Connecting the asus rt n56u router. ASUS RT-N56U router: step-by-step settings and detailed description of the model


Hello!

From this article you will learn:

  • Where to download the latest firmware for the Asus RT-N56U router;
  • How to update the firmware in this router;
  • How to set up a connection using the L2TP protocol (Beeline);
  • How to set up a Wireless network and set encryption keys;
  • How much does the router slow down?

“I don’t want to learn anything, I just want everything to work for me!!” - in this case, I can come to you and do this work.

This article assumes that you have certain operating skills and “can distinguish a hard drive from a hard drive” 😉

Where can I download the official firmware for Asus routers?

You can do this from the official Asus technical support website: support.asus.com

  • Choose the OS version (it doesn’t really matter which one);
  • Go to “Software”;
  • Select the firmware version;

At the time of writing, the latest version 3.0.0.4.360. When I made the settings, this version did not exist yet, so I set it up 3.0.0.4.342. She is in the screenshots. There is no significant difference.

  • Click Download from: Global. Enter characters and press the button.
  • 3.0.0.4.360 http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-N56U/FW_RT_N56U_3004360.zip
  • 3.0.0.4.342 http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-N56U/FW_RT_N56U_3004342.zip

Extract the file from the archive RT-N56U_3.0.0.4_360.trx- this is our new firmware.

Connect the router to power. Connect your network card to any LAN port of the router. The network card should obtain an IP address automatically.

Firmware update.

  • Open your browser and go to the router’s web interface at 192.168.1.1
  • Login: admin, password: admin.
  • Go to menu Administration, tab Firmware update.
  • New Firmware File- select a file RT-N56U_3.0.0.4_360.trx and press Send
  • Do not turn off the router or touch anything at all. 3 minutes or more will pass and you will see a new black interface.

How to connect to Beeline?

  • Go to the menu Internet- tab Connection;
  • WAN connection type: L2TP;
  • Enter your Beeline username and password;
  • VPN server: tp.internet.beeline.ru;
  • Click Apply;
  • If everything was done correctly, the router will connect to the Internet.

Setting up Wi-Fi.

  • Go to the Wireless Network menu;
  • SSID - enter the name of the Wi-Fi network - any valid one.
  • For maximum speed, the mode and channel width must be adjusted brute-force; It's good if the mode is N;
  • I determine the channel using the WiFi Analayzer utility for Android, but you can also use brute force.
  • Select WPA2 authentication method, WPA encryption - AES;
  • The WPA pre-shared key is the wireless network key. Come up with it yourself.

  • Ready!

The router slows down the speed.

Here's what the manufacturer himself writes:

I. Theoretical and real value of speed. The theoretical data transfer speed of a router is not the same as its actual data transfer speed. Generally speaking, the actual speed will be significantly lower than the theoretical maximum speed.

II. Compatibility between router and network card
To achieve maximum speed, the wireless router and wireless card must use the same standards (i.e., like using the 802.11n standard). Although the 802.11b/g wireless card can work with
802.11n router, the speed will not be maximum (when using an 802.11b card, a maximum of 11 Mbit and 54 Mbit for an 802.11g card).

III. Network costs due to non-compliant standards.
When an 802.11n router works with 802.11b/g cards on a wireless network, the router will reduce its data transfer speed. This effect is not limited to just one computer with an 802.11b/g card, but other computers on the network will experience slower speeds even if they have compliant 802.11n.

IV. Selecting an encryption mode
Encryption protocols such as WEP or WPA/TKIP do not provide the maximum speeds of the 802.11n standard. We recommend using the WPA2/AES encryption protocol to get the highest possible speed.

V. Channel bandwidth settings.
The channel capacity can be set. Typically, the width is set to 20 MHz, 40 MHz or automatic mode (mixed mode). Channel aggregation can double the capacity and increase the width from 20 MHz to 40 MHz. This technology should be used under good external wireless network conditions, because using this option can lead to a sharp decrease in signal quality. In some cases, better signal quality can be obtained if this option is left unused.

