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ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 Router Review

Tested using Methodology v0.8
Reviewed Nov 15, 2024 at 12:58 pm
ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 Picture
8.3
Apartment/Condo
8.1
Multi-Level House
8.2
Speed
8.1
Range

The ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router that's part of ASUS's ZenWiFi lineup of mesh systems. It's available in a one, two, or three-pack. Like the other models in the lineup, it uses ASUS's AiMesh technology, so it's compatible with any other AiMesh-enabled ASUS access point. We bought a two-pack and tested it in dual-mesh mode.

Note: We've removed the Wi-Fi coverage tests, as we're exploring better ways to convey the results that'll be more helpful to users.

Our Verdict

8.3 Apartment/Condo

The ASUS ET9 is a great router for use in an apartment, condo, or single-story home. It delivers very good speeds and range, making it suitable for multiple users streaming 4k HDR content or downloading large files quickly. It has a slick design that's easy to find a spot for in your home. Its 6GHz band can help deliver better speeds to your compatible devices in noisy wireless environments.

Pros
  • Great top speeds.

  • 6GHz band helps in noisy wireless environments.

Cons
8.1 Multi-Level House

The ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 is a great router if you live in a multi-level home. It delivers great speeds and has enough range for larger homes with multiple floors. It's suitable for your whole family streaming 4k content, downloading large files, and whatever other high-bandwidth activities you throw at it. Since it's a mesh router, you can easily add more access points for better coverage. It has great connectivity, too, with a USB 3.0 port, ample LAN ports, and a WAN port rated for 2.5Gbps speeds.

Pros
  • Great top speeds.

  • 6GHz band helps in noisy wireless environments.

  • Can add additional mesh access points to further improve range.

Cons
8.2 Speed

The ASUS ET9 delivers great speeds that are suitable for a gigabit internet connection. Its 6GHz band helps deliver faster speeds in noisy wireless environments and at shorter distances.

Pros
  • Great top speeds.

Cons
8.1 Range

The ASUS ET9 has great range. Since it's a mesh router, you can add additional access points to improve your range and help maintain consistent speeds over longer distances.

Pros
  • Can add additional mesh access points to further improve range.

Cons
  • 8.3 Apartment/Condo
  • 8.1 Multi-Level House

Performance Usages

  • 8.2 Speed
  • 8.1 Range
  1. Updated Nov 15, 2024: Review published.
  2. Updated Nov 12, 2024: Early access published.
  3. Updated Nov 07, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Oct 23, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated Oct 18, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 is available in a one, two, or three-pack. Here's our unit's label.

Compared To Other Routers

The ASUS ET9 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E mesh router that's part of ASUS's ZenWiFi lineup. It's similar to the ASUS ZenWiFi XT9 but has a 6GHz band instead of a second 5GHz band. Its main competitors include the TP-Link Deco XE5300 and the eero Pro 6E. It delivers very similar performance to both systems but has better connectivity with more LAN ports and a USB port, which the others lack. Lower mid-range Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems, like the TP-Link Deco BE63, are entering the market and offering significantly faster 6GHz speeds for a similar price.

If you're looking for more options, check out our recommendations for the best Wi-Fi routers, the best mesh Wi-Fi systems, and the best Wi-Fi routers for large homes.

eero Pro 6E

The eero Pro 6E and the ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 are Wi-Fi 6E mesh routers. They have comparable performance, but the eero is slightly faster overall. The ASUS, on the other hand, has better connectivity with more LAN ports and a USB port.

ASUS ZenWiFi XT9

The ASUS ZenWiFi XT9 and the ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 are mesh routers from the same lineup. The ET9 is Wi-Fi 6E while the XT9 is Wi-Fi 6. They deliver similar speeds and range, but the ET9's 6GHz band should perform better in noisy wireless environments.

Google Nest Wifi Pro

The ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 is a slightly better router than the Google Nest Wifi Pro. The ASUS is a little faster, has a bit better range, and has better wired connectivity.

TP-Link Deco XE5300

The ASUS ZenWiFi ET9 and the TP-Link Deco XE5300 are Wi-Fi 6E mesh routers. They deliver similar performance, but the ASUS has better connectivity with more LAN ports, a USB port, and a faster WAN port that's capable of 2.5Gbps.

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
8.0
Design
Dimensions
Height
6.30" (16.0 cm)
Width
6.36" (16.2 cm)
Depth
2.95" (7.5 cm)
Depth With Cables
3.66" (9.3 cm)
8.1
Design
Network Ports
WAN Port Speed
2.5 Gbps
LAN Port Count
3
10 Gbps Ports
0
2.5 Gbps Ports
1
1 Gbps Ports
3
10 Gbps Ports (SFP+)
0
Design
USB Ports
USB-A 3.0 Ports
1
USB-A 2.0 Ports
0
USB-C Ports
0
USB-C Speed
N/A

This router's USB port supports USB 3.2 Gen 1 data transfer speed of up to 5Gbps.

Design
In The Box

  • Ethernet cable
  • Power adapter x2
  • User documentation

0
Design
Wall/Ceiling Mount
Mount Type
None
Wi-Fi
8.1
Wi-Fi
Interior Long Range
Lowest Speed
430 Mbps
Average 5GHz Speed
524 Mbps
Average 6GHz Speed
584 Mbps

We tested this router in dual mesh mode.

8.1
Wi-Fi
Interior Short Range
Highest Speed
1,090 Mbps
Average 5GHz Speed
737 Mbps
Average 6GHz Speed
888 Mbps

We tested this router in dual mesh mode.

9.0
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Specifications
Wi-Fi Version
Wi-Fi 6E (ax)
6GHz Band
Yes
Multi Band
Tri-Band (2.4 / 5 / 6)
DFS Channels
Yes

Wi-Fi 6E gives access to the 6GHz band, which takes advantage of less signal interference for faster speeds, but you'll need devices that support it to benefit from it.