华硕(ASUS)已经开始销售一种新的无线路由器(wireless router)，它可以借助移动运营商提供的(mobile operator)SIM 卡(SIM card)将移动互联网连接与传统宽带互联网(broadband internet)相结合。该路由器被命名为ASUS 4G-AC68U，它具有一些令人印象深刻的功能，使其非常吸引人。幸运(Lucky)的是，我们是世界上第一个测试这种新模型的人。如果您想知道这款无线路由器(wireless router)提供的功能，请阅读以下详细评论：
华硕(ASUS)4G-AC68U AC1900：适合谁？
ASUS 4G-AC68U是以下类型用户的不错选择：
优点和缺点
ASUS 4G-AC68U有几个很棒的地方：
还有一些缺点需要考虑：
- 如果您在Dual-WAN(Dual-WAN)中使用移动连接，无线性能会受到很大影响
- 配置移动连接涉及了解和进行大量设置
- 该路由器需要很长时间才能启动和重新启动(boot and reboot)
- 无线上传速度低于您从其他AC1900路由器获得的平均速度
判决
ASUS 4G-AC68U是一款在纸面上听起来很棒的无线路由器。如果您阅读其规格，对于需要使用移动互联网连接(internet connection)的人来说，这听起来是一个不错的选择。ASUS 4G-AC68U在典型的宽带互联网连接(broadband internet connection)上表现出色。它在两个WiFi频段（2.4 和 5 GHz）上提供出色的下载速度。(download speed)但是，一旦您插入SIM 卡(SIM card)并开始使用移动互联网连接(internet connection)，您的用户体验质量就会受到很大影响。华硕(ASUS)需要花一些时间(quality time)来修复错误(bug fixing)并改进此路由器的固件，使其兑现其高质量双 WAN(Dual-WAN)连接的承诺，将移动互联网与有线互联网连接(internet connection)相结合。幸运的是，我们与华硕(ASUS)取得了联系，并向他们发送了有关我们测试经验和遇到的错误的详细信息。华硕(ASUS)将使用此信息进行未来的固件更新，以提高其双 WAN(Dual-WAN)体验的质量。
华硕(ASUS)4G-AC68U AC1900无线(AC1900 wireless)路由器开箱
华硕(ASUS)4G-AC68U AC1900 无线(AC1900 wireless)路由器采用标准纸板箱(cardboard box)，其设计与所有其他华硕(ASUS)路由器相似。在盒子的正面，您可以看到该设备的图片，以及其最重要特征的列表。
拆箱后，您会发现以下元素：连接了两个天线的路由器本身（这两个不可拆卸）、两个独立的可拆卸天线、电源适配器(power adapter)、以太网电缆(Ethernet cable)、保修和快速设置指南(setup guide)。
华硕 4G-AC68U 提供的拆箱体验快速无痛。包装包含设置和使用此无线路由器所需的所有附件。(The unboxing experience offered by ASUS 4G-AC68U is quick and painless. The packaging contains all the accessories you need to set up and use this wireless router.)
硬件规格和设计
ASUS 4G-AC68U具有运行频率为 1 GHz的双核Broadcom BCM4709A0 处理器(Broadcom BCM4709A0 processor)、256 MB RAM和 128 MB固件存储空间(storage space)。它支持所有现代网络标准，包括 802.11ac Wave 2，并提供 3x3 MU-MIMO 传输。最大理论带宽在 2.4 GHz 频段为 600 (GHz band)Mbps，在 5 GHz 频段(GHz band)为 1300 Mbps，使其成为AC1900 无线(AC1900 wireless)路由器。
华硕(ASUS)4G-AC68U 路由器的一项独特功能是它配备了两个可拆卸天线，用于蜂窝LTE连接。您插入移动运营商(mobile operator)提供的微型SIM 卡(SIM card)，您可以在路由器上使用它为您的整个家庭或小型企业提供互联网。该路由器可以使用 3G、4G、LTE移动连接，并为此类连接提供300 Mbps的理论(Mbps)最大带宽。(maximum bandwidth)
路由器共有四根外置天线和一根内置天线。中间的两根天线和内部的一根是不可拆卸的，它们是为在您的家庭或企业中广播(home or business)WiFi 信号(WiFi signal)而保留的。
ASUS 4G-AC68U 可用于以下类型的互联网连接：移动、自动 IP、静态 IP(Static IP)、PPPoE、PPTP和L2TP。
在路由器的背面，您会发现以下内容：电源按钮(power button)、电源插孔(power jack)、一个USB 3.0端口、一个用于连接互联网的千兆以太网端口(Gigabit Ethernet port)，(Gigabit Ethernet port)以及四个用于网络计算机和设备的千兆以太网端口。
在华硕(ASUS)4G-AC68U 的底部有一个可以打开的盖子，然后你会找到一个 micro SIM 端口(SIM port)。您可以使用它插入SIM 卡(SIM)并将路由器连接到移动运营商。
路由器右侧有两个按钮：一个用于打开和关闭WPS，另一个用于WiFi。
