The Asus AC66u b1 and Netgear R6700 V3 are the two best under $100 routers you can buy. I own both and will review them against one another (go to the bottom of the review for quick recap). Quick history on both
Hardware
Netgear R6700 v1 was basically the R7000 minus one USB port and the inability to connect at 600mbps in the 2.4ghz radio channel (pointless unless you have an AC 1900 client). Netgear then switched factories and used a Mediatek CPU chip instead of the broadcom found in the v1 version, this version was labeled the 6700 v2 (also has a sticker on the package stating "dual core CU" rather then "1GHZ dual core" on the V1 & 3) and is often sold in Amazon Warehouse so be careful about purchasing a used R6700 router. The Mediatek chip is subpar in performance compared to Broadcom. Netgear switched factories again and the current new V3 version uses a BCM4708C0 CPU chip along with Broadcom radio chips BCM4360 & 4331.
The Asus AC66U (no B1) was originality a draft AC router using the same CPU chip and plastic housing as the Asus RT-N66U just with an additional AC radio. Asus then upgraded the router by using the exact same hardware as in the Asus AC68U 1900 AC router and placed it in the new AC66U B1 router while still using the old plastic housing. So yes, the AC66U B1 is a 1900ac router, not a 1750 router. I know this as I have a 1900AC wifi card in my PC and it will in fact connect at 600mbps on the 2.4 wifi signal. If you don't have a 1900 client then the point is moot and remember most clients are 2x1 or 2x2, even modern cell phones and laptops. The Asus AC66u B1 uses the same BCM4708C0 CPU as the Netgear R6700 v3 with the broadcom BCM4360 radio chip.
Both routers also use 128mb and 256mb of memory and offer beam forming (you also need a client to support beam forming for it to work)
Optional firmware (if interested)
both will run ddwrt & tomato, the Asus also gets Merlin's version of Asus Firmware.
Review
Pros - Netgear R6700
Fantastic range on the 2.4ghz and 5ghz signal & Fantastic throughput on the 5ghz signal. My router is on the main floor; standing in a far corner bedroom upstairs from the router (about 30ft from the router plus floor/walls) I receive 80-85mbps down on 5ghz while standing next to the router I would get 110mbps down on 5ghz. Signal strength comes in "good" as per my 2x2 AC client laptop. Upload speeds were also excellent on the 5ghz signal.
Stable router and firmware, once i set the SSID I've had no issue with the router with no need to reset it. Setting up the router was about a 4 out of 5. The software is OK and firmware took a while to update. Setting up network names and passwords was fairly easy through the web page.
Router runs cool thanks to its large plastic housing.
Cons- Netgear R6700
Mediocre throughput on the 2.4ghz signal. While the signal is strong I received 65-70mbps down regardless if I stood next to the router or in a far of bedroom. Upload speeds were also mediocre.
The router is large compared to the Asus.
Netgear seems to have several phone apps and all seem ok or useless. I would not recommend the Genia app for setup, use your PC web browser.
Just one USB port (if you are wondering what the point of a USB port is, this is a none issue for you)
Pros Asus AC66u B1
Very good range and throughput on the 2.4ghz and 5ghz signal. Where the Netgear router was giving me 80-85 mbps down in far corners of the house on 5ghz, the Asus was giving me 70-75 mbps down on the 5ghz and 2.4ghz with my latop stating connection as good to fair. Standing next to the router i received 100-110mbps down on both radio signals. The range on the Asus is slightly shorter then the netgear but the router does offer better 2.4ghz throughput then Netgear.
The firmware offers far more features then netgear and is easier to "play around with".
The Asus app is fantastic and can easily be used to set up the router.
Offers 600mbps on the 2.4ghz signal if you have a 1900ac client.
Smaller housing then the R6700 v3.
Two USB ports on the Aus vs just one on the Netgear.
Cons Asus AC66u B1
small housing means the Asus will get warm to the touch (not hot) but it needs solid ventilation
After 18 months of no issues I had to start resetting the router, I think to help cool it off as we don't have cable and stream constantly (from 7a to 11p non stop) with up to eight different client connections between, phones, PCs, laptops, tablets, and smart TVs.
Recap
Get the Netgear router if you just want to set up your router and forget while having most of your clients on the 5ghz signal. While the range of the 2.4ghz signal is excellent the throughput is mediocre.
Get the Asus if you use the 2.4gh signal more then the 5ghz or have and plan to use a AC1900 client. Range on the Asus is a small step back from the netgear as is throughput on the 5ghz. The Asus also offers one more USB port (USB 2.0) as well as a better app, user software, and the ability to run Merlin. The Asus is also smaller then the Nighthawk housing but will also run warmer.
