Customer Ratings & Reviews

I am super impressed with this router. Not only was it fast and great for Lan, but it was also great for Wi-Fi as well. My kids always insist on plugging their consoles in directly. I personally like to be plugged in directly for myself, but I run my cable out of the way. My kids do not, so the cables they use are across the floor. I set this up and disconnected them and so far, they have not complained about lag. It has a few Lan ports and a couple are dedicated just for gaming. This seems to keep the speeds up. Other routers I would have to set my PC to have priority. If I did not, if wife would hop on and start a movie I would get mad lag spikes. So far, I have not gotten that. My favorite future with this though is that the antennas are inside. My last couple routers have antennas on the outside and those are always somehow getting bumped and even broken. The router was easy to setup. I just scanned the QR code for my iPhone, downloaded the app and followed the instructions. I will admit that it wanted me to scan a QR code on the router (this same QR code is also on a sticker that has the default passwords). However, for some reason I would then get a message that would say unable to connect. Did this a couple times for each QR code. I then selected to manually connect and that worked for me. This just had me go to my phone Wi-Fi settings and connect. From there I was able to continue with setting up. It notified me of a firmware update, and so I updated that completed setting up. The app itself has a few options, and it recognized I had a phone and allowed me to prioritize phone for gaming. you can also change the color of the logo as it is RGB so a very nice touch. Doing a speed test with my phone, I got just under double the speed for download compared to my other router and the same speed for upload. I ran this a couple times, as well as ran it a couple times with my other router and then reran it a couple more times. Hopefully I can show a picture from each. The picture was the lowest number I got with this router and the highest number from my other router. But download I got on the lowest end 631 Mbps and upload was 10.9 Mbps, and for my older router I got, 361 Mbps for download and 11.2 Mbps for the upload. Overall, I am pleased with this router and recommend if you are a gamer and live in a place that has other gamers as well.

TLDR: Great router that has nearly everything under the sun, including gaming mode for your gaming devices. However, like other reviews have said, it requires a firmware update (available as of 07/2025) to remain stable. Once the firmware is installed, it’s a rock-solid option for Wifi 7 households. I ordered the Asus ROG Strix GS-BE18000 based on two main factors: Lots of 2.5gbps ports, and fast Wifi 7 with newly-released AFC (automated frequency coordination). One of those factors was great, the other in a work-in-progress (more later). I’ll start with the design: I personally like the squared off “shoebox” look with not-so-subtle RGB lighting. It really fits the ROG Strix gaming theme that the brand is known for in gaming circles. Having internal antennas makes the router look more like furniture and less like a spider (my previous AX11000 is guilty of the later). The router has 7 LAN ports and 1 WAN port, all operating at 2.5gbps. This is a logical step-up from previous gen routers if you don’t need the higher-end 5 and 10gbps ports, all while keeping costs down. My only gripe with the design is that the power cable has an ugly, large wall wart plug rather than a normal plug with power brick, making it hard to hide behind furniture and/or fit into a backup power supply with close plugs. Poor oversight there, tbh. Performance wise: I’m very happy with near-and-moderate range speeds on Wifi 7. I have an internet plan that maxes out at approx. 1.5gbps. My near (within 15 feet, no walls) nearly maxed out my plan speeds on my laptop and phone (phone was marginally faster). At moderate distance (20-30ft + a few thin walls), I was able to maintain about 900mbps download and full upload speeds (40mbps). However, moving beyond that distance, or introducing things like exterior walls slowed the speeds down dramatically. At about 35ft, but through several thin walls and an exterior wall, I was only getting about 300mbps/40mbps. Both of my devices maintained the Wifi 7 connection though without reverting back to slower Wifi standards. Once you activate gaming mode, and point the router to the gaming device, it will intelligently steer additional bandwidth to that device, and well as work some magic to reduce Ping times for faster responses. In my testing, it was easy and straightforward to set up, even if my games didn’t feel too much difference. If you’re a competitive gamer, or even a pro gamer, this feature might mean the difference between a win and a loss though. Just food for thought. AFC impact: This feature should allow for location info to be sent to a server that then dictates how much power the 6Ghz band can use, thus impacting speed and range. It’s not active by default, but it’s easy to do in the “Wifi” menu of the router’s software interface. Enabling it the first time ended up with a ‘connection to server error’. I re-enabled AFC and this time it worked, but came back with low-power mode (the default power mode of the router), rather than Standard Power Mode (which is actually the higher power mode). There’s nothing I could find to override the mode, so that’s that. In my limited use, AFC didn’t benefit me. Maybe it will someday, as it updates it’s results daily. Other features that I liked about the router are Asus’s great software interface and plethora of options and customization (including the RGB lighting, which is also defeatable). VPNs, guest networks, IoT networks, VLANs, port forwarding, built-in security and custom DNS servers are all awesome to have even if you don’t use them now. Setup was excellent. I was able to setup the router using their preferred method of scanning a QR code, downloading their app, then searching and finding the router and proceeding to setup. You have the option of fast or advanced setups, and if you opt for fast you can be said and done within 5 minutes. Give the router a name and change the admin password, then change the network name and give it a password…and you’re done. Smooth! The setup also provides you a quick and easy way to scan for available Asus AI-Mesh nodes to create a mesh network. I didn’t use that here, but I have in the past and it works so easily. Overall, I feel like this is a great router for a one- or two-story home up to about 3500sqft that doesn’t sprawl too far side-to-side. It’s strong enough to cover that size home without dead zones without the need for a mesh network. At release, I feel like $500 is a pretty steep price, but it’s not unheard of for upper tier routers these days. And the Wifi speeds and the plethora of 2.5gbps ports will be future proof for at least the next 10 years for the average consumer. I’d definitely recommend this to my friends or family, especially if they could get it on sale.

