The Best ASUS Extendable Routers to Buy in 2023

Introduction

Choosing a WiFi router for your new home can be quite a complicated endeavour at times. If you’re like me, then finding a router that matches all of your prerequisites, offers a strong UI that is simple to use, and provides solid Cybersecurity support, is top priority. In our experience, routers from other known manufacturers such as Netgear, TP Link, Ubiquiti, and more can often complicate the installation process or not provide enough features that suit your needs, whilst also coming in at a price point that is easy to swallow.

ASUS routers have been a mainstay in the networking space for quite some time, and they have a vast range of options on offer for consumers looking to build an awesome WiFi network for gaming, for workstations, or just for general usage. We’ve partnered up with ASUS for this article to take a look at some of their best extendable mesh routers to buy right now. We’ll be discussing what the benefits of these routers are, some of the unique features, and we’ll also be delving into each router to see what’s on offer, and why they’re a good fit for your home!

What Are Extendable Routers?

A huge problem that I’m sure we’ve all experienced are WiFi Deadzones. You’re at home in bed trying to binge some TikTok, and then all of a sudden, the next video doesn’t load. You close the app, re-open it and nothing is loading. I hate it when this happens, and I’m sure you’re reading this knowing that you’ve been in a similar situation. This is down to the WiFi coverage of your router. The actual WiFi signal can be blocked or weakened by other electronic devices, distance, or even the walls in your house.

Solid Cybersecurity Practices

ASUS’ AiProtection leverages cybersecurity solutions from Trend Micro which is used to protect your network and any connected devices from malicious attacks. The routers are constantly updated with new firmware updates to ensure any zero days are avoided. Vulnerability protection involves a two-way intrusion prevention system to block common attacks with signatures such as a DDoS or a Ransomware attack.

User Friendly Setup and UI

Setting up ASUS routers is an incredibly simple process. You don’t need to have any experience with networking in order to get your new ASUS router up and running. When you open the box you’re immediately advised to download the app which will guide you through the setup process. Once this has been done, all of your monitoring and configuration are streamlined and can be accessed straight through the ASUS Router app. All of the Cybersecurity settings can also be accessed easily through this application.

Easily Connect New Devices

ASUS’ AiMesh system allows you to easily connect multiple routers and mesh products together to unify the network. These devices act as nodes throughout your network to provide more coverage and stronger connectivity eliminating any dead zones. This means you can easily move from one location in your house to another without losing connection. Gone are the days of having to switch from your main router to your range extender. The single network name and password that AiMesh uses simplifies the user experience by allowing you to connect to any node without the need for multiple passwords.

Excellent Gaming Experience

ASUS extendable routers are designed to provide a seamless roaming experience for mobile gaming. If you’re a smartphone gamer, you can utilise the one-clock mobile game mode providing improved ping and minimal lag in your favourite games. For PC and console games, the gaming routers optimise game traffic ensuring you’re not ‘rubber banding’ or taking ages to get into a lobby.

The RT-AX56U is a dual band WiFi 6 router that supports MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology. These technologies increases the capacity and efficiency of your router, allowing more devices to connect and receive the data they’ve requested. Traditional routers tend to struggle with this at times, as there might not be enough bandwidth for all of the devices you have in your home. MU-MIMO and OFDMA kicks common WiFi issues to the curb by providing stronger connectivity even if you have numerous devices connected.

Next up is another dual band WiFi 6 option with strong security and browsing features, along with excellent speeds ideal for those that need the most bandwidth and high data transmission. On the security front, the AX59U is equipped with ASUS‘ renowned AiProtection Pro, which automatically updates and keeps your network safe from threats. The ASUS Router app allows you to turn on safe browsing, turning off ads and any malicious content. The in-built parental controls also allows you to easily configure internet scheduling, along with filters for websites too.

For our third option, we’ve picked out the TUF Gaming AX4200. This router is another dual band WiFi 6 router, with gaming at the forefront of the design. This particular router features the signature TUF branding with four antennae that offer the sleek black and yellow colouring on them, which provides a nice aesthetic. Looking at speeds, much like the aforementioned RT-AX59U this router also offers up to 4200Mbps speeds with improved efficiency using OFDMA, and MU-MIMO technologies. You’ve also got access to multi-gigabit wired speeds with 2 gigabit LAN connections.

Next up is the AX3000 RT-AX58U, a slightly cheaper and slower design that sports an excellent set of features. We’re yet again seeing dual band WiFi 6 capabilities, with MU-MIMO and OFDMA to improve capacity and efficiency across the board. This router also offers strong cybersecurity and privacy by utilising ASUS’ AiProtection Pro. This router is designed to handle a large number of devices due to the increased bandwidth, so we’d steer consumers the majority of consumers with a family that has multiple different electronics to pick up the RT-AX58U.

For our penultimate selection, we’ve picked out the RT-AX88U Pro, a top-end option designed to handle multiple devices whilst providing incredible speeds. This extendable router is equipped with a 2GHz quad-core 64-bit CPU designed to handle the most demanding network traffic. Consumers can expect lightning fast data transfers optimising your experience for gaming, or for workstation-based tasks. This router is equipped with dual 2.5 Gigabit ethernet ports that support link aggregation and load balancing, providing you massive bandwidth for connected devices.

Finalising this roundup, we’ve picked up the RT-AXE7800 router, the only WiFi 6E design in this buyers guide. This particular model is a tri-band design that provides users with an entirely new 6GHz WiFi band. This band significantly increases network capacity, whilst also delivering stronger WiFi performance and more stability with speeds up to 7800Mbps. On top of this, the AXE7800 also offers low latency, less interference, and near-instant connectivity for any WiFi 6E compatible devices.