Last Updated: April 8, 2019 (Refresh Now)
ASUS RT AC5300 AC5300 Tri Band WiFi Gaming Router MU MIMO AiProtection Lifetime Security by Trend Micro AiMesh Compatible for Mesh WiFi System WTFast Game Accelerator
Last Updated: April 8, 2019 (Refresh Now)
7.0
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
999
Old Reviews
483
Unverified
72
Spam Test
PASS
3
NUMBER OF USB PORTS
Yes
USB
Review Analysis - 444 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Network
243wifi, asus, 5ghz, coverage, house
+67%
-33%
" ... The Router never even noticed the changes. ... "
" ... QOS management, three Wi-Fi bands, VPN, strong WIFI signal and others ... "
" ... I have a small house and couldn't seem to get any range extenders that didn't screw up WiFi connected smart switches. ... "
" ... I've turned off the AP because this router powers through bricks and concrete for at least 150 foot range. ... It does support ASUS' new AIMesh protocol so you can use an older ASUS router as an AP and it self-configures. ... Nifty idea, and one reason we picked this router, but turns out we don't need it. ... It can be set up as three independent networks or you can "automatically combine" either all three or just the 5GHz channels. ... The router then moves traffic across the radios as needed for bandwidth. ... We have some legacy 802.11a/b equipment in the house so set the 2.4 up for that and SmartConnect for the 5GHz. ... "
" ... Been a great router. ... About 8 foot up off the floor. ... Consistently gives 100 mbps. ... "
" ... This router is the best router for the home to have been conceived, fact is I love it so much and I am so happy to have purchased it that I had to write a review for other to know why it is the best router out there hands down! ... Granted, out of the box it is a GOOD router, It goes head to head with out a problem against my Netgear AC5300. ... "
" ... Covers my entire house with 4 separate wireless networks. ... "
" ... Powerful signal and crazy fast! ... "
Wifi
142wifi, asus, wi, coverage, 5ghz
+70%
-30%
" ... after change wifi channels for 2.4 and 5ghz . ... comcast internet tops at 900mbps, wifi tops 400mbps 5ghz and 2.4ghz top at 120mbps. ... "
" ... When the router is working its pretty great. ... "
" ... It’s an amazing router. ... "
" ... Been a great router. ... "
" ... - I can get wifi a block down the street ... "
" ... This is the best wireless router I've owned. ... "
" ... It is more pricey than your normal router but well worth it if you have a lot of connected devices or have 2 or more streaming devices at the same time. ... This router can handle it fine. ... "
" ... Bought this router to better monitor our internet usage which it does fine. ... "
Product Reliability
76stopped working, working, died, defective, month
+21%
-79%
" ... I never recieve anything defective so i thought it wouldnt happen to me. ... "
" ... It's now April 6th, 2017 and it's dead. ... That is unacceptable to be left without the product for AT LEAST 2 weeks! ... It's dead! ... "
" ... it's defective. ... I agreed since the equipment was faulty. ... They will not provide a shipping label for their defective product. ... They will not provide a shipping label for their defective product. ... The only response I get when they send the item back is "test Ok, cannot duplicate issue" ... I have yet to actually speak to someone regarding this issue, and over all this has been ongoing for months. ... so far, the last 3 products I have purchased from them have been defective. ... "
" ... After purchasing, we found out a colleague who had the same one also failed. ... Not sure if it is the same reason, or what happened, but 2 for 2 failed. ... This is a pretty expensive product for multiple failures. ... "
" ... Just died this weekend. ... That is 9 months of headache . ... "
" ... and come to find out the unit/brand is plagued by hardware failures. ... "
" ... Tried a second Republic of Gamers version and have had it for two months. ... "
" ... Dead after an update ... "
Capacity
75router, coverage, wifi, whole house, story
+92%
-8%
" ... We decided upgrade to the top tier and make sure the entire house is covered. ... "
" ... Covers my entire house with 4 separate wireless networks. ... "
" ... Significantly improved the WiFi throughout our home! ... "
" ... Have it sitting at the end of our TV stand in our upper level living room. ... WiFi reaches throughout entire house, and outside while mowing. ... "
" ... great coverage through out the house. ... and supports the 25 devices we have in the building with no problem ... "
