Wi-Fi 6 routers?

Snapshot · 16 Apr 2021 at 17:11

Apologies if I missed a recent thread but I couldn't see one.
Has anyone found a Wi-Fi 6 router which is both available and works? My new laptop has Wi-Fi 6 and I can see I'm saturating the 5GHz band on my RT-AC86U as the CPU isn't maxed out like it is if I connect with ethernet. We don't do much with the router other than connect through it, no VPNs or gaming, etc. So I'm looking for at least AX2900 and preferably one that can mesh with another as a wired access point. Asus's AI-Mesh works very well here so an Asus router would be preferred but I quite willing to change makes, especially seeing the (lack of) support responses reported by Asus users. What have you found that you like?

Efour · 17 Apr 2021 at 20:28

I have a TP link AX6000 and a TP Link Mesh hotspot.

I severely struggled with WiFI6 AX and ASUS ax3000 ( something 200 intel)network cards. They are very common in Laptops and cheaper network cards.
Terrible drivers, lots of promises of stuff being fixed in next drivers but after that cycle 3x i gave up. They could be working now but i just ran wires... from frustration.
It could be that and a combo of the TP link Firmware.. I don't really rate TPlink...but its "working" When it worked i was getting about 1.2Gbps, faster than my crappy reliable Cables.

THe TPLink Mesh system is fine.. I have no issues. Sometimes its a bit slow to hand off to the better signal but its possibly due to my home wireless network being "physically" relatively small in the first place....

Asus is fine... If you already have a WiFi6 ASUS device just build around that.

i am no expert.

Snapshot · 20 Apr 2021 at 19:58

Belated thanks for your comments. Amazon had some Asus RT-AX86Us in stock yesterday so I grabbed one as it's the recommended router on Small Net Builder. Installed asuswrt-merlin firmware plus the settings file from the old router and job done. Wireless is probably about 30% faster on multi-gigabyte backups and it works better as a wired switch than older Asus routers ever did so I'm happy.

Nutella33 · 23 Apr 2021 at 10:21

Asus DSL-AX82U is out next week and seems to be the best all in one DSL Wifi 6 option you can get if you are still on DSL. Merlin is going to work on them as well. £200 tho.