Replacement for Asus AC87

[funkahdafi]

Hi,

the Asus AC87 was my first Asus router and I am pretty disappointed. It has nothing but issues, some of them completely unacceptable (just read the Firmware thread in the Asus subforum and you'll know what I mean). In addition, the router was sold as a Wave 2 product with support for MU-MIMO, but that feature is actually disabled in the firmware, and Asus never came through with their promise to enable it with a later firmaware release.

Now that I need a second router (going to be used as a bridge), I am wondering if I should switch to an entirely different system. I was thinking maybe Netgear R7500 or Asus AC3200 (although I am so fed up with Asus, I really don't want to give them my money again, as in "ever").

Any suggestions? How does the R7500 compare? Any other contenders with similar throughput/range?

 

[funkahdafi]

Also, did Netgear ever enable MU-MIMO on the R7500?

 

[eusriso]

Hi,

the Asus AC87 was my first Asus router and I am pretty disappointed. It has nothing but issues, some of them completely unacceptable (just read the Firmware thread in the Asus subforum and you'll know what I mean). In addition, the router was sold as a Wave 2 product with support for MU-MIMO, but that feature is actually disabled in the firmware, and Asus never came through with their promise to enable it with a later firmaware release.

Now that I need a second router (going to be used as a bridge), I am wondering if I should switch to an entirely different system. I was thinking maybe Netgear R7500 or Asus AC3200 (although I am so fed up with Asus, I really don't want to give them my money again, as in "ever").

Any suggestions? How does the R7500 compare? Any other contenders with similar throughput/range?

--------------------------------------

I have the RT-AC3200 and like it a lot. If you read the reviews/forums many people complain of disconnects but I have had zero issues the last two firmware updates. It has all the latest greatest Asus firmware features, if you liked the AC87 firmware features than you will like the RT-AC3200 firmware features.

I think the RT-AC3200 does what it is supposed to up to a point. It has great range and one SSID so simplified connections. I do not think it does goes a job of maximizing connection speed - it is not bad but not great.

I found the big differences when I looked at the RT-AC3200 vs competition was that the R8000 did not have a unified SSID for all three radios. The D-Link 890 was ugly and did not have detachable antennas. Neither Netgear nor D-Link have a feature rich firmware like Asus nor do they update there firmware regularly like Asus (I have owned both in past).

I did not consider the Linksys model well because it is Linksys. They generally are lower quality and in this case there AC3200 model uses internal 5 ghz antennas. But after I bought mine for $284 a retailer had the Linksys AC3200 for $180 - at that price I would have reconsidered.

Best of luck and hope you have a better experience with your next router .....

 

[funkahdafi]

Thanks eusrio.

Actually I am not interested in all the fancy and nice firmware features as I am only using these boxes as simple Access Points and Bridges. I have a different router/firewall that takes care of the internet uplink and has all the fancy stuff

 

[sfx2000]

Thanks eusrio.

Actually I am not interested in all the fancy and nice firmware features as I am only using these boxes as simple Access Points and Bridges. I have a different router/firewall that takes care of the internet uplink and has all the fancy stuff

Can't go wrong with a WRT54G, at least with HW versions 1 thru 4, I'd stay away from v5 and later... the VXWorks based ones

Seriously though - you might want to consider some of the more mature AC1750/AC1900 class products instead - the AC68U from Asus, WRT1900ac from Linksys, R7000 from Netgear, Airport ExtremeAC from Apple - these are mature and perform quite well...

I'd give the AC2400/AC3200 class devices some wide berth at the moment - lots of reports of issues with little rhyme or reason as to why...

 

[Trip]

sfx is getting at it... Why push for that stuff when most models are largely unproven and the supposed "benefits" are mostly vaporware? I'll say it here as I've said it before: I would separate the role of router and access point and stay a few steps back from bleeding-edge. Get a solid wired router as your "core" for handling all packet management (and doing so properly), then wire in AC1900 or lower class all-in-ones as wireless APs/bridges. Ignore the "higher" level AC stuff for now, as it's not worth the headache, as you have found out. Do that, and I'd image you'd be good for the next couple years, at least.