[Unboxing Review] TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router: 2.5G WAN port keeps your bandwidth full.

[Unboxing Review] TUF GAMING AX4200: An ideal choice for powerful performance and stable connection

[Foreword]

For a while, the aftermath of the social news that hot restaurants can’t get enough to eat is rippling. If you don’t have enough optical network or NAS bandwidth at home, If you are full, you must not have access to the 2.5G network interface. TUF GAMING AX4200 provides a 2.5G WAN port. The LAN can also use network aggregation and merge to 2G speed, allowing you to have a full network.

TUF GAMING AX4200 is equipped with the MT7986AV SoC (Filogic 830) processor, which integrates four ARM Cortex-A53 64bit cores, with a maximum core clock of 2GHz, a processing capacity of up to 18,000 DMIPs, two 2.5Gbps SGMII+ interfaces, and two PCIe. It can have up to two 4x4 Wi-Fis, and the theoretical maximum connection speed is 6Gbps. It also has a FastPath hardware acceleration engine, which is suitable for games and low-latency applications such as AR/VR. Equipped with 1 DDR3 chip to provide 512MB system memory capacity. Storage space uses 256MB flash memory.

With the advent of the post-COVID-19 era, the demand for network connections in homes and offices is booming, especially in home office, video conferencing and gaming. Video and video sharing has become a new trend, and local storage has become an unstoppable wave. In order to meet the demand for high-speed connections, ASUS has launched the TUF GAMING AX4200, a high-performance wireless router. This article will test the ASUS TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 wireless router. TUF GAMING AX4200 supports MU-MIMO and OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) technology, 1024QAM, 160MHz bandwidth, OFDMA and Beamforming, and is equipped with AiProtection Pro supported by Trend Micro™ Network security, compatible with ASUS AiMesh WiFi system. In this unboxing review, the author will analyze its unique features and share actual use cases.

【feature of product】

TUF GAMING AX4200 has the following features,

I. Link Aggregation. A few years ago, when unboxing the ASUS RT-AX3000, the author mentioned that the Web AI of RT-AX3000 did not provide a link aggregation setting screen. As a result, in this version of the router, ASUS Link aggregation is implemented. The reason should be the uplink. The uplink of ASUS RT-AX3000 is only 1Gbps. It is obviously impractical to provide LAN Port aggregation capabilities, but! The uplink WAN of TUF GAMING AX4200 has a full 2.5Gbps, which makes the aggregation capability of LAN Port meaningful. It can be added to a 1Gbps NIC on a motherboard with only 1G NIC Onboard to implement a 2Gbps connection. The most obvious advantage is that when accessing NAS with more than 4 bays, the shortcoming effect of 1Gbps is eliminated.

II. 2.5G WAN Port, the description has been finished in the previous paragraph. By the way, 2.5G can continue to use the cables invested in the 1G era. There is no need to re-wire, which can save costs.

III. It is VPN Fusion. The innovative VPN Fusion function can have both VPN and ordinary network routing connections.

IV. Easy-to-use Open NAT makes port forwarding super easy. The ultra-convenient OpenNAT makes it very convenient to open your own server and play games. It supports Game Mode e-sports acceleration engine. Game packets can ensure the shortest and lowest-cost path to the game server. The excellent connection quality is comparable to ROG models.

V. Lifetime free AiProtection Pro, like earlier versions RT-56U and RT-AX3000, comes with Trend Micro's security features, including WPA3 security protocol and advanced parental controls.

VI．It is Instant Guard. Instant Guard is a VPN (Virtual Private Network) virtual private network connection application launched by ASUS. Used together with the ASUS Router APP, it simplifies the VPN setting steps and quickly establishes a VPN connection with the ASUS router. line. VII. The rest are the advantages that almost all Wifi 6 devices have, such as OFDMA, which has a longer signal transmission distance than WiFi 5. However, the TUF Gaming AX4200 also comes with beamforming. The above is estimated to expand WiFi coverage by 80%. With OFDMA and 160 MHz channels, speeds can reach up to 4200 Mbps.

