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expiredphoinix | Staff posted May 26, 2025 07:09 AM

ASUS RT-AX86U Pro Wi-Fi 6 AX5700 Dual Band Gaming Router w/ AiMesh

$170

$200

15% off
+ Free Shipping at Amazon
46 Comments
23K Views
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Deal Details
Amazon has ASUS RT-AX86U Pro Wi-Fi 6 AX5700 Dual Band Gaming Router w/ AiMesh on sale for $169.99. Shipping is free.

Asus has ASUS RT-AX86U Pro Wi-Fi 6 AX5700 Dual Band Gaming Router w/ AiMesh on sale for $169.99. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Deal Hunter phoinix for sharing this deal.

Features:
  • Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
  • Up to 5665 Mb/s Throughput
  • 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz (Dual-Band)
  • 3 x External / 1 x Internal Antenna
  • 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN Ports
  • 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN Port
  • 1 x 2.5G Ethernet LAN/WAWN Port
  • Link Aggregation Support
  • AiProtection Pro, Instant Guard & VPN
  • Works with ASUS Router App

Editor's Notes

Written by powerfuldoppler | Staff

Original Post

Written by phoinix | Staff
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Amazon has ASUS RT-AX86U Pro Wi-Fi 6 AX5700 Dual Band Gaming Router w/ AiMesh on sale for $169.99. Shipping is free.

Asus has ASUS RT-AX86U Pro Wi-Fi 6 AX5700 Dual Band Gaming Router w/ AiMesh on sale for $169.99. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Deal Hunter phoinix for sharing this deal.

Features:
  • Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
  • Up to 5665 Mb/s Throughput
  • 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz (Dual-Band)
  • 3 x External / 1 x Internal Antenna
  • 4 x Gigabit Ethernet LAN Ports
  • 1 x Gigabit Ethernet WAN Port
  • 1 x 2.5G Ethernet LAN/WAWN Port
  • Link Aggregation Support
  • AiProtection Pro, Instant Guard & VPN
  • Works with ASUS Router App

Editor's Notes

Written by powerfuldoppler | Staff

Original Post

Written by phoinix | Staff

Community Voting

Deal Score
+47
Good Deal
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Top Comments

munkle
1948 Posts
335 Reputation
I have this router and it's pretty good but I'm not sure I'd recommend spending $170 on it now as this is outdated out of the box. You can get a rt-be92 for $220. Sure it's $50 more but it's not outdated out of the box, Wi-Fi 7 is supported in most new phones now and good chunk of laptops, and it's got 2.5g ports all around instead of just one, and you get 6ghz support as well.
Meowmixes98
1524 Posts
71 Reputation
I have this router and it is spectacular.
shadowx360
685 Posts
206 Reputation
The range on this is a night and day upgrade over the AC68U from T-Mobile if you ever need more coverage. AI Mesh is also a lot more stable.


You explicitly have to go in and enable cloud functions like management via an app if you are interested in using them. Otherwise cloud features are disabled by default. But I find the ASUS app management very useful for fixing internet problems for family members because I don't have to drive over to restart or update the router or change their router settings. I just connect their router to my account during setup and use the app to fix their issues.


Feature-wise, that TP-Link is several leagues above this but TP-Link has a very spotty history with updates. They sell you the latest and greatest for cheap and then move on. Eventually updates may trickle down to older models but even security updates take a long long time to arrive, and they stop sending out updates very quickly. The TP-Link AXE7800/AXE95 you linked is only guaranteed to get updates through September 2026 [tp-link.com] (TP-Link does not disclose update support period for the North American market but is required by law to disclose it for Singapore. Hard to imagine they would update it for North America much longer than that). TP-Link also plays games by saying they will support products for X number of years after they stop selling them, so they just release a new revision number with pretty much the exact same hardware after a year or so, so the old model is no longer being sold and thus no longer counted for support. Asus is something you buy once and use it for 10 years. For example, one of the posters here said they're still using the AC68U, which was released in 2013. Asus finally stopped providing updates for it last year, in 2024. In the end, Asus ends up being cheaper for me to own because I don't have to buy a new router every 3 years just to get security updates. I still have an AC86U from 2018 that is still getting regular updates.

