ASUS Introduces a Complete Lineup of 802.11ax Routers

Ready for the Next WiFi Standard

ASUS has plenty of new product announcements at Computex 2018. This even includes a slew of next-generation routers compatible with the 802.11ax wireless standard. The 802.11ax standard is capable of operating in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz territory. The maximum throughput per band is higher thanks to 1024-QAM modulation. This allows the wireless carrier signal to carry more information.The result is 25% faster performance than the 802.11ac’s 256-QAM modulation.

802.11ax also features broader MU-MIMO implementation, which means it is superior in crowded networks. Higher throughput is not nearly as important as greater capacity as more devices are connected. So 802.11ax improves real-world performance by allowing access points to communicate with more devices simultaneously. It supports up to 8 downstream/8 upstream channels in comparison to 802.11ac’s 4 downstream/1 upstream.

Introducing the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000

One of the new routers from ASUS is the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, which is the world’s first tri-band 802.11ax router. This monster is capable of peak aggregate throughput of nearly 11,000 Mbps. That is 4804 Mbps per 5GHz band and 1148 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band.

The ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 also goes beyond with its wired network connectivity. It has 2.5Gbps Ethernet port capable of much higher hardline speeds than standard Gigabit Ethernet ports. Furthermore, AiMesh support is forthcoming in a future firmware update. Which means users will be able to run 2.5Gbps wired backhaul to combine two Raptors across a larger area with lots of physical obstructions.

ASUS AiMesh AX6100 WiFi System

Speaking of mesh networks, ASUS is also introducing the AiMesh AX6100 WiFi system. This includes a pair of RT-AX92U nodes which extend coverage of the home network while solving the issue of dead spots common with single routers solutions. Its 5GHz band is capable of pushing 4804Mbps and has a peak aggregate throughput of up to 6100Mbps. Another 5GHz band offers 866Mbps of bandwidth for 802.11ac gear, while the 2.4GHz band serves up 400Mbps of 802.11n connectivity for older devices.

It also has Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connectivity: one for WAN, and four for LAN per node. So that means there are actually 8 LAN ports in total and 2 WAN ports available. Users can also freely add any AiMesh compatible router to the system later on.

Reintroducing the ASUS RT-AX88U

Unlike the new AiMesh AX6100 and ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, the ASUS RT-AX88U launched last year. However, it is still fairly impressive having the same underlying hardware as the ROG Rapture router. Except it features a dual-channel design Both bands support 802.11ax devices, with up to 1148Mbps on 2.4GHz and up to 4804Mbps on 5GHz, for peak total bandwidth around 6000Mbps.

How Much are These ASUS 802.11ax Routers?

There are no firm pricing information available yet. However, ASUS does confirm that these will arrive sometime around Q3 2018.