Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro Wi-Fi 7 IEEE 802.11BE Ethernet Wireless Router

The ASUS ZenWiFi BE30000 Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh Router (3 pack) sets a very high bar for the competition and could very well be the best in its category. Ease of use, fast stable connection speeds and robust parental controls were the essentials on my checklist for a new mesh router in all of which the ZenWiFi BE30000 excels!I am not new to mesh systems but the ZenWiFi BE30000 is also my second interaction with the technology. For a quick overview, mesh systems seek to provide better coverage and throughput over wider areas than traditional wireless routers via a main unit and satellite/node setup. Unlike extenders that may not provide seamless transitions, mesh systems automatically switch devices between the main and satellite/node while providing a single point ... MoreThe ASUS ZenWiFi BE30000 Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh Router (3 pack) sets a very high bar for the competition and could very well be the best in its category. Ease of use, fast stable connection speeds and robust parental controls were the essentials on my checklist for a new mesh router in all of which the ZenWiFi BE30000 excels!I am not new to mesh systems but the ZenWiFi BE30000 is also my second interaction with the technology. For a quick overview, mesh systems seek to provide better coverage and throughput over wider areas than traditional wireless routers via a main unit and satellite/node setup. Unlike extenders that may not provide seamless transitions, mesh systems automatically switch devices between the main and satellite/node while providing a single point for updates to the system.The ZenWiFi BE30000 delivers unparallel performance, in my opinion, due to the match of robust hardware specifications and excellent software to harness all available potential. As previously said, my system is a three pack. They appear identical and the setup entails one being designated as the main/router and others as node/satellite. ASUS by default labels one of the units as the main unit although in my experience, roles could be swapped. Each unit contains 12 antennas, 256MB flash memory and 2GB RAM. The brain of each unit is a 2.6 GHz quad core CPU with a rather formidable heatsink that ensures cool operation. For wireless connectivity, the ZenWiFi BE30000 employs a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz and two 6GHz frequencies in line with its quad band designation. One of the 6GHz frequencies is reserved for the wireless backhaul setup. The wireless backhaul (like in my setup) describes the mode of communication between the nodes and main unit. There is an option for a wired backhaul setup where the units are all physically linked via their LAN ports, thereby making two 6GHz frequencies available for communication by connected devices. The system operates off the WiFi 7 standard (802.11be) while being backward compatible with devices on previous older standards. Multi-Link Operation (MLO) associated with the WiFi 7 standard is a feature that enables WiFi 7-capable devices simultaneously connect via multiple frequencies thereby helping reduce congestion-related issues and latency. In summary, connection speeds will be faster and more stable as communication will be occurring via multiple channels as opposed to a single one. It is worth noting MLO is also supported in the wireless backhaul communication. Wired connectivity is achieved via a 10 Gigabit WAN/LAN port, a 1 Gigabit WAN/LAN port, a 10 Gigabit LAN port and two 1 Gigabit WAN/LAN ports. Each unit also maintains a USB 3.0 Type-A port that facilitates FTP sharing, media server and network printer server functions. The ports can also be configured to support iTunes and Apple Time Machine functions. Finally, the USB Type-A is also capable of 4G LTE and 5G tethering for the network in the event of an internet outage perhaps. While I have yet to try out this feature, it is good to know the system has the capability.ASUS must be commended for the included software and flexibility they extend to the user. The ASUS Router app is available via either Google Play or Apple App Store depending on your platform. The app is easy to use and assists with the initial setup via very easy to follow steps. For the more advanced users, there is also a web GUI option. I preferred the latter as it provided more opportunities to easier fine tune the system. In comparison to my previous mesh system where there was very little opportunity to tweak the setup, the ZenWiFi BE30000 is very configurable. Tweaks worth mentioning include ability to:• set signal thresholds for frequency bands• change frequency channels• create multiple SSIDs (main SSID, IoT SSID, Guest SSID, Children SSID etc.)• toggle LED status indicator on/off• define communication route (should nodes connect directly to main unit or daisy-chain)• optimize devices at the click of a button• prioritize devices on the network based on the need (i.e. WFH priority or streaming etc.)While some of these may not seem like a big deal, my system before was really closed off. The versatility of control reminds me of the previous standalone wireless routers. The LED status indicator, while very useful, can be overwhelmingly bright in my experience and the ability to turn off is thus very much welcome. It changes color and flashes or remains static to provide an at-glance status of your system. My network typically consists of about 25 devices at any given time and the ability to assign each an icon to help facilitate quick identification is a feature I believe needs recognition. While the software on its own is able to provide some identification based on the connected device, the user can select through a rather exhaustive (might I add impressive while at it) library of icons to really personalize your network. In the event the provided icons in the library do not adequately capture/describe any device, it is possible to add a picture. The cherry on the cake might very well be the different themes available for personalization on the app. It is simply the small things that ASUS has considered that have made me a convert. I must add that this is my first dabble with ASUS.Subscription-based parental control is a trend that ASUS fortunately steers clear from. Protection is powerful with predefined profiles for preschooler, school-aged child, teen and finally adult. The allowed content list which creates these profiles