Just got this today and it works awesome! I also bought a Netgear R6700v2 last week as well to test the 2 out. My main goal was to have a router that covers over 2000 Square feet and also supported VPN services like IPVanish for my use of Kodi. The netgear worked great and speed was awesome but the firmware left much to be desired and no VPN access without flashing to DD-WRT which for the R6700 is not a option nor is Tomato. I got this one installed today and have been doing all my tests and this is a big upgrade from the normal AC66U This is the B1 version and has brand new hardware on it and is basically a AC68U with a slight tweak of one radio ID. This Asus router also comes with a lot better firmware right out of the box but I updated right away online to the most current which was released yesterday on 6/22/2017. This firmware has a lot more options for customization and etc. The best part is that I can connect to my IPVanish VPN service directly through this firmware without having to flash to DD-WRT or Tomato which for most people who know, flashing can be a long process and comes with the possibility of it not working and bricking your device. The fact that I can do this VPN service right from the Asus firmware is a HUGE advantage over the Netgear! My wifi speeds are awesome and the device isn't as big and the lights are as bright as the Netgear which for me is nice! Ill review again in a few months to let everyone know how its doing after the break In period!
This router has by far the best wireless range on any commercial home router I have ever used. I have about 20 years experience as an IT guy.
The router is truly plug and play for the most part. The range is the huge selling point of this router. I am not exaggerating when I say I can take a device and go a good quarter of a mile outside of my house and still have one to two bars of reception and getting pretty much the same speeds I am getting inside my house. There is one brick wall between me and the .25 mile. I absolutely love this router. I have seen posts on other products saying something like with product .... I can wireless connect 300 feet away to find later that I cant get devices to hold a good connection 100 feet away. Let me say that this ASUS router really reaches .25 mile or more outside my house through a brick wall. I have a 2 acre yard and every spot is covered perfectly including down my driveway.
Also the USB interface is great. I have lots digital movies on external hard drives and pictures. With downloading the ASUS support apps it will stream my movies and photos off the router (I did have to purchase a $3 recommended app as well). And even with the USB 2.0 interface loading times are next to none. Lightning fast. 3.0 even better.
So far I have had this router for just over two months. I have only found one issue with it which 95% of people will not even consider it but I will mention it. If you plan to tether from USB to this device good luck. Although the interface is very very strait forward and even the tech support folks from ASUS could not help me it just will not tether from USB no matter what we tried for hours (firmware updates and everything). However, I was able to use my second cisco as a bridge and I am able to accomplish tethering without the USB so no complaints.
Great product and well worth the price. Don't waste your money on a Cisco/Linksys/Netgear router that's range will make it about 1/3 of what this baby can cover. Trust me if you want a new router with crazy range and easy to set interface/controls this is for you.
A stable, feature-rich router at a decent price. This RT-AC66U_B1 version is very different from the non B1 version. The B1 has essentially the same CPU and main-board as the very powerful RT-AC68U, except with slightly slower radios (AC1750 vs AC1900). At only $110, you are getting 90% of the same internals as ASUS' top-of-the-line $140 router.
The factory firmware is pretty powerful on its own, but if you want even more features and the ability to highly customize your settings, you can load the awesome, 3rd party, Merlin firmware to get most of the functionality DD-WRT offers on other routers. This router runs warm, not hot like so many others, which tells me there's a quality heat sink installed, and so far, it it has been very stable.
This is pretty inconsequential, but I initially thought the router had a cheesy, painted, crisscross pattern on top. This is not the case; it's actually texturing in the plastic that makes the design—no cheap paint or stick-on decals, which is nice.
C'mon Amazon, show the reviews for a specific item in that item page, not a bunch of irrelevant information! These reviews mean nothing and are no help whatsoever.
UPDATE: I have used this Asus AC1750 router for a week now and it performs perfectly. This is the second router I have purchased from Asus and both are stellar performers. I also use Asus motherboards on all of my computer builds. A good company with good products. The range is good, as I can use the WiFi portion in any room of my house as well as in my detached garage. A true home run!
Feature Product
- 1GHz CPU powers dual-band 3x3 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology for speeds up to 1750Mbps and wide, responsive coverage for large homes
- Monitor and manage your network with ease from your mobile device using the intuitive ASUS Router App
- Effortless router setup with ASUSWRT web-based interface. OS Support - Linux,Windows 8,Windows 10,Windows 7 ,Mac OS X or higher,Windows 8.1,Windows XP
- Integrated USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports enable printer sharing throughout your network and remote file access with AiCloud 2.0 support
- AiProtection Powered by Trend Micro provides multi-stage protection from vulnerability detection to protecting sensitive data
Description
Rt-ac66u B1 delivers 3x3 802. 11AC Wi-Fi with up to 1750Mbps throughput and extensive coverage. Easily setup and manage your router with ASUSWRT and the ASUS router app. Integrated USB ports enable sharing for printers and USB storage with the ability to access files on-the-go via ASUS a I cloud 2. 0. Wired Inter-Router Connections
I've owned this router for a bit over 1.5 years and it's still going strong. I find the ASUS router browser interface to be one of the easiest to use. Firmware updates are simple and straightforward through the browser.
