RT-AC68U / RT-AC68P / RT-AC1900 / RT-AC1900P

[ColinTaylor]

How can one tell on ebay for example 68u vs 1900?

You could ask the seller directly whether it's a TM unit. If they say it isn't and you buy it and it is, then they can't refuse you when you demand a refund.

But make sure you see a picture of the actual unit they are selling (front and back). I don't know whether it applies to all TM units, but all the pictures/videos I've seen have the TM branding prominently on the front. And on the label on the back the model number is TM -AC1900.

 

[Rango]

So basically tmobile branded are ac1900 and ALL non tmobile branded are 68u?

Even retail boxes have 68u listed as ac1900 when i look at retail box

 

[ColinTaylor]

... and ALL non tmobile branded are 68u?

Even retail boxes have 68u listed as ac1900 when i look at retail box

No. Ignore where it just says "AC1900", it's irrelevant, that's the "class" of router. The only thing that counts is the model number, and that is on the sticker on the back. If it says RT-..... then it's an Asus unit, if it says TM-...... then avoid it (see post #1).

 

[CaptainSTX]

The AC1900P was a model that was sold by Best Buy and it has a souped up 1400MHz processor. Other than that it is same as other Asus 68 or AC1900 models except as mentioned previously the TM branded models which you should avoid unless you are planning to use it only as just an AP in which case it is fine.

 

[RMerlin]

The AC1900P was a model that was sold by Best Buy

The actual name is RT-AC1900P. The first part is important (that's what for instance will distinguish an RT-AC1900 - which did exist as well - and a TM-AC1900.)

 

[Rango]

Ah got it. So basically avoid TM-AC1900 which is not supported but rest of them markings are.

So one would probably would want AC1900P due to higher clock speeds right.

 

[CaptainSTX]

The actual name is RT-AC1900P. The first part is important (that's what for instance will distinguish an RT-AC1900 - which did exist as well - and a TM-AC1900.)

Noted and thanks as the wizard of ASUS for keeping everyone on track.

For those individuals who think ASUS makes things confusing with their overlapping models and confusing naming schemes I doubt if anything will ever compare with the Linksys' WRT54G series which in its run had 18 variations/models.

 

[wouterv]

Noted and thanks as the wizard of ASUS for keeping everyone on track.

For those individuals who think ASUS makes things confusing with their overlapping models and confusing naming schemes I doubt if anything will ever compare with the Linksys' WRT54G series which in its run had 18 variations/models.

The different hardware models WRT54G series where really all different and appeared chronological over time.
Many of the "different" models of the RT-AC68 series are exactly the same and others have slight differences.

 

[CaptainSTX]

The different hardware models WRT54G series where really all different and appeared chronological over time.
Many of the "different" models of the RT-AC68 series are exactly the same and others have slight differences.

While they were released chronologically one of the things that made this router series so versatile was the ability to reprogram them with DD-WRT or Tomato and which version you could flash depended on the router's memory and you therefore had to carefully check and verify this before starting the process or you bricked the router. Over time Linksys decreased the memory in the WRT54G but now the newest latest and greatest router tends to have more memory.

Another nice feature that the early WRT54Gs had were removable antennas which made using more directional antennas possible.

Then and now it seems that router labeling is driven by the marketing department and not the engineers.

 

[gattaca]

Ah got it. So basically avoid TM-AC1900 which is not supported but rest of them markings are.

So one would probably would want AC1900P due to higher clock speeds right.

Correct on both.

 

[Grisu]

Correct on both.

not really, you can overclock all U/R/W.. upto 1200MHz too, not much difference to P, but there are some troubles with P not seen on the others.
Have read some threads here posting problems only seen on P due to newer bootloader-CFE or slightly different hardware, I wont take it.

 

[NoelS]

I want to buy one of these routers. I am constantly connected to the VPN, so I want to be sure to get a 1.4GHz variant. For various reasons, don't want to get it at Best Buy. Am I correct that in spite of the "screwy" version numbering system that B2 is the latest hardware revision and is 1.4Ghz, same as the BestBuy unit? Does the Bestbuy unit have any other advantages? Where can I purchase the AC68 with (relative) assurance that I will get B2? TIA!