" ... The range is also impressive an easily covers our entire place. ... "
" ... The wifi quality is exceptional within its range but there is NO clear advantage to the range from our AC1900 Asus router. ... "
" ... I bought this unit to deal with a dead zone problem in my house. ... "
Setup
72router, easy, interface, easy to setup, easy to set
+89%
-11%
" ... However, was able to set up the router out of the box with the instructions and set up the networks with dedicated passwords. ... "
" ... Went from a netgear nighthawk which is great for smaller homes to this Asus router I liked the ease of the setup right off the bat once you connect your laptop or PC to the router it will take you through a "Wizard" that goes step by step to set up your WIFI networks one on the 2.4 Ghz frequency and two on the 5 Ghz frequency. ... "
" ... It covers wide range and easy setup. ... "
" ... Easy to configure. ... "
" ... Easy to install. ... "
" ... It lets me access my router to check and adjust settings and even setup a guest wireless network isolated from my primary network. ... "
" ... If you're looking for a simple setup, this is probably overkill and logging into the admin console can be a bit overwhelming. ... "
" ... Very easy to set up and works flawlessly. ... "
ISP
59isp, modem, netgear, fiber, asus
+71%
-29%
" ... We have the 150 Mbps package through Cox! ... (Side note: We are using an Arris SURFboard SB8200 modem. ... "
" ... Its as if your connected on LAN for the speeds. ... "
" ... Works with PPoE on CenturyLink fiber, allows me to get close to gig speeds over wifi. ... "
" ... This is a great router. ... "
" ... Fast and quick connection! ... "
" ... I have gigabit FIOS in my home and was using the linksys AC2000 triband router. ... "
" ... Technically, this is a very good router. ... "
" ... best router ever ... "
Software Platform
56interface, app, google, mobile app, gui
+57%
-43%
" ... Asus however included some added functionality. ... "
" ... Crazy fast (wired and wireless (5Ghz) and decent admin software. ... "
" ... The app is so easy to use ... "
" ... Interface is excellent! ... "
" ... I have a mac mini and an HD Homerun sitting on top of mine for an awesome plex server setup in a minimal space. ... "
" ... 1 example I set URL filtering to block anything "XXX" and now we cannot download or update from iTunes. ... Once I removed "XXX" we were able to access iTunes with no issues. ... "
" ... Before, my main strategy was using openDNS on the tablets, timed access. ... What's also cool is if you identify a device that you don't recognize, you can choose to block this single device. ... "
" ... I installed this device and all my computers seem to run faster, all the smart devices connect, and life is good! ... "
Firmware
55asus, merlin, latest, dd wrt, asuswrt
+38%
-62%
" ... Finally, I'm a bit annoyed by the fact I can't upload DD-WRT on this thing anymore — as a reaction to FCC regulations Asus removed ability to install any 3rd party firmware in 3.0.0.4.380.3341 firmware update. ... The only alternative now is Merlin firmware which does not differ that much. ... "
" ... The stock firmware is almost completely nonfunctional, and the general consensus is that the best solution is to install a 3rd-party firmware. ... ASUS obviously offers no support for this, leaving you to deal with the forums on whichever particular firmware you use. ... "
" ... So I then contacted ASUS and they sent me through about 3 hours of resetting, rebooting, then putting the old firmware back on it (??),etc. ... "
" ... I spent several hours trying to get it back on, including doing a factory reset and re-applying the latest firmware. ... "
" ... Reset it to default and upgraded the firmware to the lastest version. ... "
" ... I upgraded all firmware, set static IP addresses and went through every other idea tossed my way, but neither printer would ever function for more than a day (the router would drop them). ... "
" ... dont update the firmware - no way to downgrade - both 5ghz not working, 2.4 is spotty and slow. ... "
" ... I've factory reset the router, Tried upgrading the firmware, also factory reset on the new firmware (ASUS and ASUSWRT Merlin). ... "
Device Compatibility
55connected, asus, smart connect, smart, laptops
+53%
-47%
" ... I like how it gives me the client lists that shows me who's connected to my network. ... I had this on my Airport too, but what sets the Asus apart is that it lets you edit the name. ... So you can enter a little note next to the device name to help you identify what device it is. ... "