For years, I've been running a pretty solid Wi-Fi 6 setup and honestly, I thought I was set. But recently my network congestion started to become worse. Between my PC gaming, my wife's WFH video calls and kids streaming 4K content and the absurd number of smart home devices we've accumulated, seems like my old router was unable to take the burden. I notice random lag spikes or a bit of buffering on the living room TV. When i got to try out this future proof ASUS Strix Wi-Fi 7 monster i was really impressed. Unboxing this thing feels like an event. The packaging is premium, as you'd expect from the Republic of Gamers (ROG) line. But the router itself wow It’s big. Make sure you have the shelf space for it. It looks less like a piece of network equipment and more like a futuristic piece of alien technology. The unique angular black design with the signature ROG Aura RGB lighting is awesome and You can customize or turn off the lights, but I have to admit, having it subtly pulse in my office is pretty cool. The build quality is fantastic. It feels dense and well-constructed. Around the back, the port selection is where things get serious. You have Seven 2.5Gbps Lan ports and One 2.5Gbps Wan port. This is a massive step up from the standard gigabit ports on most routers and is a clear sign that this device is built for next-generation speeds, both wired and wireless. I was expecting a bit of a complicated setup given the number of features but I was pleasantly surprised I used the ASUS Router app on my phone and it guided me through the basics in about 10 minutes It recognized my internet connection, let me set my SSID, Passwords and updated its firmware. For anyone who just wants to get online, its that easy. Of course, the real fun is in the web interface. If you're a tinkerer, this is your paradise. The ROG-themed dashboard gives you everything from real-time traffic analysis to in-depth security settings. The "Game Boost" features are front and center, allowing you to prioritize gaming traffic with a single click. You can set up a dedicated gaming port activate a mobile game mode and fine tune QoS settings to an insane degree. It can be a little intimidating if you're a beginner, but the defaults are solid, and the most important features are easy to find. Performance is where the GS-BE18000 really justifies its existence. Wi-Fi 7 and MLO I recently upgraded my main PC with a Wi-Fi 7 card to really test this. Wi-Fi 7's headline feature is Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which basically lets a device connect to the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands at the same time. The result isn't just raw speed its incredible stability I transferred a 100GB file from my NAS to my PC wirelessly, and the speeds were insane. It was faster than a wired gigabit connection. It’s mind boggling. Gaming This is where the magic happens. Before, I’d occasionally get those frustrating micro stutters or ping spikes, especially if someone else started streaming a 4K movie. With this router, that's completely gone. My connection to game servers feels rock solid. My ping in competitive shooters is consistently low and, more importantly stable. The router’s QoS is so effective at prioritizing my game data that it feels like I have a dedicated internet line just for my PC. My house is about 3,100 sq. ft. with a basement and a backyard. My old router left a couple of weak spots in the corners of the house. This Strix router covers every single inch with a powerful signal. I get blazing fast speeds on the 6 GHz band throughout the main floor, and the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands reach the patio and basement with no problem. The signal is just incredibly robust.To get the true benefit of Wi-Fi 7 and features like MLO, you need Wi-Fi 7 devices. As of right now (August 2025), those are still becoming mainstream. Your older laptops, consoles and most smartphones will connect just fine and will still benefit from the routers powerful hardware and better coverage, but they won't unlock those top tier Wi-Fi 7 speeds. The ASUS ROG Strix GS-BE18000 is an absolute awesome piece of engineering. It's a preview of the future of home networking. The performance is staggering, the feature set is exhaustive, and the stability it brings to a congested network is a game changer. This router is for the enthusiast, the hardcore gamer who demands zero compromises, with a gig internet plan and a home NAS, or anyone who wants to build a network that will be ready for the next five to seven years of technological advancement. It's an investment, for sure. But if you fit into that target audience and have the hardware to leverage its power, it's a phenomenal one. It has single handedly eliminated every network related headache I had before My home network is just smoother, faster, and more stable. For me, that was worth every penny.