 

[L&LD]

I want to buy one of these routers. I am constantly connected to the VPN, so I want to be sure to get a 1.4GHz variant. For various reasons, don't want to get it at Best Buy. Am I correct that in spite of the "screwy" version numbering system that B2 is the latest hardware revision and is 1.4Ghz, same as the BestBuy unit? Does the Bestbuy unit have any other advantages? Where can I purchase the AC68 with (relative) assurance that I will get B2? TIA!

If your ISP and VPN speeds are greater than around 50Mbps, then none of these routers are recommended.

The RT-AC86U is the router you want. Greatly improved VPN speeds and almost full Gbps ISP speeds (even with features enabled). I've seen it many times on sale for less than any of these units and is a big step above any of them.

 

[NoelS]

I will check and may go that route. Thanks!
Do you have any idea what VPN Speeds the AC86 is capable of?

Either way, for the benefit of others looking, if you (or others) know the answers to my questions above on the A68, it would benefit this thread. Thanks again!

 

[L&LD]

I will check and may go that route. Thanks!
Do you have any idea what VPN Speeds the AC86 is capable of?

Either way, for the benefit of others looking, if you (or others) know the answers to my questions above on the A68, it would benefit this thread. Thanks again!

Reports are in the 100 to 200 Mbps range on an RT-AC86U depending on the actual implementation.

As for the other questions you ask, the first post seems to be as up to date as anything I've seen.

 

[NoelS]

Thanks. Decided to take your sage advice and buy an RT-AC86U. But this "guru" has me confused:
https://www.privateinternetaccess.c...celeration-is-here-for-routers-using-openvpn/
TDLR, he is claiming that only certain versions of the RT-AC86U have the CPU that does the hardware acceleration for VPN. I don't see anything on this forum about h/w revs for the RT-A86U having a meaningful difference. Am I missing something or is he smoking something?

 

[L&LD]

Thanks. Decided to take your sage advice and buy an RT-AC86U. But this "guru" has me confused:
https://www.privateinternetaccess.c...celeration-is-here-for-routers-using-openvpn/
TDLR, he is claiming that only certain versions of the RT-AC86U have the CPU that does the hardware acceleration for VPN. I don't see anything on this forum about h/w revs for the RT-A86U having a meaningful difference. Am I missing something or is he smoking something?

I think he has me confused now too!

First, he (correctly) states that only the RT-AC86U (AC2900) version supports hardware accelerated encryption for VPN connections.

Then, he states that he tested the AC2600 version.

But looking at the date of that article, almost nine months ago, I would hope that initial batch of AC2600 spec'd 'AC86U routers has been sold off.

On mine which I bought just last week, it clearly stated AC2900 on the package, make sure the one you receive does too.

Another hint might be; if the price you found was significantly cheaper than most other sources at around the same time. That might be a sign it isn't the same (100%) hardware too.

 

[NoelS]

Great. By the time I get mine, you'll be 2 weeks ahead. I'll hit you up with any questions!
Even MORE weirdness: The expert (linked in my previous post) mentions an RT-AC68U EXTREME that HAS the BCM4906 Hardware Encryption. It is not in the original chart of this thread (it also has an entry in Wikidevi: https://wikidevi.com/wiki/ASUS_RT-AC68U_Extreme)

 

[ColinTaylor]

I had previously read that article as well and was equally confused. As far as I know the model he described has never existed. Even the wikidevi pages he refers to don't support what he's saying .

As for the RT-AC68U_Extreme, it's exactly the same as the RT-AC86U. It's just for marketing purposes in certain countries. Asus seem to go out of their way to create deliberately confusing model numbers.

 

[NoelS]

Yeah. Just to add MORE weirdness.... the AC86U has 2 fewer LEDs than the AC68U. So, the motherboard for the AC86U would not even work in the AC68U case. So, if there IS an RT-AC68U_Extreme that is really an RT-AC86U, it would have to look identical to an RT-AC86U as well (only changing the model number).