Despite their prevalence, for many users routers still seem like a gimmick that requires complex installation and subsequent configuration changes. In fact, doing this yourself is not at all difficult.

In this article, we will go through the step-by-step process of initially preparing the device and walk you through all the necessary settings for it.

Router configuration and appearance

Routers in this line are distinguished not only by their functionality, but also by their stylish modern design. The black glossy body with a wavy texture will fit well into any interior. The front panel contains blue indicators that indicate the operation of connected networks and USB devices. The router is installed vertically using a special stand.

Its kit includes:

  • router;
  • stand for vertical installation;
  • network cable;
  • power unit;
  • disk with the necessary software;
  • warranty card.

Connection and preparation for work

After unpacking, the first thing you need to do is connect the device.

To do this, follow simple steps:


This completes the initial preparation.

Login to settings

Now let's move on to the setup process. To display the device correctly, the computer's network card must be in automatic mode.

You can check and change this as follows:


Internet setup

General network setup is quite simple. To do this, you just need to download the configuration file. It will configure all default settings.

To make sure they are correct, you need to go to the “Internet” section and then “Connection”, and check the following fields:

  • in the “WAN connection type” field, the “Automatic IP” option must be selected;
  • “Yes” must be selected in the “Enable WAN/NAT/UPnP” fields;
  • also “Yes” for “Connect to DNS server automatically”;
  • in the “Authentication” column – “Absent”;
  • if any of the settings have been changed, click “Apply”.

    • If you are setting up the ASUS RT N56U router for beeline, then the connection menu should look like this:

  1. in the line “WAN connection type” indicate "L2TP or PPTP";
  2. for “WAN IP address” and “WAN DNS” the “Obtain automatically” option must be selected;
  3. in the “Account and connection” field we leave the login and password provided by the provider;
  4. “Special requirements” – save this server address: "tp.internet.beeline.ru".

Wireless network

To set up a wireless network, follow the following instructions:


Important! When choosing this name, you should pay attention to a small nuance: some devices, such as tablets or phones, do not always correctly identify the network if the name of the access point begins with a capital letter. It is better to start it with a capital letter to avoid such problems.

  • after changing the name, we’ll take care of the security of the connection - go to “Authentication Method” and install “WPA2-Personal”;

Note! The connection password will be the data we entered in step 4.

  • The setup is complete, confirm the changes.

At the end of the process, turn on the search for a wireless network to make sure that the device is displayed correctly. The router should appear in the list. Click on the name of our new network and select “Connect”. Enter the password and wait for the connection.

IPTV

You will have to take care of connecting IPTV manually, because by default this function is inactive.

To enable it:

  • go to “Local network”;
  • select the “IPTV” tab;
  • in the “Special applications” section we find the “Enable multicast routing” item and activate it;
  • Click “Apply” to save the changes.

After enabling this function, you must change the bitrate of the stream. The default speed (20 megabits/s) may cause interruptions in IPTV operation. You can change it in the “Switch Control” tab, where opposite two parameters – “Unknown multicast storm control” and “Multicast storm control” need to be reset to zero.

It is also worth checking the frequency range settings, they should look like:

  • opposite the option “Enable IGMP Snooping” – “Enable”;
  • in “Multicast data transmission rate”, set the optimal parameter – OFDM 36 (or at your discretion).

How to reset ASUS RT N56U router settings

The need to reset your router settings may arise for various reasons. For example, the router is new and already has a changed configuration. In order not to configure everything manually, you just need to reset it to factory default.

You can do this as follows:

  1. Pay attention to the back panel of the device, next to the cable inputs there is the word “Reset” and a small hole for resetting the settings;
  2. prepare a pen or other tool of suitable size;
  3. turn on the router and wait for it to load;
  4. after that, press the “Reset” button for 30 seconds;
  5. Flashing indicators will indicate the success of the operation and the device will reboot.

