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Asus RT-AX58U Dual Band AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router $149 (Was $299) + Delivery ($0 C&C/In-Store) @ JB Hi-Fi / Delivered @ Officeworks

1350

Was in search of a cheap Wifi6 AiMesh node to add to my system and found this deal cheaper than an Asus RP-AX range extender. Would liikely work great if you have 100Mbps internet

See a review here: https://dongknows.com/asus-rt-ax3000-rt-ax58u-review/

Details copied from site:

Get Your Home Ready for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
The growing number of connected personal and IoT devices has led to an overall increase in network density that is pushing the limits of the current Wi-Fi standard. The latest 802.11ax standard provides future-proof technologies, higher network efficiency, faster Wi-Fi speeds, greater coverage and improved battery life for connected devices, providing a significantly better networking experience for users.
*It requires 802.11ax-compatible devices to enjoy the benefits brought by 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard.

Next-Gen Wi-Fi Speed
RT-AX58U is a 2x2 dual-band Wi-Fi router that provides 160MHz bandwidth and 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections. With a total networking speed of about 3000Mbps — 574Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 2402Mbps on the 5GHz band — RT-AX58U is 2.5X faster than 802.11ac 2x2 dual-band routers.

Built for Multi-device Households
With a revolutionary combination of OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology, 802.11ax technology provides up to 4X greater network capacity and efficiency in traffic-dense environments. Previous-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi can only handle one device at a time on each network channel, which is an inefficient use of available bandwidth. OFDMA support in the 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard divides each channel into small sub-channels, allowing signals from multiple devices* to be bundled together and transmitted simultaneously, reducing latency for a smoother, more responsive Wi-Fi experience.

The Latest WPA3 Network Security
The next generation of Wi-Fi security, bringing new capabilities to enhance Wi-Fi protections in personal and enterprise networks. Building on the widespread adoption of WPA2 over more than a decade, WPA3 adds new features to simplify Wi-Fi security, enable more robust authentication, and deliver increased cryptographic strength for highly sensitive data markets.

Key Features

Next-Gen Wi-Fi Standard
Supporting the latest Wi-Fi standard 802.11AX (Wi-Fi 6) and 160MHz bandwidth for better capacity and efficiency

Ultra-fast Wi-Fi Speed
RT-AX58U supports 160MHz bandwidth and 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections. With a total networking speed of about 3000Mbps — 574 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 2402 Mbps on the 5GHz band

Increase Capacity and Efficiency
Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously

Commercial-grade Security
Lifetime free AiProtection, powered by Trend Micro™, blocks internet security threats for all your connected smart devices

Better Partner with Mesh System
Compatible with ASUS AiMesh Wi Fi system for seamless whole-home coverage


BTW Forget about calling Officeworks over the phone to do a price beat, even if the site says $299, in their system it's already $149. I've called a store and is not in stock anywhere but you could still go to the store to place an order assuming their system still says $299. I called my local store after calling OW over the phone and the store's price on it was still $299 - for how long not sure.

Related Stores

JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi

closed Comments

  • +40

    Just remember this is one of the ones flagged with a vulnerability.

    Update firmware as soon as you get it.

    More info here

    • +1

      Legend! Thanks for sharing. I have 2 routers on that list so will update tonight after work!

      • +3

        Glad to be of help :-)

    • +4

      Just bought this from Officeworks 20 mins ago so the info is very much appreciated - thank you @whitepuma!

    • +1

      Thanks. *breathes sigh of relief* my router not on the list.

    • I have this exact router (range was super impressive with beamforming coming from an AC netgear)
      I was able to install the firmware from work from my mobile phone and this is now totally updated to the latest 3.0.0.4.388_23556
      and updated firmware last week to 3.0.0.4.388_23403 — very very good support but need to stay on top of the latest firmware <3

      I have no idea why my guy on Facebook marketplace sold this for $150 2 years ago .. just boggles my mind crazy good router and now have U6 Pro to compare it to over the weekend ;P

    • +3

      Ax56u not there :)

    • +2

      Thanks mate, I have this exact router and didn't know.

      Edit: turns out mine seems to auto-update over the internet and already has the latest version from earlier this month :)

  • +3

    I presume all stock in AU retailers would be the v2 version of the RT-AX58U right? In which case it's not compatible with Merlin

    • +1

      Is Merlin necessary for standard users who just need good network speed and security and don't do gaming either on console or mobile?

      • +7

        Merlin is not necessary. Regardless of gaming.

        • Thank you @rumblytangara.

      • +2

        It's not necessary, but it is a key reason a lot of people buy Asus routers (the supported ones).

        Looks like these are V2 which are not supported.

      • What's Merlin? I have huge deficits in anything networking

      • +1

        Third party firmware is mainly for those that want more flexibility in the tasks their devices can do, prefer a consistent interface across devices, or have a specific use case that official firmware doesn't cover.

    • +4

      Yep, it's the v2. I just checked one of the boxes at JB.

    • How come it isn't compatible?

      • I could be getting confused with another series, but off the top of my head I think they reduced the flash space available?