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46 Comments

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May 26, 2025 01:08 PM
1,524 Posts
Joined Jul 2007
Meowmixes98May 26, 2025 01:08 PM
1,524 Posts
I have this router and it is spectacular.
1
May 26, 2025 03:45 PM
86 Posts
Joined Nov 2015
dafishiMay 26, 2025 03:45 PM
86 Posts
I think this is about the sale price for this router. Usually be around this price a few times a year. I've had this router for about a year. Been good so far.
May 26, 2025 04:10 PM
7 Posts
Joined Jul 2016
fugeelamaMay 26, 2025 04:10 PM
7 Posts
Same price at Newegg and directly from ASUS.
May 26, 2025 04:53 PM
37 Posts
Joined Dec 2013
byonikMay 26, 2025 04:53 PM
37 Posts
I have this router as well as an RT-AX88U Pro. I use the AX86U as my router and I use the AX88U as my AI Mesh AP with a 2.5Gb wired backhaul. They both work great, but the RT-AX86U Pro is a little faster for some reason. I have Xfinity with 1200Mb/s service, and I get full line speed from my AX86U @160MHz channel width to my iPhone one room away from the router. Great router.
1
May 26, 2025 05:27 PM
17 Posts
Joined Nov 2017
Quyle85May 26, 2025 05:27 PM
17 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Quyle85

Its a good router. After 4 1/2 years i upgraded to their next iteration which was the BE86U. The ventilation on that shouldve been the same on this. This one its at an angle, while the BE86U had it along the flat bottom.

I dont understand why manufacturers do not run cooling fans for the modem/routers and think that a heat sink would just be enough.

I highly recommend using usb fans like from ac infinity on your equipment.
2
May 26, 2025 05:28 PM
181 Posts
Joined Feb 2013
davejfr0May 26, 2025 05:28 PM
181 Posts
I've had this one for a few years using asus firmware. I'd still get this if it's an upgrade to someone's existing wifi capabilities.Works well minus the few times the 2.4Ghz went out and required me to physically reboot the router.
May 26, 2025 05:40 PM
3,999 Posts
Joined Dec 2008
konoplyaMay 26, 2025 05:40 PM
3,999 Posts
I've had this for almost 2 years, so far so good. No issues. Do you guys recommend switching to Merlin firmware or stay with stock?
1

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May 26, 2025 06:04 PM
703 Posts
Joined Oct 2004
FireWalker877May 26, 2025 06:04 PM
703 Posts
Quote from konoplya :
I've had this for almost 2 years, so far so good. No issues. Do you guys recommend switching to Merlin firmware or stay with stock?
Merlin has been great for me!
May 26, 2025 06:05 PM
644 Posts
Joined May 2006
RcketScientistMay 26, 2025 06:05 PM
644 Posts
Quote from konoplya :
I've had this for almost 2 years, so far so good. No issues. Do you guys recommend switching to Merlin firmware or stay with stock?
If you dont know why you're switching to merlin, then nope. It's primarily the same exact firmware with some more advanced features exposed.
1
May 26, 2025 06:08 PM
3,999 Posts
Joined Dec 2008
konoplyaMay 26, 2025 06:08 PM
3,999 Posts
Quote from RcketScientist :
If you dont know why you're switching to merlin, then nope. It's primarily the same exact firmware with some more advanced features exposed.
I've had Merlin on my old tmobile branded Asus router, but i had to do that to get it off tmo firmware
May 26, 2025 06:16 PM
644 Posts
Joined May 2006
RcketScientistMay 26, 2025 06:16 PM
644 Posts
Quote from konoplya :
I've had Merlin on my old tmobile branded Asus router, but i had to do that to get it off tmo firmware
Yah, im still running one of those...and the crippled tmo firmware had to go. But the router itself has obviously lasted forever.

But for most folks merlin doesn't add anything and complicates keeping it updated.
May 26, 2025 06:18 PM
3,999 Posts
Joined Dec 2008
konoplyaMay 26, 2025 06:18 PM
3,999 Posts
Quote from RcketScientist :
Yah, im still running one of those...and the crippled tmo firmware had to go. But the router itself has obviously lasted forever.

But for most folks merlin doesn't add anything and complicates keeping it updated.
Gotcha. Thanks for the insight
May 26, 2025 06:46 PM
12,664 Posts
Joined Nov 2010
PeteyTheStrikerMay 26, 2025 06:46 PM
12,664 Posts
Great router but its getting long in the tooth now, especially with dual band wifi 7 now able to be had for around $140.....
6
May 26, 2025 07:30 PM
140 Posts
Joined Nov 2010
macnbcMay 26, 2025 07:30 PM
140 Posts
Quote from konoplya :
I've had this for almost 2 years, so far so good. No issues. Do you guys recommend switching to Merlin firmware or stay with stock?
I tried staying with stock but for some reason IPv6 wouldn't work on my Verizon connection on stock, so I switched to Merlin and everything's been great since.

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May 26, 2025 08:47 PM
5,924 Posts
Joined Dec 2008
bluetrepMay 26, 2025 08:47 PM
5,924 Posts
Still running $30 t mobile branded Asus router a/c. no reason to upgrade it since my internet is only 500Mbps
3

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