【Product Specifications】

The following are some main specifications of TUF GAMING AX4200:

Processor: 2.0 GHz quad-core processor

ROM: 256 MB Flash

RAM: 512 MB

Wireless standards:

IEEE 802.11a
IEEE 802.11b
IEEE 802.11g
WiFi 4 (802.11n)
WiFi 5 (802.11ac)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax)

Band: Dual band (2.4GHz 2x2 & 5GHz 3x3)

Maximum connection speed: AX4200 ultimate AX performance: 574+3603 Mbps

802.11a: up to 54 Mbps
802.11b: up to 11 Mbps
802.11g: up to 54 Mbps
802.11ax (2.4GHz): up to 574 Mbps
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) (5GHz): up to 3603 Mbps

Antenna: 4 external antennas

Network technology:

OFDMA (Orthogonal) Frequency Division Multiple Access)
Beamforming: standard-based and universal
1024-QAM high data rate
20/40/80/160 MHz bandwidth

Interface:

RJ45 for 2.5 Gigabits BaseT for WAN x 1,
RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 4,
USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 1,

Physical buttons: WPS Button, Reset Button, Power Button

Indicator light:

Power x 1
2.4G x 1
5G x 1
LAN x 4
WAN x 1

Weight: 547.4 grams

A summary of some of the main specifications above. TUF GAMING AX4200 also has other functions and technologies, such as VPN and QoS. For other parameters and functions, please refer to the official website .

[Product unboxing]

▲ The front appearance of the TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router box. The packaging of TUF GAMING AX4200 is very simple and clear, and the appearance design is in line with the consistent style of ASUS AX wireless routers.


▲ The appearance of the back of the outer box of TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router. The back of the box explains the main features of the product.


▲ The side of the outer box has an introduction to all the connection interfaces of TUF GAMING AX4200. From right to left are the power jack, power switch, and four Gigabit LAN ports, which are provided through the MediaTek WT7531AE 5 Port Gigabit Switch chip. There is also a 2.5Gbps WAN port, which uses the MaxLinear GPY211 2.5GbE Ethernet PHY chip. Both interfaces connect to the MT7986AV through the 2.5Gbps SGMII+ interface. Then there are the WPS button, RESET button and a USB3.x port.


▲ Opening the package, we can see the router body, power transformer, RJ45 network cable and quick installation guide.

▲ The contents of the color box include the main body of the router and the transformer, as well as an RJ-45 network cable.


▲ The documents include a VIP product warranty login notification letter, product manual, quick installation guide and APP setting guide.

▲ ASUS TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 wireless router has 4 external ≥ 2dBi high-gain antennas, which effectively improves the power coverage.

▲ The antenna angle can be adjusted with multiple degrees of freedom.

▲ Each antenna has decorative holes and is paired with the golden-orange frame commonly used by TUF. The texture is quite e-sports style.

▲ Each antenna has decorative holes and is paired with the golden-orange frame commonly used by TUF. The texture is quite e-sports style.

▲ The golden-orange TUF icon on the front makes it easy to recognize that it is a top-notch gaming machine.

▲ The lights on the front of TUF GAMING AX4200 can indicate the current Internet, 5GHz and 2.4GHz signals, as well as the connection status of each network port.


▲ The oblique mesh opening heat dissipation design under the TUF GAMING AX4200 body combines structural solidity and good passive heat dissipation.


▲ TUF GAMING AX4200 has four LAN ports and one WAN port, with speeds of 1G and 2.5Gbps respectively.


▲ Generally speaking, all wireless sharers are set up in a similar way. Take two RJ-45 Ethernet lines. The black line is connected from the PC to the black LAN port of TUF GAMING AX4200, and the blue line is connected to Chunghwa Telecom via the blue WAN port. little turtle.

【Use Cases】

▲ If you forget your password or buy a second-hand product, you can use an insulated sharp object to pierce the reset hole. After a while, let go and the system will reset and return to the default password. Quickly install and start the ASUS TUF GAMING AX4200 Wi-Fi 6 wireless router.

▲ No matter which ASUS WIFI Router it is, it has a series of APP support. The following does not distinguish which wireless router it is. For the introduction of software functions, this article takes the Android version APP as an example. After downloading, an ASUS APP will appear on the desktop of the mobile phone. Illustration of the router, hereafter referred to as ASUS Router APP. ASUS Router APP is a human-computer interface designed to design the Web management screen and functions into the APP. Compared with the all-round Web interface, the APP screen is clearer and easier to understand. It is recommended that beginners start learning from the APP and then advance to the APP after becoming familiar with it. Web interface.