Video: how to flash a router

Changing the login password

The default password for the router settings page is “admin”.

To change it:

  • go to the “Administration” section;
  • in the “System” tab we find “Password”;
  • in the “New Password” and “Confirm Password” fields, enter a new option;
  • save the changes.

Updating the firmware

Updating the firmware is not as complicated a process as it might seem at first glance. We will need a configuration file and firmware.


Important! Do not turn off the power to the router during the process.

After updating the firmware, we begin setting up the router. To do this, you can use a special configuration file loaded through this interface.

Instructions:

We have already met with ASUS network equipment several times. This manufacturer today offers many products beyond the motherboards and other components that started it all. All of its solutions are distinguished by high quality workmanship and attractive technical characteristics. However, sometimes this is still not enough for success, and then companies try to come up with something unusual, for example in the field of design.

Our today's hero - the RT-N56U router - stands out in all of these ways. It has an interesting design, a high-performance platform with simultaneous support for two radio bands and a pair of USB ports, and, of course, excellent workmanship.

Contents of delivery

Despite the compact size of the router itself, it comes in a fairly large box (31x23.5x8.2 cm). It provides the main technical characteristics of the device, beautiful photographs with partial lamination and use cases. There is only a short description in Russian.

The package includes a router, a stand for vertical installation, a 19 V 1.58 A power supply, a flat network cable, a CD with software, a quick installation leaflet and a warranty card. Note that the power supply has a fairly rare connector and non-standard parameters.

If necessary, firmware and utility updates can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. Utilities are designed to search for a router on the network, configure WPS clients, connect a printer, restore firmware, and manage the file download system.

Appearance

ASUS is known for its innovative approach to product design; So this wave has reached routers. The RT-N56U is, in a sense, a work of art. Its compact, shiny body will clearly attract the attention of your guests with its unusual shape and texture.

For a better look, the router has a single location option - vertically on a stand, with a glossy surface facing the user. The dimensions of this side of the device are 17.5 x 14.5 centimeters, and the thickness varies from 1.1 to 2.6 cm. If we talk about the stand, the required shelf depth for reliable installation will be about 6.5 cm.

On the front side there are six device status indicators and a silver ASUS logo. The LEDs are not bright and fit well into the concept of the device. On the bottom left side there is a WPS button for connecting wireless clients, and on the right there are all the ports for connection. Despite its compact size, you can find a lot here - gigabit network ports (one WAN and four LAN, all with built-in indicators), two USB 2.0 ports, a reset button and a power supply input.

If we consider the design as a whole, then in terms of beauty it is magnificent. However, in real use, and not on exhibition stands, things are not so good. The compact size of the device and vertical installation make the design unstable when connecting multiple network cables, not to mention USB. And such an “octopus” will not look so impressive.

Hardware configuration

This model is quite difficult to disassemble, so to find out the details of the filling, we used the router boot logs, the Internet and reports from those users who were not afraid to disassemble this elegant device. The router's central processor is Ralink RT3662F. It operates at a frequency of 500 MHz, and the amounts of RAM and flash memory are 128 and 8 MB, respectively. In this case, the radio unit built into the processor is programmed to operate on the 5 GHz band in 2T3R mode. To implement 2.4 GHz, there is a Ralink RT3092L chip that supports 2T2R. Both USB ports are also supported by the main processor. Additionally, a Realtek RTL8367F gigabit switch is installed on the printed circuit board. For design reasons, the device has built-in antennas located on the printed circuit board.

Effective cooling of the model is ensured only in the vertical installation option - in this case, the grilles located at the lower and upper ends work. The router is small, and under high load, overheating and unstable operation are quite possible.

The situation with firmware for RT-N56U is not simple. The manufacturer chose a not very user-friendly path of creating different versions for different markets/purposes. In most of the tests in this material, unless otherwise noted, we used firmware 7.0.1.32, which is intended for Russia.

