RT-AX86U to be discontinued?

[iFrogMac]

Can an Apple iWatch be a solution for @iFrogMac? I think some models have cell modems in them (which is amazing in such a small device)

I had actually thought about the Apple Watch, but as small as they are, I was concerned about being able to see it, or enlarge it enough to see. Anyway, I've taken this thread way off topic. My initial intent was to find out about the rumored new model while I had time to return mine to amazon if the new one is going to be something I should have instead. I only have until July 13th to return as that's the end of my 30 days from amazon. However it looks like I won't get an answer before then, so I might as well not worry about it and just hang onto what I got and use it.

 

[Tech9]

Having a cold standby is critical for some businesses

Indeed. I use dual ISPs and keep spare pre-configured equipment. Not the same type as the main equipment, but good for emergency backup purposes. It will remain the same even after I upgrade the equipment in next few weeks. One set of ER-X router and 2x TL-SG108PE switches for each network is the bare mimimum. I have at least one spare PC per location with monitor and keyboard/mouse, wireless scanners, barcode printers, etc. whatever may be needed, including APs and 24-port switch in a warehouse with 24/7 operations. Two separate servers keep the data, one is off-site. For business purposes it's a form of insurance. For average home users - local computer store, new router. Any new router, even one for $50 will do.

 

[L&LD]

The examples given are all well and good (as I knew they would be).

This doesn't change the fact that none of my customers need that type of hardware/internet backup.

Instead of the employees just standing there talking to each other, they would actually be more busy doing things manually (to input later), instead.

To bring this to a personal note, when I go (correction; went) camping for a two-week to five-week period, I don't have anything 'electronic' with me. Not even my phone (yes, I actually left it home).

And the world is still there when I come back.

Wanting a router backup and needing a router backup is two very different things.

Priorities and probabilities.

 

[SAL9K]

They added a 10G port, used a new faster CPU and new wifi SoC that supports the extended UNII-4 channels.

Are the unii4 channels for backhaul duty only? Or will they be available to a typical ax200+ client?

 

[Threska49]

Initially when I saw this thread yesterday I didn't fully take it seriously because I thought it was related to this thread here: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/is-rt-ax86u-being-discontinued-by-asus.76080/ which was the same assumption because of different circumstances. So, it looks like this thread is different. With that said, I read up on the posts from last night, and wanted to mention that on the topic of a balance of performance, price and features, etc: the main reason I purchased the RT-AX86U was for the ASUSWRT experience, beyond that in my current setup and use case, the RT-AX86U hasn't really shown me any real significant performance over any other router I've used, that has lower specs.

The main thing I've really been looking for are the following:

1. A stable internet connection
2. regular firmware updates to patch security and fix bugs
3. The ability to port forward, and control traffic, when needed
4. Wireless for those devices that don't have an Ethernet option

Most of the high end features and demands I see discussed here in these threads currently have no practical application for my setup, even though I could see where they would fit in more, in a small business, or enterprise environment vs a home environment.
With that said, and after the initial learning curve of the Asus environment, the RT-AX86U has been the set and forget solution, I've been looking for. AT the same time though, has plenty of things to change and configure going forward as needed.

Indeed, although as the internet becomes more hostile some of those "enterprise" features may become more necessary further down the consumer scale.

 

[Tech9]

those "enterprise" features

What "enterprise" features?

 

[RMerlin]

Are the unii4 channels for backhaul duty only? Or will they be available to a typical ax200+ client?

They should be available to clients, provided clients actually support them. Unless Intel pre-emptively validated their products up to that new frequency, it may require a new chip to support these new channels.

I have next to no information, I only first heard of their existence about two weeks ago myself. And since these channels aren't currently cleared for use in Canada, I can't test anything either.

 

[Threska49]

What "enterprise" features?

In the context of this discussion "true IDS/IPS." would be both considered, and priced as an enterprise feature. Never mind any other features a hostile internet might require in the future. e.g. neural net processors, etc.

 

[Tech9]

In the context of this discussion "true IDS/IPS."

It requires a lot more CPU power than home routers have and is mostly useless with today's encrypted communications. You have to run a proxy to decrypt the traffic first, otherwise commonly used Snort or Suricata won't detect anything. Running a proxy brings other issues, not subject of this thread.

 

[BreakingDad]

Anything with the suffix "pro" usually isn't.

Especially gamers.

 

[SAL9K]

They should be available to clients, provided clients actually support them. Unless Intel pre-emptively validated their products up to that new frequency, it may require a new chip to support these new channels.

I have next to no information, I only first heard of their existence about two weeks ago myself. And since these channels aren't currently cleared for use in Canada, I can't test anything either.

I hope clients do support them; what are the chances of co-located supporting routers + clients (synology rt6600ax, rt-ax11000 pro), as that would give you a DFS-free 160mhz channel, and no noisy neighbors to contend with. It'd be like having your own freeway to work.

 

[SAL9K]

Anything with the suffix "pro" usually isn't.

Especially gamers.