关于尺寸，华硕 4G-AC68U的宽(ASUS 4G-AC68U)x 深(x depth) x 高(x height)为 9.72 x 2.99 x 6.6 英寸或 247 x 76 x 168 毫米。它还重 28 盎司或 795 克。如果您想阅读该产品的官方规格，请访问此页面：ASUS 4G-AC68U 规格(ASUS 4G-AC68U Specifications)。
设置和使用华硕(ASUS)4G-AC68U AC1900 无线(AC1900 wireless)路由器
ASUS 4G-AC68U的设置向导(setup wizard)简短易懂。首先要求您更改默认用户名和密码(default username and password)，这是一个很好的安全预防措施(security precaution)。接下来，向导会检测您的 Internet连接类型并询问(connection and asks)必要的详细信息。完成后，您可以设置路由器广播的两个无线频段的名称和密码(name and password)。
设置向导(setup wizard)完成后，您会看到设置摘要，然后您可以加载管理用户界面。
用户界面(user interface)与许多其他华硕(ASUS)路由器相同。它看起来不错，组织良好，找到自己的方式并不困难。我们认为华硕(ASUS)已将其翻译成 19 种语言是一个积极的事实，您可以在下面看到这些语言。
另一个积极的方面是帮助文档(help documentation)随时可用。如果您不了解某个设置，请将鼠标移到它上面，当它变成问号(question mark)时，单击它。这将显示一个工具提示，其中包含有关该设置的更多信息。您还可以在带有设置的几个部分中获得指向常见问题解答文档的链接。(FAQ documentation)
我们将ASUS 4G-AC68U 连接到两种类型的互联网连接：
- 一个宽带PPPoE 互联网(PPPoE internet)连接，下载速度为 1 Gbps，上传速度为500 Gbps
- 通过 micro SIM进行移动连接。我们使用三种不同的微型SIM(SIM)卡连接到我们所在地区的三个不同的移动运营商：Vodafone、Orange和Telekom。
我们将路由器仅用于PPPoE 互联网(PPPoE internet)连接，仅用于移动连接和两者，并激活了双 WAN功能。(Dual WAN)我们了解到的一件事是，为了确保ASUS 4G-AC68U连接到您的移动运营商(mobile operator)，您应该在路由器上使用之前激活micro SIM 卡。(SIM card)此外，您应该知道您用于连接互联网的APN设置，因为(APN)ASUS 4G-AC68U并不总是为您的SIM 卡提供最佳的预定义(SIM card)APN设置。此外，连接到您的移动运营商(mobile operator)需要一段时间，即使您输入了正确的设置。完成后，您应该会看到类似于以下屏幕的状态。
您不会欣赏的一件事是该路由器需要多长时间才能启动。当您更改一些重要设置时，ASUS 4G-AC68U 需要重新启动才能应用它们。该过程最多可能需要五分钟，这可能会令人沮丧，尤其是当您需要更改多个设置时。
设置路由器后，我们开始将设备连接到网络。我们在网络上总共使用了十二台设备，包括台式电脑、笔记本电脑、平板电脑、智能手机、Xbox One控制台、无线打印机(wireless printer)、两个智能插头和一个智能灯泡(smart bulb)。您可以在下面看到其中的大部分。
当我们仅使用宽带PPPoE 互联网(PPPoE internet)连接时，华硕 4G-AC68U 的(ASUS 4G-AC68U)表现令人钦佩。我们享有良好的无线覆盖(wireless coverage)、出色的下载速度(download speed)和恒定的信号强度(signal strength)。当我们激活双 WAN(Dual WAN)功能并将移动连接引入组合时，我们的用户体验受到了影响。华硕(ASUS)4G-AC68U路由器的资源消耗(resource consumption)越来越高，路由器的性能开始突然下降。信号强度会突然下降，几秒钟，一些设备的连接速度会变慢几分钟，依此类推。当我们尝试启用AiProtection(AiProtection)等额外功能时，性能会下降甚至更低，并且无线连接对于大多数设备来说变得相当成问题。这使我们得出结论，华硕 4G-AC68U(ASUS 4G-AC68U)上的硬件对于捆绑的所有功能都不够强大，或者固件需要进一步改进，以提高在双 WAN(Dual WAN)中使用移动互联网连接时的稳定性。
硬件方面，华硕 4G-AC68U 是一款功能强大的路由器，可提供出色的无线覆盖。如果您将它与宽带互联网连接一起使用，您将获得高质量的用户体验和出色的 WiFi。当您打开双 WAN 并同时使用移动互联网连接时，用户体验开始变差。(Hardware-wise, ASUS 4G-AC68U is a capable router that can deliver excellent wireless coverage. If you use it alongside a broadband internet connection, you get a high-quality user experience and excellent WiFi. When you turn on Dual-WAN and use also a mobile internet connection, the user experience starts to get sour.)
