The ASUS ZenWiFi BE30000 Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh Router (3 pack) sets a very high bar for the competition and could very well be the best in its category. Ease of use, fast stable connection speeds and robust parental controls were the essentials on my checklist for a new mesh router in all of which the ZenWiFi BE30000 excels!I am not new to mesh systems but the ZenWiFi BE30000 is also my second interaction with the technology. For a quick overview, mesh systems seek to provide better coverage and throughput over wider areas than traditional wireless routers via a main unit and satellite/node setup. Unlike extenders that may not provide seamless transitions, mesh systems automatically switch devices between the main and satellite/node while providing a single point ... MoreThe ASUS ZenWiFi BE30000 Quad-band WiFi 7 Mesh Router (3 pack) sets a very high bar for the competition and could very well be the best in its category. Ease of use, fast stable connection speeds and robust parental controls were the essentials on my checklist for a new mesh router in all of which the ZenWiFi BE30000 excels!I am not new to mesh systems but the ZenWiFi BE30000 is also my second interaction with the technology. For a quick overview, mesh systems seek to provide better coverage and throughput over wider areas than traditional wireless routers via a main unit and satellite/node setup. Unlike extenders that may not provide seamless transitions, mesh systems automatically switch devices between the main and satellite/node while providing a single point for updates to the system.The ZenWiFi BE30000 delivers unparallel performance, in my opinion, due to the match of robust hardware specifications and excellent software to harness all available potential. As previously said, my system is a three pack. They appear identical and the setup entails one being designated as the main/router and others as node/satellite. ASUS by default labels one of the units as the main unit although in my experience, roles could be swapped. Each unit contains 12 antennas, 256MB flash memory and 2GB RAM. The brain of each unit is a 2.6 GHz quad core CPU with a rather formidable heatsink that ensures cool operation. For wireless connectivity, the ZenWiFi BE30000 employs a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz and two 6GHz frequencies in line with its quad band designation. One of the 6GHz frequencies is reserved for the wireless backhaul setup. The wireless backhaul (like in my setup) describes the mode of communication between the nodes and main unit. There is an option for a wired backhaul setup where the units are all physically linked via their LAN ports, thereby making two 6GHz frequencies available for communication by connected devices. The system operates off the WiFi 7 standard (802.11be) while being backward compatible with devices on previous older standards. Multi-Link Operation (MLO) associated with the WiFi 7 standard is a feature that enables WiFi 7-capable devices simultaneously connect via multiple frequencies thereby helping reduce congestion-related issues and latency. In summary, connection speeds will be faster and more stable as communication will be occurring via multiple channels as opposed to a single one. It is worth noting MLO is also supported in the wireless backhaul communication. Wired connectivity is achieved via a 10 Gigabit WAN/LAN port, a 1 Gigabit WAN/LAN port, a 10 Gigabit LAN port and two 1 Gigabit WAN/LAN ports. Each unit also maintains a USB 3.0 Type-A port that facilitates FTP sharing, media server and network printer server functions. The ports can also be configured to support iTunes and Apple Time Machine functions. Finally, the USB Type-A is also capable of 4G LTE and 5G tethering for the network in the event of an internet outage perhaps. While I have yet to try out this feature, it is good to know the system has the capability.ASUS must be commended for the included software and flexibility they extend to the user. The ASUS Router app is available via either Google Play or Apple App Store depending on your platform. The app is easy to use and assists with the initial setup via very easy to follow steps. For the more advanced users, there is also a web GUI option. I preferred the latter as it provided more opportunities to easier fine tune the system. In comparison to my previous mesh system where there was very little opportunity to tweak the setup, the ZenWiFi BE30000 is very configurable. Tweaks worth mentioning include ability to:• set signal thresholds for frequency bands• change frequency channels• create multiple SSIDs (main SSID, IoT SSID, Guest SSID, Children SSID etc.)