This tri-band router (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) has been delivering dependable Wi-Fi to my entire residence for the previous couple of weeks. Video calls, film streaming, and gaming have been silky easy. Stability has been rock stable, with a single firmware replace that took a couple of minutes being the one downtime thus far. The RT-AXE7800 blew away a lot of the competitors for pace and latency at shut vary on each the 5-GHz and 6-GHz bands, and it turned in respectable outcomes over longer distances. Efficiency on the two.4-GHz band was common.
Vary is a weak spot of the 6-GHz band, as Wi-Fi 6E has restricted energy, so it tends to drop off sharply with partitions and different obstacles. However even with these limitations, the Asus RT-AXE7800 matched or bested most different Wi-Fi 6E routers I’ve examined, together with mesh methods just like the Nest Wifi Professional (7/10, WIRED Recommends) and Wyze Mesh Router Professional. It most intently matched the efficiency of the costlier Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 (7/10, WIRED recommends).
One attainable weak spot I discovered with the Asus RT-AXE7800 was file switch speeds, a take a look at the place I copy a 2.2-GB file from one PC on the community to a different. It persistently took greater than 4 minutes to finish this switch, which was barely under common. The final system I examined, the Eero Professional 6E, averaged a minute and 14 seconds.
Price Management
There’s a lot to contemplate when shopping for a router, so let’s drill into who the Asus RT-AXE7800 is for. Mesh methods could also be tempting, however a single router typically makes extra sense for folk with modest properties. The RT-AXE7800 provided quicker speeds throughout most of my 1,600-square-foot residence than the vast majority of mesh methods I’ve examined. It could’t compete on vary, however I had to enter my yard to really feel that.
Whereas the Wi-Fi 6E assist ought to solely tempt you in case you have gadgets able to connecting on that 6-GHz band, it may show very useful for those who dwell in a congested space. In smaller houses or residence blocks the place your neighbor’s routers might trigger interference, connecting on that 6-GHz band may provide large jumps in pace and stability. For those who do business from home with a Wi-Fi 6E-capable laptop computer or telephone and sit near the router (ideally in the identical room), the Asus RT-AXE7800 is an efficient purchase.
Far too many routers and mesh methods these days require costly subscriptions if you need parental controls or community safety. The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 is an efficient instance, the place it prices $170 a yr to get each. Asus gives stable parental controls, enabling you to schedule downtime, filter inappropriate content material, and block particular actions. There’s additionally AiProtection Professional powered by Pattern Micro to ship across-the-board safety, together with a firewall, safety scans, intrusion prevention, malicious website blocking, and extra. Asus consists of each without cost for the lifetime of your RT-AXE7800 router, which is nice.
When you have a bigger property, chances are you’ll choose one thing from our Finest Mesh Wi-Fi Routers information, although it’s price noting that the AiMesh assist right here makes it straightforward to attach Asus routers to type a mesh. For those who do go this route and use the RT-AXE7800 as your principal router, a wired backhaul is suggested, as you don’t need the routers utilizing your 5-GHz band to attach with one another.
People content material to attend somewhat longer for Wi-Fi 7 ought to think about a less expensive Wi-Fi 6 stopgap from our Finest Wi-Fi Routers information. Whereas the RT-AXE7800 is kind of dear, it performs properly, provides greater than equally priced Wi-Fi 6E options, and harbors no hidden charges.