Settings and features

To configure the device, the familiar web interface is used. It provides for the use of several languages, including Russian. Note that there is a built-in help system that describes most of the options presented on the pages. After turning on for the first time or resetting the configuration, the user is offered an assistant to easily configure basic settings, in particular Internet access and wireless networks. It is possible to access the web interface from the Internet. The port number for this case can be changed.

The main page shows a diagram of your network, including the router, the Internet, clients and connected USB devices. The diagram is interactive and makes it easy to check some current settings and change them. For example, clicking on the “clients” icon opens a list of devices detected by the router with names and addresses for which you can set network priority or block access.

In addition to the button to go to the advanced settings pages, there are several other “large” settings on the main screen. “AiDisk” helps you select access options for USB drives and configure DDNS through the ASUS service. "UPnP Media Server" includes built-in DLNA/UPnP AV/iTunes servers. EzQoS Bandwidth Control allows the user to configure application network access priorities. We'll talk more about this feature below.

The complete list for setting device parameters includes more than three dozen pages, collected in seven groups. The local network interface settings are standard: you can change the IP address, configure a DHCP server to distribute addresses to clients, and select additional routing parameters. Of the latter, we note the addition of your own routes (if suddenly receiving them automatically via DHCP from the provider did not work), support for multicast broadcasting (including Wi-Fi) and activation of the service for broadcasting UDP streams to HTTP. The latter is very helpful for watching IPTV over a wireless network.

The router has two independent wireless interfaces operating at frequencies of 2.4 and 5 GHz. The settings for them are duplicated on similar pages, and you can select different parameters, for example, network names and encryption modes. So we will describe only one “copy”. The user can select the network name (including the ability to hide it), mode (b/g/n and a/n, respectively), channel width (20, 20/40 or 40), channel number (main and extended), authentication mode ( from open network to enterprise versions of WPA/WPA2 and 802.1x via RADIUS server), setting the transmitter power. Security can be increased by programming a “white” or “black” list of client MAC addresses.

The set of additional parameters includes setting a work schedule - the user specifies the days of the week and the time interval when the access point will work. The wireless module supports WPS technology for fast, secure connection of clients, as well as WDS for organizing a distributed wireless network.

WAN port modes for connecting to the Internet include all modern options - static or dynamic IP address, PPPoE, PPTP and L2TP. The user can change the MAC address, select IP addresses and additional settings for VPN clients. Note the support for IPTV set-top boxes - in a special menu item you need to select the LAN port to which it is connected (one or two).

You can provide access to internal services through familiar switching or port translation technologies. In the second case, you can “forward” a range of ports at once, and the numbers of external and internal ports may be different. The size of tables is formally unlimited. If necessary, you can place one of the internal clients in the DMZ, then all incoming connections will be broadcast to it (except for those strictly specified in the broadcast rules). For convenient access to the router and network from the Internet, there is a built-in DDNS client that helps maintain a constant domain name with a dynamic external IP address. The device supports UPnP for automatic port translation. Don't forget that despite its convenience, this feature is not sufficiently controlled in most home routers.

For a high-performance device, bandwidth management functions may be relevant. We mentioned above the proprietary EzQoS technology. It allows the user to prioritize certain types of traffic - games, Internet applications, disk access, voice and video streams. Unfortunately, there are no details on how this function works, and it is impossible to understand how the device detects these types of traffic. The built-in traffic monitoring will be more useful - it shows current speeds or statistics for the last days for each interface separately, including two wireless ones.

The second option, also not distinguished by the presence of documentation, allows you to set QoS rules in the form of a combination of source IP address and destination port and assign them one of the priorities - low, normal, high. There is a third option - indicating priority for clients. But here, too, we were unable to notice the operation of traffic control with two clients running p2p clients.

We will discuss the possibilities of using external USB drives further in the corresponding section.

The fifth group of settings is responsible for built-in security systems. The first filter works with URLs, which allows you to block access to unwanted resources via HTTP. The administrator can specify the days of the week and two time ranges when the filter will be active. In this case, the user will not be provided with any information about the lack of access to the resource. The second possibility is to compile a list of client MAC addresses that will be blocked or allowed on the local network segment.

