Everything you need to know about the Asus Zenwifi AX XT8 [A Review]

Using the internet feels safe when you are able to protect your devices from network viruses and preventing your kids from access to malicious sites and adult content. The Asus AX XT8 has been designed to do this for you as you enjoy your network experience. Let at take a look at its optimized features and analyze its performance.

My peaceful point is heightened when I know that my children are able to make use of the internet without having to come across malicious websites and adult content that would brainwash them along the way. Having this in mind, I found myself installing the Asus AX XT8 in my home. I am impressed by its performance and it allows me to control and manage my home network, monitor the devices connected to my network and also allows me to fix minor bugs on my router.

Asus Zenwifi AX XT8 Review and Breakdown

ASUS ZenWiFi AX6600 Tri-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System (XT8 2PK) - Whole Home Coverage up to 5500 sq.ft & 6+ rooms, AiMesh, Included Lifetime Internet Security, Easy Setup, 3 SSID, Parental Control, White

• Maximum Range : 5500 Sq Ft
• Banish WiFi Dead Zone—Tri-band mesh WiFi system with unique antenna placement delivers strong WiFi to...

Check Price

The Asus AX XT8 is an AX6600 mesh router that has been designed to give you a secure, stable and seamless wireless connection all over your home. It covers a range of up to 5,500 square feet which works efficiently in homes with 6 or mode bedrooms. It is a tri-band router with bandwidth speeds of up to 6.6 Gbps and gives you a lifetime subscription to network security and parental controls that is free.

It supports Wi-Fi 6 technology and is optimized with OFDMA, MU-MIMO and Beamforming technology which allows for faster transmission and a stable network when multiple devices are using your home network simultaneously. Through the Asus Router app, you can easily install your router and the privacy of your connected devices is assured because it is powered by Trend Micro.

Aside from that, it supports Aimesh which allows you to mix and match your Asus AX XT8 with others that are compatible with it so you don’t have to always replace your router when you want to upgrade your network.

What we liked;

• Fast throughput speeds and stable internet
• Easy to install
• It comes with a multi-gig network port
• It detects infections on your device and protects your network

What we didn’t like;

• You cannot access the advanced settings on the mobile app
• It only comes in pairs which may be a disadvantage when you need one additional unit

View Price on Amazon

Asus ZenWifi AX XT8 Specifications

Asus ZenWifi AX XT8 Features

Design and Structure

The Asus AX XT8 router system comes in two colors; either black or white. It is featured with two identical nodes that have a flattened top and a cylindrical middle part. Each node has its size dimensions at 6.3 x 5.2 x 2.9 inches. Towards the sides of each node, there is some grill effect where the air ventilation channels are located so that it can prevent overheating. Its normal operating temperatures are between 0 and 35 degrees Celsius and you should strive to keep it at this rate so that you don’t get connectivity failures associated with overheating.

At the front of each node, there is a small LED light that turns blue when you power it on. The LED light is also useful in communicating the status of your internet connection. When it turns white it shows that there is a strong wireless signal and it is working perfectly fine. When it turns yellow, it indicates that the signal is too weak and m cause connection problems to your devices. When it turns red, it shows that there is no signal completely or it has been lost.

At the back of each node, there is a USB 3.1 port for added external storage, a 2.5 G LAN port and three Gigabit Ethernet ports for your wired connections. Also, there is a power switch and a reset button at the back of the mesh system. You are able to use the second 5GHz band or the LAN port as an Ethernet backhaul.

Speed and Performance

The Asus AX XT8 system has been optimized to use the 802.1 1 ax technology which is among the latest wireless technologies in the networking market. It is a tri-band mesh system which has throughput speeds of up to 6600 Mbps. Its bandwidth speed has been distributed as 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band, 1200 Mbps on the first 5 GHz band and 4800 Mbps on the second 5 GHz band. Each node of the Asus AX XT8 router is comprised of six internal antennas that help with network coverage and optimizes its performance.

Its 1024 QAM technology which strengthens communication in the radio channels gives you optimal network performance and reduces wireless interferences. It is also featured with Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology which helps maintain data transfer rates in each of your devices no matter how heavy the load is on your connection log. Apart from that, its MU-MIMO technology allows for simultaneous data streaming while its beamforming technology focuses the signal directly to your connected devices. Its 80/160 MHz bandwidth allows you to enjoy higher throughput speeds on your devices when they are in your overloaded connection log and it boosts the battery life of your devices because of its power efficiency.

Range and Capacity

The Asus AX XT8 has been designed to give your home Wi-Fi coverage over a range of about 5,500 square feet maximum. Each node has the ability of covering a maximum range of 2,750 square feet. A distance beyond this may affect your network and give you connectivity issues such as dropping Wi-Fi signals and lost network connections.

For excellent performance, the Asus AX XT8 is powered by a 1.5 GHz quad-core central processing unit. Its storage capacity is backed up by 512 MB of RAM and 256 MB of flash memory.

Security and Network Control

The Asus AX XT8 system comes with anti-malware software and parental control settings in its Asus AllProtection Pro. This simply scans through the data on your network and then it blocks any potential threats to your internet such as password hacks and denial of services. It restricts all kinds of access by your devices to malicious websites and protects them from viruses because of this, you don’t have to pay and continuously subscribe to anti-virus protection services.

In the parental control settings, you are able to secure your children’s internet experience because it allows you to set age-based restrictions for devices on your network and you can check on the internet activity of every device connected to your network. Also, you are able to control, manage and repair issues on your Asus AX XT8 using the Asus router app on your mobile device or by using the web console. However, you can’t access advanced settings on the mobile app.

It is secured with the WPA2/ WPA3 encryption which generally protects your network.

Who is it best suited for?

The Asus AX XT8is suitable for large homes with an overloaded connection log. It also works best in areas that have high bandwidth activities such as online gaming and 4K Ultra HD video streaming.

Are there any alternatives to the Asus Zenwifi AX XT8?

Yes. Alternative routers to the Asus AX XT8 are the Linksys Velop MX10 and the NETGEAR Orbi RBK852.

Features of the alternative routers

Verdict: Should you get the Asus Zenwifi AX XT8?

Yes. The Asus AX XT8 has edge cutting performance and is a guarantee for a seamless network for your home. It is very easy to install, has fast throughput speeds and supports Wi-Fi 6. It has a powerful security system and gives you a chance to remotely manage your home network using its Asus router mobile app.

FAQs

Is there a monthly internet cost that I will have to pay for continuous Wi-Fi or do I just make a one-time payment for my Asus AX XT8?

The Asus AX XT8 comes with a lifetime subscription to Wi-Fi so you don’t have to incur extra costs for Wi-Fi. This means that all you need to pay for is the unit and you are sorted.

Is it possible for me to establish a wired connection using the nodes of my Asus AX XT8?

Yes. Each node of the Asus AX XT8 has been designed with three LAN ports which allow you to establish a wired connection to your computers via an Ethernet cable in the event that you would want to.