I pay a bit more for high speed internet but get a solid 115 mbps download speed and acceptable 13mbps upload speed through the wired connection on the router. There is a minimal drop off to 102 mbps download and 12 mbps on the wireless connection, but that's still more than acceptable and to be expected given obstacles like walls.
While ASUS has released a "new version" of this router, I still recommend RT-AC66U as a good buy at the right price.
The ASUS RT-AC66U name really encompasses several versions of hardware. I purchased the RT-AC66U B1 version for the specific purpose of running a FTP server on my wired network to receive images from a piece of hardware and then allowing several Windows machines to access the images wirelessly using samba file-sharing. (My network uses pfsense for routing and firewall).
The main advantage of this consumer router is that it is very friendly to other open source firmware options like Merlin and Tomato. I thought that if the stock firmware had issues, the open source would likely be helpful and I was right.
The router required updating to run the latest stock firmware. Unfortunately, the stock firmware samba version was quite old (Samba3.0.xx I think) and my Windows 8.1 and 10 machines could not see the share even when re-enabling SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support in "Windows Features." Loading Asuswrt-Merlin open source software (same firmware as used in the ASUS RT-AC68U) from their Mirror 1 (main download site was corrupted) allowed for use of SMBv1 + SMBv2 and now my Windows 10 and 8.1 machines can see the share just fine. I am happy. Hope this helps someone.
ASUS Dual-Band 3 x 3 AC1750 Wi-Fi 4-Port Gigabit Router (RT-AC66U_B1)
I purchased this router RT-AC66U B1, and it is great.
Many people have written bad reviews, and I am assuming they got the less costly version without the B1 after the model number. The old model supposedly had some issue with the power button, and does not come with the added Trendmicro Ai security.
But this version has the Trendmicro Ai security. So far works great. I have had it setup and running two days. This model was more expensive than the version without B1 in model name. Also because of some bad reviews I did buy the 2 year extended service warranty offered by Amazon.
As of this time, it is a great router and easy to set-up and configure. The only thing that does not work as I would like is the url and keyword filter, but this is a known problem with filtering some webpages, as the router instructions say it cannot filter any secure website that use compression or https; although it will filter pages that have only http.
I also set the dns to opendns servers, and that filters out most porn and malware.
This router has been great. Setup was a snap. Transfer speeds are very fast. Connectivity is flawless.
setup: I didn't really have to do much aside from naming my wifi network and creating a password. It took less than 5 minutes.
speeds: I use a home network and I'm constantly transferring music, videos, pictures, etc between my phones, computers, tablets, etc. This router has made those file transfers much much faster - not to mention my wifi internet speeds. I can stream and download movies perfectly
connectivity: When I walk into my house, my phone connects and stays connected. Period. No drops, no spikes, no lag, no random reconnects. This thing is very dependable. It just works
side note: I paired the router with the ASUS cable modem that was recommended to ensure compatibility, and that seems to have been a good choice, because everything has been working flawlessly since I bought the pair - I'd highly recommend you do the same.
overall: 5 stars, this device has been performed extremely well with no hassles. I'm very pleased with my purchase.
There are plenty of cheap routers out there but if you're even considering this unit, you're not the type that will accept performance trade-offs. This is not a cheap router by any means, but it's considerably less expensive than some.
I'll cut to the chase. When I got this unit I hooked it up to my Pace DSL modem (which I set into bridge mode). Everything came up at once. I then spent a few minutes with basic configuration of the AC66U. Within about ten minutes, end-to-end, I was ready to run a speed test. My ping time from Honolulu to San Jose dropped 25%, and I had zero loss of download/upload speed.
But inside my LAN, I now had wireless AC as well as wireless N, with the 5GHz band active. That made a huge difference in wireless device performance.
Good things about this router:
1. Works right out of the box with no issues.
2. Almost impossible to "brick" even if you're really into flashing different firmware. There is a very robust recovery mode.
3. Really performs. Delivers everything it claims.
4. Amazing oddball features, like running its own lpd-style printer server, allowing for attached USB storage to be accessible from within (and even without) the network, and many more.
5. Supported by firmware such as Tomato and DD-WRT (though apparently not OpenWRT). I eventually flashed a derivative of the ASUS firmware called "Merlin" which has even more options, such as scripting, security enhancements, etc.
6. Dual-CPU configuration for high performance.
Negatives:
1. Runs pretty hot.
2. Takes up a little more space than some others.
As you can see the negatives are pretty mild.
There are a lot of routers out there, and it's hard to tell you just why you'd choose this one over others. I chose it because it was at a medium price point but provides high-priced features. It turned out to an excellent choice for my home network. I do recommend alternative firmware if you're comfortable with flashing.
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