You can also create rules for a “black” or “white” list running on the LAN-WAN segment. The rules specify the source IP address, source ports, destination IP address, destination ports, and protocol. Addresses can be specified by subnets using the * sign, and ports can be represented either as single or as a range. This allows you to block certain services on the Internet or allow only certain ones. For all rules, you can immediately specify the days of the week and the time interval when they will be active. There is no option to add some clients to the exclusion list.

The set of system options is standard - changing the administrator password, setting the clock, updating the firmware, saving/restoring/resetting the configuration. A separate item is the choice of the operating mode of the device - router with NAT, regular router (NAT is prohibited, all clients need official addresses), access point.

Event logs and device status reference tables are included in a separate group. The main log is exactly the same as the system log from embedded Linux. On the one hand, this is, of course, not bad, since it allows you to get fairly detailed information about the work, but for most users it will still contain too many messages for a convenient analysis of the situation. Moreover, no external communications can be made with the log (only saved locally from the web interface), and its total size is limited. The second and third pages of this group are a list of DHCP server clients and wirelessly connected devices. On the fourth page you can check the status of the port translation table. It presents both user-defined rules and those automatically assigned to clients via UPnP. The last page here shows the current routing table.

Working with USB devices

One option for using USB ports is to connect external drives. FAT32, NTFS, EXT2/3 file systems are supported, including recording. An external hard drive can have multiple partitions. The device allows access to data via SMB/CIFS and FTP protocols. If any of them is not required, you can disable it. The network name and workgroup name can be changed. Unicode support allows you not to worry about displaying characters of the national alphabet. By default, full access to all mounted disk volumes is allowed. In this case, each of them is visible on the network as a resource with the name “AiDisk_aN”, where “N” is the internal volume number.

If you allow FTP, then you need to take into account that it also works on the external interface, that is, all users of your network segment or the entire Internet will be able to access it. So don't forget to set strong passwords. If external access is not required, but you want to have local FTP, then it is better to block external access by setting up port 20 and 21 forwarding to a non-existent local address. Unfortunately, the firewall does not help in this situation.

If necessary, you can select a mode with user name and password verification. The corresponding database must be created in the router itself. Permissions will be set separately for SMB and FTP. In this mode, files from the root of the connected hard drive will not be accessible over the network, and the actual resources will be created from the directories located in the root. If there is none, then the router itself will create a “share” folder, which will be used, among other things, for additional device services described below.

We tested the speed of operation in network storage mode by writing and reading a large file. We used an external USB 2.0 hard drive, which when used on a PC shows a performance of about 35 MB/s (with the NTFS file system). The results are presented in the graph.

As you can see from the numbers, the operating speed is not very high. The maximum you can achieve is 14-16 MB/s for reading and 10-12 MB/s for writing. So the device is not very suitable for working with large amounts of information.

Connected drives can be used to store a media library with access via the DLNA/UPnP AV protocol and iTunes. These services do not have any special settings - only one common switch. All files on all volumes are indexed. The list of compatible formats is quite large. In particular, it has JPEG, MP3, AAC, M4A, WMA, FLAC, AVI, MPEG, MP4, MKV, WMV, TS, M2TS. For Russian tags to work correctly in audio files, they must be written in Unicode. The performance is sufficient for watching HD video. However, this load is still quite large and at the same time it is better not to do anything “heavy” anymore. iTunes has a traditionally smaller set - MP3, AAC and M4A.

For home users, the ability to download files via HTTP/FTP/BitTorrent protocols without a PC may be of some interest. First you need to enable it through the router's web interface. To manage tasks, you must use the Download Master utility installed on your computer. Unfortunately, leapfrog with versions is typical for her as well. In our case, it was necessary to use not the latest available version of the utility kit, but one specifically designed for “Russian” firmware 4.1.5.3. The utility and service have no settings. So, you cannot change port numbers, limit speed, or select a folder.

