Buying a router sometimes comes with a few surprises, but most people don’t expect to have much trouble getting a consistent and reliable connection in every room. Many find themselves hunting for a solution to eliminate internet dead zones, and a repeater or WiFi extender—especially a cheap barebones option—is often considered. However, many end up with a penalty to performance and convenience, and they need to replace that whole setup with a brand-new router or buy an extra range extender. You may be better off purchasing an extendable router in the first place.
Unlike a regular router or range extender, extendable routers provide one single, seamless WiFi network for the whole home. When it’s time to extend your network, you can simply add another unit to the mix. You don’t need to switch networks as you move about. The routers in your network will work in tandem to determine which one delivers the best signal to each connected device, and they will seamlessly transfer the connection to each other without any direct input or interaction on your part.
AiMesh is the key tech that makes so many ASUS routers extendable. AiMesh-compatible wireless routers can be connected to create a whole-home mesh WiFi network. AiMesh has been built into ASUS routers for many years, so a wide range of options are ready for you. And most importantly, they are all fully compatible with each other.
If you’re worried about setting up such a network, don’t be. The ASUS Router mobile app makes it easy. Setup is a breeze, and it gives you easy tools to monitor your network topology. You can effortlessly optimize your home network, such as finding the best location to put your node, and you can manage each connected device with rich features. All with just a few taps on your smartphone.
With a regular router, you may need to switch your WiFi off and on every time when you move about, in order to stay connected. In some scenarios, even when you are closer to the main router, your device could still be connected to the range extender, which may be sending a weaker signal because it’s in another room. Moreover, a range extender often comes with a standalone app if it has one at all, so it can be more difficult to set up and to determine the optimal device placement.
The value of an ASUS extendable router even goes beyond WiFi extensions. You get comprehensive commercial-grade security and network features in your entire network — without paying a subscription fee. If you are using your internet service provider’s router or one you bought yourself, you may also find that ASUS extendable routers are priced competitively with many advanced features that could save you a lot of money over time.
ASUS AiProtection leverages updates from Trend Micro™ to automatically shield your home network by blocking malicious sites, detecting and isolating infected devices, while Instant Guard gives you a one-tap secure VPN server, adding rock-solid security to any public WiFi wherever you are. For parents, advanced controls let you effortlessly monitor your kids’ online activities, set reasonable limitations on their screen time, and even customize settings for each connected device all on one app. Meanwhile, most competing range extenders come with basic WPA2 or WPA3 security without any advanced features, and they lack the ability to be centrally controlled.
If there’s a smartphone gamer in your household, they’ll appreciate the seamless roaming experience when roaming around the home, plus one-click Mobile Game Mode. Competitive online gamers may appreciate a dedicated hardware gaming port, which lets them use the router at the center of the network to get an edge while still enjoying the benefits of easily extending the network to other areas. You will find loads of gaming-first features on ASUS and ROG extendable gaming routers, such as port forwarding, open NAT—and the exclusive Triple-Level Game Acceleration on ROG gaming routers, which optimizes game traffic every step of the way for many types of gaming, helping to ensure that lag and latency don’t interfere with their online gaming sessions.
For advanced users, ASUS routers support PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, OpenVPN,and the latest WireGuard security protocol to enable a variety of VPN scenarios. With a built-in VPN server and VPN client, you can enjoy your favorite streaming services or games from anywhere. And VPN Fusion allows you to operate both an encrypted VPN and an ordinary internet connection at the same time, so specific devices on the network can use the VPN without interfering with the online activities of everyone else in the household.
It’s impossible to predict how your internet needs will change and develop over time. And as WiFi technology evolves, you might want to upgrade the latest routers. By purchasing an extendable router, you give yourself flexibility and options down the road. ASUS developed the first extendable WiFi 5 router in 2017. Since then, most ASUS routers have been extendable and AiMesh compatible, including the upcoming world’s first WiFi 7 router. You can rest assured that these routers are compatible across WiFi generations. When upgrading to future-proof WiFi technology, you can repurpose your older extendable router a network node to strengthen your home WiFi signal — which reduces e-waste, too.
A traditional router or a range extender might meet your needs today, but an extendable router will make sure that you can get the WiFi connection you need down the road. When you renovate a basement, build an addition to your home or move to a newer and larger one, you’ll be ready to extend your network easily with AiMesh. And all along, you’ll enjoy comprehensive security, easy management tools and a rich feature set.
ASUS routers routinely earn awards as the best routers on the market, and they’re easy to recommend to just about anyone setting up a home network. Whether you‘re shopping for a gaming-first router, an all-purpose performance router or a budget-friendly option that’ll get you started, ASUS has what you’re looking for.
