We recently got our hands on the new ASUS RP-AC68U and we decided to do a review on it. First off, this device is specifically designed for users living in big houses and if you are not keen on wiring up your house, this could be an alternative solution to getting optimal connection around your house.

In this review, we’ll look at some of our favourite features as well as some that could be improved.

Features we love!

ASUS ExpressWay
One of our favourite features is the Asus ExpressWay which uses the dual-band capability of the RP-AC68U to create an efficient connection with improved performance and reliability.

1) In 2.4Ghz express Mode – The device is connected to the main router via 2.4Ghz and it broadcast another SSID on 5Ghz

2) In 5Ghz express Mode  – The device is connected to the main router via 5Ghz and it broadcast another SSID on 2.4Ghz

3) In Repeater (normal) Mode – The device is connected to the main router on both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz and it broadcast 1 SSID using 2.4Ghz and another SSID using 5Ghz

Sleek form factor
The device has a minimalistic design which is very easy on the eyes. We also love the red LED lights around the device which can be switched off with just by touching the Asus logo. This is something that will definitely add to the ‘cool factor’ of your house.

Signal strength indicator
When setting up the repeater, you can make use of its signal strength indicator to find and place the repeater in the most optimal position possible.

5 Gigabit Ethernet ports
Beyond Wi-Fi, another thing we love about this repeater is that it comes with a total of 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, great if you intend to hookup multiple wired devices for smart home usage or even use it to hook up your gaming consoles.

USB 3.0 with Asus AiCould
Also included in this device is a USB 3.0 slot, along with Asus AiCould, you can immediately turn this repeater into your personal cloud server by simply plugging in a portable hard drive which can be easily accessed via the AiCould app (Available on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store).

Features that can be improved

Wi-Fi Speed on 2.4GHZ mode
It is known that in 2.4GHZ mode, you will have good signal strength but slower speed and we were hoping that the ASUS RP-AC68U can help improve the speed in this mode. But it does not, at least not significantly

Signal strength on the 5.GHZ mode
Similar to the previous point, there is also no significant improvements in terms of signal strength when it comes to the 5.0GHZ mode

Unable to change channel of SSID
One of the biggest disappointment for this device is that it doesn’t come with an option to change the channel for the SSID, rather the channel is automatically assigned by following the router’s settings.

Lack of advance configuration that are commonly available in other ASUS networking devices
Unlike most of the other networking devices provided by Asus, there’s a lack of an option to make advance configurations. This will most likely be a bummer for advance users out there.

Placement of the reset button
This is not so much of an issue but there will be times when you need to do a device reset, for this you will have to remove the base cover, in our opinion this just makes things a little counter productive. 

Default initial setup
And finally, we feel this should really be improved in future firmware upgrades, when initially setting up the device, the only mode that is available is the Repeater mode. If you want to activate the express mode, you actually have to do the initial setup first before going back to switch to express mode.

Final Verdict
The Asus RP-AC68U is a very decent repeater for its price and with its fuss free and relatively easy to use features, it is ideal for non-techies looking to optimise their Wi-Fi in big houses. Improvements can definitely be made in future firmware upgrades to enable more features and customizations.