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

[wouterv]

Any status on this? Heading to BB end of the week to grab one of these. I'm not so worried about the firmware as I will most likely load the latest Merlin FW

I am not sure what anwer you seek.
It seems you can distinguis two variants:

• The RT-AC1900P: the only model with a 1400 MHz CPU and more flash ROM (for what the last is worth).
• The RT-AC68 (any variant) and the RT-AC1900 (without P): these have a 800 or 1000 MHz CPU and various wireless chip versions.

Performance of all models is nearly the same.

 

[whsbuss]

I am not sure what anwer you seek.
It seems you can distinguis two variants:

• The RT-AC1900P: the only model with a 1500 MHz CPU and more flash ROM (for what the last is worth).
• The RT-AC68 (any variant) and the RT-AC1900 (without P): these have a 800 or 1000 MHz CPU and various wireless chip versions.

Performance of all models is nearly the same.

I was referring to the V3 or B2 versions.

 

[wouterv]

I was referring to the V3 or B2 versions.

To my opinion you shall not expect any magic differences.
The hardware versions are probably due to availability of hardware components, different production batches or different production locations. The only way to tell the difference is put your hand on those routers, open them for detailed inspection and do performance test like Tim did here.
I bet all those versions will not affect the average performance of the RT-AC68/RT-AC1900 series router. When the performance would be significant different, Asus would for sure name the model different.

 

[whsbuss]

To my opinion you shall not expect any magic differences.
The hardware versions are probably due to availability of hardware components, different production batches or different production locations. The only way to tell the difference is put your hand on those routers, open them for detailed inspection and do performance test like Tim did here.
I bet all those versions will not affect the average performance of the RT-AC68/RT-AC1900 series router. When the performance would be significant different, Asus would for sure name the model different.

I did read through all those reviews. The 1900P has a 1.4 Ghz CPU vs 1.0 and I believe more RAM. Reports is the B2 version has a later Asus firmware than the V3. So I think there is a difference on the "P" model - just looking for the best person to purchase.

 

[maxbraketorque]

What advantage does the faster CPU provide?

 

[wouterv]

What advantage does the faster CPU provide?

Not much, read the review of Tim Higgins.

 

[maxbraketorque]

Not much, read the review of Tim Higgins.

I just finished reading it, but doesn't really answer my question. I was wondering about things like VPN performance or when multiple LAN clients are pulling down data from the internet or my movie server.

One aspect of the SNB review that I didn't see discussed here was the relatively poor LAN<->WAN UDP speeds for the 1900P. Those speeds are still way beyond my WAN connection speed, but they are below some people's internet connections.

 

[doczenith1]

What advantage does the faster CPU provide?

I would think the main advantage with the faster cpu would be when using the router's VPN client or server. My 68U at 1000 Ghz can handle my gigabit WAN connection with CTF enabled albeit maxing out core 1 at 100% usage.

 

[wouterv]

I just finished reading it, but doesn't really answer my question. I was wondering about things like VPN performance or when multiple LAN clients are pulling down data from the internet or my movie server.

One aspect of the SNB review that I didn't see discussed here was the relatively poor LAN<->WAN UDP speeds for the 1900P. Those speeds are still way beyond my WAN connection speed, but they are below some people's internet connections.

Then your question was not clear and is still not clear.
Wireless LAN or wired LAN?
Multiple "high data throughput" wireless clients will easily saturate a MIMO router like the RT-AC68U and all child's.
MU-MIMO should theoretically solve that issue, this technique seems still perform poor.
A tri-band (1x 2.4 GHz + 2x 5 GHz) router may help.
We still talk about SOHO "3-in-one" routers (router + network switch + wireless accespoint).
Today's high speed Internet connections go easily beyond what those SOHO router may support with their 1 Gbps hardware ports.

 

[MikeW]

I was wondering about things like VPN performance

I can answer this part. Connecting via a VPN client on my desktop, my download speed is 67Mbps (ISP limited). The VPN client on my 800MHz RT-AC68U manages 17Mbps (CPU limited), and when overclocked to 1000MHz, over 20Mbps. All with Merlin's latest firmware.

Whether that's a big enough improvement to warrant the risks of overclocking longterm is up to you.

 

[maxbraketorque]

I can answer this part. Connecting via a VPN client on my desktop, my download speed is 67Mbps (ISP limited). The VPN client on my 800MHz RT-AC68U manages 17Mbps (CPU limited), and when overclocked to 1000MHz, over 20Mbps. All with Merlin's latest firmware.

Whether that's a big enough improvement to warrant the risks of overclocking longterm is up to you.

Thanks much. That's great info. I'm not afraid to overclock. Just need to understand if there is value to doing it, and this helps.

 

[maxbraketorque]

Or I could just buy an RT-AC19ooP at BestBuy.

 

[pirx73]

Found this:
https://www.asus.com/Networking/RT-AC68A/
Maybe someone already wrote about it. Does anyone know it's differences from 68U?

 

[wouterv]

I think it is an AC1900 router, where the others are...AC1900
It seems Asus is trying the whole alphabet for the product code.
Until now no one has proved a remarkably difference between the family members of the RT-AC68 / RT-AC1900 series.

 

[pirx73]

@wouterv i was hoping you will answer
Only difference mentoned in this topic is that one AC1900 router has more flash and 1.4GHz CPU.
I used product comparing tool on ASUS website but it have me nothing - AC1900, AC68U and AC68P looked exactly the same in it.

 

[Pierino]

Found this:
https://www.asus.com/Networking/RT-AC68A/
Maybe someone already wrote about it. Does anyone know it's differences from 68U?

Read these posts https://www.snbforums.com/threads/help-with-second-asus-router.32284/page-2#post-257155

 

[pirx73]

Oh, thanks! Missed it. So AC68A is:
"rt-ac68A as it look like for some reason the amazon version has had the firmware crippled"

I think 68A should be added to the table, because i was only checking that, my bad.

 

[wouterv]

Looking at the info at Amazon, if the photo of the label is correct the FCC data refers to RT-AC68U.
The 3.0.0.4.380.4164 firmware file for the RT-AC68A from the Asus site is exactly (binary) identical to the RT-AC68U version. I bet the user interface will tell you it is a RT-AC68U.

I have added the RT-AC68A to the table in the first post, until proof of else I have copied the specs of the base model.

 

[RMerlin]

Looking at the info at Amazon, if the photo of the label is correct the FCC data refers to RT-AC68U.
The 3.0.0.4.380.4164 firmware file for the RT-AC68A from the Asus site is exactly (binary) identical to the RT-AC68U version. I bet the user interface will tell you it is a RT-AC68U.

I have added the RT-AC68A to the table in the first post, until proof of else I have copied the specs of the base model.

The firmware will disable a few features when the RT-AC68A model is detected. This is a cut-down version intended for Amazon AFAIK.

 

[pirx73]

@RMerlin - by the way, does your firmware support RT-AC68U revision E1?