frontpage Posted by phoinix | Staff • Last Monday
May 26, 2025 7:09 AM
Item 1 of 4
Item 1 of 4
frontpage Posted by phoinix | Staff • Last Monday
May 26, 2025 7:09 AM
ASUS RT-AX86U Pro Wi-Fi 6 AX5700 Dual Band Gaming Router w/ AiMesh
+ Free Shipping$170
$200
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You explicitly have to go in and enable cloud functions like management via an app if you are interested in using them. Otherwise cloud features are disabled by default. But I find the ASUS app management very useful for fixing internet problems for family members because I don't have to drive over to restart or update the router or change their router settings. I just connect their router to my account during setup and use the app to fix their issues.
Feature-wise, that TP-Link is several leagues above this but TP-Link has a very spotty history with updates. They sell you the latest and greatest for cheap and then move on. Eventually updates may trickle down to older models but even security updates take a long long time to arrive, and they stop sending out updates very quickly. The TP-Link AXE7800/AXE95 you linked is only guaranteed to get updates through September 2026 [tp-link.com] (TP-Link does not disclose update support period for the North American market but is required by law to disclose it for Singapore. Hard to imagine they would update it for North America much longer than that). TP-Link also plays games by saying they will support products for X number of years after they stop selling them, so they just release a new revision number with pretty much the exact same hardware after a year or so, so the old model is no longer being sold and thus no longer counted for support. Asus is something you buy once and use it for 10 years. For example, one of the posters here said they're still using the AC68U, which was released in 2013. Asus finally stopped providing updates for it last year, in 2024. In the end, Asus ends up being cheaper for me to own because I don't have to buy a new router every 3 years just to get security updates. I still have an AC86U from 2018 that is still getting regular updates.
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Quyle85
I dont understand why manufacturers do not run cooling fans for the modem/routers and think that a heat sink would just be enough.
I highly recommend using usb fans like from ac infinity on your equipment.
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If you dont know why you're switching to merlin, then nope. It's primarily the same exact firmware with some more advanced features exposed.
I've had Merlin on my old tmobile branded Asus router, but i had to do that to get it off tmo firmware
Yah, im still running one of those...and the crippled tmo firmware had to go. But the router itself has obviously lasted forever.
But for most folks merlin doesn't add anything and complicates keeping it updated.
But for most folks merlin doesn't add anything and complicates keeping it updated.
Gotcha. Thanks for the insight
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