Asus RT-N12E WiFi router: Pros and Cons

Asus RT-N12E (RT-N12E) pictures

The specifications below 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-N12E, then don’t hesite and signal the problem to us.

Asus RT-N12E (RT-N12E) specifications

Body

The dimensions and design of a router can impact its cooling capabilities. Routers with larger dimensions may have more space for internal cooling mechanisms, such as larger fans or heat sinks, which can help dissipate heat more effectively. If you purchase a router online or have it shipped, the weight may affect the overall cost. Heavier routers can result in higher shipping charges, especially for international deliveries.

System

The Asus RT-N12E router is equipped with Realtek RTL8196C processor. The RT-N12E has 16 MB of RAM. Some advanced router features and software functionalities require a certain amount of RAM to operate properly. For example, routers with more RAM can support advanced security features, VPN services, or QoS (Quality of Service) prioritization more effectively. The RT-N12E has 4 MB of flash memory. A larger flash memory allows for more storage space to accommodate future firmware upgrades.

The process of upgrading the firmware on routers has become relatively simple and user-friendly over the years. The Asus provides easy-to-use interfaces and instructions to guide users through the firmware upgrade process. The Asus RT-N12E router comes with 12 V / 0.5 A PSU. This unit is responsible for providing electrical power to the router, and if it becomes faulty, it can be replaced with a new, compatible one.

Network

The RT-N12E router offers built-in security features to protect your network and connected devices. The IPv4 is the fourth iteration of the Internet Protocol (IP) and is the most widely used version of IP on the internet today. The Asus RT-N12E has 4 x 10/100 Mbps LAN and 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN ports. LAN or Ethernet ports (RJ-45) are used to connect devices to the local area network (LAN). WAN ports often require specific configuration settings based on the type of internet connection provided by your ISP. The WAN port on the RT-N12E router is a Fast Ethernet port, not a Gigabit Ethernet. The Fast Ethernet ports are capable of supporting speeds up to 100 Mbps, which is still suitable for most internet connections.

Wireless

This router has 2 x 2 dBi, RP-SMA antennas. Antennas play a significant role in Wi-Fi performance and coverage. They are essential components of wireless routers that transmit and receive radio signals to establish wireless connections with devices. 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. This frequency range is unlicensed and globally available for various wireless applications, including Wi-Fi.

The RT-N12E is a Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) router. Wi-Fi 4 improved the range and coverage compared to previous Wi-Fi standards. The use of MIMO technology and other enhancements help to mitigate signal degradation and provide better coverage in larger homes or office environments. This allows devices to maintain a stable connection even when located farther away from the Wi-Fi router. The N300 refers to the maximum combined data transfer rate supported by the router across all Wi-Fi bands.

The RT-N12E is capable of a maximum throughput speed of 300 Mbps. The real-world speed of a RT-N12E router is typically lower than its theoretical maximum speed. The TX power (20 dBm) of a router refers to the transmission power or signal strength at which the router broadcasts its Wi-Fi signal. It determines the range and coverage area of the wireless network. The RT-N12E 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-N12E 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

The RT-N12E router doesn't have file-server or print-server functionality.

Administration

The default IP addresses of the Asus RT-N12E device is 192.168.1.1. These address allows you to access the router's console login page. If you are unable to log in to the setup panel of your Asus router, performing a reset can be a helpful troubleshooting step. It is highly recommended to change the default password of your RT-N12E router after the initial setup. If you forget the new password in the future, you may need to perform a factory reset on the router to revert to the default settings.

Asus RT-N12E (RT-N12E) comparisons

According to our statistics, the Asus RT-N12E router was most often compared on our site with the following routers.

Asus RT-N12VP Asus RT-AC52U Asus RT-N18U Asus RT-AC3100 Asus RT-N13U Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro Asus RT-N11P Asus ROG Strix GS-AX5400

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