WiFi 7 routers are the hot new tech when it comes to home networking, but are they ready for prime time? I’ve researched a lot of WiFi 7 routers recently and tested a few, and most fall under two categories – Affordable vs High End. There are a lot of high end WiFi 7 routers with impressive specs, but with that comes significantly more cost. Affordable routers can offer solid speeds and WiFi 7 technology for a much better price point. Enter the new ASUS RT-BE86U.
The ASUS RT-BE86U isn’t designed to be the top spec router with all the bells and whistles. Instead, this is a solid option that will work well for most people to provide great speeds, range, features, security, and customization in a smaller form factor than many other WiFi 7 routers. And at a $299.99 price point, it’s a great price for what you get.
The ASUS RT-BE86U isn’t designed to be the top spec router with all the bells and whistles. Instead, this is a solid option that will work well for most people to provide great speeds, range, features, security, and customization in a smaller form factor than many other WiFi 7 routers. And at a $299.99 price point, it’s a great price for what you get.
Key Features and Specs
Overall these are solid specs and features. While this doesn’t have a third 6GHz band like some other WiFi 7 routers, that’s really not necessary in my experience and helps keep costs down. Remember, while the 6GHz bands have theoretically more throughput, range often is an issue and some routers have stability issues as well. 5GHz is a good middle ground that’s supported by much more devices and still offers impressive speeds and range.
WiFi 7 Technology
Now what exactly is WiFi 7? It’s the newest WiFi technology that allows Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which intelligently combines and switches between the available WiFi bands. So instead of choosing between better range with 2.4GHz, but slower speeds than 5GHz, it combines them both to give you the best of both worlds. This is much better than unified networks with smart connection functions in that you’re not actually switching between networks when smart connect rules are triggered. It’s seamless and fast and works quite well.
One important note with WiFi 7 though is compatibility. There are not many devices that support WiFi 7 currently and it’s not as simple as a software update. WiFi hardware in smart devices need to be compatible with the new technology and it simply isn’t there yet. I have a lot of smart home devices and only my Samsung S24 Ultra has WiFi 7 functionality. This of course will change over time, but it’s important to know that most devices can’t take advantage of the new technology right now. But it’s good to have for future proofing right? Luckily it’s backwards compatible too. No WiFi 7 devices? No problem. It still connects using the same WiFi 6 technology that is much more widespread.
Performance
I tested the RT-BE86U in a variety of scenarios to evaluate it’s speeds and range and overall I’m pleased with it’s performance. I have Verizon Fios 1 Gig internet and next to the router on WiFi I easily achieved download and upload speeds in the 800+ Mbps range on the 5GHz band, which is impressive. Wired speeds are around 900 Mbps for download and upload for reference. Moving to the next room about 20 feet away with the signal now through a wall, speeds are in the 500+ range which again is solid and plenty for most tasks and devices. In fact, moving to the furthest point away from the router in my house, on the second floor and in the corner of the house about 30-40 feet away, I still was achieving 350+ Mbps for download and upload speeds and the signal on the 5GHz band was still around -60 dBm, which is impressive. I then moved out to the road, about 60 feet away from the router, and speeds were in the 200+ range. Again, impressive.
Setup and Customization
Switching routers can seem like a daunting task, however it’s actually fairly simple, especially with ASUS routers like the BE-86U. If you have a router currently (like I did with Verizon), you’ll need to release your IP address and then unplug that router. Then simply plug in your ethernet cable into the new router, plug it into the wall, and turn it on. The ASUS Router app on your phone will walk you through the process of getting the new router setup – setting up the SSID, password, bands, etc. It’s very simple and easy.
If you’re like me and want the ability to customize things, that’s where the ASUSWRT web interface comes in. You navigate your web browser to your router’s local IP address (typically 192.168.xxx.xxx) and login with the credentials you created in the app. Here you’ll find a variety of settings you can adjust. That said, I DO NOT recommend adjusting these settings unless you know what you’re doing. You can really mess up the router’s setup, features, speeds, etc by enabling/disabling certain functions.
Conclusion
The ASUS RT-BE86U WiFi 7 router stands out as a compelling choice for those looking to adopt WiFi 7 technology in an affordable dual-band form factor. It combines solid performance, robust security features, and future-proofing capabilities with WiFi 7’s advanced technologies. While it does forgo the 6GHz band, for many users, its performance and price point make it an excellent investment for both current and future networking needs.
When you buy something using links or promo codes I share, I may earn a small affiliate commission to help support the channel, but that does NOT impact my recommendations.
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