:07 kernel: scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq[502]: started, version 2.55 cachesize 1500
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq[502]: compile time options: IPv6 GNU-getopt no-RTC no-DBus no-I18N DHCP TFTP
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq[502]: asynchronous logging enabled, queue limit is 5 messages
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq-dhcp[502]: DHCP, IP range 192.168.1.2 -- 192.168.1.254, lease time 1d
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq[502]: read /etc/hosts - 4 addresses
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq-dhcp[502]: read /etc/ethers - 3 addresses
Jan 1 01:00:08 RT-N66U: start httpd
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq[502]: read /etc/hosts - 4 addresses
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq-dhcp[502]: read /etc/ethers - 3 addresses
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq[502]: using nameserver 198.153.194.40#53
Jan 1 01:00:08 dnsmasq[502]: using nameserver 198.153.192.40#53
Jan 1 01:00:08 kernel: gro enabled with interval 2
Jan 1 01:00:08 kernel: nf_conntrack_rtsp v0.6.21 loading
Jan 1 01:00:08 kernel: nf_nat_rtsp v0.6.21 loading
Jan 1 01:00:08 WAN Connection: WAN was restored.
Jan 1 01:00:09 Samba Server: daemon is started
Jan 1 01:00:09 kernel: scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access Multi Flash Reader 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
Jan 1 01:00:09 kernel: sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI removable disk
Jan 1 01:00:09 kernel: sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
 
BTW: In the German version of the user manual on page 42 there is a menu described called:
Tuning the system performance
The Performance Tuning function allows you to adjust the 2,4 GHz/5GHz transmit radio power, cooler rotate mode, cooler full speed spin, cooler periodically spin duty cycle for better system performance.

This menu point / function is not available in the router I have. Maybe this will be added later. Anyway, it's only in the German version of the manual written (in English), and the rest is in German. The English version of the user manual don't mention this setting.
 
BTW: In the German version of the user manual on page 42 there is a menu described called:


This menu point / function is not available in the router I have. Maybe this will be added later. Anyway, it's only in the German version of the manual written (in English), and the rest is in German. The English version of the user manual don't mention this setting.

Revision 2.0 (Red PCB) of the router is equipped with a small cooler and that's the reason why that menu is accessible, the final retail version (Revision 3.0 - Blue PCB) uses a passive cooling system so you don't have access to it :D

Rev 2.0 - http://forums.vr-zone.com/networking-broadband/1755338-sneak-peek-asus-rt-n66u-black-knight.html

Rev 3.0 - http://www.multiupload.com/Q0IZBKQ9LU

Some more info can be read at: http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?t=25929
 
Last edited:
I placed a pre-order. Thanks for the heads up.

As did I. I wonder if these will ship out the week of Jan 15 when the FCCID is rumored to become active in the US?

Also, Amazon has three pictures on their website of the router now. Looks like the date of release is not too far off.
 
Last edited:
Me too, but I'm waiting to see how it performs compared to the N56 and if it's worth the extra premium.
 
Used it now for three days. No problems. No need to reset the router. Performance is great! Having a 100 Mbit/s connection at home. Getting at least 70 Mbit/s sending and receiving when using the wireless connection. Using mainly the 5 GHz. No connection dropp either. Looks like a rock solid product with a great performance.
 
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