Need new router

[JohnAsus]

I have 4 X RT AC86U
1 X Asus RT AX86U

If i look at my history, and select the AX86U
I get the ASUS RT-AX86U Pro

I need to replace its formwear with metlin, and program my VPN like i do now, load a NordVpn configurations file.

So any recomendations please, one of my old routers is playing up, think its overloaded, so need to buy a new one, either another AX86U or better

Please let me know, this is my setup, other pay have seen this before.

John'splaceone, network drive, my documents etc
Phones, laptops, etc, on wifi 6

Johnsplacetwo network drive, movies
Johnsplacethree network drive movies

Thats 2 old routers,but Johnsplacethree need re booting randomly
It also has smart devices, mostly sockets

Other 2 old routers, have Philips hue, smart sockets
Echo shows,

Johnsplacethere old router is overcrowded, keeps loosing things

So i need a new router

1, another ASUS RT-AX86U
2, or the pro

Or whats recomended by you, ASUS RT-AX86U is a good router, id need to installed and replace overcrowded one

Sorry, hope you can follow this


ASUS RT-AX86U or something better

Thanks, struggling, keep having to reboot that old router.

Need WiFi 6, or 7, need fast encription - decipher of the VPN

Have 350 mb virgin media, only get than via Wan, else 150 to 200 via latest VPN server

Cheers again

John

 

[bennor]

So any recomendations please...

FYI there is a specific subforum for WiFi router or card buying advice...

Wi-Fi Buying Advice​

Not sure which wireless router or card to buy? Ask for advice here.

 

[maxbraketorque]

If you need an upright form-factor, then the AX86U Pro is a potential choice. Its now several years old, so the number of years until it reaches ASUS EOL status is going to be less than a BE router. It also doesn't have the best wifi range. It does have a good CPU and 2.5 gigabit ethernet ports. And its inexpensive now. Can get on Amazon US for $160. If you don't mind a horizontal form-factor, the GT-AX6000 is the same as the AX86U Pro, but with better radios and almost the same price.

If you don't mind spending a fair bit more money, then the RT-BE86U is a good choice. $250. Tri-band BE on a budget would be the RT-BE92U. $220. I have no idea if its a good wifi router, but Merlin supports it, so at least it has that.

 

[Tech9]

I have 4 X RT AC86U

This is… potential trouble. You may have to replace more than one router.

 

[heysoundude]

If you truly need that many radios for coverage, I suggest you take a step back for a much more holistic look at your network: a much more capable and future-proof router plus as many access points as are needed will probably be a better way forward.

 

[JohnAsus]

RT-BE86U, ill Go read, thanks, im out now,and the thing has shut down, lost all my cctv outside

 

[Tech9]

Upgrade for no good reason with no expected user experience improvements. Waste of money.

 

[JohnAsus]

The RT-AX86U will replace the over crowded router, this includes lots of cctv cameras, 4 TV's and some network drives.

The new RT BE86U BE6800 Will be used for my phones, laptops, tablets, few others like Xbox s k1 max 3d printer, 1 Epson printer, some not on all the time, not sure if our phones support WIFI 7 yet, on WIFI 6 right now. So going to get the merlin farmwear ready, and latest top 10 NordVpn files, Amazon says delivery by 10pm 15 min ago, but that's changed, could be here within the hour.
After all if it don't work good easy to return.

why has the RT BE86U got the extra BE6800 on the end, main label and write up is for the RT BE86U ?

cheers

 

[Tech9]

The new RT BE86U BE6800 Will be used for my phones, laptops, tablets, few others like Xbox s k1 max 3d printer, 1 Epson printer,

The devices removed from your quite will have no benefit whatsoever from Wi-Fi 7. This RT-BE86U router being dual-band is no much faster in Wi-Fi than your RT-AX86U. Your money, your choice.

 

[JohnAsus]

Why do I have a main number for the router, but when looking at the information it then gives a second number

The last router i bought from Amazon, after chatting here for a replacement is listed as RT-BE86U, Then under that number is BE6800
before that, i bought the RT AX86U, To replace one of my 4 RT AC86U, < Those not supported my merlin anymore

So should I buy more RT-BE86U , what's it saying in that listing, search and on box RT BE86U, 10th Aug 2025, but what isBE 6800

Price in August i paid £259.99, now £199.13 just bought that for wifi 6/7 at time, but main reason now is faster VPN so better cpu if there is one

Did a search for RT AX86U PRO AGAIN IT HAS (AX5700) dual band wifi 6, but seams like game router

that's same vertical as others says in info, style name AX5700 improved cpu, but price is high £585.99 why?