如果您想了解有关此无线路由器(wireless router)的实际性能和我们的基准测试的更多信息，请阅读本评论的下一页。
Reviewing ASUS 4G-AC68U: Exciting specs make for a great experience?
ASUS has startеd selling a new wirеlеss router that can combine mobile internet connections wіth traditional broadband internet, with the help of a SIM card from уour mobile operator. Thе router is named ΑSUS 4G-AC68U, and it has some impreѕsive fеatures, that make it very appealing. Lucky for us, we were thе first in the world to test thіs new model. If you wоuld like to know what this wireless router haѕ to offer, read this detailed review:
ASUS 4G-AC68U AC1900: who is it good for?
ASUS 4G-AC68U is a good choice for the following types of users:
-
People who want fast downloads on WiFi, and have a broadband internet connection available
-
Small business owners who want features like Free WiFi Splash page and Captive portal, that allow them to give free WiFi to their guests while promoting their business, website or social media page
- Users who have only mobile internet coverage in their area and want to have their own WiFi, sharing one mobile internet connection
Pros and cons
There are several great things about the ASUS 4G-AC68U:
There are some downsides to consider as well:
- If you use a mobile connection in Dual-WAN, wireless performance suffers quite a lot
- Configuring the mobile connection involves knowing and making a lot of settings
- This router takes a lot of time to boot and reboot
- The upload speed on wireless is lower than the average you get from other AC1900 routers
Verdict
ASUS 4G-AC68U is a wireless router that sounds great on paper. If you read its specifications, it sounds like a great choice for people who need to use mobile internet connections. ASUS 4G-AC68U works great on typical broadband internet connection. It delivers outstanding download speed on both WiFi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz). But, once you plug in a SIM card and start using a mobile internet connection, the quality of your user experience suffers a lot. ASUS needs to invest some quality time in bug fixing and improving the firmware of this router, so that it delivers on its promise of high-quality Dual-WAN connections, that mix mobile internet with wired internet connections. Luckily, we got in touch with ASUS and sent them details about our testing experience and the bugs that we encountered. This information will be used by ASUS for future firmware updates that improve the quality of their Dual-WAN experience.
Unboxing the ASUS 4G-AC68U AC1900 wireless router
The ASUS 4G-AC68U AC1900 wireless router comes in a standard cardboard box, with a design that is similar to all other ASUS routers. On the front side of the box you can see a picture of the device, alongside a list of its most important characteristics.
When you unbox it, you find the following elements: the router itself with two antennas attached (these two are not removable), two separate removable antennas, the power adapter, an Ethernet cable, the warranty and the quick setup guide.
The unboxing experience offered by ASUS 4G-AC68U is quick and painless. The packaging contains all the accessories you need to set up and use this wireless router.
Hardware specifications and design
ASUS 4G-AC68U has a dual-core Broadcom BCM4709A0 processor running at 1 GHz, 256 MB of RAM and 128 MB of storage space for the firmware. It offers support for all the modern networking standards, including 802.11ac Wave 2, and it offers 3x3 MU-MIMO transfers. The maximum theoretical bandwidth is of 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and of 1300 Mbps on the 5GHz band, making this an AC1900 wireless router.
