Powerful and flexible AC3100-class Wi-Fi modem router offers future-proof support for latest G.fast DSL and compatibility with all existing ADSL/VDSL standards
Sydney, Australia (15th August, 2017) — ASUS today announced DSL-AC88U, an ultra-fast AC3100 dual-band Wi-Fi modem router that supports the latest high-speed G.fast DSL standard as well as all existing ADSL, ADSL2/2+ and VDSL2 standards.
DSL-AC88U is our fastest ever modem router, featuring cutting-edge Broadcom® NitroQAM™ technology that delivers 1.25X-faster Wi-Fi speeds than standard four-stream (4×4) routers. This enables data rates of up to 2167Mbps on the 5GHz band and 1000Mbps on the 2.4GHz band — or a combined concurrent bandwidth of up to 3167Mbps.
DSL-AC88U has family-friendly parental controls that allow users to monitor and filter internet activity, which can help to protect the online safety of younger family members.
In addition to its wide compatibility with G.fast and existing DSL broadband services, DSL-AC88U can also connect to the internet via an Ethernet connection, such as those provided by fiber- or cable-modem-based ISPs. These outstanding connectivity options make DSL-AC88U a supremely flexible and future-proof choice for any home user.
NitroQAM: Our fastest ever modem router
ASUS DSL-AC88U uses a Broadcom NitroQAM (1024-QAM) technology to boost maximum Wi-Fi speeds on both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz frequency bands by up to 25% compared to other four-stream (4×4) MIMO designs[1]. With NitroQAM, 5GHz speeds can be improved from 1734Mbps to 2167Mbps, and at 2.4GHz speeds are boosted from 800Mbps to 1000Mbps. This gives DSL-AC88U a combined total bandwidth of up to 3167Mbps for lag-free, low-latency online gaming, smooth streaming of 4K UHD movies and blindingly-fast file-sharing.
Ultra-fast and ultra-flexible: G.fast support and maximum DSL compatibility
ASUS DSL-AC88U supports the very latest G.fast DSL protocol, a cutting-edge technology that enables broadband speeds up to 18 times (18X) faster than VDSL2, or 4.5X faster than Vplus (35b) technology. Future-proofing the for NBN FTTC (Fiber to the Curb) service in 2018.
For full compatibility with existing DSL connections, DSL-AC88U also supports ADSL, ADSL2/2+ and VDSL2 services. It also supports Ethernet-based internet (WAN) connections, so it can be easily connected to an existing fiber- or cable-modem service. This superb flexibility gives users the peace of mind that DSL-AC88U will give them future-proof support for any ISP upgrades.
Family friendly: Easy-to-use parental controls
To help protect younger family members from inappropriate websites and limit their internet access, ASUS DSL-AC88U features powerful yet easy-to-use parental controls, including filters that can block access to specified websites or apps. A scheduling feature allows parents to restrict the amount of time a device can access the internet. With DSL-AC88U, parents can easily create a healthier and safer network environment for their family members.
AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS DSL-AC88U will be available from 11th September in Australia at the launching price of AUD$549.00.
| SPECIFICATIONS[2]ASUS DSL-AC88U | |
| Wi-Fi | Network standards: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, IPv4, IPv6. Concurrent dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11ac (5GHz): up to 1734Mbit/s 1024QAM (5GHz): up to 2167Mbit/s 802.11n : up to 800Mbit/s 1024QAM (2.4GHz): up to 1000Mbit/s |
| Wi-Fi features | MIMO technology: 2.4GHz 4 x 4 5GHz 4 x 4 |
| DSL compatibility | G.fast, ADSL, ADSL2/2+, VDSL2, Vplus (35b) |
| Memory | 128MB Flash / 512MB RAM |
| Ports | 1 x RJ11 DSL 1 x 10/100/1000Mbit/s WAN 4 x 10/100/1000Mbit/s Ethernet LAN 1 x USB 3.0 1 x USB 2.0 |
| Antennas | 4 x external detachable antennas (4×4 MIMO) |
| Management | ASUSWRT web-based admin console
Utilities: Router setup wizard; Firmware restoration; Device discovery; Printer setup utility |
| Firewall & Access Control | Access control: Parental controls, Network service filter, URL filter, Port filter |
| Features | Link Aggregation, Smart Connect, Traffic Analyzer, Adaptive QoS, Parental Control, Guest Network, VPN server, VPN client, Roaming Assist |
| Additional features | ASUS AiCloud personal cloud service 3G/4G data sharing |
| Weight | 950g |
[1] Requires compatible client devices
[2] Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors. Full specifications are available at http://www.asus.com
About ASUS
ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets, smartphones and wearables. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,368 awards in 2015 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 17,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of over 5,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2015 was approximately US$14 billion.
Apparently broken at present with many long standing customer problems. Limited functionality.
I purchased two of these. One on ebay (now on it’s way to the tip) and one from Harvey Norman (returned). For me, both had identical issues;
1) WiFi connections dropped silently every 1-12 hours. Devices (phones, laptops, TV’s etc) looked OK and thought they were connected, but could not actually transfer data. I tried multiple firmware versions and a host of different client and router settings, to no avail. Workaround was to reboot router or turn clients’ WiFi off and back on again.
2) Compared to other comparable Asus devices with ASUSWRT firmware (e.g. RT-AC88U), the functionality is cut down. E.g. Limited QoS. No support for; AiMesh, Smart Connect, Traffic Analyzer, Alexa or IFTTT, or Time Machine backups.
Many other Australian customers have had ongoing issues. On Whirlpool, there have been 106 PAGES of posts over 18 months from customers trying to get these machines to work (see https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2606692). Asus have released a number of patches, but the problems still remain.
For about the same price of one DSL-AC88U, I replaced them with an Asus RT-AC88U router and a Draytec Vigor130 modem. This combination has been 100% reliable and offer much more ASUSWRT functionality.
By the way, the store I bought the replacement gear from said they stopped selling the DSL-AC88U because about 50% were returned by their customers.
I regret taking a chance on the all-in-one DSL-AC88U and wish I had avoided hours of heartache and frustration! I’m surprised Asus haven’t recalled it as it’s clearly a problematic product and certainly put me off buying from them again. If I hadn’t REALLY wanted the ASUSWRT (full) functionality, I would have never spent my money or time with their products in the future.