can still be fine tweaked based on your preferences/needs. Should scheduling web access be your priority, there is an option for that. Through partnership with TrendMicro, there are options to also block ads and malicious content. Having used software from other manufacturers that failed terribly at the parental controls or provided them for a subscription, I cannot overstate the benefit of the route chosen by ASUS.Per ASUS, a coverage of about 11,000sqft is attainable by the 3-pack system. In my townhouse setup with three levels, I have the nodes/satellites on the first and third levels with the main unit positioned in the middle or second level. My area of coverage is under 2,000sqft, however, the presence of doors, walls and the different levels have proven challenging for previous routers including the last mesh system. My ISP service download speed is under 1Gbps with an upload speed capped at 20Mbps. My previous mesh system used to provide download speeds of about 300Mbps and the aforementioned upload speeds. My ZenWiFi BE30000 consistently delivers download speeds of about 900Mbps inside the house. My upload speeds remain at 20Mbps due to my ISP limitations which should be changing in the near future.Finally, my previous mesh system while stable in connectivity could take quite some time to reboot. In my experience, my 3-pack ZenWiFi BE30000 system performed the task in under three minutes. While I previously had a single wireless router that was on par with this time, its efforts pale in comparison to a mesh system which has more going on in the background to get the system online. ASUS provides a three-year warranty and being such a renowned company for innovation, I know there will be constant updates to make an already great system the best it can ever be. While my smartphone is currently the only device with WiFi 7 capabilities, it should be a while before my investment hints any signs of obsolesce. I wholeheartedly recommend this system.

I received the Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro BE30000 Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh Router (3pk) about a week ago. The hardware is well built and hefty. It looks like a larger version of the other model Asus ZenWiFi AiMesh routers. There are five ethernet ports. One of these ports is a 10 Gigabit WAN/LAN port and one of the ports is a 1 Gigabit WAN/LAN port. The three other ports are 1 Gigabit LAN ports. There is also a USB 3.0 port. There were three units included and one has a sticker that identifies it as the “main” unit. Initial setup was straightforward…. I connected the 2.5G port of my modem to the 10 Gigabit WAN port of the “main” unit with the included CAT6 ethernet cable, powered it on, and I set it up it up through the web user interface as a router. The web user interface ... MoreI received the Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro BE30000 Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh Router (3pk) about a week ago. The hardware is well built and hefty. It looks like a larger version of the other model Asus ZenWiFi AiMesh routers. There are five ethernet ports. One of these ports is a 10 Gigabit WAN/LAN port and one of the ports is a 1 Gigabit WAN/LAN port. The three other ports are 1 Gigabit LAN ports. There is also a USB 3.0 port. There were three units included and one has a sticker that identifies it as the “main” unit. Initial setup was straightforward…. I connected the 2.5G port of my modem to the 10 Gigabit WAN port of the “main” unit with the included CAT6 ethernet cable, powered it on, and I set it up it up through the web user interface as a router. The web user interface is similar to other Asus routers. I felt right at home navigating the user interface, having owned Asus routers for many years. After setup, the router provided full advertised ISP speeds (1000Mbps D/L, 200Mbps U/L) through the devices connected through the LAN ports, but the single unit struggled to provide wireless coverage in my 2400 sq ft home. I have two Eufy smart outdoor floodlight cameras and they would not connect to the 2.4 GHz wireless network until I added at least one of the other two units as a node. I did experience issues when adding or removing wireless mesh nodes. Adding a node: when a node is added through the app or the router GUI, it will say that it was not successfully found/added, even though the mesh node is shown on the router GUI/app (i.e., added) when it is powered off and then back on. Removing a node: whenever a mesh node is factory reset with the reset push button, the WPS button, or by removing the node from the app or the router GUI, it will automatically add itself back as a node whenever it powered off then powered back on. Through trial and error, I found that the only way to remove a node from the system is to power off the main router then factory reset the node that you would like to remove. It was a frustrating experience when I tried to change one of the nodes to a wireless access point. After I finally got the mesh network setup and working, wireless speeds were good. I do not have any WiFi 7 devices. So, I was not able to check the functionality of the 6 GHz bands, but 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz coverage and speeds were good initially with the wireless mesh network. However, after a few days, wireless network speeds went to a crawl (less than 25 Mbps) and all of the units had to be powered cycled to restore expected speeds. Through troubleshooting efforts, I noticed that there were missing settings (i.e. wireless control channel, channel bandwidth, wireless security authentication method, etc.) on the wireless settings web user interface that I am used to seeing on my other Asus networking products. The missing settings could be restored by rebooting the router, but within 24 hours they would disappear again. The issues that I experienced were repeatable after factory resetting all of the units’ multiple times. I also own an Asus RT-AX86U Pro with two Asus XT8 nodes and these products do not experience these issues. Asus support was contacted and their suggestion was to factory reset the nodes and setup the Ai Mesh again, which I had already done multiple times. Hopefully, the issues can be resolved with a future firmware update. Unfortunately, in its current beta state, I was unable to use the Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro BE30000 units in my home. They were boxed up, and I went back to using my Asus RT-AX86U Pro with two Asus XT8 nodes.

