Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8): Test of the WLAN mesh system
Fast WiFi is all well and good, but clever functions are just as important, especially in large households with many devices. Manufacturers of routers and repeaters have also recognized this: They summarize the useful technologies under the catchy term “WLAN mesh”. Mesh functions ensure a uniform network and always connect devices optimally. However, this only works if both the router and the repeater come from the same manufacturer. If you use a FritzBox, it is best to expand the home network with a FritzRepeater, the Telekom Speedport Smart 4 is an ideal addition to the Speed Home WLAN. Some companies offer routers and repeaters with mesh functions in a set – as so-called mesh systems. The Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) with fast Wifi 6 (WLAN-ax) also belongs to this category. Does it convince in the test?
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AVM
Details about the test
Per
Fast WiFi
Long range
against
Slightly high power consumption
telecom
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Per
Very high speed
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No third WLAN radio unit
AVM
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Per
High speed at 5 gigahertz
Clever WLAN optimization
against
Speed at 2.4 gigahertz “only” solid
AVM
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Fast WiFi
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Requires dedicated space to set up
AVM
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Per
Very fast wifi ac
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WLAN-n does not keep up with ac
Netgear
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Per
Three frequency ranges
Four LAN ports
against
weaknesses in reception
Very large case
TP link
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Extremely fast
Easy setup
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Few clever functions
No wireless guest network
telecom
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Per
Clever WLAN functions (incl. Mesh)
Very fast wifi ac
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Lame WLAN-n
No guest network
AVM
Details about the test
Per
Good WiFi performance
Easy setup and operation
against
LEDs do not show connection to the router in detail
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Complete List: The Best WiFi Repeaters
Asus ZenWiFi AX in the test: versatile
Asus ZenWiFi AX offers various operating modes for various purposes: router, repeater, access point and media bridge. COMPUTER BILD tested the devices as repeaters and set them up as a mesh system. Here, an Asus device is configured as a router, it ends up connected to the existing modem (router) via a LAN cable, since it does not have its own modem. Additional ZenWiFis connect to the first one via WiFi in repeater mode and pass on the data – thus ensuring a broad WiFi network in the house. With its mesh functions, the Asus network automatically connects devices such as mobile phones and laptops to the nearest access point (access point steering) in the fastest WLAN frequency (band steering). The ZenWiFi AX radio operators also set up a mesh network together with other Asus devices, provided they are marked with “AiMesh”. The WLAN of a newer Asus router can also be expanded with a single ZenWiFi.
Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) in review: Equipment
Asus ZenWiFi AX masters the new WLAN standard Wifi 6 and has three WLAN radio units. The first unit is used to connect the ZenWiFis to each other, it uses the 5 gigahertz frequency and theoretically achieves up to 4,804 megabits per second (Mbps). The other two radio units are available for devices: a 5 gigahertz unit with up to 1,201 Mbps and a 2.4 gigahertz unit with up to 574 Mbps. Smartphones & Co. must also have Wifi 6 on the box in order to establish a connection to the Asus network in the standard. Otherwise, the ZenWiFis devices also connect in the older Wifi 4 (WLAN-n) and Wifi 5 (WLAN-ac) standards.
Each of the Asus radio operators has three LAN ports with Gigabit speed (1,000 Mbps) and a WAN port with 2,500 Mbps for the connection to the modem (router). There is also a USB port for storage media – the files on it can be shared in the network. The power consumption of 7.2 watts per ZenWiFi is comparatively low. If desired, users activate a WLAN guest network.
Among other things, each ZenWiFi AX has three LAN ports.
Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8): WLAN speed in the test
COMPUTER BILD records the WLAN speed of repeaters for a PC network card with Wifi 6 (TP-Link TX3000E with two antennas) and for a card with the older Wifi 4 and 5 standards (Asus PCE-AC88 with four antennas). There are four measuring points with increasing distance between the repeater and the test PC, at which the transmission and reception power is determined. In the practical measurement, the repeaters also have to bridge a long distance between the router and the test PC.
The ZenWiFis averaged up to 895 Mbps when sending and 847 Mbps when receiving at the 5 gigahertz frequency – a good result. The enormous range is particularly noteworthy: Compared to many competitors, the speed at 5 gigahertz decreased less as the distance between the repeater and the test PC increased. At the last measuring point, it was even 457 Mbps – the test winner AVM FritzRepeater 6000 “only” managed 224 Mbps here. The Asus devices were also able to score in the practical measurement: Here they reached up to 489 Mbps. In the 2.4 gigahertz frequency band, they showed a decent maximum speed of 421 Mbps, but were not convincing in terms of range.
Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) in review: conclusion
The mesh system Asus ZenWiFi AX masters the new WiFi 6 and has a lot of power thanks to three WiFi radio units. In the 5 gigahertz band, the speed and range were top, at 2.4 gigahertz the ZenWiFis showed weaknesses. With their clever mesh functions, they always optimally connect devices in the Asus network.
Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8): price and release date
Asus ZenWiFi AX is already commercially available. The set of two currently costs from 395 euros, a single ZenWiFi costs 219 euros (all prices as of February 22, 2022). The devices are available in black and white.
