ASUS - RT-BE88U

You can go with ASUS be86u/88u/92u/96u or unifi dream 7 and unifi express 7. These are expensive models tho, but you get what you pay for! Especially asus routers with the ASUSWRT Merlin firmware!

If it were me, I'd get the Asus RT-BE88U to start. For more coverage, I'd get the Asus zen wifi-bd5 with wired backhaul.

I like Asus since you don't have to go all-in with mesh on day one. Wireless backhaul is an issue with every mesh system. I started with an AiMesh Extendable Router and I can add anything from the Asus line-up if I need better coverage. And, yeah, that RT-AX86U Pro is pretty nice with its 2.5 Gbps port connecting to my Arris cable modem. This computer is wired to a LAN port and works very well, and the wi-fi around the house is very reliable.

I bought a BE88U for now and will see how it does. First impressions: - Higher download speeds everywhere, including on Ethernet - Upload speeds are the same (maybe even a couple Mb/s lower) - I actually am starting to wonder if the speed change is largely up to me swapping the cable between modem and router - Signal strength readings actually don't seem much different at all from my old Nighthawk - I had to tweak channel bandwidth a bit. Also seems like the channels it's auto-selecting have more neighbors on them - I didn't notice any disconnects in bed last night, but will need more data - I ended up separating the 2.4 and 5 ghz networks for more control (and that's what I was used to from the older router) - The control GUI is much more responsive. Though, I intend to not open it much ever - Setup was basically plug and play. Though, I ended up having to do initial network configuration on mobile. The Ethernet connection to the router didn't work until after I completed that - Seems like a solid device so far, but I can't make that assessment until seeing how it does over time All in all, I was hoping the new tech was going to give a noticeable coverage improvement. It didn't based on signal strength, but I haven't experienced any disconnects upstairs yet. The router is definitely impressive performance-wise. It could handle even higher bandwidth for sure. I'll report back on quality over time. Honestly, in the back of my head, I wonder if I should've just grabbed another Nighthawk. I suspect I'd have the same speeds and I wonder about signal strength. I can see Ubiquiti being a nice direction for the future when I have the time and energy to put into it. But I don't think I'd see the value from it right now. And I'd probably want Ethernet wired for that anyway.

ASUS BE88U with Merlin software on a 1Gbps plan. Has worked very well apart from some older devices not liking the main network (wifi 7 etc) so I use the VLAN options to make separate networks that work better with these devices.

I would go with Ubiquiti if you're at least a little tech savvy. That's what I'd go with if I had a bigger budget, but I also don't feel confident enough to build myself. But I'm also happy with my Asus, so that one you have there would be a good choice also, IMO. If the firmware it comes with doesn't do what you want or it gets an update in the future that removes features, you can flash custom firmware to most Asus routers. Just google if it's compatible with Merlin or openWRT, most are I think. Edit: just noticed you had 3 Asus routers. Don't get the BE88U, you want triple-band.

If you don’t specifically need the 6ghz band the 88U or 86U are better on the 5ghz band which is where most performance devices will connect

Just bought the ASUS RT-BE88U WIFI 7 router,beyond outstanding!!! I am getting over 900MB on WIFI on a 1GB Ethernet connection and established a Mesh network using RP-BE58. Great software,frequent firmware updates and Best Buy offers excellent guarantees/warranties. Good luck!

Why not spring for a new ASUS WIFI 7 router? WIFI 7 is 2-3X faster than WIFI 6.

No really. I am seeing about a 80% increase in speed from WIFI6 to WIFI7.

Buy a ASUS WIFI 7 router and add a Mesh ASUS WIFI7 extender or 2. You can create a ASUS Mesh network, theoretically at 95% of Ethernet speed with modest ping. Cost thru Amazon or Best Buy should be under $400. Good luck!

I'm running rt-be88u... It's smooth and fast ..has like 8 ports Asus for the win!

**Title:** Loving the BE88U (and planning my Ubiquiti upgrade) I recently purchased the **ASUS BE88U** over the **BE92U** and paid the extra $100 for better stability, extra power, and the SFP port so I can run dual WAN ports at 10 GbE. Right now, only my Verizon service is running at 2.5 Gbps — and the crazy part is it actually clocks out on Speedtest at 2.5 Gbps up and down! I’m running **dual WAN in load-balance mode**, and I opted to install **Asuswrt-Merlin** firmware. I’ve also got a mesh setup using my old routers (AC88U and AX88U) — a great way to repurpose older gear. I couldn’t be happier with the BE88U. It’s fast, responsive, and stable. I was already familiar with the ASUS interface from my previous models, and this one never lags. It also handles dual WAN far better than the older units. This weekend, I’m going to turn the BE88U into a **mesh AP** and replace routing duties with a **Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber**, which has 2 × 10 GbE SFP+ WAN ports. If I love the BE88U so much, why switch? Simple — **Ubiquiti’s Uni software is next-level** and gets me deeper into their ecosystem. I also have a **Tuya Wi-Fi camera system and alarm**, but switching to Ubiquiti gear will let me do a lot more. Uni offers **geo-blocking, IPS add-ons, and better logging** if you install an NVMe drive in their UCG routers. I’m not sure if the Dream Router supports all of these, but the UCG line definitely does. I can also upgrade to **Uni cameras and smart door locks**, and since their routers can function as NVRs, I may skip a standalone recorder unless I add a lot of cameras. For Wi-Fi, they’ve got several **PoE access points under $200**, and I’m eyeing their new **Wi-Fi 7 outdoor APs**. Their smart light switches — with port colors that change based on VLAN — are super cool too. I also love that I can **manage everything from one place** using the Uni management suite. It’s a hybrid cloud model, so I can access and manage my network from anywhere. Don’t get me wrong — I **highly recommend the ASUS BE88U**, and I’ll keep using my ASUS mesh until I can afford the $500 or so for three Ubiquiti APs. Honestly, I’m a little annoyed that Ubiquiti is *that good*, because I just finished building an **OPNsense firewall** on a repurposed **Sophos SG210** with 4 × 10 GbE ports, 6 × 2.5 GbE ports, a Xeon E3 CPU, and 24 GB RAM. I might use that as a dedicated IPS to take some load off the UCG-Fiber — not sure yet. If you don’t need everything the Uni ecosystem offers, you’ll be super happy with the **BE88U**. And hey — you can always upgrade later like I plan to. **Dave’O** https://preview.redd.it/pimvddja0szf1.png?width=638&format=png&auto=webp&s=8337e20766f68f454a7261730ae88587a3b37d3b

You don’t need a 3 pack for that sq feet. Look at a 2 pack if you want mesh . Otherwise I prefer ASUS routers. Check out BE88u. It will probably be fine!