If you have come across my reviews for other Asus products, you already know that I am a big Asus fan and usually very excited about when it comes to testing out Asus products, unfortunately this router did not fare the same. So, I have been testing out the new Asus ROG Strix GS-BE18000 Wi-Fi 7 router for a few days now and I was a little disappointed. While looking at the specs for this new router, it should have blown my current Wi-Fi 7 setup right out the water but instead my speeds were cut in half and I wanted to give this a fair shot and tired running test on multiple Wi-Fi 7 devices with wired/wireless connection with the same results. Fortunately, as I set up the router, which was pretty simple whether you’re using the Asus app or Web based setup, I was immediately guided to the new firmware update and did not encounter the infinite reboot issue that other users experienced. Over the few days I have tired everything from messing the MLO settings to QoS and even different scenario option which seemed to help a little but did not make an overall improvement. I understand that going wireless you do end up with speed degradation but even my wired connection suffered the same fate. This router offers some very impressive features such being able to connect a wireless USB dongle or phone to the USB port on the router to serve as backup in case your isp is down, which honestly my current setup does not offer. The router offers 7 muti-ports with 2 gaming ports, 20 gig wired capacity, a 2.0 Quad-Core processor, AI-Mesh Compatible, and honestly a really cool-looking router overall, but looks and specs don’t cut it if it can’t provide the speeds that I am paying for. Overall, as it stands as much as it pains me to say this, but I cannot recommend it at this time. I hope in the near future, after some firmware updates this router can be used to its full potential.

Looking for a gaming router with cool LED and customizable features? Look no further. This Asus ROG router does the trick. Setup was a super cinch. Downloaded the app. Followed the step by step instructions and I was in. Software via Google play app was easy to use. Nice customizable features. Easy to navigate and look at the different features. Also modes like gaming, streaming, work from home etc are all easy to pick. LED affect is easy to use. I was getting full throttle withy LAN connection and via WiFi I was getting about 1.5GBE download. Gaming with heavy video and testing on 4K was no issue. Also restricted use was easy to toggle if you have kids. Overall nice additions to my network. I am running 2 GBE via fiber. So this router was able to handle almost full throttle. If you are looking for a gaming router with all.of these features. This will definitely fit your needs. Nice job ASUS. As always ROG puts out great gaming products that are attractive and functional at the same time.

Fastest speed and best router to have. The range, the speed and the looks are amazing.

ASUS GS-BE18000 Router setting it up was easy. Had to take time and pay attention to updating the Bios to the current version. No manual available on the website to explain some of the settings but found a workaround on that. Other than that this thing screams and have plenty of internet connections.

This router is a monster! Setup was fast and easy — the app walks you through everything step-by-step. I’m using it with multiple devices including a gaming PC, consoles, and smart home gear, and it handles everything without breaking a sweat. The Wi-Fi 7 speeds are insane — I’m getting over 2 Gbps on my compatible devices. The signal range is excellent, covering my entire house with zero dead zones. The design is sleek and very ROG-style, which fits perfectly with my setup. The interface is also great for advanced users — tons of customization for QoS, gaming modes, and network optimization. ✅ Pros: Super-fast Wi-Fi 7 speeds, strong range, easy setup, awesome app controls ⚠️ Cons: Pricey, but absolutely worth it for high-end performance

Been using for 3 weeks now and everything seems great but have had to restart it once with performance issues. Hopefully not a recurring problem. Also only getting around 1200 Mbps on my pixel 10 pro. Was expecting around 1800 with Wi-Fi 7. On a 2.5gb Internet plan

Using this in a Mesh AI setup to extend the range of the WIFI network. Setup was easy and working great.

This is a great gaming router and whole house setup for internet/wifi. I am running a hard wired access point router on the opposite side of the house and it is all working great! Very pleased with this purchase and upgraded from the Nighthawk 600 to never look back. Having the ASUS app to setup and access the router at any time for adjustments and speeds is very convenient. No regrets on this purchase!

So far so good. It took awhile to setup initially due to an asus issue so several phone calls were needed. Since then, smooth sailing.

Love the speed. Takes up very little desk space. Perfect addition to my aimesh system.

All of what is written here is true- I went through the same steps that one of te reviewers went with isolating the AI issue and I di get it to work once I turned off that feature. The (good)? news is that that I instlled the new firmware todday (and performed the reccommended factoey reset). I reconfigured the wireless networks and and to reset and reconnect the ai mesh nodes. But the good news is that all of the featured benefits are working! They also powered the 6G network and it is much more powerful with the power added. What is a pain to handle? Yes! but all appears to work well now.

