Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) Home Wi-Fi 6 Wireless System.

More and more of our devices, even appliances and household devices, like lights, are connecting to the internet. So it’s not just your computer, smartphones or gaming consoles, for example, that need to connect to the internet. Smart homes are growing in popularity, and with it the number of household devices that connect online. So the introduction of the new and improved wi-fi 6 format came in perfect timing.

 

The new wi-fi 6 format basically improves on the previous wi-fi 5 format. It allows more devices to connect, more devices to connect at the same time, and improves bandwidth. So in the world of 4K streaming, this is very important. Especially if you want to be able to stream multiple 4K sources at the same time. The more household members you have, especially teenagers, this is even more critical. And if you have a large home, getting a good strong signal can be hard. When given the opportunity to review the Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8), we naturally jumped at the opportunity. After all, we have multiple teenagers, multiple 4K gaming systems, multiple 4K smart TV’s, all in a 3 story 4500 square foot house. If anyone is going to have Wi-Fi complaints, they are in my household. It was time for us to check out the new Wi-Fi 6.

Features and specs:

 

Network Standard: IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ax, IPv4, IPv6

Coverage:  Very large homes

Data Rate: 

802.11a : 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps

802.11b : 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps

802.11g : 6,9,12,18,24,36,48,54 Mbps

802.11n : up to 300 Mbps

802.11ac (5GHZ-1)：up to 867 Mbps

802.11ac (5GHZ-2)：up to 3466 Mbps

802.11ax (2.4GHz) : up to 574 Mbps

802.11ax (5GHZ-1)：up to 1201 Mbps

802.11ax (5GHZ-2)：up to 4804 Mbps

Antenna:  Internal antenna x 6

Transmit/Receive:  2.4 GHz 2 x 2, 5 GHz-1 2 x 2, 5 GHz-2 4 x 4

Processor:  1.5 GHz quad-core processor

Memory:  256 MB Flash

512 MB RAM:  Wi-Fi Technology

OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access):  Beamforming: standard-based and universal

1024-QAM high data rate:  20/40/80/160 MHz bandwidth

Operating Frequency:  2.4G Hz, 5 GHz-1, 5 GHz-2

Encryption:  WPA3-Personal, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Personal, WPA-Enterprise , WPA2-Enterprise , WPS support

Firewall & Access Control

Firewall: SPI intrusion detection, DoS protection

Access control：Parental control, Network service filter, URL filter, Port filter

Management

UPnP, IGMP v1/v2/v3, DNS Proxy, DHCP, NTP Client, DDNS, Port Trigger, Port Forwarding, DMZ, System Event Log

VPN Support:  IPSec Pass-Through, PPTP Pass-Through, L2TP Pass-Through, PPTP server, OpenVPN server, PPTP client, L2TP client, OpenVPN client

WAN Connection Type

Internet connection type : Automatic IP, Static IP, PPPoE(MPPE supported), PPTP, L2TP

Ports: RJ45 for 2.5G BaseT for WAN x 1, RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 3, USB 3.1 Gen 1 x 1

Features:  Range Boost, Router app, MU-MIMO, Smart Connect, Traffic Analyzer, Adaptive QoS, AiProtection Pro

Parental Control:

Guest Network : 2.4 GHz x 3, 5 GHz-1 x 3, 5 GHz-2 x 3

VPN server : PPTP Server, OpenVPN Server, IPSec server

VPN client : PPTP client, L2TP client, OpenVPN client

NAT Pass-Through :PPTP Pass-Through, L2TP Pass-Through, IPSec Pass-Through, RTSP Pass-Through, H.323 Pass-Through, SIP Pass-Through, PPPoE relay

Mac OS Backup

Enhanced media server (AiPlayer app compatible)

- Image : Jpeg

- Audio : mp3, wma, wav, pcm, mp4, lpcm, ogg

- Video : asf, avi, divx, mpeg, mpg, ts, vob, wmv, mkv, mov

AiCloud personal cloud service

3G/4G data sharing

Printer Server

- Multifunctional printer support (Windows only)

