ASUS RT-AX55  Router Review

Reviewed Jul 22, 2024 at 10:27am
Writing modified Apr 08, 2026 at 02:36pm
Tested using Methodology v0.9 
ASUS RT-AX55

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The ASUS RT-AX55, sometimes called the ASUS AX1800, is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. It features four LAN ports and a WAN port rated at 1Gbps speeds. It's compatible with ASUS' AiMesh, which allows you to use other ASUS routers as additional mesh access points.

Our Verdict

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Apartment/Condo 

The ASUS RT-AX55 is a decent router if you live in an apartment, condo, or single-story home. It delivers speeds suitable for 4k video streaming across a single floor, whether you're right next to it or in a different room. It also has adequate wired connectivity with four 1Gbps LAN ports. The antennas are rather tall, but the router is of a reasonable size and will fit into most living spaces. It also has screw head slots on the bottom, so you have the option to mount it on the wall or ceiling.

Pros
  • Good top speeds.
Cons
  • Wi-Fi 6 won't take full advantage of new Wi-Fi 6E or 7 devices.
  • Lacks DFS support, so it can't avoid more congested channels.
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Multi-Level House 

The ASUS AX1800 is a decent router if you live in a multi-level house with a backyard. It provides sufficient speeds for high-bandwidth activities like 4k video streaming, whether you're on the same floor or two stories above. Its speeds are also good enough for high-bandwidth use if you're on your deck or in your backyard, but you'll likely experience dropouts if you're very far away from your house.

Pros
  • Good top speeds.
  • Decent range.
  • Compatible with AiMesh devices to create a mesh network for better range.
Cons
  • Wi-Fi 6 won't take full advantage of new Wi-Fi 6E or 7 devices.
  • Lacks DFS support, so it can't avoid more congested channels.
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Gaming 

The ASUS RT-AX55 is alright for gaming over Wi-Fi. Its fast top speeds mean you can download large game updates quickly. Its latency performance is adequate for casual, non-competitive gaming, but competitive gamers will want to plug in their devices via Ethernet for a more reliable experience.

Pros
  • Good top speeds.
  • Decent range.
  • Adequate wireless latency for web browsing and non-competitive gaming.

Cons
  • Unsuitable for competitive gaming over Wi-Fi.

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Speed 

This router delivers good speeds suitable for an internet connection of up to ~700Mbps. However, it doesn't support DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection), so it can't access DFS-only channels, which would help its speeds in congested wireless environments.

Pros
  • Good top speeds.
Cons
  • Wi-Fi 6 won't take full advantage of new Wi-Fi 6E or 7 devices.
  • Lacks DFS support, so it can't avoid more congested channels.
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Range 

This router has decent range, but it's a standalone unit, so depending on your home's size, layout, and construction, you might experience dropouts. It supports AiMesh, so you can pair it with compatible ASUS devices to improve its coverage.

Pros
  • Decent range.
  • Compatible with AiMesh devices to create a mesh network for better range.
Cons
None
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Latency 

The ASUS AX1800 has adequate latency performance for daily internet use, working remotely, and non-competitive gaming.

Pros
  • Adequate wireless latency for web browsing and non-competitive gaming.

Cons
  • Unsuitable for competitive gaming over Wi-Fi.

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    Apartment/Condo
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    Multi-Level House
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    Gaming

  • Performance Usages

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    Speed
  • 0.0
    Range
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    Latency
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Apr 08, 2026: 

      We've updated the text throughout the review to reflect the changes from Test Bench 0.9.

    2.  Updated Apr 08, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 0.9! This update adds wireless latency testing to evaluate router gaming performance. Read the changelog for more info.
    3.  Updated Dec 16, 2025: We've added an MLO Implementation test for Test Bench 0.8.2! Read the changelog for more details.
    4.  Updated Jun 12, 2025: 

      We've added a link to the newly reviewed GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) in the Network Ports section of the review.

    Check Price

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The ASUS RT-AX55 doesn't have any variants, but it's often called the ASUS AX1800. Here's a photo of our unit's label.