• toggle LED status indicator on/off• define communication route (should nodes connect directly to main unit or daisy-chain)• optimize devices at the click of a button• prioritize devices on the network based on the need (i.e. WFH priority or streaming etc.)While some of these may not seem like a big deal, my system before was really closed off. The versatility of control reminds me of the previous standalone wireless routers. The LED status indicator, while very useful, can be overwhelmingly bright in my experience and the ability to turn off is thus very much welcome. It changes color and flashes or remains static to provide an at-glance status of your system. My network typically consists of about 25 devices at any given time and the ability to assign each an icon to help facilitate quick identification is a feature I believe needs recognition. While the software on its own is able to provide some identification based on the connected device, the user can select through a rather exhaustive (might I add impressive while at it) library of icons to really personalize your network. In the event the provided icons in the library do not adequately capture/describe any device, it is possible to add a picture. The cherry on the cake might very well be the different themes available for personalization on the app. It is simply the small things that ASUS has considered that have made me a convert. I must add that this is my first dabble with ASUS.Subscription-based parental control is a trend that ASUS fortunately steers clear from. Protection is powerful with predefined profiles for preschooler, school-aged child, teen and finally adult. The allowed content list which creates these profiles can still be fine tweaked based on your preferences/needs. Should scheduling web access be your priority, there is an option for that. Through partnership with TrendMicro, there are options to also block ads and malicious content. Having used software from other manufacturers that failed terribly at the parental controls or provided them for a subscription, I cannot overstate the benefit of the route chosen by ASUS.Per ASUS, a coverage of about 11,000sqft is attainable by the 3-pack system. In my townhouse setup with three levels, I have the nodes/satellites on the first and third levels with the main unit positioned in the middle or second level. My area of coverage is under 2,000sqft, however, the presence of doors, walls and the different levels have proven challenging for previous routers including the last mesh system. My ISP service download speed is under 1Gbps with an upload speed capped at 20Mbps. My previous mesh system used to provide download speeds of about 300Mbps and the aforementioned upload speeds. My ZenWiFi BE30000 consistently delivers download speeds of about 900Mbps inside the house. My upload speeds remain at 20Mbps due to my ISP limitations which should be changing in the near future.Finally, my previous mesh system while stable in connectivity could take quite some time to reboot. In my experience, my 3-pack ZenWiFi BE30000 system performed the task in under three minutes. While I previously had a single wireless router that was on par with this time, its efforts pale in comparison to a mesh system which has more going on in the background to get the system online. ASUS provides a three-year warranty and being such a renowned company for innovation, I know there will be constant updates to make an already great system the best it can ever be. While my smartphone is currently the only device with WiFi 7 capabilities, it should be a while before my investment hints any signs of obsolesce. I wholeheartedly recommend this system.

I had an existing 9 mesh node system from a different vendor, very reliable but dated (wifi 5), and I bought 3 sets of 3 of these to replace it (this spans across 3 buildings on a 5 acre lot, with a mix of fiber and UTP between the nodes). I have a separate, standalone router, so I need "AP mode" to avoid double-NAT and maintain my existing DHCP settings for all my devices.This is my second time attempting to replace these devices; the prior attempt, about a year earlier, was a wifi 6E solution from another vendor; a couple of nodes would accept any not properly handle 2.4GHz clients, while others were fine; there were inconsistencies in the node logs and I could not resolve it with that vendor (it seemed to be a software bug), so I returned them.The ZenWifi ... MoreI had an existing 9 mesh node system from a different vendor, very reliable but dated (wifi 5), and I bought 3 sets of 3 of these to replace it (this spans across 3 buildings on a 5 acre lot, with a mix of fiber and UTP between the nodes). I have a separate, standalone router, so I need "AP mode" to avoid double-NAT and maintain my existing DHCP settings for all my devices.This is my second time attempting to replace these devices; the prior attempt, about a year earlier, was a wifi 6E solution from another vendor; a couple of nodes would accept any not properly handle 2.4GHz clients, while others were fine; there were inconsistencies in the node logs and I could not resolve it with that vendor (it seemed to be a software bug), so I returned them.The ZenWifi BE30000 setup almost works.As I expected from reviews, I had to join each device to the main device (around 8 minutes) then do a firmware update on each device (around 3 minutes), I used a wired connection right next to the main device to do this, then moved them all into their wired locations.I had to go to all my thermostats, remove them from the wall and remove the batteries, and plug them back in, then they joined the new network. Most of my other devices (a diverse set of over a hundred wifi clients) just continued to work (some took a few hours to come back online for one reason or another, but didn't require manual intervention).Unfortunately, I have around half a dozen