" ... I have my security system connected to the 2.4 wireless network which includes 7 cameras and several sensors, 2 laptop computers and an iPhone 4 and a Samsung Galaxy S5. ... I have one laptop and one desktop computer and 2 iPhone 5's and one iPhone 6 connected to one 5.0 wireless network, and on my second 5.0 wireless network I have 2 Xbox Ones connected. ... "
" ... It lets you turn each channel on or off individually and also lets you schedule a time when a connected device can be blocked. ... I will soon have three PS4s, tablets, phones etc all running on it and I have to say I feel like it's gonna be great. ... "
" ... Connected to Google internet, I'm able to achieve 300 Mbps on my wireless devices. ... "
" ... Works well on a DMZ with existing Cisco ASA and Switching devices. ... "
" ... My home automation is now a convenience again. ... I would also like to see more ability to list devices by guest network and wireless/wired interface. ... "
" ... 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. ... Worked with Asus Tech support for over 3 weeks trying to get it to function properly. ... Start connecting devices. ... It didn't matter how many devices I had connected. ... "
" ... The speeds are amazing throughout the house and to date no amount of connected devices slow it down. ... 2 laptops, 1 desktop, 2 xbox, 1 ps4, 2 tablets, and 3 phones all connect at great speeds. ... "
Ease of Use
43easy to set, setup, set, easy to setup, router
+98%
-2%
" ... You won't be easy to hide this guy. ... "
" ... Many functions are intuitive, useful, and easy to set up, such as traffic analyzer, all device names and traffic types are automatically recognized, really, REALLY convenient. ... "
" ... It's easy to setup and configure, as well. ... "
" ... The app is so easy to use ... "
" ... The initial setup was a breeze. ... "
" ... Super easy to setup and navigate . ... "
" ... Very easy to set up and works flawlessly. ... "
" ... I was also pleased with the easy to use parental controls. ... "
Overall performance
42speeds, performance, 4ghz, super fast, months
+71%
-29%
" ... It out performs in range and reliability. ... "
" ... Does a great job! ... "
" ... Night and day from my ac1900 super fast ... "
" ... Stable and great performance. ... "
" ... Great looks, performance and speed delivery. ... "
" ... Very pleased with the performance. ... "
" ... Its as if your connected on LAN for the speeds. ... "
" ... When I installed this, my download speed jumped from 100mbs to 270mbs. ... "
Ports
31lan, wan, usb 3 0, hard drive, ethernet
+68%
-32%
" ... I have a tremendous amount of data going over my internal LAN. ... "
" ... 2 laptops, 1 desktop, 2 xbox, 1 ps4, 2 tablets, and 3 phones all connect at great speeds. ... "
" ... I have gigabit internet, and none of those mesh networks were able to provide more than ~100Mbps throughout my home. ... "
" ... USB drive support samba share, really useful across different platforms. ... "
" ... Cable modem works perfectly so I connected another router which worked perfectly. ... "
" ... Also some people raised the question if it is possible to connect multiple HDD's to one of the USB ports. ... I am using a powered USB3 hub with 2 USB3 HDD's connected to the USB3 port and they both showed up the first time. ... "
" ... I replaced the cable modem with a Netgear CM600 to eliminate that culprit. ... "
" ... but I have then bought a Ethernet cable and only used this box for my phone ever since. ... "
Returns
28replacement, unit, amazon, send, rma
+4%
-96%
" ... They will not give you a refund for the unit and will continue to send you a refurbished unit that is very likely to break as it seems these are hit or miss on hardware issues. ... "
" ... They do not work with their customers to get the RMA done. ... "
" ... Wasted too many hours on trying to fix it. ... "
" ... I can't even return this brick. ... "
" ... No replacement while they work on it either. ... "
" ... Then they finally had me send it back (at my expense of $31). ... "
" ... Unfortunately I have passed the window to return this piece of garbage. ... "
" ... Contacted Asus and they refuse to replace it. ... "
Price
26worth every penny, worth the money, waste, worth the price, well worth
+73%
-27%
" ... If they are able to fix the issue I'll update my review, but for this price this shouldn't be an issue with a new purchase (twice). ... "
" ... Definitely worth every penny. ... "
" ... Skeptical on to whether its worth the money or not . ... "
" ... Excellent Product, even tho the price is a bit high, but it is still worth every penny. ... "