    Popular Router Comparisons

    The ASUS RT-AX55 is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router in the budget price bracket. It doesn't have many additional features like a USB port for local file sharing or support for the faster 160MHz bandwidth. However, it supports ASUS' AiMesh technology, which allows you to connect ASUS routers as additional mesh access points.

    Performance-wise, it delivers speeds similar to other routers in its price bracket, like the TP-Link AX21 and the TP-Link AX20.

    If you're looking for more options, check out our recommendations for the best Wi-Fi routers, the best Wi-Fi 6 routers, and the best routers for streaming.

    TP-Link Archer AX21

    Track

    The TP-Link Archer AX21 and the ASUS RT-AX55 are both Wi-Fi 6 routers. They perform similarly, but the ASUS delivers slightly better range and faster speeds overall.

    TP-Link Archer BE230

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    The TP-Link Archer BE230 is better than the ASUS RT-AX55. The TP-Link provides faster speeds overall, and it supports Dynamic Frequency Selection, which can improve performance in noisy wireless environments like apartment buildings. While both routers have five network ports, the TP-Link has two 2.5Gbps ports (WAN and LAN), while the ASUS only has 1Gbps ports.

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
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    Category:
    All
    Design
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    Dimensions
    Height
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    Width
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    Depth
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    Depth With Cables
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    0.0
    Network Ports
    WAN Port Speed
    LockedLock Gbps
    LAN Port Count
    LockedLock
    10 Gbps Ports
    LockedLock
    2.5 Gbps Ports
    LockedLock
    1 Gbps Ports
    LockedLock
    10 Gbps Ports (SFP+)
    LockedLock

    Check out the GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) if you want a higher bandwidth 2.5Gbps WAN port.

    USB Ports
    USB-A 3.0 Ports
    LockedLock
    USB-A 2.0 Ports
    LockedLock
    USB-C Ports
    LockedLock
    USB-C Speed
    LockedN/A
    In The Box

    • Ethernet cable
    • Power adapter
    • User documentation
    0.0
    Wall/Ceiling Mount
    Mount Type
    LockedLocked

    This router has a pair of screw head slots on the bottom, so you can easily mount it to your wall or ceiling.

    Wi-Fi
    0.0
    Interior Short Range
    Highest Speed
    LockedLock Mbps
    Average 5GHz Speed
    LockedLock Mbps
    Average 6GHz Speed
    LockedN/A
    Test Configuration
    LockedLocked

    This is a standalone router, so the mesh satellite position line on this graph isn't applicable.

    0.0
    Interior Long Range
    Lowest Speed
    LockedLock Mbps
    Average 5GHz Speed
    LockedLock Mbps
    Average 6GHz Speed
    LockedN/A
    Test Configuration
    LockedStandalone

    This is a standalone router, so the mesh satellite position line on this graph isn't applicable.

    0.0
    Wireless Latency
    Latency Cumulative Distribution Function
    5GHz Median Latency
    LockedLock ms
    5GHz Median Jitter
    LockedLock ms
    6GHz Median Latency
    LockedN/A
    6GHz Median Jitter
    LockedN/A

    This router has adequate latency and jitter performance for non-competitive gaming, web browsing, and taking video calls.

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    Mesh Satellite Wireless Latency
    Satellite 5GHz Median Latency
    LockedN/A
    Satellite 5GHz Median Jitter
    LockedN/A
    Satellite 6GHz Median Latency
    LockedN/A
    Satellite 6GHz Median Jitter
    LockedN/A
    0.0
    Wi-Fi Specifications
    Multi Band
    LockedDual Band (2.4 / 5)
    DFS Channels
    LockedLocked
    6GHz Band
    LockedLocked
    Wi-Fi Version
    LockedWi-Fi 6 (ax)
    MU-MIMO
    LockedLocked
    OFDMA Support
    LockedLocked
    Beamforming
    LockedLocked
    Tested Firmware VersionLockedLocked
    MLO Implementation
    MLO SupportLockedLocked
    EMLSR/EMLMR Support
    LockedLocked
    Max Number Of Simultaneous Links
    LockedLocked
    TID-To-Link Mapping Negotiation Support
    LockedLocked
    Wi-Fi Coverage
    Indoor Coverage - Same Story
    Indoor Coverage - 1 Story Above
    Broad Coverage