WiFi 7 is here, and Asus’s entry into a WiFi 7 mesh system is ready to go. The BE30000 is a quad band, WiFi 7 system with 320MHz superwide channels, 10Gb multigig wired WAN/LAN and MLO. These units cover up to 11000 sq ft, but realistically will give you WiFi 6 line of sight in more places in your home. So is this cutting edge piece of kit ready for your home? Or is it pushing the boundaries a bit too far?The BE30000 is a high end set of 3 routers. Yes, each of them could operate entirely on their own, but they configure automatically on a wired backhaul very easily. I skipped the quickstart guide found in the box and simply started plugging them in. The initial network setup done by app was sufficient to get started, but I was happy to see the tried and true Asus ... MoreWiFi 7 is here, and Asus’s entry into a WiFi 7 mesh system is ready to go. The BE30000 is a quad band, WiFi 7 system with 320MHz superwide channels, 10Gb multigig wired WAN/LAN and MLO. These units cover up to 11000 sq ft, but realistically will give you WiFi 6 line of sight in more places in your home. So is this cutting edge piece of kit ready for your home? Or is it pushing the boundaries a bit too far?The BE30000 is a high end set of 3 routers. Yes, each of them could operate entirely on their own, but they configure automatically on a wired backhaul very easily. I skipped the quickstart guide found in the box and simply started plugging them in. The initial network setup done by app was sufficient to get started, but I was happy to see the tried and true Asus web client still underpinning this experience. The BE30000 can hold your hand, or give you the reins to tweak your setup to a great extent. The other nodes detected their fate of being secondary nodes and stepped in line without any further interaction. Overall setup was a breeze.During setup, the device prompts you to create a separate IoT network. This network supposedly gives you separation enough to allow IoT devices to function without any issues, while leaving the WiFi 7 network to use the biggest and baddest feature set. In practice I found immediate issues. About a third or more of my IoT devices would not link up, in fact they wouldn’t even see the SSID of the network. These aren’t esoteric devices either, but rather Ring doorbells and stick up cameras, smart thermostats from major manufacturers, WiFi connected smart outlets from Amazon. I did quite a bit of diagnosis, but I finally found a thread discussing the problem. Do the following: Log into the web interface on a desktop computer. Select under advanced settings ‘Wireless’. Go to the ‘Professional’ tab, and choose the ‘2.4 GHz’ from the band. Go down to the Modulation Scheme (WiFi 5) and select ‘Up to MCS 7 (802.11n). This allowed all my devices to connect without issue. In my diagnosis, I ended up splitting my WiFi SSIDs so that the WiFi 7 network was marked as such, and I don’t regret this. I can ensure that my high speed clients are on the best possible network, while Alexa devices, older devices, and such are on my old network.This set is a nice setup for upgrading your home network. In my use case I kept each WiFi node on a wired backhaul, keeping an interlink of at least 2.5Gb (simply due to not having a 10Gb switch). Luckily when using other nodes, you can simply uplink them using the WAN port. This leaves the other 10Gb port at your disposal to link to a multigig switch or 10Gb client. Unfortunately the other ports are only gigabit, as I would have preferred to see 2.5Gb or 5Gb ports. Still, I am able to uplink on a Cat 6 wired network in my house at 10Gb no problem, and have transferred at incredible speeds between my NAS and a 2.5Gb client. Seeing 250-300 megabytes per second over wired, and over 120 megabytes per second on WiFi is something I couldn’t accomplish on my old mesh.802.11be, or colloquially known as WiFi 7 offers some huge improvements. It’s still early yet, but seeing multiple gigabits from certain clients, even 2x2 antenna configs, is possible. Now, theoretical speeds WiFi speeds with MLO are up to 30000 Mbps using quad band capabilities.Of course that’s a pipe dream, but this sort of overstatement means there is plenty of bandwidth on tap. Each 6GHz network is technically rated at 11529 Mbps, and the 5Ghz 5764 Mbps. While your clients won’t see these rates exactly, it’s still possible to get speeds that push the boundaries of what’s possible with your internet, and even 10Gbps wired clients. 