| Linksys WRT1900AC | ASUS RT-AC68U | NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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| WiFi Performance | AC1900 WiFi (600 + 1300 Mbps) | AC1900 WiFi (600 + 1300 Mbps) | AC1900 WiFi (600 + 1300 Mbps) |
| WiFi Band | 2.4GHz & 5GHz | 2.4GHz & 5GHz | 2.4GHz & 5GHz |
| Ethernet Ports | 4 Gigabit LAN port 1 Gigabit WAN port |
4 Gigabit LAN port 1 Gigabit WAN port |
4 Gigabit LAN port 1 Gigabit WAN port |
| USB Ports | 1 USB 3.0 port 1 eSATA/USB 2.0 port |
1 USB 2.0 port 1 USB 3.0 port |
2 USB ports 1 USB 2.0 port 1 USB 3.0 port |
| Processor | 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM-based | Dual Core Arm Cortex A9 clocked at 800MHz | 1GHz dual-core |
| RAM | 256MB DDR3 | 256MB DDR3 | 256 MB |
| Flash Memory | 128MB | 128MB | 128 MB |
| MSRP | $249.99 | $199.99 | $199.99 |
Asus RT-AC68U provides dual WAN support, so a user can connect to two broadband links simultaneously. This feature can be used to balance load across two broadband connections or to provide backup in case one of the connections drops. This feature will come in handy for business use. The same functionality can also be derived from a 3G/4G USB dongle that may be plugged into one of the two USB ports.
The RT-AC86U offers a USB3.0 and a USB2.0 port that can be connected to a printer and a USB storage device at the same time. The router’s VPN (virtual private network) server allows you to establish an encrypted connection to your private network across the Internet. It also offers a Download Master software that can be used to download files to a connected USB storage device via file sharing services, such as BitTorrent or FTP.
Guest networking is a common feature in modern routers. Through this feature, you can allow users to connect to the Internet without accessing other devices on your network. The Asus RT-AC86U goes a step further and allows you to choose the level of access you wish to grant to users on each of its six wireless networks. Three of these networks are on the 2.4GHz frequency band whereas the other three on the 5GHz band. As such, you can grant full access to some users on the network, limit access to a few resources to other users, and restrict still a few users to Internet connectivity.
Another alluring feature is the AiCloud that constitutes four different elements: Smart Access, Router to Router Sync, Smart Sync and Cloud Disk. Smart Access allows you to access resources on your home network from an Android, iOS or PC device that is connected to the Internet. Router to Router Sync allows you to synchronize data across storage devices connected to two routers that are AiCloud-compatible. Smart Sync enables you to sync designated folders on a USB storage device connected to the router with Asus WebStorage account. Asus WebStorage offers up to 5GB of cloud storage for free. The synced data can be accessed from any desktop or mobile device connected to the Internet. Cloud Disk allows you to access data on an attached USB storage device from any device connected to the Internet.
The RT-AC86U is powered by Broadcom’s TurboQAM technology that yields up to 600 mbps of bandwidth on 2.4GHZ band, which is notably higher than the 450mbps-average yielded by most other advanced routers. It doesn’t suffer disconnectivity issues either. Impressive performance, attractive casing, and customizable software features and options make it one of the most prominent routers. The RT-AC86U sets a new milestone for wireless routers. Apart from impressive Wi-Fi coverage, it also delivers fast wired speed. The router is suitable for use as a home server for data sharing and media streaming. Other unique features, such as dual-WAN and built in VPN as well as advanced networking tools make the Asus RT-86U a good choice for a business router.