Tri-band, 10g/2.5g backhaul/wan, 5.9g unii4 backhaul, built-in vpn, firewall, file servers, and generally top of market radio designs and performance.

Asus doesn’t sell enterprise/corporate networking products. I’m honestly curious, what high-end consumer capabilities are missing, for a ~$500 all in one router? It’d look more “pro” without all that ridiculous gaming livery, that’s for sure. The pro badge would have come across better with the same specs, but something that you could put in a soho and not be embarrassed.

 

[RMerlin]

I’m honestly curious, what high-end consumer capabilities are missing, for a ~$500 all in one router?

Asus tried to market a business type device a few years ago (BRT-AC828), and it was mostly a failure. But it showed what kind of features could be expected out of a Pro/Business device that may currently be missing in these generic or ROG models but were available in that model. If I recall, it had VLAN support for one thing.

I would say that's actually one of the biggest missing feature for a Pro/Business product: VLAN support.

 

[Tech9]

Small office with few people inside on a tight budget would rather get RT-AC66U B1 router. It's cheap, proven reliable, not flashy looking, compact size, with good support, enough Wi-Fi coverage and speed for two rooms side by side. No one is going to be streaming HD movies there or play FPS games.

 

[RMerlin]

Small office with few people inside on a tight budget would rather get RT-AC66U B1 router. It's cheap, proven reliable, not flashy looking, compact size, with good support, enough Wi-Fi coverage and speed for two rooms side by side. No one is going to be streaming HD movies there or play FPS games.

An RT-AX86U or RT-AX86U Pro might actually be good if you need the VPN server for remote workers, and you don't have a NAS with a trusted OpenVPN server. But yeah, I deployed a coupled of RT-AC66U_B1 over the years in small offices.

 

[BreakingDad]

Tri-band, 10g/2.5g backhaul/wan, 5.9g unii4 backhaul, built-in vpn, firewall, file servers, and generally top of market radio designs and performance.

Asus doesn’t sell enterprise/corporate networking products. I’m honestly curious, what high-end consumer capabilities are missing, for a ~$500 all in one router? It’d look more “pro” without all that ridiculous gaming livery, that’s for sure. The pro badge would have come across better with the same specs, but something that you could put in a soho and not be embarrassed.

Version X or something would be better than calling an upgraded one Pro, it belittles the original in a way. Which I consider to be the best home router on the market currently.

RT-AX86UX for example or if it's so radically different a whole new product code.

I just think the term Pro is naff.

 

[SAL9K]

RT-AX86U+

EDIT: AX86U Encore has a nice ring to it

 

[SAL9K]

They should be available to clients, provided clients actually support them. Unless Intel pre-emptively validated their products up to that new frequency, it may require a new chip to support these new channels.

I have next to no information, I only first heard of their existence about two weeks ago myself. And since these channels aren't currently cleared for use in Canada, I can't test anything either.

I normally don't trust the opinions of this guy, but he does mention in this article about the ax11000 pro, that Synology has confirmed ax2xx clients will support the unii4 channels with a driver update. Perhaps Intel gave Synology a beta driver with support for their client testing. Maybe he does know, lol.

https://dongknows.com/asus-rog-rapture-gt-ax11000-pro-router-preview/

Also after some thought, I don't believe any dual band ax86u pro can support unii4, as setting it to that will make the single 5g radio useless to non-supporting clients, I.e. most devices (unless the router has a setting to not use unii4 control channels?). Seems like that'll only potentially get cpu/ram/dual-2.5Gbe updates, as others have already speculated. An ax86u pro with *only* 2.5GbE ports would be neat.

 

[RMerlin]

Synology has confirmed ax2xx clients will support the unii4 channels with a driver update. Perhaps Intel gave Synology a beta driver with support for their client testing.

It's entirely possible. Unfortunately ARK only contains generic info, no details on actual frequencies.

Also after some thought, I don't believe any dual band ax86u pro can support unii4, as setting it to that will make the single 5g radio useless to non-supporting clients, I.e. most devices (unless the router has a setting to not use unii4 control channels?).

It could be left out of automatic channel selection but allow the end-user to manually select it. It would be his responsibility then to ensure that his client devices are compatible, just like in some regions you can select channels 12 and 13, but not all clients will support them.

We'll have to wait for Asus to publicly announce the specs for it tho, they only published the GT-AXE11000 Pro specs so far.

 

[RMerlin]

We'll have to wait for Asus to publicly announce the specs for it tho, they only published the GT-AXE11000 Pro specs so far.

I got the go ahead from Asus to discuss the specs of the RT-AX86U Pro.

It's basically an upgraded RT-AX86U as people already suspected. BCM4912 CPU (like the GT-AX6000/XT12/etc...) and BCM6715 wifi, with the same newer SDK (so, Linux kernel 4.19).

It will also be one of the first models to launch on the new 388 firmware which will include, among other things, a new VPN interface (with Wireguard client and server support), and various improvements to Parental Control.

The release date mentioned by the OP is correct.

No word on the future of the non-Pro model, but personally I assume it will remain on sale, unless the RT-AX86U Pro launched at the same price.