Bought this to replace a mesh system that was giving me trouble. This has completely met my expectations and is providing me great speeds with all the devices a family of 6 seems to accumulate. I haven't gotten into the fine tuning and assignment of devices yet, so I can't speak to that, but performance has been great.

I like this size of this router I love the fact it has AFC out the box beginning day one the flagship new one that came out the rapture does not you have to wait for the update which is pretty lame especially since that one is $900

Very good router. Excellent if you’re a gammer. App is very user friendly.

This router works great. I purchased a competitor router and had to return it as I couldn't get anything to connect to it. While I was there, I picked this up. Setup was easy and only took a few minutes to have all of my stuff up and running. The range is pretty good too, I have a few items in my detached garage in my back yard and the signal is pretty strong with those items too. I run multiple computers, a couple TVs, and a few smart home hubs through this router and the connection is strong with everything.

This is to share my experience to maybe help others. TL/DR: Don't turn on traffic analyzer or AI Protection. I bought this router on 06/02/2025 to replace an ISP router for my fiber service. Startup and setting up the router was easy and straightforward...until something happened where it sent itself into an infinite reboot cycle. I went to the Internet to try and get some help on what to do. I learned Asus routers have ways to do a hard reset and how you perform it is based on the specific model you have. Come to find out, this router is so new even Asus doesn't have information published for it yet. I then went to the product page and was able to find a download link for a manual. I opened up the link to be brought to a product manual for a switch...not this router. Asus, at the very least, test a link if the general public is going to use it. Unsurprisingly, I also saw that the only firmware available for this router is the initial release firmware. I then started surfing online for information about this router and a lot of the forums were talking like this router hadn't even been released yet. So as you can imagine, there was nothing useful to be found other than forums of users complaining about previous models. Recap up to this point is Asus doesn't have the correct product manual online, doesn't have the hard reset (method 2) posted, and since the router is so new...I can't even use the Internet to try and learn from the experience of some other poor soul. So here starts my own trial and error. First, I tried to unplug the router to see if that would be enough. As soon as I plugged it back in, it would initialize and then send itself back into reboot. The next thing I tried was to remove the WAN connection. This actually changed something. The router would intialize and instead of going into a reboot cycle, it just sat there without internet. I plugged the Ethernet cable back into the WAN port and it immediately sent it into a reboot cycle. I unplugged the ethernet cable and let it finish a reboot. Once again, it went through a startup process and then just sat there. Even without internet, this at least allowed me to log into the router to do a factory reset. I performed a factory reset and then did a bare minimum setup to see if the router was even capable of functioning as is. So far, so good. I reflashed the initial release firmware as an extra measure. I then began to go through the settings one by one on the web GUI while periodically saving the settings in case I did something that sent it back into a reboot cycle. Everything was good until I got to the traffic analyzer/AI Protection settings. The second I enabled any of these settings, the router would kick itself into a reboot cycle. A note to add, even though I can't read the stuff, I was constantly looking over the system log to see if I could pick up on any differences between the router appearing to function normally and when it went into a reboot cycle. With any of the traffic analyzer/AI Protection settings enabled, the router would detect something "severe" because it would log a 'BOOT REASON PANIC' line. I tested this many times to confirm. No other setting I modified would send the router into a reboot cycle. Another logged line that caught my eye was this not being an EU SKU. The only reason that caught my attention was I noticed the power information on the box the router came in had tape over it with US standards. Same with the included quick start guide. I have no idea if this means anything or not. At this point in time of troubleshooting, I was paying attention to every detail I came across. One other thing to note was only my computer was connected while performing my tests so there's no reason for it to being overloaded. Fast forward to today, 06/06/2025, the router is functioning and I have the rest of my devices hooked up and it doesn't appear to be having any problems. I just have to have the traffic analyzer and AI Protection settings completely turned off. My only issue about that is I have features turned off that Asus makes a point to market. Asus, if you're reading this, I spent several hours troubleshooting your product instead of just taking it back and saying it doesn't work. Especially a product that costs $450. For now, I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt given how new this product is to the general public. At the very least, update your website.

I have owned the router for three weeks. Setup was not difficult with Imac did not use Asus app. Unit applied the Firmware update and held the settings. Great coverage in multi level 2600sqft home. No dropouts after three weeks, 2.5 seems to have slowed a little. All devices are getting advertised speeds, except Iphone 16 pro because apple restricted it to 160mhz not full 320mhz. Very good buy at the Black Friday price. Best Buy did honor the price match guarantee for the holidays.