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ASUS RT-BE86U review

No. 5 of 10 in our wireless routers ranking · Updated · How we rank

Our verdict: The ASUS RT-BE86U ranks 5th of the 10 wireless routers we compare, with 8.5 out of 10.

ASUS RT-BE86U

8.5/10

The ASUS RT-BE86U is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router with a 10Gbps port, four 2.5Gbps ports and a dedicated gaming port. It suits fast fibre homes and gamers who want ASUS's full software and don't need a 6GHz band.

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Why it's here

  • One 10Gbps port and four 2.5Gbps ports
  • One 2.5Gbps port can be set aside for gaming, with game-traffic prioritisation
  • AiMesh, VPN features and security included without a subscription
  • Strong signal across larger homes, according to owners

Keep in mind

  • Priced well above the other dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers here
  • Dual-band only, so no 6GHz band
  • More router than most home networks need

Why the ASUS RT-BE86U scores 8.5

Each bar shows where it places among the 10 wireless routers in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.

  • How happy owners are6th of 10
  • How many rated it8th of 10
  • How new it is3rd of 10

Level with the ASUS RT-BE58U

The ASUS RT-BE58U and the ASUS RT-BE86U score the same, so either is a safe pick. The ASUS RT-BE58U goes first because it has been rated by more owners.

About the ASUS RT-BE86U

The RT-BE86U is rated BE6800: up to 5,764Mbps on the 5GHz band and 1,032Mbps on 2.4GHz. It supports 160MHz channels, 4K-QAM and Multi-Link Operation. It has no 6GHz band, so Wi-Fi 7's widest 320MHz channels aren't available. A quad-core 2.6GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 256MB of flash run it. ASUS says the processor is up to 30% faster than the one in the RT-AX86U Pro.

On the back are one 10Gbps WAN/LAN port, one 2.5Gbps WAN/LAN port and three 2.5Gbps LAN ports, and ASUS quotes 20Gbps of combined wired capacity. One 2.5Gbps port can be set as a dedicated gaming port that prioritises whatever is plugged into it. Adaptive QoS, Mobile Game Mode and OpenNAT are also built in. There are three external antennas and one internal, plus one USB 3.2 Gen 1 port and one USB 2.0 port.

Software is ASUSWRT 5.0. AiProtection (Trend Micro), parental controls, AdGuard DNS, DNS over TLS and intrusion detection come with the router. VPN support covers WireGuard up to 300Mbps and OpenVPN up to 150Mbps, with VPN Fusion and site-to-site VPN. It also has VLAN controls, multi-WAN and Guest Network Pro. It joins AiMesh setups with other compatible ASUS routers. ASUS quotes coverage of up to 2,750 sq ft. The box holds the router, an RJ-45 cable, a power adapter, a quick start guide and a warranty card.

What owners report about the ASUS RT-BE86U

We found little owner feedback on this exact model that we could open and read, so we don't report a pattern here. Reviewers who have used it describe strong 5GHz speeds, and one found a large three-storey house covered by a single unit. Reviewers also give the same two complaints: the lack of a 6GHz band and a high price for a dual-band router.

Who the ASUS RT-BE86U suits

The RT-BE86U suits a household with a multi-gigabit fibre line or a 10Gbps NAS or PC, or a gamer who wants wired traffic prioritised. It also suits anyone who wants VPN, parental controls and security without a subscription, and a larger home that may later add an AiMesh node.

Most homes won't use what it offers. The ASUS RT-BE58U gives the same ASUS software for less. The TP-Link Archer BE3600 is a cheaper Wi-Fi 7 option. If you want a 6GHz band, look at the TP-Link Archer BE550 or the MERCUSYS MR47BE. The ASUS web interface also has a learning curve for newcomers.

Questions about the ASUS RT-BE86U

Does the ASUS RT-BE86U have a 6GHz band?

No. It is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router with 2.4GHz and 5GHz only, so it can't use 320MHz channels.

Does the ASUS RT-BE86U have USB ports?

Yes. It has one USB 3.2 Gen 1 port and one USB 2.0 port.

How fast is the VPN on the ASUS RT-BE86U?

ASUS quotes up to 300Mbps for WireGuard and up to 150Mbps for OpenVPN.

Is the ASUS RT-BE86U faster than the RT-AX86U Pro?

ASUS says its 2.6GHz quad-core processor is up to 30% faster than the RT-AX86U Pro's. It also moves from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 7.

Other wireless router picks

The other badge winners in our wireless routers ranking.

All 10 wireless routers, compared

  1. 1 TP-Link Archer BE3600Best Choice 8.9 Check Price
  2. 2 TP-Link Archer AX53Value for Money 8.7 Check Price
  3. 3 TP-Link Archer BE550Best Premium 8.7 Check Price
  4. 4 ASUS RT-BE58U 8.5 Check Price
  5. 5 ASUS RT-BE86UThis review 8.5 Check Price
  6. 6 MERCUSYS MR80XBest Budget 8.5 Check Price
  7. 7 ASUS RT-AX55 8.5 Check Price
  8. 8 NETGEAR Nighthawk RS200 8.3 Check Price
  9. 9 MERCUSYS MR47BE 8.3 Check Price
  10. 10 AVM FRITZ!Box 7530 AX UK 8.2 Check Price
See the full wireless routers ranking

The ASUS RT-BE86U on Amazon

ASUS RT-BE86U

The ASUS RT-BE86U is a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router with a 10Gbps port, four 2.5Gbps ports and a dedicated gaming port. 8.5 out of 10.

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How we score it

Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. We haven't read the review sites for this guide yet, so for now it is led by owners. It ranks products by how happy owners are, holding back any product few owners have rated until more agree. How many rated it and how new it is only settle close calls, and value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 19 models for this guide before settling on these ten.

Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in November 2026.

How we rank, in full

Where these facts come from