▲ After opening the APP, first search for a configurable wireless router. Even if you are not connected to the Internet, you can successfully connect and set up if you only have local network connection capabilities. ASUS Router App supports three series of ASUS wireless routers. , TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router belongs to the first type. You can successfully find the wireless router by clicking on it.

▲Scan the QR code on the back of the machine to connect directly to the router’s SSID.

▲ When logging in for the first time, a new SSID and password must be set first, and the account password of the management interface must also be changed at the same time. You can find the current traffic flow on the home page and switch to the topology map. Most of the setting functions can be performed in the mobile app.

▲ Connect to the Internet and download the update if there is a new firmware version.

▲ The author can use 802.11 ax directly using an HP laptop. Subsequent settings are nothing more than tapping the account password, setting the SSID, channel, PPPoE account password, etc. If you encounter connection problems, first update the PC/NB wireless network card driver.

▲ For experts who are familiar with sharing device installation, the only required information is the login URL, default account and password. The default account password is admin/admin. When using the web interface for the first time, type in on the browser router.asus.com to enter the web configuration interface of TUF GAMING AX4200.


▲ TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router supports multiple operating modes to meet different needs.

- Wireless router mode (default)
- Relay mode
- Wireless access point (Access Point)
- Multimedia Bridge (Media Bridge)
- AiMesh

The author found that the display methods of various versions of routers are different, but generally they cannot be avoided. By the way, this article uses the most commonly used wireless router mode in settings.

▲ Almost all ASUS high-end models can use Android phones as mobile network cards, and TUF GAMING AX4200 is no exception. This makes a WIFI sharer a sharer with NR/LTE connection function. This also You can make good use of obsolete mobile phones. As long as the NR/LTE and USB connection functions of the mobile phone are good, and the AX laptop is coupled with the AX sharer, the author has actually tested the 5G mobile network to connect to the Internet. The entire transmission channel will exceed Gbps. , this will be another killer application.

▲ You may not have all-you-can-eat rice, but now almost everyone has all-you-can-eat Internet access on their mobile phones. The author uses Chunghwa Telecom’s unlimited speed mobile Internet solution, turns on the ASUS TUF GAMING AX4200 dual WAN function, and enables load balancing , you can combine the bandwidth of the mobile network and the optical generation network and use it together. When downloading large file updates, you don’t have to worry about not being full and being given one star~)).

▲ When using a mobile phone with 2CA alone and connecting it to the USB port of TUF GAMING AX4200, the speed was tested on the PC. The download rate reached 166 Mbps and the upload rate reached 7.15 Mbps. ▲ If the most entry-level Chunghwa Telecom Optical Generation is used, the download rate is only 16 Mbps . , the true performance of the TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router cannot be exerted. To use the full performance, a PC with a 2.5Gbps interface must be connected to the WAN port to act as a server, and then the mobile phone can Test the ability of FTP to capture files on the PC. The disk speed on the PC should also be considered, preferably RAM DISK.

▲ AiProtection Pro’s smart security protection function also includes web and app filtering, and can restrict different content categories without MAC addresses, so that minor children can be restricted from seeing restricted content, as well as other customized filtering methods. Rather than blocking them all in one piece. In addition to content filtering, AiProtection Pro smart security protection can be switched to the schedule tab, where you can set the connection time and limit children's Internet time. With AiProtection Pro, you have half a set of free PC-Cillin.

The biggest difference between UDP and TCP transmission protocols is that UDP can transmit data without confirming whether the destination exists, that is, it does not need a server. Generally, group broadcast videos use UDP streaming, because the playback end does not need an encoder. Or the video server, the video will be shot and ignored, regardless of whether the player (set-top box or player) exists, just throw it to the delivery network without any brain. If it is gone, it will be gone, because for real-time video For example, in baseball broadcasts, outdated data is useless. We use the UDP feature to compile a C# .net Socket program to test the transmission capability of the sharer.

After turning on the 160Mhz and DFS seals of TUF GAMING AX4200, two UDP streams are actually streamed in from the gigabit LAN ports of two PCs. The total can get a maximum traffic value of about 160000kB/s, which is equal to 1.3G bps. If a single PC wants to break the 1Gigabit speed limit, it needs to plug in two network lines to the TUF GAMING AX4200 at the same time. The Link Aggregation above can combine the bandwidth of the two network lines.

