• Reviews around connect (4.39 of 5)

    ASUS Dual-Band Gigabit WiFi Gaming Router (AC3100) with MU-MIMO, supporting AiProtection network security by Trend Micro, AiMesh for Mesh WiFi system, and WTFast game Accelerator (RT-AC88U)

    • You need to disconnect the "smart connect" to get the Echo connected.
    • Setup software is straightforward (clear) except with "enable smart connect" and with that the "Wireless - Smart Connect Rule".
    • No issues whatsoever when connecting connecting 10 to 15 devices at a given time.
    • Use recent ASUS router models for AiMesh and Smart Connect and all will be fine.
    • Unfortunately, when you use 'Smart Connect" The channel is set to "Auto" and it won't let me change it.
    • Lets start with the cool items which are why i bought this router: Roaming assist and smart connect load balancing across 2.4 and 5g bands
    • then I noticed that the speeds slowed and trouble connecting by the fifth month I was unable to connect and the device was showing a red WAN connection which means it is not connected to the internet
    • When I switched back to 'Smart Connect" the 2.4 Ghz band disappeared again.
    • and then you can use the smart connect.
    • Not many, however, I would have liked a little more information regarding AiMesh and Tri-band smart connect
    • and we were back online as well as our connected home devises
    • I like how you enable smart connect, and it'll take all three bands (2.4ghz, and both the 5ghz) channels and makes them one, and auto assigns the best one to your device
    • Too early to tell if that is just the router trying to determine in what channel it should put the device or if it is an issue with the smart connect
    • If you want to use the "smart connect" with other devices, then set up a separate Wifi network specifically for the
    • Smart Connect" is supposed to allow for some load sharing
    • The Smart Connect feature which auto-selects which of the three bands is best for each device has been optimized in firmware updates; basically since Dec 2015 it has been good.
    • The Amazon devices, as noted in one of the questions elsewhere posted, do not work at all if the three wireless bands are joined (Smart Connect) and the devices are on those bands
    • On a side note, feel free to look at SmallNetBuilder's forum for all the fun users there had with finding livable settings with Smart Connect.
    • The smart connect isn't as smooth as it could be, nor is there much documentation on configuration of it to make it better.
    • Even better, by using the Smart Connect feature on the Asus, I only have one SSID now, and the router decides automatically whether its better to place a given device on the 2.4 or 5Ghz band, based on traffic, interference, etc
    • Smart connect works better than in Archer C9
    • When I first set it up, I enabled "Smart Connect
    • When you spend a significant amount of money on a piece of equipment you would expect the company’s quality control and after sale support to match the price tag, but in the case of this Asus router you’d be wrong!I have about 25 devices connected to my home network at a given time, most of them are “smart home” devices connected to the 2.4Ghz band and the rest are computers, tablets, phones and streaming devices, some of which are connected to the 5Ghz band and some are wired
    • I did initiate the smart connect but noticed a significant drop off in wireless signal
    • The Easy connect feature is nice as all devices see only one SSID regardless of band and the 3rd party add-ons analytics user interface and security were good
    • All but one of my friends have set Smart Connect On; the other likes the option to pick and stick to a band for each device
    • The ability to combine the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels into one "Smart Connect Rule" is very useful so one does not have to switch as you move further away from the router
    • Network speeds are blazing and all my peripherals will connect properly, stay connected, and work flawlessly.
    • I turned off 'Smart Connect" and added 2.4 behind the SSID so it would be easy to spot and tried searching with my iPhone and laptop but still no 2.4 Ghz band.
    • One issue I ran into is after disabling the smart connect (I want to see my 2ghz and both 5ghz separately
    • Installing Advanced Tomato firmware seems to have fixed the problem (though no Smart Connect).
    • I also tried smart connect, but 2 of my echos and 3 of my ipads stoppped connecting all together
    • Using the smart connect rules, I was able to get the router to stabilize as long as I kept everything from connecting to the 5Ghz-1 (Lower) channel.
    • A 2nd router/AP is not as ideal but not much different either than the results I saw with Smart Connect.
    • Second turn on the Smart Connect.
    • Must of been a firmware update that help fix alot of the smart connect issues.
    • Which the easy solution is to turn off the smart connect, but then that defeats the point
    • I have the latest firmware installed and the Dual Band Smart Connect enabled
    • I would suggest ensuring that your WLAN cards can handle 5Ghz bands, otherwise do not use the Smart Connect features which use Dual-Band to route the service as it will look sluggish
    • I had to turn off smart connect to make it usable
    • Specifically, (1) Smart Connect is inconsistent, and (2) regardless of whether Smart Connect is enable or disabled, very often devices on one band could not see devices on another band (2.4 vs 5).Asus Merlin firmware has the same problems
    • Here's my solution for people who do not want to return their ASUS router back.2.4 GHz settings regular and professional:Smart connect is offWireless mode - autoChannel width for 2.4 GHZ - 20MHz
    • The whole purpose of Smart Connect is to allow the router to dynamically move clients between the bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz-1 and 5GHz-2) without losing your connectivity.
    • Look elsewhere, if you're lucky, as it seems that any router with dual or triple band smart connecting has some problem or other
    • It is just as fast as direct connecting to the XFinity router.
    • You can disable Smart Connect, name the three radios to the same SSID, or name them all to different SSID's, keep the Echos on a Guest network, put them on the SSID's when they're not merged
    • Turned off QOS and smart connect
    • but I can see where something like Smart Connect could help with that challenge if it was executed in a seamless manner.
    • You can disable Smart Connect, name the three radios to the same SSID, or name them all to different SSID's, keep the Echos on a Guest network, put them on the SSID's when they're not merged
    • I did however try the smart connect features which again is one of those things that sounds great on paper but works terrible in practice.
    • But I am not using smart connect right now for my network.
    • Great range, and I have improved the speed and consistency with which my smart home devices connect.
    • I did try the router in 3 different modes smart connect, automatic and manual setup separately, with the same results disconnected devices!This is my 2nd one in 3 weeks, the first one returned the 1st one thinking I received a bad router and purchased another, set up again, updated the firmware online, the exact same results everything was disconnecting all the time half of my Echo's and all of my wifi switches are
    • Resetting router, change channels, change bandwidth, turn on "smart connect"; none of it worked
    • Setup was easy and very similar to my existing RT-68U with a few additional features such as the gaming network, smart connect, etc.
    • Installed my old Arris router and we were back online as well as our connected home devises
    • Specifically, (1) Smart Connect is inconsistent, and (2) regardless of whether Smart Connect is enable or disabled, very often devices on one band could not see devices on another band (2.4 vs 5).Asus Merlin firmware has the same problems
    • n’t had not one issue at all
    • n’t go wrong with this router