ASUS RT-N56U Pro Reviews

All in all, I really like the ASUS RT-N56U. The firmware alone gives this router capabilities and functions usually reserved for high end networking gear. For $99 online you are not only getting a pretty solid Wireless router, you are getting an online file sharing tool, a FTP server, a Network Printer Server, backup internet protection, a torrent box, a DLNA media server, a NAS box, a firewall, and a VPN server all tucked into a nice little package. The RT-N56U is a no brainer for anyone in the market for a good solid router. While you won’t see the blazing wireless speeds you might get on some of the newer AC or even N routers, considering this router is probably $50 or $60 cheaper than those this is a great buy. The ASUS RT-N56U just flat out exceeded my expectations in just about every area. While I had been contemplating replacing my current router with an ASUS RT-N66U, I think the RT-N56U will be handling my networking needs in the near future.

ASUS must be given credit for developing a product that combines splendid looks, high-performance platform, and multifunctional firmware. A special feature is the availability of two radio modules that can ensure very high speed for your wireless network. In our tests we got as fast as 100 Mbps and more, for example. The routing section is fast as well and can help you get information from the Internet at a speed of almost 1 Gbps. The PPPoE connection was about 500 Mbps fast whereas PPTP and L2TP were as fast as 100-150 Mbps, which means that this router won't be a bottleneck on a modern 100Mbps connection. The USB functionality like sharing and downloading files and running a media server is interesting, yet these are all but extra features and you can’t expect them to be up to the router’s main functionality in the quality of implementation. The RT-N56U might be interesting for people who like to tweak their hardware by means of alternative firmware and add-on modules. It allows to establish console access and install additional software for more functional file download and media server features, for example. You should be careful with that, though. Despite its advanced hardware configuration, the router may get unstable.

A high-speed router that looks good and is easy to use. All that, coupled with a reasonable price, makes this Asus a tempting buy

When we received the ASUS RT-N56U we suspected that ASUS had hidden a mediocre router behind a pretty facade. The truth, however, is that this product lives up to its promises. The performance is very good, it comes packed with features, and it has a great user interface. The only think we really think could make this better would be a way to hang it on the wall and the option to set up a separate wireless guest network.

The clever design, excellent application of dual-band wireless and dual USB ports make the Asus RT-N56U Black Diamond a very attractive router. While the extras give it an advantage and almost earn it an award, the middle-of-the-road wireless performance brings it back in line with the other premium routers we tested.

The RT-N56U is a worthy successor to ASUS' RT-N16. It has a solid routing section with more speed than even our friends overseas can use, Gigabit ports and two 11n radios that both support WDS bridging and repeating. But with its Ralink chipset, you won't be able to run DD-WRT or other alternate distros on it as you can with the RT-N16. If you're comfortable with routers that don't have the name Cisco, NETGEAR or D-Link on them and are looking for a less expensive two-radio dual-band router that can also share a USB printer and drive at the same time, you might want to give the RT-N56U a shot.

The ASUS RT-N56U is available for $129.99 at NewEgg.com which is a saving of $20 off the MSRP of $149.99. At this price point it fits into the bottom end of the price range for many routers that have the same feature set. With this in mind, mixed with a dash of style and good performance, I would say the ASUS RT-N56U offers reasonable value for money, but may be considered slightly high for those who need only need a simple router for home use.

The Asus RT-N56U is arguably one of the best true dual-band 300Mbps home routers on the market.

There's an awful lot to like about the ASUS RT-N56U from the aesthetic design of both the chassis to the slick web-based interface to its actual performance. There's a confident air about every aspect of it and you really feel the engineers have the designed knowhow to squeeze every drop of performance from their hardware. The Ai Radar technology certainly overcome any limitations of the 2.4GHz twin antenna to provide leading-class performance and 5GHz speed are equally impressive. With only a question mark over its long-range performance, at this price it's certainly full-steam ahead for this ASUS router.

We've seen our share of funky routers over the years. Fortunately, ASUS has married what's trendy and stylish into the RT-N56U which should work in their favor. Slim, modish, feature-packed, and decked with an array of Gigabit ports, the N56U is a clear indication ASUS is serious about seizing a greater slice of market share from dominant names such as D-Link and Linksys. Talking about features, this AP achieves the best of what wireless-N routers have to offer. From data sharing to remote access to makeshift FTP and print servers, this shiny black baby does it all. The web interface is as user friendly as can be, with helpful links provided for selected fields.

It’s not often that a router can be considered remotely interesting, but the RT-56U is such a rarity. Not only is it attractively designed, it’s also very well featured, and offers exceptional performance. Plus, it’s well-priced considering what’s on offer.