By Matthew Powell
Australia may yet lag behind parts of the developed world in terms of the speed of our internet, but connections are getting faster all the time, and the need for home Wi-Fi networks to share those connections only increases. If you’ve upgraded the speed of your internet connection since it was first installed, there’s a reasonable chance the router you got at the time isn’t taking full advantage.
The ASUS ROG STRIX GS-BE18000 is a high-end Wi-Fi router intended for gamers (ROG, or Republic Of Gaming, is ASUS’s sub-brand for that market). But if you’re not a dedicated gamer, don’t fret — there’s still plenty of reason to give it a look.
For one thing, the GS-BE18000 supports not only the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands your current router gives you, but also the 6GHz band — a relatively recent innovation that enables even greater wireless networking speeds on devices that support it.
It’s worth noting that not many devices on the market in Australia presently do support it. Gamers are generally at the bleeding edge of performance technology, which is why one of the first routers on the market that can do 6GHz Wi-Fi is aimed at them. However, support for the newer faster frequency band will become more widespread and probably within a year or two will be commonplace. If you replace your computers and other devices reasonably regularly, this would be a great way to future-proof your home network.
The router comes as a stylish-looking black rectangular box designed to sit on a shelf. It’s not wall-mountable. As with many devices designed for gamers, it’s meant to be seen, not hidden away somewhere like most routers. The design may therefore be a bit aggressive for some users. On the front is the ROG logo, illuminated by coloured LEDs which you can customise any way you like. Mercifully, that includes turning them off completely — some of us just want our routers to sit quietly and route.
On the back are eight 2.5 gigabit-per-second ethernet ports, one of which is designated as the WAN port, so that’s where your internet connection goes in. Seven wired ethernet ports is a pretty generous allotment for a home router — again, think of the gamers — but some devices like smart TVs and streaming boxes do prefer a wired connection if one is available.
And if you are a gamer, it’s worth noting that two ports are designated as prioritising gaming. If you need to squeeze out every last bit of lag-free performance, devices connected to those ports will have their traffic go to the front of the queue to avoid latency. No more slowing down because someone in the house is watching Netflix.
It’s a little bit disappointing that all of the wired ports are limited to 2.5 gigabits per second, given that the 6GHz Wi-Fi in the box is capable of 10 gigabits per second. However, remember that few devices can operate at that speed yet, and the majority of internet connections in this country are not yet up to a single gigabit per second, even on the NBN.
Setup is very straightforward, and you configure the device either via a web interface or an app for either Android or iOS. I found setting up using the app incredibly easy compared to other routers I’ve used, but preferred the web interface for administration tasks (like shutting off the logo).
In use, the GS-BE18000 does what it says on the tin. It’s a stable, fast router that had no trouble at all with the tasks I set for it like streaming to multiple devices at once as well as running a conference over Zoom. I doubt there are many home users in Australia whose requirements would tax its capabilities.
Overall, think of the ASUS ROG STRIX GS-BE18000 as an investment for the future. It’s really unlikely you need what it can do right now, but you won’t have to upgrade your router for the next half a decade.
Rating: 8.5/10
Pros
- Leading-edge home network tech
- Generous allotment of wired ports
- Easy to set up and use
Cons
- Pricey
- Design might not suit every decor
- Wired connections all capped at 2.5Gbps
