USER EXPERIENCE & CONCLUSION
We hook the router up to our office network and test with PassMark Performance Test. We wire two HP Proliant servers powered by Intel Xeon with Realtek 8111 network cards and measure the throughput in-between the systems for our wired test and connect to a Core-i7 laptop.
As this is our first router, comparative data is scarce but we’ll try to relay our experience as best we could. Passmark wired test shows us a solid 673.8Mbits. Testing wireless is a bit more tricky with many factors to consider, our office layout is densely separated with thick 8inch walls. The ASUS RT-N66U is placed on one side of a room and we test with out laptop a proximities up to 40 meters outside the office. In close proximity, both 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz band showed excellent signal strength and performance. Moving out of the room at the other end of the building at 15 meters away, there is noticeable drop in signal strength but still manages to get through. Outside the office, the ASUS RT-N66U still pierces prompting us to respect the amazing signal strength the device offers. We hooked up an HDD to the RT-N66U and streamed some HD movies and found no problems scrubbing through our video though it does take a while to load some large files.
Going back to the router features itself, there’s simply a whole lot of to go through here and we’ll start off by saying the Download Master feature is simply the best feature of this router. The Download Master feature allows a user to download files from the Internet using the router alone which is a huge help. The Guest Network feature is also very likable enabling you the user to setup a temporary network to give freeloaders, I mean visitors, network access.
There’s simply so much to this router, it’s hard to cover everything in it without going overboard with details. ASUS has simply done a stunning job at making a home router that delivers extremely awesome performance with a boatload of extra functionality that puts to shame many a router today. ASUS has gone so far as to included features normally found on other solutions and does it well (NAS), it actually gives the ASUS RT-N66U a lot more versatility as a product that calling it a router is an understatement. A few nitpicks though, the router is definitely intended for the home and anyone who manages 25 or more computers will find the lack of user grouping a total nightmare when setting up access restrictions. If you’re the type that want total control over their networks with more than 20+ users, you’d want something of the enterprise level. Other than that, the built-in firewall and security options does well in providing a level of parental control over the network.
It’s hard to quantify the amount of benefits the ASUS RT-N66U has. Certainly someone like the Dark Knight himself would find a product with a utility belt full of tricks such an attractive piece of work. If you are in a highly connected and Internet-savvy home, we highly recommend the ASUS RT-N66U. It’s solid performance coupled with its heavy loadout of functions, the Dark Knight is a worthy moniker for this router. Priced locally at Php8,300, the cost might scare off most consumers but we feel this premium is worth every penny if you can utilize the rich functions of the ASUS RT-N66U. We give it our highest recommendation and Gold Award. ASUS backs this router with an extremely tasty 3-year warranty.