12 internal antennas that support beam forming ensure solid connections.Unfortunately I personally didn’t have any WiFi 7 clients, but I do have multiple WiFi 6E clients, and chances are you do too. These clients benefit from the 6GHz frequency these routers support, and give you superior bandwidth in those cases. My iPhone was able to easily hit gigabit speeds on these fairly uncrowded bands, and my MacBook Pro matched or exceeded those speeds, hitting spikes over 1500 Mbps transfer rates to my NAS. The key is you want the router in line of sight for these devices to really fly. If you can put one of these nodes in major traffic areas, or places you sit, you’ll see incredible speeds, even from last generation hardware. Now imagine your WiFi adapter and use the MLO features, and effectively double that 1500Mbps to 3000Mbps. This isn’t even a ‘reported’ speed, but rather actual transfer to a wired 10Gb client. These routers are very fast.Even on the 5Ghz band I was able to sustain 600 Mbps actual transfer speed at fairly decent distances. The 2.4Ghz at 20Mhz width was about as you’d expect - 50Mbps, but let’s be real, this is for IoT devices and older non-bandwidth sensitive applications.Hiding behind the plastic box are some pretty powerful CPUs. Clocking in at 2.6Ghz with 4 cores, it barely breaks a sweat when routing large amounts of traffic. 2GB of RAM isn’t a ton these days, but sufficient for the router's main job. Speaking of, I have fiber internet, and pay for 1.2Gbps. I consistent am able to maintain (from the router’s speed test, found under the QoS tab), 1250 Mbps up and down through the fiber ONT (which runs it’s wired network connection at 10Gbps).Now that I’ve waxed on about bandwidth and capabilities hardware wise, let’s dive a bit into the software. This is where Asus shines. Choosing either the app or the web interface, Asus does a good job showing you the overall network setup, port speed, network names, AiMesh node status, and clients connected. I love that it would confirm if the 10Gb port was running at 10, 2.5 or 1Gb. Each port’s status and speed is listed under the AIMesh (mouse over to see link speed or switch to list view in the app), CPU and memory utilization are listed, and backhaul link speed. You can enable SSH, and use remote access to the linux command line if you so desire. It’s running aarch_64 4.19 based kernel. If you’re a nerd, you’ll be quite pleased with the access these tools give you.Besides the nerd tools, network tools, and general network settings, you get great parental controls. You can setup times to disable internet access for all, or selected devices. Another great implementation here is with Trend Micro’s content filtering, which uses managed DNS to create filters for content. This allows you to block certain categories of content for clients. Overall the parental controls are simple, but effective.There is also direct integration with malware/phishing scam protection with Trend Micro here as well. While there isn’t a cost to this, there is more processing cost. That said, you may want to enable it and see how it does. I noticed no slow down. The traffic analyzer gives you some really interesting statistics and can monitor top users. I was able to pinpoint downloading Fortnight’s client on a graph. It was quite informative.Another wonderful feature is VPN. Not only do you get the ability to run your own VPN server, so you can do the traditional VPN home and access secure clients from anywhere. But you also get the ability to use VPN Fusion to create profiles for traffic and route them through a VPN provider of your choice (Nord, Surfshark, etc, but also PPTP and L2TP generic clients).There are other things, like Alexa integration (‘Alexa ask my router to upgrade the firmware’... ok asus…), IPv6 support, detailed Firewall settings, download master, ftp server, itunes server, samba server, printer server, 3G/4G USB network support (for a backup 4G access point) and remote syslog. This is a feature packed router and I can’t imagine exercising all it’s capabilities, it’s somewhat dizzying.Overall I found the tools, capabilities and strength of the BE30000 kit to be amazing and fairly intuitive to a fairly advanced user. Despite all the power, the basic experience through the app brings a lot of it to the masses. Overall I’d probably skip these if you’re an average home user, but if you’re a prosumer or router hacker from the DD-WRT days, you’ll feel right at home. Despite some quirks around the 2.4Ghz legacy support, and bad out of the box settings, this mesh setup blew me away with its features, capabilities, and ease of setup. In my use case, where I can use these devices to strengthen and bring multigig wired and wireless to my home, I found them to excel in every way. They’re an investment, but so are multigig switches, and WiFi 6E clients. Overall I believe these mesh nodes will power my network for years to come.