Asus RT-AC55U router review
The Asus RT-AC55U (RT-AC55U) router released in 2014. It is powered by Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558 @ 720 MHz chipset, 128 MB of RAM and 128 MB of flash. The AC1200 router is compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards, and the maximum speed that you can get with RT-AC55U is 300 + 867 Mbps. The router has 1 x 10/100/1000 Mbps WAN and 4 x 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN ports.
Table of Contents
Our personal experiences and opinions form the basis of this article. We aimed to share insights on a topic, and we hoped others would find it useful and inspirational. The specs below rely on official manufacturer data, but we also consider user reviews. If you noticed any mistakes or missing details about the Asus RT-AC55U, please let us know. Furthermore, we strive to deliver a thorough and precise overview.
The RT-AC55U is a cheap router. It supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) for faster wireless speeds. You can connect supported USB devices to the router. Asus provides affordable networking solutions. They are accessible to many users.
Asus RT-AC55U specifications
| Brand | Asus |
|---|---|
| Name | RT-AC55U |
| Type | RT-AC55U |
| Rating | |
| Launch | 2014 |
Body
| Dimensions | 207 x 35.5 x 148.8 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 495 g |
The dimensions and design of a router can impact its cooling capabilities. Routers with larger dimensions may have more space for internal cooling mechanisms. The weight of a router can matter in some situations. But, it is usually not as crucial as other factors. These factors include features and compatibility.
System
| Chipset | Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558 @ 720 MHz |
|---|---|
| RAM | 128 MB |
| Flash | 128 MB |
| OS | Asus |
| Power supply | 12 V / 2 A |
The Asus RT-AC55U router has a Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558 @ 720 MHz processor. The amount of RAM in a router can affect its performance. It also affects its capacity to handle concurrent operations and traffic. The 128 MB flash memory in the router serves as the storage medium for the router's firmware. Asus often releases firmware updates. They improve the router's features, security, and bugs. They also add new features. The 12 V / 2 A PSU provides power to the router. If it breaks, you can replace it with a new one.
Network
| Protocols | IPv4 IPv6 |
|---|---|
| LAN ports | 4 x 10/100/1000 Mbps |
| WAN ports | 1 x 10/100/1000 Mbps |
| Mobile network | yes, with USB dongle |
| VPN support | PPTP L2TP/IPSec OpenVPN |
Like many modern routers, the RT-AC55U supports many network standards too. The IPv4 is the fourth iteration of the Internet Protocol (IP). It is the most widely used version of IP on the internet today. The latest firmware supports IPv6. It provides a system to identify and locate computers on networks. This router has Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports. They provide data transfer speeds of up to 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) over Ethernet connections.
This router ensures that you can use fast internet from your ISP fully. The RT-AC55U router supports 3G or 4G dongles, allowing you to connect to a cellular network. OpenVPN is a full-featured SSL VPN solution. It uses OSI layer 2 or 3. It extends secure networks using SSL/TLS, an industry standard. IPsec is a widely used network protocol suite. It provides security for IP communications. The PPTP is an older VPN protocol. It was widely used in the past.
Wireless
| Antennas | 2 x 5 dBi RP-SMA |
|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz | yes |
| 5 GHz | yes |
| 60 GHz | no |
| Standards | IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| Class | AC1200 |
| Speed | 300 + 867 Mbps |
| Transmit power | 20 dBm |
| Security | WEP WPA WPA2 |
| Guest network | yes |
This router has 2 x 5 dBi, RP-SMA antennas. Antennas are key parts of wireless routers. They send and receive radio signals to make wireless connections. This router is 2.4 GHz capable. The 2.4GHz band refers to the portion of the radio spectrum between 2.400 and 2.4835 gigahertz. The 5 GHz band offers better noise immunity and less interference. It also has more available channels. Wi-Fi 5 uses the 5 GHz band. It uses wider channels and advanced techniques to send data faster.
Real-world RT-AC55U router speeds are lower than its theoretical maximum speed. WEP was the first Wi-Fi security protocol. But it is now seen as weak and easy to hack. The introduction of WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) improved upon WEP. It provides stronger security.
Connectivity
| USB ports | 1 x USB 2.0 1 x USB 3.0 |
|---|---|
| Print server | yes |
| File server | yes |
The USB 2 port has a maximum theoretical data transfer rate of 480 megabits per second (Mbps). The USB 3 ports provide a fast interface for external storage with data transfer rates of up to 4.8 Gbps. USB print servers let you connect a USB printer to your network. This makes it accessible to many devices. You can connect external storage devices such as USB flash drives or USB hard drives to your router.
Administration
| Default IP | 192.168.1.1 |
|---|---|
| Default username | admin |
| Default password | admin |
If you can't log in to your Asus router's setup panel, try resetting it. A reset can help you troubleshoot. It is highly recommended to change the default password of your RT-AC55U router. Do this after the initial setup.
Pros and Cons
Every router, including this Asus one, has its good sides and not-so-good sides. Let's take a closer look at both to get a full understanding of what this router can do. We'll talk about what it does well and also where it could use some improvements. Just remember, this is just what I think, and you might see things differently.
Pros
- sufficient memory
- adequate flash
- IPv6 capable
- high-speed LAN port
- high-speed WAN port
- 3/4G USB modem capable
- supports OpenVPN
- works on 5 GHz band
- USB 2 compatible
- USB 3 compatible
- printserver functionality
- fileserver operation
Cons
- missing Wi-Fi 6 support
- incompatible with WPA3
- missing WPS support
Asus RT-AC55U photos
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