" ... Worth the wait to save up enough to purchase. ... "
" ... So glad I bought this, it's was money well spent. ... "
" ... Asus is fantastic however this is just too big and the Asus 86U does a better job in every aspect and at half the cost. ... "
" ... A small price to pay for technology greatness . ... "
Marketplace
19review, return, replacement, product back, described
+42%
-58%
" ... It is in the box returned to Amazon. ... "
" ... $ to trash guys. ... "
" ... Still waiting to confirm replacement process and need to pay for shipping faulty product back. ... "
" ... I am guessing I will not get help from the seller. ... "
" ... I wish I could send this product back to amazon. ... "
" ... Lastly, I can Not return it to Amazon. ... "
" ... So I complained to amazon and they gave zero craps for about 3 days. ... "
" ... I received this item on January 10th. ... "
Features
17advanced features, feature, options, enabled, tons of features
+65%
-35%
" ... what is the point of all the advanced features and the price tag if it comes tied to data collection. ... the only way to disable data collection is to disable advanced features. ... "
" ... Tons of options. ... "
" ... Many, many useful features. ... "
" ... A lot of cool features. ... "
" ... It's second feature was a let-down as well. ... "
" ... I even had all the advanced features enabled. ... "
" ... Tons of features. ... "
" ... Another great feature was the AiProtection which I enabled. ... Time will tell how useful his feature will be. ... "
Gaming
16games, gamers, game, streaming, gamer
+81%
-19%
" ... Absolutely the best buy if you need to connect many devices and have teenagers doing online gaming. ... "
" ... It also handles playing games over steam connect, where the connect is wired but the computer streaming the game is wireless, no problems at all. ... "
" ... Especially for gamers, it's a must have. ... "
" ... Gaming - it is advertised as having access to the WTFast network. ... This is a specialist use case, we found, as that network only supports a handful of gaming game/console combinations so far, mostly adult combat games like Battlefront. ... Very high-end professional gamers might benefit from the upgrade to the ROG version, but I think most regular families will be fine with this. ... "
" ... Running all three Ps4's at once networking online gaming while other's are using the WIFI for internet. ... Haven't used the game boost at all and haven't had to. ... "
" ... I also love the gamer setting!!! ... "
" ... My house does a lot of on-line streaming and I also have a gaming house. ... "
" ... From hardcore gaming, to multiple devices streaming, there hasn't been any issues. ... "
Lagging
16reset, restart, slow, 30, rebooted
+38%
-63%
" ... sometimes it will be fast but other times it will be lagging. ... "
" ... Tried a 30-30-30 reset without success ... "
" ... I've had to reset it several times. ... "
" ... It boots very slow. ... "
" ... It wouldn't stop rebooting! ... "
" ... I went to log into the interface and the only thing that showed up was the reboot button. ... "
" ... The reset and reboot are rediculusly slow. ... "
" ... And now, I can't even get it to boot even after doing several hard resets. ... It won't boot. ... "
Band
142 4ghz band, dropping, bands, tri band, 5ghz 1 band
+50%
-50%
" ... 2.4 band had issues 2 weeks in. ... "
" ... I configured it as a Tri-Band system with one SSID. ... "
" ... As of a few weeks ago, the 2.4Ghz band would not re-boot at all. ... Now, at eight months old, the remaining 5Ghz band is dropping out and the device has to be rebooted to get it back for, once again, a decreasing period of time. ... "
" ... Amazon sent a replacement and it is also dropping the 5GHZ-1 band every few hours. ... "
" ... I immediately experience issues on the 2.4GHz band. ... "
Apps
10mobile app, interface, software, ram, gui
+80%
-20%
" ... I'm also a huge fan of the App that is installed on my phone. ... "
" ... If you use the mobile app on your phone it gets it right and frankly seems like a richer interface. ... "
" ... The mobile app is great. ... You can limit the bandwidth for every device as well in the app. ... The App also lets you monitor the RAM and CPU load. ... You can also set up a VPN in the app and set up/ use the WTFast feature. ... I downloaded a 60mb app to my phone to test it and it downloaded almost instantly. ... "
" ... The app is so easy to use ... "
" ... The app is really well done. ... "
" ... Good browser-based configuration. ... "
" ... Pro tip: use the mobile app if you are a tech newbie. ... "
Controls
