ASUS RT-AX58U Dual Band WIFI Router (RT-AX3000) (Renewed)

My chatter, internet, it messes up a lot because of their routers. So yeah, someone told me they purchased this. And it works wonderful, so far, so good, no complaints!

DAMN good router!.. AX3000 RT-AX58U.. One of the best on the market in 2020..

I purchased this router from Amazon Renew that was made by Asus in Taiwan, which was a good point for me. However, I faced some difficulties when I received the router. The original firmware was outdated, and I had trouble flashing the router firmware. My primary purpose for this router was to replace a mesh node in my network.However, when I tried to log in to the router through the Asus graphical user interface dashboard and update the BIOS, it did not recognize my master ID and password. This caused all my issues with the router. I had to remove the AX58 from the mesh, reset it, and connect it to the modem as instructed. I also had to reset my Xfinity modem so that it properly connect to the internet with the new AX58 unit. If you do not do this, you will get a "no internet" error, and you will not be able to complete your setup or change your ID and password for this router.After successfully reconfiguring the AX58, I did a reset (not a WPS reset, which would wipe out your ID and password) and updated the firmware as if this was the only router in the network. I finally updated the firmware to the most current version. I then performed another reset and inserted this unit into the mesh network using my AX86U to search for it. It found it without any problems, and it has been working without any issues since then.In summary, the firmware on this AX58U is outdated (year 2020). In order to increase security and performance, you need to update it. However, you will not be able to use the mesh process to transer your master settings to this new node. You need to do it independently as if this is the only router in your network, this is fine if this is the only router; but if you have an existing network and want to use it as a mesh node, there is work to be done.2024-10-30Follow up review: I have been using this router in my Asus mesh network with AX86U, it boots fast, and very reliable, I have no problem with it, I tried it both with Asus firmware and Merlin, it both works well. The performance is also very good, I can get my cell with 5G chanel to 70% of the rated line speed, 700 mpbs out of 1G. Overall very good practical choice of the Asus router family.2025-4-5This router AX58u is really versatile and reliable unit, I used it more than a year, it never gave me any problem.Sometimes, I think it performs better than Asus more expensive router, I get very close to the line speed(1G), and it is the reason I don't think I will migrate to the Wifi7 anytime soon. I don't think it can do better than this little router already provided.

This will be partially about this product's performance but of necessity will also talk about the buying experience of choosing a reconditioned model over a brand new one and whether it's worth the thirty-five buck savings.FIRST IMPRESSIONSBut let's start with something I did not expect to even be a factor in talking about this thing - it is really small, about the size of a paperback novel. From every picture I've seen of it I expected the opposite. While that may not mean a thing when considering how it works it definitely is something you may want to know about. Yet at the same time it is heavier than I expected. Both factors do have meaning. The size does help me it it into the relatively small top shelf in my utility room, which is the ideal placement but only have so much shelf space. The weight is even more important, I'm tired of routers that get pulled off the shelf by the weight of up to five Ethernet cables plugged into it or won't sit flat for the same reason. The power transformer is also very small, nice that it doesn't hog two spaces on my power strip. The other thing is that the four antennas are permanent attached. That really helps solve that issue with the ones that will never stay tight so they are always drooping.PERFORMANCEOthers may go on and on about test bench specs or performance results. There may be some merit comparing older and newer technologies or even models in different price categories but I believe these days most brands are using the same or similar components and I know for a fact that some routers that are sold under different brand names are actually made in the same factory. That is one reason that no matter what someone else tells you about the performance they achieve what you get is not going to be the same. There are dozens of factors that make your installation different from theirs. My advice is to save yourself the trouble of reading opinions about performance and narrow your choice down by features it offers then buy it and try it in your own home or business. Only that way will you know if it is right for you and if it isn’t, simply return it and find something that does. Since I don’t care what performance anyone else is getting I will stop short of discussing my own.BUYING RECONDITIONEDI have been buying rebuilt electronics for many years. You have to realize and accept that it is a gamble so be sure you have an iron clad return policy. In this case Amazon themselves are the ones that assure this and they guarantee it for 90 days - if something is going to go wrong it will do so well within that time, after that a longer warranty isn't an absolute must. Yes it is a gamble but the way I rationalize it is that I would have bought a lesser model from the same company. By buying a rebuilt I not only moved up one model in the same series but two steps, in other words I would not have paid full price for the AX58, I was on the verge of getting the brand new AX55, which probably would have worked out fine for my needs but I am a techie and I'm rarely satisfied with just okay, I always have to own the newest and latest gadgets.WHAT ITS LIKE TO OWN ITDon't fret that you only get a setup sheet with it, that's normal for routers. You are directed to a dedicated web page where one of the most complete and comprehensive setup apps I've ever seen awaits you. Plus you can download a PDF of an equally impressive full owners manual. Asus is one of the most serious makers of networking gear these days and you will find they prove it with their support literature. It is written in clear English and the one complaint anyone may have is that it can be a little too technical for beginners. That is offset however by their excellent web based setup guide which automatically starts at first launch and holds your hand through the initial steps to get you going. I'm not so impressed by the smartphone app however, which I waited to download until I had my device fully set up. Now several days later I still can't even get by the login page, the most common comment that results in it getting terrible reviews at the App Store. But remember you don't absolutely need it, the web based screens will delight even the most ardent techie.STILL ON THE FENCEBuying a router can be a very intense and difficult task. So many promises, so many products that don't deliver. This is my first Asus router and I don't know why, I have owned their computers and other gear and found them built like a tank. I went into it trusting the brand and believing that they don't over promise on the specs. I like that they avoid the new trend of charging an annual subscription to use a product, I simply won't buy such a product under any circumstances. This one kept its promise and even more to look and perform like brand new, both the power transformer and interconnect cable were unused and the enclosed setup sheet was even new and original.DESIGN FLAWSThere are a few design flaws, mostly minor, that didn't count against it but are worth noting. One is common to almost every brand and it's something I can't understand - why is the WPS button so tiny and located on the back when it is something the non technical person will probably use most? Why doesn't anyone put it right up front where it is easy to reach? And why is the DC power plug at a right angle where it covers the on/off switch? And why are the status lights all one color (white) which makes it difficult to tell at a glance what’s happening? Finally there is the issue of whenever there is a choice in the setup between yes and no the one you choose becomes the empty circle, not the one that’s filled in. That is very difficult to get used to, it is the opposite of what anyone else does.BOTTOM LINEI'm going to keep to my promise of not detailing performance specs because how it is performing for me is not the same as how it will perform for you. But I will say I am not disappointed. This is the best performing wifi router I've ever owned and able to maximize the performance of my newest technology gadgets. I’m staying away from saying it’s perfect though, because as soon as I plugged it in it told me I needed to do a firmware upgrade but I have been trying every possible way and I keep getting an error message that the upgrade won’t download. I’ve opened a ticket with Asus and will update this space after the issue is resolved. Every expert stresses how important it is to upgrade the firmware and I won’t accept that this one won’t do it.