BQ16 - Is AFC fully working now?

[Tech9]

avoid G.A.S.

The solution:

 

[chris2025]

Last week I happened to be reviewing various new Asus routers by FCC ID trying to find which one(s) may be getting AFC, and I noticed that the following seemed to have 4 watt outputs (SP) listed in their Grants under the 6ghz band frequencies (unless I misunderstood something):

- GT-BE19000AI (already has AFC)
- STRIX GS-BE18000 (already has AFC)
- GT-BE98 PRO
- ZENWIFI BQ16 PRO
- ZENWIFI BT10

However, I noticed only the top two (edit: now top three) had a 'BX' designation:
BX: This standard power access point is authorized as a composite under 47 CFR 15.407(a)(4) and an indoor access point under 47 CFR 15.407(a)(5), allowing the AFCs that are issued waiver FCC 24-1217 to consider up to 6 dB of building entry loss (BEL).

I currently have AX86U and AC86U in mesh setup and it works well running Merlin, but I have multiple Wifi7 devices now and was looking to upgrade soon... I had been waiting on the BQ16 Pro or BT10 options (need three and best buy sells them in 3-packs for discount). Dong Knows Tech's site seems to think BQ16 Pro and possibly BT10 will get AFC eventually, but I'm losing hope now. Now I am considering the Strix even through the CPU is less and it isn't 10gig. I'd like to stay with Merlin but the spider routers won't pass the decor test. I've even looked into some Ubiquiti options... but overkill for my needs I think.

I just checked again, and I don't know if I missed it earlier or if it changed, but it now shows that the GT-BE98 Pro has the 'BX' designation in the grants section, along with the GT-BE19000AI and the STRIX GS-BE18000... with a grant date of 3/18/2025. Perhaps there's hope for the GT-BE98 Pro to get AFC after all?

The latest BE98 Pro H/W versions in the store are 2.0 from what I've seen, and per other SNB posts, there was some documentation in a FCC C2PC (Class II Permissive Change) stating that there was a barometric pressure sensor in version R2.7, but I don't know if the version naming/numbering convention is apples to apples (I'm not an FCC expert). But the FCC report does mention a firmware update for AFC... As for the BQ16 Pro, I don't see the BX designation in its FCC grant, but I do see there was a change request to add AFC via software update.

So here's what I see now on the FCC site for various models regarding standard power (AFC) on the 6ghz frequencies:

FCC ID MSQ-RTBE6J00: ROG Rapture GT-BE19000(AI) - BX designation, and currently using AFC

FCC ID MSQ-RTBE8H00: ROG Strix GS-BE18000 - BX designation, and currently using AFC

FCC ID MSQ-RTBE6M00: ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Pro - BX designation in grant, but no AFC working currently

FCC ID MSQ-RTBE6X00: BQ16 Pro / BE30000 - No BX designation in grant, and no AFC working currently (but shows 4w capability in 6ghz band and request for Standard Power AFC)

FCC ID MSQ-RTBE7800: BT10 - No BX designation in grant (but it does show 4w capability in 6ghz band)

 

[jzchen]

Sorry if I'm ignorant but is this correct:

GE-BE18000 Pro? (Could be S or T)?

 

[chris2025]

Sorry if I'm ignorant but is this correct:

GE-BE18000 Pro? (Could be S or T)?

Good catch, typo, I just fixed it - thanks. Should be GT-BE98 Pro. Between the various retailer model names for the same units, regional differences, and the FCC report names, it gets easy to mixup!

 

[erick_e]

Based on FCC C2PC letter, hardware version R1.40 has the barometric pressure sensor. They selected EUT 2 for the AFC DUT harness test back in May 28 2024. However, I'm not even sure if H/W R1.4 has ever reached into the market though.

I wonder if H/W versions 1.3 and 1.4 were just test subjects that were never released. I bought my BQ16 pro last January (2025) and have H/W version A1. There is no mention of that version in any FCC documents that I can find.

 

[chris2025]

I wonder if H/W versions 1.3 and 1.4 were just test subjects that were never released. I bought my BQ16 pro last January (2025) and have H/W version A1. There is no mention of that version in any FCC documents that I can find.

I am beginning to think that also… I don’t know if the versions in FCC letters and tests actually correspond with the actual hardware versions of retail units…
From what I have seen, even in January 2026, the latest retail hardware versions of the BE98 Pro is 2.0 and the BQ16 Pro is A1, since 2024… even though versions 2.7 and 1.4 show up in these documents.

Dong Knows Tech website often states that AFC was planned for both of these units, but I don’t know how reliable his information is, or if plans have changed since he did his original reviews and communicated with Asus. I remember him stating in one review after the STRIX GS-BE18000 came out that Asus was going to use the success of AFC on that unit as a determining factor as to whether to roll it out to other units…

 

[fruitcornbread]

I am beginning to think that also… I don’t know if the versions in FCC letters and tests actually correspond with the actual hardware versions of retail units…
From what I have seen, even in January 2026, the latest retail hardware versions of the BE98 Pro is 2.0 and the BQ16 Pro is A1, since 2024… even though versions 2.7 and 1.4 show up in these documents.

GT-BE98 Pro is even more strange. H/W R2.70 (EUT 2) has the barometric pressure sensor, but the H/W R2.50 (EUT 1) was selected to do the AFC DUT Harness test back in July 2024.

Based on C2PC from Feb 2025, they added Adapter 2 and mentioned adding "WiFi+Barometric Position geolocation method via Firmware by factory for 6GHz Standard Power Access Point" for the EUT 2. I guess you can use that Adapter 2 (see attachment for reference) to know if you have H/W R2.50 (EUT 2). According to FCC documents, you can still get EUT 2 with the Adapter 1 (original with the power brick).

 

[chris2025]

GT-BE98 Pro is even more strange. H/W R2.70 (EUT 2) has the barometric pressure sensor, but the H/W R2.50 (EUT 1) was selected to do the AFC DUT Harness test back in July 2024.

Based on C2PC from Feb 2025, they added Adapter 2 and mentioned adding "WiFi+Barometric Position geolocation method via Firmware by factory for 6GHz Standard Power Access Point" for the EUT 2. I guess you can use that Adapter 2 (see attachment for reference) to know if you have H/W R2.50 (EUT 2). According to FCC documents, you can still get EUT 2 with the Adapter 1 (original with the power brick).

Interesting… I saw that the Strix GS-BE18000 uses a similar style 60w power adapter, and it has AFC… I also heard the earlier BE98 Pro model had a 65w but now has a 60w, but I’m not sure if it looks like that one or is a brick - the boxes seem to indicate both power profiles on them now.