9reset, reboot, parental, panel, log
+11%
-89%
" ... There are no improvements to the GUI of the AC5300, so I faced the exact same menus and the exact same poor implementation of the disk share features as before. ... "
" ... I reset them using the reset button on the router so I could log in and then made sure to restore it back to factory settings through the Asus router page just in case. ... "
" ... asking me to login to every page, every time, it wouldn't even show me the menu on the left side and kept saying "you've successfully updated your router, please use the new IP and port to continue" in the pane that'd normally show the wifi info on the right side. ... "
" ... I went to log into the interface and the only thing that showed up was the reboot button. ... "
" ... the QOS panel does not work in Chrome or Firefox (had to use IE11) likely due to outdated controls. ... "
" ... I had an issue, that after about 48 hours of operation, httpd (the service that serves the admin control panel) would crash and be restarted by "watchdog". ... "
" ... Anyway, without going into too much detail, the parental controls are only functional if the client on which I want to impose those controls is not actively connected. ... "
" ... No problem has been identified, nothing has been fixed (actually the power button was broken off and missing). ... "
Delivery
9received, delivery, box, speed, process
+67%
-33%
" ... Came in on time, in great condition in the box. ... "
" ... Great product and delivery service. ... "
" ... Great looks, performance and speed delivery. ... "
" ... The day it arrived, it worked well. ... "
Storage
9sure, takes, plus, huge, footprint
+78%
-22%
" ... It does takes space so be sure to have enough oom for it. ... "
" ... Make sure you have plenty of space where you want to set it up. ... "
" ... It is HUGE, so make sure you have space for it to sit. ... "
" ... And I do mean big: this thing occupies an entire square foot of space. ... "
" ... Plus it looks like a space ship, a plus in my book! ... "
" ... It's quite large and takes up a lot of space. ... "
" ... the design is awesome, and the top is not for ventalation, so the space in the middle can be used for another device. ... "
Internet
8download speeds, wifi, connectivity, upload, times
+50%
-50%
" ... Internet light just went out one day for no reason. ... "
" ... Also noticing lots of intermittent loss of internet connectivity . ... "
" ... at other times it would lose its internet connection. ... "
" ... One of my sons is in school and requires internet access, and one of my sons is “special needs” and the lack of internet would destroy him. ... "
Design
8spider, look, functionality, cool
+75%
-25%
" ... PRoduct design is very good, but everything else is unpolished, and even cannot give basic functionality. ... Looks like they are not bothering to make it work properly. ... "
" ... Other than it looks like a giant alien spider, I got no complaints at all. ... "
" ... Looks crazy cool too! ... "
" ... Oh and it looks B.A. ... "
" ... At the beginning, it is fast and stable, and I liked every aspect of it, including the look. ... "
Build Quality
8build quality, tightened, thing, fall, 5ghz 1 band
+38%
-63%
" ... My solution: I just bought a Netgear AX8 and the Asus will become a very expensive door stop. ... "
" ... I read the reviews that the "dropping" issue had been fixed, but that does not appear to be the case. ... "
" ... My heart dropped and felt like i was completely SCAMMED! ... "
" ... Even though they are tightened down firmly with the thumb nut, they still eventually fall down. ... "
Resolution
7stream, 4k, 1080p, streaming, netflix
+100%
" ... Handles 3 1080p video streams and Xbox traffic simultaneously with no problems whatsoever. ... "
" ... While our 55" plasma 1080P TV was streaming Netflix, we would run SpeedTest.net on our Note 8 smartphone to discover speeds of only 20-30 Mbps download. ... I am able to stream in HD on three TV's (2 using DirecTV Now, 1 wired/2 wireless) and a Kids HD Kindle Fire Tablet with no buffering and no changes in picture quality and still get 217 Mbps download on my Note 8!!! ... "
" ... Not only that but she's actually getting the full 1080p that she's never gotten before. ... "
" ... Not only that but I can stream in full HD while someone is watching downstairs in 4K. ... "
" ... Seriously though, 4k tv, ps4 pro, and I'm down stairs with no issues and usually the first to load into any game online. ... "
" ... I was able to download four simultaneous AV files and view HD streaming programing without any problems. ... "