▲ It also supports a variety of VPN connections. In addition to the common PPTP, OpenVPN, and IPSecVPN, this generation also has WireGuard VPN.

▲ There are also Surfshark and L2TP in the VPN Fusion tab. When users need to connect to different VPN encrypted channels, they can create a VPN Fusion server list and set different client devices to connect. to a different VPN server.

▲ In Instant Guard, you can create a VPN tunnel with one click through the ASUS Router app. And monitor who is connected to your VPN server.

▲ Through OpenNAT, TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router can optimize the interface and routing to the game server.

▲ Built-in game profiles for various popular online games with specific rules.

▲ TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router also has basic firewall functions. ASUS provides super simple steps to directly register a DDNS.

▲ In terms of AIoT, the TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router actually supports Amazon Alexa Skill.

▲ AiCloud 2.0 smart synchronization supports a variety of backup solutions, including ASUS's own WebStorage, and can also allow remote access to files in USB external devices.

▲ USB-related applications are definitely an important part of the TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router. AiDisk provides simple FTP sharing, and services such as UPnP, iTunes, FTP and Samba can be set in the server center. It can also act as a network print server, sharing the mobile Internet and setting up device replicas as shared earlier. . Download Master can turn the router into a P2P download machine, open the web service of TCP/8081 port on the wireless router as a management interface, and manage download tasks remotely.

【Experiences and Summary】

Design and connectivity: TUF GAMING AX4200 inherits the classic TUF gaming design style. The body adopts a black and golden orange color combination with simple and neat lines. Featuring four external antennas, this helps provide more stable and wide wireless coverage. On the back, we can find four RJ45 LAN ports, one RJ45 WAN port and a USB 3.0 port, which makes connecting other devices and external storage devices more convenient.

Setup and Performance: Setting up the TUF GAMING AX4200 is very simple. You can connect and set up through the steps provided in the quick installation guide, or use the APP provided by ASUS for more detailed settings. During the setup process, you can set different SSIDs and passwords for your network, as well as set up features such as parental controls and firewalls.

Once set up, the TUF GAMING AX4200 demonstrates powerful performance. It uses the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology to provide higher transmission speeds and lower latency. Our tests used multiple devices connected to the router simultaneously, including laptops, mobile phones, and desktops. Our test results show that the TUF GAMING AX4200 provides a stable wireless connection and delivers excellent performance both over long distances and under high transmission loads.

TUF GAMING AX4200 Wireless Router is an ideal choice for gaming enthusiasts and remote workers through its powerful performance and stable connection. It provides high-speed Wi-Fi 6 connection, easy-to-use setup interface and multi-functional design. Whether gaming or working, TUF GAMING AX4200 can meet your needs for stable, fast and reliable connections. If you're looking for an excellent wireless router, the TUF GAMING AX4200 is definitely worth considering.

In terms of legendary showdown, TUF GAMING AX4200 is an ideal choice for game enthusiasts. TUF GAMING AX4200 provides stable connection, low latency and high speed, which is very important for multiplayer and online gaming.

For remote workers and video creators who need to process large amounts of data, or remote workers, the reliable high-speed transmission of TUF GAMING AX4200 will be very useful.

The spectrum in the air is extremely limited, but human beings have endless desires for wireless communication. The core value of wireless communication lies in the pursuit of spectrum efficiency, which is reflected in products. It is an arms race. Wi-Fi 6 has supported 1024 QAM, and the spectrum efficiency has reached Four times that of 256QAM. When everyone is competing for the 2.4Ghz frequency band, if you give priority to upgrading to 5Gbps AC, you can get better transmission quality. The so-called arms race is the concept of winning if you have it or not. So if you don’t want to be crowded with your neighbors in the AC 5G frequency band, and you need to squeeze out more available bandwidth in the military-controlled frequency band, a Wi-Fi 6 wireless router with DFS technology is a must. A few days ago, NCC just approved the license for WIFI 6E. I believe this arms race will never end.

The biggest difference between AX and AC systems is that they support MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology, 1024QAM and DFS. TUF GAMING AX4200 WiFi 6 dual-band gaming wireless router is also equipped with AiProtection Pro network security supported by Trend Micro™, with 2T2R 2.4GHz + 3T3R 5GHz dual-band network with a total of 4.2Gbps total wireless bandwidth, and also supports AiMesh technology and other ASUS Router forms a Mesh wireless network,