Can I use my US ASUS RT-AC86U in France and Germany?

[Chris J]

Hi Guys,

Going abroad for a few years and wanted to take a brand new router (ASUS RT-AC86U ) which I just purchased. Does anyone know if I should expect problems in using it in Europe?

Thanks

 

[joegreat]

WLAN regional settings (like channel and allowed power) might be an issue - see Wikipedia for details.

 

[RMerlin]

Depends where you purchased it. If it's in a non-US region, it might offer you with a webui setting to change to a different region. This setting is not available on the US model due to FCC requirements.

 

[Chris J]

Thank you, both for your replies. It is a US spec router I assume. It was purchased from Amazon.com

I am only using my US equipment. Laptop, cell phone, etc. forgive me, but I don't understand why it would not work?

 

[AndreiV]

Thank you, both for your replies. It is a US spec router I assume. It was purchased from Amazon.com

I am only using my US equipment. Laptop, cell phone, etc. forgive me, but I don't understand why it would not work?

Read Joe's answer and the link provided :

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/c...c86u-in-france-and-germany.41662/#post-352526


Your federal government imposes restrictions on such equipment to prevent people using different wireless channels and power settings.

As you router is a US model you won't be able to change the wireless channels to those used in Europe.

It is illegal ( and potentially dangerous) to use the wrong channels as you can cause problems with other services.

 

[joegreat]

I am only using my US equipment. Laptop, cell phone, etc. forgive me, but I don't understand why it would not work?

Even with cell phone you might have issues: The LTE bands are different between US and Europe...

 

[FTC]

Well, I'd look into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels and configure through webui only wifi channels that are legal in Europe AND US, and you will be OK. For instance, choose from the avaliable channels in your router firmware, among 1-11 in 2.4Ghz, and for 5Ghz: 36,40,44,48,50,52,56,60,64,100,104,108,112,114,116,120,124,128,132,136,140.
Remeber that DFS channels CAN be used as long as your router supports those (because all DFS channels in US are also DFS (if allowed) in Europe).

 

[thelonelycoder]

I only use my RT-AC1900P as a test router for my script development.
I bought this router in the US during a holiday there and use it ever since here in Switzerland.
The devices I connect to appear to have no problem with it and neither does the rest of my LAN and the other (domestic) Wireless routers I have.

 

[drabisan]

Considering you have few more channels on a US version, as long as you're not using those channels, you won't disturb systems in Europe relying on those channels. So you are safe.
@thelonelycoder - considering maximum power in Switzerland is roughly 1/2 of the maximum power in EU, you may need to take a bit of care how strong you allow your router to transmit. But I don't actually know how much regulator enforce this in CH and if they do actually chase people when transmitting louder than regulations. I doubt, considering they reduced the maximum power 2 years ago, so I'm sure there are tons of equipments complying with old regulations (I had a fairly large enterprise not doing the upgrade and complying old regulation and nobody hunt them down about it)

 

[Chris J]

Disturb what systems? Where is the danger in running a US router in Europe? Can you give me some practical examples?

For those concerned, I am will be living on rural properties with no neighbors around me.

 

[joegreat]

For those concerned, I am will be living on rural properties with no neighbors around me.

Lucky you! But still commercial airlines or military radar might be disturbed by some of the 5G channels - see Wikipedia about that: the DFS enabled are ones.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Considering you have few more channels on a US version, as long as you're not using those channels, you won't disturb systems in Europe relying on those channels. So you are safe.
@thelonelycoder - considering maximum power in Switzerland is roughly 1/2 of the maximum power in EU, you may need to take a bit of care how strong you allow your router to transmit. But I don't actually know how much regulator enforce this in CH and if they do actually chase people when transmitting louder than regulations. I doubt, considering they reduced the maximum power 2 years ago, so I'm sure there are tons of equipments complying with old regulations (I had a fairly large enterprise not doing the upgrade and complying old regulation and nobody hunt them down about it)

I'm not worried, that router is only on when I test code.
Apart from that, the house is brick and mortar, insulated to the highest standard with three pane windows all around. Not much is leaving the external walls.

 

[Mikeyy]

Hi Guys,

Going abroad for a few years and wanted to take a brand new router (ASUS RT-AC86U ) which I just purchased. Does anyone know if I should expect problems in using it in Europe?

Thanks

Feel free to use it, you won't have any problems.
I use US bought AC68U from BestBuy. Just buy power converter from EU plug to US plug (can't be more then 2$ on ebay).

 

[drabisan]

Disturb what systems? Where is the danger in running a US router in Europe? Can you give me some practical examples?

For those concerned, I am will be living on rural properties with no neighbors around me.

Weather radar and most important airport approach radars. There are plenty of channels available for civil use in US but still reserved for those 2 purposes in Europe.
In theory you can't cause much harm, especially if you have no airport nowhere around you. In real life, especially in some "exotic" countries, you may find very small/unknown/hidden airoports and if you're interfering with their LAS/PAR systems they do tend to track you down.
Due to really low power used in WLAN, the chances for you to cause troubles are really small, but it's better for you to choose a channel allowed in Europe. After all, if you have no neighbors close by, you have no interference from anyone, so you can use channel 36 for 5GHz and have the most compatibility toward all devices while risking nothing to transmit into a reserved channel.

 

[14ay]

Hi, can you help me? Could you please tell me the 5ghz channels available on the US version RT-AC86U. Thanks in advance would appreciate help.

 

[14ay]

Hi Guys,

Going abroad for a few years and wanted to take a brand new router (ASUS RT-AC86U ) which I just purchased. Does anyone know if I should expect problems in using it in Europe?

Thanks

Hi, can you help me? Could you please tell me the 5ghz channels available on the US version RT-AC86U. Thanks in advance would appreciate help.