" ... we watch 4k plex and 4k netflix without interruption. ... "
Fit
7hold, fall, tightened, stay, putting
-100%
" ... The replacement I just received has a screw or something else rattling around inside when you move it. ... "
" ... It didn’t work, and the antennas would fall easily. ... "
" ... Another time a rep (Michael) asked a few questions but didn't really know how to help and put me on hold . ... "
" ... Trouble from the start, keeps shutting off ... "
" ... Even though they are tightened down firmly with the thumb nut, they still eventually fall down. ... "
" ... Most of them doesn't even stay up at all and are loosely fit. ... "
" ... I was put on hold for 20-some minutes and then told the wait time for supervisors was extremely long. ... "
Defective Delivery
5shipping, provide, product, label, faulty
-100%
" ... Probably got a defective one in the first place. ... "
" ... it's defective. ... I agreed since the equipment was faulty. ... They will not provide a shipping label for their defective product. ... They will not provide a shipping label for their defective product. ... so far, the last 3 products I have purchased from them have been defective. ... "
" ... It was defective. ... "
" ... Maybe it was a defective unit but in any event it is being returned. ... "
" ... Still waiting to confirm replacement process and need to pay for shipping faulty product back. ... "
Call quality
5calls, skype, hear, told, return
+20%
-80%
" ... Barely understands English. ... "
" ... I received a flyer in the packet that stated call them if I was having issues. ... I tried to call them 3 times. ... "
" ... Then out of a sudden, he yelled at me saying he could hear me just fine. ... So I told him I couldn't hear him and I wasn't sure if he was still on the line. ... "
" ... He says he has no idea why another department would have given me their number and gives me another number to call. ... Two and a half hours later, no call. ... "
For Kids
4sites, tablets, internet, computer, adult
+100%
" ... Doing this while the kids were asleep, the Xbox was not on. ... "
" ... My kids are always on the computer/tablets and I wanted to prevent them to control what sites they're able to access, my main concern was adult websites. ... "
" ... My goal was to set timers for each of my kids who often sneak their iPads on school nights. ... "
" ... Love that it has internet usage time limit option for the kids. ... "
Memory
4usb, support, drive, cpu, barely
+75%
-25%
" ... It has more internal memory and a little more speed, but it was significantly more expensive. ... "
" ... The App also lets you monitor the RAM and CPU load. ... "
" ... USB drive support samba share, really useful across different platforms. ... "
Heating
4heat
+50%
-50%
" ... After investigating what could be the cause, I came to the conclusion that it is heat! ... "
Sound Quality
3sounds
+67%
-33%
" ... Even with Roxul sound proof insulation in ALL of my interior walls. ... "
" ... Sounds better than my old land line. ... "
Print Quality
3wireless, printers, canon, epson, working
+33%
-67%
" ... Before all this I had a nightmare time getting any kind of newer printer to work on it wirelessly (they have a list of compatible printers but they're all old or have bad reviews). ... "
" ... Also had issues with my Epson wireless printers showing up on the network. ... "
Product As Described
3+100%
" ... It’s exac like the picture. ... "
" ... works as described. ... "
" ... This product is as described. ... "
USB
3usb 3 0, ports, one, 2, support
+100%
" ... USB drive support samba share, really useful across different platforms. ... "
" ... There are 2 USB ports: one is USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbit/s), the other is USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbit/s). ... The most peculiar thing is that according to CrystalDiskMark USB 2.0 (second screenshot) can be faster than USB 3.0 (first screenshot) for my hard drive in some situations. ... "
" ... Also some people raised the question if it is possible to connect multiple HDD's to one of the USB ports. ... "
Comfort
3price, pain, head, hands, fall
-100%
" ... Its a head ache and a hassle, if u dont have time to go through almost every single one of the settings and adjust everthing, stay away. ... "
" ... Buy a Netgear, half the price, none of the pain. ... "
" ... Even though they are tightened down firmly with the thumb nut, they still eventually fall down. ... "
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Specifications
Connectivity
Number of USB ports: 3
USB: Yes