        • +3

          After some research it seems they changed the internal Broadcom chipset by bumping it up a revision. The Merlin developer hasn't updated to support it because he has too many devices on his hands at the moment, nothing to do with hardware incompatibility.

        • has different SOC than v1. …….. V2 is better if you just want to run ASUS firmware.

    • +2

      Merlin is amazing.
      My RT-AC3100 (old now) running 29 clients with wifi working outside in the Alfresco on the side of the house. Barely got wifi before I flashed.

      No wifi 6 but I highly recommend one. They are the same as an RT-AC88U. Refurbs a plenty on eBay or find one on marketplace. For a small/medium sized house I think the RT-AX58U would do fine and it has Wifi 6 for future proofing. But I wouldn't buy without Merlin flashable.

      • so could i just plug a merlin upgraded RT-AC3100 into nbn box to replace the router that came from telco ? sounds like a good upgrade

  • Officeworks has the same price: https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/asus-ax300…

    EDIT: I see you've noted down Officeworks - I think they may have changed their price just today as I was thinking of doing a price-match too after seeing they had it at $299. Their website now shows that router as $149.

    I bought it from Officeworks because they have free delivery if your order is over $55.

    • Unavailable online and out of stock

  • Tempted but the reviews on JB have put me off. Maybe there's a reason JB has decreased the price so much.

    • officeworks reviews were good?

    • I think the price drop is because it's an old model - it doesn't seem to be listed on the Asus page for Wifi routers anymore (unless you know the address) and the review link from OP is from May 2020.

      The Asus page has also listed a few new models so it's probably just clearing out old stock. Still good for people like me who just need a cheap upgrade to Wifi 6 and WPA3.

      • It's likely the other way around. These are most likely v2, which do not have merlin firmware support (at least not yet). I was tempted, but without merlin firmware support, it is a no for me.

      • +2

        Asus are quite good at hiding products but it is most certainly there if you navigate through Networking - Wifi 6 - Routers https://www.asus.com/au/networking-iot-servers/wifi-6/all-se…

        • +1

          Yes you are right - my mistake!

          It also doesn't help that these model names and numbers are so similar!

      • +1

        picked one up from JB last night to replace my AX 56u. The AX58u works a treat, great coverage, upgrade firmware via menu. It is a V2, seems V1 was 3 core SOC, the V2 is a 4 core newer SOC.

    • I reckon the price drop is because of the vulnerability with this model that only came to light in the past week (see my previous comment for a link).

      That vulnerability can now be patched with a firmware upgrade, but many non-tech-savvy people don't know how to do that, hence the price drop.

      If you are tech savvy, this is an opportunity

      • Also incompatible with Merlin though, which is a shame.

  • Can these do port mirroring without merlin anyone know?

  • any difference between this and the Telstra Smart Modem 2?

    • +2

      This is not a modem.

      • +1

        The telstra smart modem is not a modem for nbn either. The naming from telstra is appalling.

        • +4

          The Telstra smart modem has a VDSL2 modem for nbn FTTN and FTTB. For everything else it's a router that plugs into the nbn NTD or nbn NCD using the WAN port.

        • Do I need a modem if I buy this? I thought the nbn box they supplied acts as the modem?

      • sure I appriciate that - I have a medium size 2 storey house - occasionally get drop outs on wifi in one my rooms. Will this WiFi Router make a difference?

        • Probably.

          As would putting up a second access point

  • Can 2 of this form a mesh network? I.e. one connected to NBN modem, the other by itself somewhere else to expand WiFi coverage?

    I already have one, thinking to add another.

    • +1

      Yep look for AiMesh node under the admin tab.

      • Is that Aimesh between first one and second wireless?

        • +1

          It can be wired or wireless to the node.

          • +1

            @Twix: Thanks. Wonder if it would it work with my RT-AC88U being flashed with Merlin and obviously this one just running stock as it can't be flashed

            • +3

              @SoTightEcoLPI: Yes, it's actually the recommended configuration to have only your main router on Merlin and leaving AiMesh Nodes on Stock Firmware.
              https://github.com/RMerl/asuswrt-merlin.ng/wiki/AiMesh

              While Merlin-based nodes seem to work fine so far (aside from the above limitation), there is generally little benefit in running it on a node, so it's generally recommended to leave your nodes on the stock Asus firmware.

  • Cheers! Been waiting for a good deal to buy a new router. Also got to use the $100 JB gift card from the recent s23 deal!

  • One of my Asus AI-nodes PSU died (AC68U), Instead of replacing the PSU, should i just buy this and use it as a AI-mesh node? Is there difference in wifi capabilities if they are used as nodes?

  • Worth upgrading to this from a Netgear nighthawk R7000 (wifi 5)?? We have a fttp 1000Mb/s plan.

    • Do some speed tests, if it ain't broke then don't fix it.

      • Yeah that's the thing. I'm getting about 250Mbs over 5ghz wifi. I feel like that should be higher for a supposedly 1000Mbs fibre connection

        • If you've got a good connection and your service provider doesn't suck then yeah probably upgrade. Maybe plug something into the nbn box and check if the speeds are okay from the ISP side of things.

