Asus RT-N10U 2.4 GHz router review, is it worth it?

The Asus RT-N10U (RT-N10U) router released in 2011. It is powered by Broadcom BCM5356U @ 300 MHz chipset, 32 MB of RAM and 8 MB of flash. The N150 router is compatible with IEEE 802.11b/g/n standards, and the maximum speed that you can get with RT-N10U is 150 Mbps. The router has 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN and 4 x 10/100 Mbps LAN ports.

The user-friendly interface of RT-N10U make it accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise. This router features USB connectors that provide additional functionality and expand the capabilities of your network. Asus is widely recognized as a reputable and established manufacturer of networking equipment.

Table of contents:

• Asus RT-N10U specifications
• Asus RT-N10U pictures

Asus RT-N10U (RT-N10U) specifications

Body

If you plan to move or travel frequently and need to take your router with you, the dimensions become important for portability. Smaller and more compact routers are generally easier to transport, while larger routers with external antennas or multiple ports may be bulkier and less convenient to carry. If you plan to mount your router on a wall or ceiling, the weight can influence the mounting process and the type of mounting hardware required. Heavier routers might require more robust mounting solutions to ensure stability and prevent damage or accidents.

System

The Broadcom BCM5356U @ 300 MHz CPU provides processing power to handle various tasks and services within the RT-N10U router. The 32 MB of RAM enables the router to handle multiple tasks and processes concurrently. It allows for the efficient switching and allocation of resources among different processes running on the router, facilitating multitasking and ensuring smooth operation. The flash memory in a Asus router is different from the volatile memory (RAM) that is used for temporary storage of data while the router is powered on. Flash memory of the RT-N10U retains its data even when the router is powered off, allowing the router to maintain its firmware and configuration settings across reboots.

To upgrade the firmware of the RT-N10U router, you typically need to visit the manufacturer's website, locate the specific model of your router, and download the latest firmware version provided. The firmware upgrade process may vary depending on the router model, but it often involves accessing the router's web-based administration interface and uploading the downloaded firmware file. Alternative router operating systems often provide more customization options and advanced features compared to the default firmware provided by router manufacturers. The Asus packages the RT-N10U router with 12 V / 1 A PSU. A good PSU is an essential component of a computer or electronic device that converts electrical power from an outlet into the appropriate voltage and current required to power the internal components of the device.

Network

Like many modern routers, the Asus RT-N10U supports a variety of features and technologies to enhance your network connectivity and security. The IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, represented as four sets of numbers separated by periods (e.g. 192.168.0.1). The LAN ports are physical connectors on a RT-N10U router that allow you to connect devices to your local network using Ethernet cables. WAN ports are used to connect the router to your internet service provider (ISP). They typically use Ethernet cables or fiber optic connections to establish a high-speed link between your local network and the wider internet. The RT-N10U is equipped with Fast Ethernet WAN port, which have a maximum speed of 100 Mbps.

Wireless

The 1 x 5 dBi antennas of RT-N10U influence the quality and stability of the Wi-Fi signal. A properly positioned and well-designed antenna can minimize interference and signal degradation, leading to a more reliable and stable connection. The RT-N10U is compatible with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Many IoT (Internet of Things) devices, smart home devices, and older Wi-Fi-enabled devices primarily operate on the 2.4 GHz band.

The RT-N10U is a Wi-Fi 4 router, with slower data transfer speeds. This can result in slower downloads, video buffering, and reduced performance when multiple devices are connected. The N150 is a performance indicator that represents the router's theoretical maximum speed. The theoretical maximum speed (150 Mbps) represents the highest data transfer rate that the router is capable of achieving under ideal conditions.

The TX power of RT-N10U can be adjusted by the user or set automatically by the router firmware. Higher TX power values indicate stronger signal transmission, which can result in a larger coverage area. The RT-N10U router offers several security protocols: WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPS. The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was the first security protocol for Wi-Fi networks but is now considered weak and easily compromised. It uses a static encryption key and has known vulnerabilities, so it is no longer recommended for securing Wi-Fi networks.

The WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) was introduced as an improvement over WEP and provides stronger security. If WPA3 is not available, WPA2-Personal with AES encryption is still considered secure. The RT-N10U router offers WPS. The WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) provides a simplified and convenient method for connecting devices to a Wi-Fi network. Instead of manually entering the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password, users can use the WPS feature to establish a connection with the push of a button or by entering a PIN.

Connectivity

USB ports can offer additional functionality depending on the router's capabilities. The USB 2 port has a maximum theoretical data transfer rate of 480 megabits per second (Mbps), which is equivalent to 60 megabytes per second (MB/s). By connecting a USB printer to the RT-N10U router, you can make it accessible to all devices on your network. This eliminates the need for individual printer connections and allows multiple devices to use the printer simultaneously. The USB file server functionality of this router allows you to connect external storage devices, such as USB flash drives or hard drives to your network. This enables easy file sharing and access among devices connected to the network.

Administration

The default IP address of this router is 192.168.1.1. Explore the router's configuration interface to access more advanced settings such as port forwarding, DHCP settings, parental controls, firewall settings, and QoS (Quality of Service) settings. Regularly changing the password is a good security practice to protect your network and devices from unauthorized access. It is also recommended to use strong, unique passwords for other devices and online accounts connected to your network for enhanced security. By changing the default password, you improve the security of your router and reduce the risk of unauthorized individuals gaining control over your network. It helps prevent unauthorized access to your router's settings, network configurations, and sensitive information.

The specifications above are based on the official data published by the manufacturer, but we also take user reviews into consideration. If you found an error or something lacking in the specifications above for the Asus RT-N10U, then don’t hesite and signal the problem to us.

Asus RT-N10U (RT-N10U) pictures

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