So, getting back to the last one i bought the RT BE86U BE6800, Both nubers on same line this time,



Also I need to spend a lot of time testing NordVPN servers, else could end up with one overcrowded , thanks so far, any comments on 2 numbers, hate to buy at least 2 only to pick wrong VPN server and its slow. usually over ISP official speed, only TV, Bluray players, network drives, not on VPN

Thanks, im busy right now messing with 3d printers, my K1 Max cpu fan went down, Creality sending another, but i just return it to Amazon, bought another, it got lost, given refund, bought another, now they found first one, so might end up with 2 Christmas delivery guys all thieves

 

[JohnAsus]

Darn, lost very long post, still wanting better than RT-BE86U
Or should i buy another, no ports left on modem, so would need to piggy back into one of the present routers. But best replace older routers I think.

So RT-BE86U or what else?

 

[Tech9]

I still don't clearly understand what exactly do you want, but the "best" ASUS router is perhaps GT-BE19000AI and ASUS will be very happy if you purchase 4-5 units for whatever reason.

Collecting bits and pieces of information from different posts and threads - you have 200+ clients and you want fast NordVPN connection using OpenVPN. What I would do is x86 hardware Gateway running pfSense/OPNsense, PoE Managed Switch and PoE High-Density Access Points. A setup like this will offer processing power for fast VPN, VLAN network segmentation (Guest/IoT networks), multiple clients support and better spectrum utilization. Higher budget and networking skills are needed for such project.

 

[JohnAsus]

I still don't clearly understand what exactly do you want, but the "best" ASUS router is perhaps GT-BE19000AI and ASUS will be very happy if you purchase 4-5 units for whatever reason.

Collecting bits and pieces of information from different posts and threads - you have 200+ clients and you want fast NordVPN connection using OpenVPN. What I would do is x86 hardware Gateway running pfSense/OPNsense, PoE Managed Switch and PoE High-Density Access Points. A setup like this will offer processing power for fast VPN, VLAN network segmentation (Guest/IoT networks), multiple clients support and better spectrum utilization. Higher budget and networking skills are needed for such project.

Thanks, i keep adding devices as and when needed. A recent example is Amazon now showing advertising on all echo shows, i found that if you add a child (under 18) and say he can use your echo shows to do everything an adult can do he can also do,however Amazon cannot show advertising to children, UK law, not sure if other countries have same. This kills all advertisements, but all the routines i have, which have a connection or announcement to one of these devices, will no longer work.

Example, Alexa "turn on the living room lights" , colour green.

Routine
What you say to Alexa
Alexa, turn on livingroom lights.

1, line announcement,"turning on livingroom lights"
2, Smart Home, Group Livingroom lights, power on, colour green, level 50%
3, announcement too "echo show 10 livingroom"

The "echo show 10" is a device, which the child can use, therefore the routine wont work.

Ive asked Amazon TA, they getting back too me in time

So now i need to buy more devices, cheapest in sale "echo dot v5"

All echo dots not allocated to the child so routines runs ok

So now i have 4 more devices connected by WiFi to 1 of my routers, i have all echo devices connected to a router which has 2 outputs, 2.4g EchoSlow 5G Echofast wifi ids

So now that old router has too many connections, keeps shutting down, need better router, life goes on

Always pick one that supports VPN, even the media router has VPN setup, even though its mot used by TV, Blu-ray player, Roku, Network drives, full of movies, can watch via DLNA to all TVs

So i need more power, without breaking the bank, as i do really need to replace at least 3 routers, perhaps 4, my last one was wifi 6, now wifi 7, phone's support wifi 7, others via LAN

So this is going on and on, did have 30 WiFi sockets, all replaced with ZigBee, cuts down on the wifi connections.

Disabilities, makes life easier if you can turn on the TV, change to BBC news. Hope that helps explain, why after a good run,bi need once more to update, upgrade

Btw, those routers wich advertising VPN, is that saying it supports VPN, or do they have VPN, free built in, ive been with NordVPN a long time, so never thought of changing, or looking whats available

Thanks

 

[Tech9]

need once more to update, upgrade

Most home routers support limited number of active devices per radio and your upgrades to another or more home routers may not improve much your user experience.

 

[degrub]

How large is your space ?
What shape is it ? rectangle, multi story, house, apartment , etc
US or EU/UK ?

Maybe you only need 2 wifi routers to cover with adequate signal level across your space and have added additional due to client count limits in each wifi router . An SMB solution that allows for 100+ clients per AP might work with fewer APs if coverage is not an issue. WIFI 6 is more than adequate for most uses, certainly for IOT and Amazon devices. WIFI 5 works well too. WIFI 7 doesn't gain much of anything over WIFI 6.