- LPR protocol support

Download Master

- Support bt, nzb, http, ed2k

- Support encryption, DHT, PEX and magnet link

- Upload and download bandwidth control

- Download scheduling

AiDisk file server

- Samba and FTP server with account management

IPTV support

Roaming Assist

OFDMA

Beamforming

Button

WPS Button, Reset Button, Power Switch

Power Supply: AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz), DC Output : 19 V with max. 1.75 A current

OS Support:  Windows® 10, Windows® 8, , Windows® 7, Mac OS X 10.6, Mac OS X 10.7, Mac OS X 10.8

Dimensions: 160 x 75 x 161.5 mm

Weight: 716 g

Package Content: ZenWiFi AX, RJ-45 Cable, Power Adapter, Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card

The Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8), came in a great looking color printed box with images and specs of the router system. Opening the box revealed a well protected router system held in place by custom molding. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic. Quality of materials used, as well as the fit and finish was very good. And the heft test, it felt like a well made product. Also included is the owner’s manual, power cords and network cables for both the main router and the slave.

 

I love the design of the ZenWiFi AX system which consists of a pair of Asus AX6600 Wi-Fi 6 routers, and provide coverage for up to 5500 sq ft and bandwidth of up to 6600 Mbps. It also provides all of the features you have come to expect, such as top notch security as well as parental controls. The AiProtection has free lifetime support, protects against internet based attacks and blocks access to malicious websites. Even if a device connected to the network is already infected, it keeps my personal data on the device from being compromised.

 

With the parental controls, you can manage your kids’ devices, and manage the devices individually. That way each device security settings can be where you want them to be. The internet Activity Dashboard lets you view each kids’ internet activity, and the kind on content they are viewing. You can even apply scheduled block times as well as apply content filters.

 

The ZenWiFi AX is also engineered for high performance, thanks to the quad-core CPU. The specially designed antenna and circuit board with its vertical housing yields better airflow for more reliability. The AiMesh Technology also makes it very easy to expand the system as needed. It’s fully scalable, being able to add additional compatible routers as needed.

 

Setting up the system proved to be very simple. And the included manual was actually well written and easy to follow. It all started with downloading the ASUS router app, and following the instructions on the app, setting up your main router. Once set up on the main router was completed it was time to set up the 2^nd router or extender mode. And the LED lights on each device clearly shows you the status, with this initial set up, both routers need to be within a few feet of each other. But once the link and set up is complete, you can set the extender node where it needs to be. And once set in its new location, the LED will again tell you the strength of the connection between it and the main router. That way you know if the connection is good, or it you need to change locations. I set the main router next to the modem in the basement. The extender node went in the loft all the way up on the 2^nd floor. I was very impressed to see that the 2 had a strong connection. This to me spoke volumes to the robustness of the devices. Now that it’s set-up, it’s time to test its performance.

 

The first test for the strength of signal was the strength of signal between the great distance between the main router in the basement, and the node all the way up in the loft, on the 2^nd floor. The fact that the signal strength between the two was strong, said a lot of the system capabilities in providing a strong signal over a great distance. Next I pulled out my smartphone and did a speed test, on all 3 floors. Our level of internet service provides 100 Mb/s download. I was equally impressed, that no matter my location, I got between 98 Mb/s-102Mb/s. Rated at up to 5500 sq ft, my 4500 sq ft home was well provided for in Wi-Fi coverage. Our 4K gaming systems, as well as our 4K smart TV’s, all performed very well. As with any Wi-Fi system, there can be the occasional hiccup. There were a couple times when I heard a teenager of mine ask what’s wrong with the Wi-Fi. But it was short lived and back to normal.

 

With today’s electronic devices and the number that connect to the internet, it’s almost a must to have a strong robust Wi-Fi network, with high speed and large bandwidth. The Wi-Fi 6 is designed just for that purpose. And the ASUS ZenWiFi 6 can give, along with some excellent features. With a price of $449.99, it’s not cheap. But you do get what you pay for. And for a strong Wi-Fi system that does what it should is worth every penny. Based on their design, features, quality and performance, the ASUS ZenWiFi AX (XT8) has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.asus.com.