          • @JuiceT: Yep I think that's a good idea. Thanks mate!

            • @Oz80085: Your R7000 is fine for how you should be using your internet - wired / ethernet. Don't just upgrade for wireless - in which case you should just get a dedicated wireless access point to hook into the R7000.

    • I have a nighthawk too. Running a deco mesh. Worth an upgrade?

  • 149 + 10 off perks nice thanks

  • +1

    Thanks OP
    Price matched with OW for $139, signed up for a ghost perks account, got it for $129
    https://imgur.com/a/bMb5xYz

    • Sorry how did you get 129? I got 139

      • Jbhifi Perks code gives you $10 discount code.

      • JB chat price match with officeworks (beat any price by 5%), then apply your $10 perk voucher. $20 off

        • +1

          Are they both selling it for $149? JB even beat it if OW has the same price?

          • @Cc2018: I must have got lucky cause they gave it to me at $139 price match OW 5% off $149

    • Is the perks code locked to an account. Do you need purchase with the ghost account?

      • +1

        You just need a burner email account

      • And an extra ph number for new perks accounts

  • +1

    EDIT: Oh, mine is actually AX56U not AX58U, the AX58U has 3 core CPU not 4. not that it matters tbh.

    I have this router. It's great. It has 512MB ram and quad core CPU which is rare for its price point.

    Make sure you update the firmware regularly.

  • So is V1 more desirable? Even though V2 is more recent?

  • +1

    Officeworks has a $97 ax1800. Is that also good as a aimesh node?

    • aimesh is only useful if you want to link 2 or more Asus routers and create a mesh network. If the that is not required, just go off the other specs

      • Yes, I want to create a mesh network. The wireless signal is not good upstairs.

        I intend to use a ax86u or AX88U as the main router. I am looking for a node now.

        • +1

          Asus website says it's supported for AiMesh. also its $89 ar JB so try a price beat

  • this or AX-55U?

  • is it a modem router can be plug to wall socket directly?

    • By wall socket im assuming a phone port. Then no. This is not it.

      Ports
      RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for WAN x 1, RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 4
      USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 1

      • He probably meant Ethernet port in the wall.

        • Yep my connection is FTTN. So probably will need a modem to get it to work.

          Currently using TP Link Archer VR1600V modem router.

          Is there a way I can get to work as modem only?

          • +1

            @Ted0525: Yes you can run your current modem router as modern only and plug this in as a router.

  • I have got Ax56u. Not sure if I will need another for mesh until I move this new place.

  • I can't get wifi at the back of my place because my NBN modem is installed all the way at the front.

    My question is if I plug this into my generic ISP modem, what are the chances I can have wifi at the back? Or will I most likely need a mesh access point in the middle of the house like the Google wifi mesh?

    • +2

      You can buy and try, and if still lacking coverage add a second Asus unit as a mesh one.

  • -1

    Worth checking Kmart.
    If you are lucky!

    • You mean Kmart sells these routers? I cannot see any on their website.

      • Their gaming section is not crash hot .
        On the cheap: Mercus AC1200 model MR30G down to 54 bucks!

  • Will this work with opticom fibre?

    • Yep plug it into the OptiComm box.

    • Yes it'll work. I'm using 2x AX55 as a AImesh on opticomm service. Works great and without any dropouts from the node.

  • +2

    Office shows to me "Out of stock" for delivery and "Not available to Click & Collect" and "Only available online".
    So it is totally unavailable.

  • for those on budget i recently bought a Redmi AX5400 recently for ~$80 when there was 20% cashback:
    https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-redmi-ax5400.html?Sea…

    • +1

      Maybe not that particular model (being an advocate of literally any other firmware image than the stock one), however others of the same brand may be decent.

      The differences in transmit regulations means there's a fat chunk missing in the middle of the spectrum for CN devices, where AU ones would have 2 extra 80mhz blocks available. You'd also have 3dB less transmit power at channel 36. Granted you'd also have 3db less at the higher end of the spectrum too, but 33dB just isn't happening on that hardware anyway.

  • Been holding out on the ax86u.
    Is there a noticeable difference between this being AX3000 and the AX86U at AX5700?

    Maybe this in 'low traffic' area of the home.

  • Excuse my ignorance I’m a little new to this, always just used whatever router my internet provider gives me haha

    But can this be used as an access point? My modems in the garage (nbn), but I do have an Ethernet point in the lounge room on the other side of the house. So could I just plug this into the Ethernet point in my lounge room and use it as an access point?

    Or is that not possible with this router? OR do I need a specific type of router at my nbn point in the garage to work with this one? (Ie, do I need 2x wifi 6 routers to work together or something? Or can I use any old router in addition to this? I really am NOT sure how this works sorry)

    • This can be used as an access point.

  • Is there any advantage to getting this over the $89 deal for the RT-AX54HP?

    From what i can see in the tech specs the main differences are:
    USB port
    2x ram
    2x WiFi 5/6 data rate

    Use case is getting through multiple brick walls on <100Mbps NBN

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