This tri-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz) router has been providing reliable Wi-Fi to my whole house for the past few weeks. Video calls, movie streaming, and game play are smooth as silk. Stability is solid, with a single firmware update taking a few minutes being the only downtime so far. The RT-AXE7800 beat most competitors in terms of speed and latency at close range on both the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands, and delivered respectable results at longer distances. Performance on the 2.4 GHz band is average.
Range is a weak point of the 6 GHz band, as Wi-Fi 6E has limited capacity, it tends to drop sharply when there are walls and other obstacles. But even with those limitations, the Asus RT-AXE7800 matches or bests most of the other 6E Wi-Fi routers I’ve tested, including mesh systems like the Nest Wifi Pro (7/10, Recommend wired) And Wyze Pro . Mesh Router. It best matches the performance of the more expensive Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 (7/10, WIRED recommends).
One weakness I found in the Asus RT-AXE7800 was the file transfer speed, a test where I copied a 2.2GB file from one PC to another on the network. It consistently took over four minutes to complete this transfer, which is slightly below average. The last system I tested, Eero Pro 6Eaverage is one minute and 14 seconds.
Cost control
Have a lot of consider when buying a router, so let’s find out who the Asus RT-AXE7800 is for. Mesh systems can be appealing, but a single router often makes more sense for those with modest assets. The RT-AXE7800 delivered faster speeds on most of my 1,600 square foot home than most grid systems I tested. It can’t compete in range, but I have to go into my backyard to feel it.
While Supports Wi-Fi 6E should only tempt you if you have devices capable of connecting on that 6 GHz band, it can come in very handy if you live in a congested area. In smaller homes or apartment complexes where your neighbors’ routers can cause interference, connecting on that 6 GHz band can provide huge leaps in speed and stability. determined. If you work from home with a Wi-Fi 6E-enabled laptop or phone and sit close to the router (ideally in the same room), the Asus RT-AXE7800 is worth buying.
Too many routers and mesh systems these days require expensive subscriptions if you want parental control or network security. The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 is a prime example, costing $170 a year to get both. Asus offers tight parental controls, allowing you to schedule downtime, filter inappropriate content, and block specific activities. There is also AiProtection Pro powered by Trend Micro to provide comprehensive security, including firewall, security scanning, intrusion prevention, malicious website blocking, etc. Asus offers both for free in for the life of your RT-AXE7800 router, which is great.
If you have a larger property, you might like something from us The best mesh Wi-Fi router tutorial, although it’s worth noting that AiMesh support here makes it easy to connect Asus routers to form a mesh. If you take this route and use the RT-AXE7800 as your primary router, then you should use a wired backbone because you don’t want your 5 GHz band routers to connect to each other.
Those who want to wait a little longer for Wi-Fi 7 should consider a cheaper Wi-Fi 6 stop from us The best Wi-Fi router instruct. While the RT-AXE7800 is quite expensive, it does the job well, offering more than similarly priced Wi-Fi 6E alternatives and with no hidden fees.
