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2-Pack Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (White) $151.89 + Free Shipping
$152
$330
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Amazon [amazon.com] has 2-Pack Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (White) for $151.89. Shipping is free.
Product Description from Amazon:
Now $154.43
Product Description from Amazon:
- Banish WiFi Dead Zone—Tri-band mesh WiFi system with unique antenna placement delivers strong WiFi to every corner of your home providing total wireless speed of 6600Mbps
- Next-Gen Wi-Fi 6 Technology— With OFDMA and MU-MIMO ZenWiFi AX enables more efficient stable and faster transmission even when multiple devices are transmitting data at the same time
- Hassle Free Control – 3 steps setup and easy management with ASUS Router App
- Always Up-to-date Protection— The lifetime free network security powered by Trend Micro makes sure your privacy on connected devices is protected
- AiMesh Supported– Mix and match ZenWiFi with AiMesh-compatible routers to form powerful and flexible whole-home WiFi system
Now $154.43
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Amazon [amazon.com] has 2-Pack Asus ZenWiFi AX6600 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (White) for $151.89. Shipping is free.
Product Description from Amazon:
Now $154.43
Product Description from Amazon:
- Banish WiFi Dead Zone—Tri-band mesh WiFi system with unique antenna placement delivers strong WiFi to every corner of your home providing total wireless speed of 6600Mbps
- Next-Gen Wi-Fi 6 Technology— With OFDMA and MU-MIMO ZenWiFi AX enables more efficient stable and faster transmission even when multiple devices are transmitting data at the same time
- Hassle Free Control – 3 steps setup and easy management with ASUS Router App
- Always Up-to-date Protection— The lifetime free network security powered by Trend Micro makes sure your privacy on connected devices is protected
- AiMesh Supported– Mix and match ZenWiFi with AiMesh-compatible routers to form powerful and flexible whole-home WiFi system
Now $154.43
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Community Reviews
The ZenWiFi XT8 is a tri band mesh system that stands out for wireless backhaul, especially when nodes are separated by walls or floors. Its dedicated second 5 gigahertz band keeps mesh traffic off the client band, which should hold up better than 6 gigahertz in longer or obstructed runs. That makes it a stronger fit for wireless mesh than ET9 in tougher layouts, while wired backhaul removes most of the range concern. Merlin firmware is available for XT8 V1, and the main caution is that used units should be tested carefully.
Homes using wireless backhaul across floors or walls, because the dedicated 5GHz backhaul keeps mesh traffic off the client band and holds range better than 6GHz.
Households with 6GHz devices in the same room or behind one thin wall, because 6GHz can deliver very high speeds when obstructions are minimal.
Buyers comparing mesh options for a wired backhaul setup, because ethernet removes wireless backhaul range from the equation.
People building a purpose-made mesh system, because the nodes use a dedicated second 5GHz channel that preserves the first 5GHz band for client traffic.
Homes that need wireless mesh links through multiple walls, because 6GHz speed drops sharply when it hits obstructions and range is weaker than 5GHz.
People expecting strong 6GHz backhaul in a separated-node layout, because shared 6GHz backhaul can slow down when 6GHz clients are active.
Shoppers wanting a plug-and-play mesh upgrade without testing their layout, because placement, building materials, and setup can make the system perform poorly.
Used-networking buyers who cannot verify condition before paying, because secondhand units carry enough risk that they should be tested and discounted accordingly.
Common Questions (4)
AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago
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How to decide which to get: If the mesh nodes will be relatively close to each other OR you could use wired backhaul (connect them with ethernet), the ET9 is a good choice. Otherwise, if you must use wireless backhaul and the nodes will be relatively further apart (and you'd need to use wireless backhaul), the 5ghz band is better and the XT8 is the solid pick. Another bonus for the XT8 is the 2nd 5ghz band is reserved exclusively for wireless mesh traffic. Whereas on the ET9 the 6ghz mesh backhaul band is also shared with 6ghz clients.
Good luck and enjoy!
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How to decide which to get: If the mesh nodes will be relatively close to each other OR you could use wired backhaul (connect them with ethernet), the ET9 is a good choice. Otherwise, if you must use wireless backhaul and the nodes will be relatively further apart (and you'd need to use wireless backhaul), the 5ghz band is better and the XT8 is the solid pick. Another bonus for the XT8 is the 2nd 5ghz band is reserved exclusively for wireless mesh traffic. Whereas on the ET9 the 6ghz mesh backhaul band is also shared with 6ghz clients.
Good luck and enjoy!
They both have 5Ghz and 6Ghz, so why the difference you mention?
If I'm placing them on different floors, would the XT8 be better?