irrigation controllers which are particularly picky about wireless. I haven't managed to get them connected yet, and I don't have a good option to replace them with something else (a separate frustration: I'd love to use Hunter irrigation controllers for the whole property, but I object to paying to be a 'contractor' just to cover the devices in my home, and their 'free' service only permits 3 devices). They're located all over my property so I do want them to connect to my main routers, and not set up a second mesh competing for spectrum.The 'guest' network seemed like the right solution, setting up an IoT network with WPA2 and 2.4GHz. But, it doesn't actually work with AP mode. Specifically: it puts the devices in a separate VLAN (I tried selecting VLAN 1 for the guest network to put them in the default VLAN, but it didn't work as desired). Since they're in a separate VLAN, they can't see the DHCP server and gateway. There is no 'VLAN' configuration on the web interface in AP mode, so I can't set up the guest network to be useful.I'd be fine with the ASUS device being the 'router' (providing DHCP & NAT) for the 'guest' (IoT) network, or if I could make the uplink of the main router a VLAN trunk (or if it is already, it would be great if it could tell me that somewhere in the UI).I don't know if the lack of config options is because the Best Buy BE30000 isn't "Pro" (a lot of the docs talk about pro options, and they don't seem to be in the UI), or because I am in AP mode, but it's not good whatever the cause, and if I can't get my irrigation controllers online, I may end up returning all 9 BE30000 nodes and going back to my long wait for a viable replacement to my existing mesh network.

The Asus WiFi BE3000 Mesh router is feature packed Wi-Fi router with prioritizing software, VPN, MLO, WiFi 7, backhaul on 6 GHz. You can see all these features in the description, what I want to discuss is how all of these features work in the real world.The set up was a breeze and I had no issues at all, all the three devices connected to each other and the walk through creating a WiFi network was a breeze. I have a house which is 3,400 square feet and there were no dead spots anywhere, all locations had perfect WiFi signal.I currently have twenty devices connected to my WiFi and that includes two NAS devices which are accessed by others for photo editing and music request for DJ’ing, the NAS devices are connected via ethernet port (1 Gig). The Asus handled all ... MoreThe Asus WiFi BE3000 Mesh router is feature packed Wi-Fi router with prioritizing software, VPN, MLO, WiFi 7, backhaul on 6 GHz. You can see all these features in the description, what I want to discuss is how all of these features work in the real world.The set up was a breeze and I had no issues at all, all the three devices connected to each other and the walk through creating a WiFi network was a breeze. I have a house which is 3,400 square feet and there were no dead spots anywhere, all locations had perfect WiFi signal.I currently have twenty devices connected to my WiFi and that includes two NAS devices which are accessed by others for photo editing and music request for DJ’ing, the NAS devices are connected via ethernet port (1 Gig). The Asus handled all devices on my network with ease ( I stress tested it by using 5 laptops and two 4K TVs and streaming/gaming across them) and there was no noticeable slowdown, I evenly distributed the devices across all 3 nodes. I was impressed with how FAST this router was, accessing videos from my NAS devices was 5 times faster than my previous router when at home.Asus has also included Ai protection through the router, which scans traffic to make sure no device is infected and if one device is it will not infect all devices on your network. This is great since certain devices do not get security updates and your network is only as safe as your weakest device. This feature is also great if you have kids or people that aren’t as tech inclined.The router has 4 different bands along with dedicated bands for guest users, this is great as the router automatically distributes the clients online to make sure there is no congestion. I work from home and there was never a time that my VPN disconnected or anyone complained that they couldn’t hear/see me during my meetings. The guest account does not use the 6 Ghz band so its also great for IOT devices.Asus has done a great job with the app and you can see and adjust anything you want. The app shows you how many devices are connected and to what node, real time traffic data to show how much data is being used, previous devices that were connected and so much more. Any changes you make through the browser you can do on the app which is great.Overall I have not had any issues with the router, the speeds are consistently good and the coverage is excellent. This router is future proof and the 10 Gig ports WiFi 7 and so much more , although overkill for most everyone, all of these features are great even if they are extra. Asus has given this router the best of everything for a casual consumer/small business. If you get this you can rest assured that you wont have to worry about your WiFi at least for the next 5 years and it is hands down better than what you have from your internet provider currently.