One unique feature about the ASUS 4G-AC68U router is that it comes with two detachable antennas that are used for cellular LTE connections. You plug in a micro SIM card from your mobile operator and you can use it on the router to give internet to your whole home or small business. The router can use 3G, 4G, LTE mobile connections, and offers a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 300 Mbps for such connections.
The router has a total of four external antennas and one internal. The two antennas in the middle and the internal one are not removable and they are reserved for broadcasting the WiFi signal in your home or business.
ASUS 4G-AC68U can be used on the following types of internet connections: mobile, automatic IP, Static IP, PPPoE, PPTP, and L2TP.
On the back side of the router you will find the following: the power button, the power jack, a USB 3.0 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port for connecting it to the internet, and four Gigabit Ethernet ports for network computers and devices.
On the bottom of the ASUS 4G-AC68U there is a cap that you can open and then you find a micro SIM port. You can use it to plug in a SIM and connect the router to a mobile operator.
On the right side of the router there are two buttons: one for turning the WPS on and off and the other for the WiFi.
Regarding size, ASUS 4G-AC68U is 9.72 x 2.99 x 6.6 inches or 247 x 76 x 168 mm in width x depth x height. It also weighs 28 ounces or 795 grams. If you would like to read the official specifications of this product, go to this page: ASUS 4G-AC68U Specifications.
Setting up and using the ASUS 4G-AC68U AC1900 wireless router
The setup wizard for ASUS 4G-AC68U is short and easy to follow. You are first asked to change the default username and password, which is a good security precaution. Next, the wizard detects the type of your internet connection and asks for the necessary details. Once that is done, you can set the name and password for the two wireless bands that are broadcast by the router.
When the setup wizard is finished, you are shown a summary of your settings, and you can then load the administration user interface.
The user interface is the same as on many other ASUS routers. It looks good, it is well organized and finding your way is not difficult. We consider a positive the fact that ASUS has translated it into 19 languages, which you can see listed below.
Another positive is the fact that help documentation is always at hand. If you don't understand a setting, move the mouse over it and, when it turns into a question mark, click on it. This displays a tooltip with more information about that setting. You also get links to FAQ documentation in several sections with settings.
We connected ASUS 4G-AC68U to two types of internet connections:
- One broadband PPPoE internet connection of 1 Gbps for the download and 500 Gbps for the upload
- A mobile connection through a micro SIM. We connected to three different mobile operators in our area, using three different micro-SIM cards: Vodafone, Orange, and Telekom.
We used the router just with the PPPoE internet connection, only with a mobile connection and with both, and the Dual WAN feature activated. One thing we learned is that, in order to make sure that ASUS 4G-AC68U connects to your mobile operator, you should have the micro SIM card activated before using it on the router. Also, you should know your APN settings for connecting to the internet, because ASUS 4G-AC68U does not always have the best predefined APN settings for your SIM card. Also, connecting to your mobile operator takes a while, even though you have entered the correct settings. When you are done, you should see a status similar to the screen below.
One thing that you will not appreciate is how long this router takes to boot. When you change some important settings, ASUS 4G-AC68U needs to reboot in order to apply them. The process can take up to five minutes, and this can be frustrating, especially when you need to change more than one setting.
After we set up the router, we started connecting our device to the network. We used a total of twelve devices on the network, consisting of desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, an Xbox One console, a wireless printer, two smart plugs, and one smart bulb. You can see most of them listed below.
When we used just the broadband PPPoE internet connection, ASUS 4G-AC68U performed admirably. We enjoyed good wireless coverage, excellent download speed, and constant signal strength. When we activated the Dual WAN featured and introduced a mobile connection into the mix, our user experience suffered. The resource consumption on the ASUS 4G-AC68U router got higher and the router started to have sudden drops in performance. The signal strength would drop suddenly, for a couple of seconds, some devices would get a slower connection for a few minutes, and so on. When we tried enabling extra features like AiProtection, the performance would drop even lower, and wireless connectivity became rather problematic for most devices. This led us to conclude that either the hardware on the ASUS 4G-AC68U is underpowered for all the features that are bundled or the firmware needs further work, to improve stability when using mobile internet connections in Dual WAN.
Hardware-wise, ASUS 4G-AC68U is a capable router that can deliver excellent wireless coverage. If you use it alongside a broadband internet connection, you get a high-quality user experience and excellent WiFi. When you turn on Dual-WAN and use also a mobile internet connection, the user experience starts to get sour.
If you would like to learn more about the real-life performance of this wireless router and our benchmarks, read the next page of this review.