How are these any better than using a regular ASUS router in a Mesh setup? Like an RT-AX88U. I'm currently using an old RT-AC86U which actually works fine though I'm sure I could benefit from faster speed. It's just one router on the lower floor of a two-floor house. My wife and I both work from home, with her on VOIP calls and me on Teams video calls (while doing other things on the PC) all at the same time, and the AC86 never hickups.Though soon I'm going to need WIFI in a farther away room upstairs, so might need Mesh.
They both have 5Ghz and 6Ghz, so why the difference you mention?
If I'm placing them on different floors, would the XT8 be better?
How are these any better than using a regular ASUS router in a Mesh setup? Like an RT-AX88U. I'm currently using an old RT-AC86U which actually works fine though I'm sure I could benefit from faster speed. It's just one router on the lower floor of a two-floor house. My wife and I both work from home, with her on VOIP calls and me on Teams video calls (while doing other things on the PC) all at the same time, and the AC86 never hickups.Though soon I'm going to need WIFI in a farther away room upstairs, so might need Mesh.
The 6ghz band does not have very much range. 5ghz has further range than 6ghz. So if the mesh nodes will be further apart, a system that uses 5ghz band for wireless backhaul (such as XT8) would be better than a system that uses 6ghz band for wireless backhaul (ET9).
If you're placing mesh nodes on different floors, which indicates there is at least one wall/floor between units, yes, I would recommend the XT8 over the ET9 (if using wireless backhaul). If you are connecting units via ethernet (wired backhaul), you could use either XT8 or ET9 as ethernet would be used for backhaul, not wireless. So wireless backhaul range is not a factor when using ethernet backhaul.
The XT8 and ET9 are examples of ASUS routers that have been purposefully built and designed to be used as part of a mesh system. For example all XT8 nodes will use a specific method to communicate mesh traffic wireslessly if using wireless backhaul (the 2nd 5ghz backhaul channel). This preserves the 1st 5ghz band for client use, so client speeds are improved.
Routers like the RT-AX88U are designed primarily as single-unit routers, with the added bonus of being able to operate as a mesh router or node (they are generally marketed as an "AiMesh extensible router" if they may be added to an ASUS AiMesh system). Mixing and matching AiMesh extensible routers can produce a functional mesh system but it may not work optimally. For more details on this see: https://dongknows.com/tips-and-ru...esh-combo/
If your current router/setup works for you, no need to upgrade. But it may be worth considering upgrading if (1) you are no longer receiving router/firmware updates from ASUS; (2) you are not receiving sufficient speed wirelessly when using your router; (3) clients disconnect or client slowdowns are observed. Hope that helps.
The 6ghz band does not have very much range. 5ghz has further range than 6ghz. So if the mesh nodes will be further apart, a system that uses 5ghz band for wireless backhaul (such as XT8) would be better than a system that uses 6ghz band for wireless backhaul (ET9).
If you're placing mesh nodes on different floors, which indicates there is at least one wall/floor between units, yes, I would recommend the XT8 over the ET9 (if using wireless backhaul). If you are connecting units via ethernet (wired backhaul), you could use either XT8 or ET9 as ethernet would be used for backhaul, not wireless. So wireless backhaul range is not a factor when using ethernet backhaul.
The XT8 and ET9 are examples of ASUS routers that have been purposefully built and designed to be used as part of a mesh system. For example all XT8 nodes will use a specific method to communicate mesh traffic wireslessly if using wireless backhaul (the 2nd 5ghz backhaul channel). This preserves the 1st 5ghz band for client use, so client speeds are improved.
Routers like the RT-AX88U are designed primarily as single-unit routers, with the added bonus of being able to operate as a mesh router or node (they are generally marketed as an "AiMesh extensible router" if they may be added to an ASUS AiMesh system). Mixing and matching AiMesh extensible routers can produce a functional mesh system but it may not work optimally. For more details on this see: https://dongknows.com/tips-and-ru...esh-combo/
If your current router/setup works for you, no need to upgrade. But it may be worth considering upgrading if (1) you are no longer receiving router/firmware updates from ASUS; (2) you are not receiving sufficient speed wirelessly when using your router; (3) clients disconnect or client slowdowns are observed. Hope that helps.
XT8 seems like a good option for me for Mesh then. If I don't end up needed Mesh, an AX88 is the same speed as as the XT8.
https://www.asus.com/us/networkin.../techspec/
https://www.asus.com/us/networkin.../techspec/
FYI, if I went with the RT-AX88U, I would buy another RT-AX88U if I ended up needing Mesh.
XT8 seems like a good option for me for Mesh then. If I don't end up needed Mesh, an AX88 is the same speed as as the XT8.
https://www.asus.com/us/networkin.../techspec/ [asus.com]
https://www.asus.com/us/networkin.../techspec/ [asus.com]
FYI, if I went with the RT-AX88U, I would buy another RT-AX88U if I ended up needing Mesh.
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