Review on 🔁 ASUS (RT-N16) Wireless-N 300 Maximum Performance Gaming Router: Fast Gigabit Ethernet, USB-Hard Drive & Printer Support, Open Source DDWRT by Jeff Wyble

Update from 03/11/2013: So far, so good! Flawless performance with a 1.0 Gbps LAN connection. The file transfer speed on our home network has greatly improved compared to the previous network configuration. However, I made a few changes that resulted in maximum speeds on our N-Series wireless devices. I've changed the following in the wireless menu in your router's UI: - I've changed the wireless mode to N Only (leave it to Auto mode if you only have B/G devices). - Bandwidth I changed to only 40MHz. - Replaced the center and right antennas (the antenna closest to the AC power source) with some larger antennas I had on hand from our previous router. This resulted in a 5-10 percent increase in wireless range/performance. I also updated our laptop's wireless network drivers to the latest version available. We had occasional disconnects, but after some research it turned out that this particular chipset (Atheros 9285) is notorious for when connected to N devices, and also doesn't maintain a consistent connection speed. So make sure your wireless devices have the latest drivers installed before crashing the router. ---------------------- ---------- Overall, an excellent router for your money. I love how it automatically selects the best channels and that my range has been extended compared to our old B/G router (Linksys WRT54GS). With the latest firmware installed, the user interface is extremely easy to navigate despite the somewhat complicated settings this router offers. The configuration tool, which launches when you first connect the Ethernet cable and open the browser, is intuitive yet simple enough for anyone to figure out, regardless of the end-user's experience level. Gaming and streaming have also been greatly improved. My wife and I both agree that Netflix content is better quality now. I tried one of my favorite online games, a first person shooter with some pretty rich graphic details on some maps and it was difficult for me to play. not because it was slow, but because I'm not used to such a smooth gaming experience compared to our old router! I practically had to relearn how to play online games because I didn't realize how much the Linksys router was degrading the quality of the game and that I had adjusted to it! Don't get me wrong, it was a great router in its day and still is, but with our ASUS RT-N16 the experience has definitely improved. We are very happy with this router. The only major issue I've encountered so far (and from what I've read online it seems to be a constant issue) is firmware update issues. That's what takes a star off me because the complexity of applying a firmware update can be overwhelming for a newbie, forcing them to either return it or resell an otherwise great router. I've read that even trying to install the stock firmware either blocked these routers or didn't load the firmware at all. The latter happened to me, but luckily I've dabbled with firmware updates before and was able to find a workaround. Here's what I did to update my firmware. Other methods are available on Vladimir Shcherbina's blog (google his page "Just Another Blog").1. I downloaded the latest firmware update from the Asus website. Unzip/extract the file to your desktop.2. Insert the disc and install the utilities. Run the firmware repair tool and use it to navigate to the unzipped firmware package with the .trx extension. DO NOT TRY TO DOWNLOAD IT! 3. Disable your current internet connection, either by disabling it in the Network and Sharing Center or by disabling your current router/modem. Connect the included yellow Ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports labeled 1-4 on the back of your Asus router and connect the other end of the cable to your computer's Ethernet port. Connect your Asus router to power. Now you should get a new network connection on your computer and a command prompt will appear on your computer. Just select "Home".4. Use the search utility installed from the disc to find your router. Keep updating until it shows up. Once it appears, if the router is connected to the computer and its AC power, use a pen or paperclip to press the reset button. Press and hold the reset button for 30 seconds (I always count to 35 just in case). While still holding the reset button, carefully disconnect the AC power supply. Continue holding the button for 30 seconds. Reconnect AC power and press and hold the reset button.5. While holding down the reset button, look at the front of the router. You should see that the only active LED is the one showing which port your computer is connected to. If this is the only active display, you are in recovery mode. Hold down the reset button and return to the firmware repair tool. Download the firmware file and release the reset button after the download is complete. So you had to keep pressing the reset button from the fourth step until the file upload was complete. After about 5 minutes the firmware update should be completed. Power cycle the router for about 30 seconds. Wait 30 seconds for it to load, then open your web browser. You should see the setup utility in your browser. If yes, then you have successfully updated the firmware! If you are unable to download the new file, please re-read the steps carefully and try again. Chances are you just made a mistake entering recovery mode. If you're unlucky, Google is your friend. someone will have a method that works for you!