There can only be five active p2p jobs at the same time, but more can be added to the queue. Distribution is carried out only during loading. Information provided by the client includes percentage of completion, download speed, and estimated completion time. Tasks can be paused and started again. There is no service schedule. As you can see, the capabilities are completely basic and there can be no talk of any serious workload with a full-time client. When working on a 12 Mbit/s Beeline Internet channel, the download speed can reach the maximum possible for this channel. Internet access continues to work stably. On the second channel available to us, we were able to get file download speeds with the built-in client at the level of 2.5-3 MB/s (versus 9 MB/s on a PC through the same router with the same task). There were no negative consequences of this load on the router.

The second option for using the USB port is to connect a printer or MFP. Unlike many similar models, with this router you can fully use the MFP - both printing and scanning. However, this will require installing special client software on your PC. Together with the Canon MP510, we were able to use both a printer and a scanner over the network. Really a very convenient solution.

The special firmware version 3.5.0.1 and the latest international release 1.0.1.7c have built-in support for USB modems for organizing Internet access via 3G networks. In this case, the only scenario that works is receiving the Internet via 3G and distributing it via cables (all five wired ports are in LAN mode) and Wi-Fi. However, other options are likely to be implemented. The list of compatible modem models is not very large, but the AnyDATA ADU-300A with a Skylink card that was at hand worked successfully after a little selection of parameters. Of course, it is the modem and mobile provider that limit the speed of operation in this scenario - for a gigabit router, a few megabits can be said to mean nothing at all.

Note that USB hubs are not supported, and the power supplied to the connectors is quite large - there were no problems with any tested 2.5″ hard drive. To safely disconnect a USB drive, you can use the corresponding button in the web interface or the Download Master program.

Since the device has a fairly powerful platform, you can use the built-in access to the console and install the Optware package management system or other utilities on the router. In this case, the user will be able to use a more convenient and functional file download client or other services.

Performance

Connecting and working with Beeline Internet does not cause problems - both PPTP and L2TP are supported. The operating speed corresponds to the tariff (in our case - 12 Mbit/s), the p2p client on the PC is stable, the channel speed is fully used, the number of connections exceeds 1500. To watch IPTV, the easiest way is to use the SimpleTV program and configure a proxy from UDP to HTTP in the router .

Testing the router on more intense p2p traffic (100 tasks in uTorrent without restrictions on speeds and connections) showed that it is capable of downloading data at speeds of about 10 MB/s, which corresponds to our 100 Mbit/s channel with a direct connection. At the same time, you could comfortably use the Internet, and the device interface remained as responsive as without load.

The maximum capabilities of the device were tested as usual using the synthetic IxChariot test. All Internet connection modes were studied - direct, PPPoE, PPTP and L2TP. Before discussing the numbers with firmware 7.0.1.32, let's say a few words about other versions - 1.0.1.4o (at the time of publication of the article, 1.0.1.7c was already available, but we did not have time to consider it in detail) and 7.1.1.71. The first of them is generally a little “faster” than the Russian one, and the second is practically no different. So it doesn’t make sense to choose from this parameter, unless you have a direct connection and a gigabit or PPPoE channel, in which case the international version 1.0.1.4o is preferable.

Testing at our stand showed that the model in question is without a doubt one of the most productive today. It will provide full use of the 100 Mbit/s channel for receiving or transmitting data in most connection modes. We especially note the high speed of working with PPTP/L2TP. Once upon a time, such indicators could only be dreamed of. These Internet access technologies remain quite popular in Russia today, so the ASUS RT-N56U can be safely recommended for high-speed tariffs using them.

All indirect connection options provide support for working with the provider’s local network. The distribution of speeds when simultaneously receiving data from the provider’s segment and from the Internet is not satisfactory.

But, of course, one of the most interesting issues remains the performance of wireless modules in the model under consideration. Formal characteristics are 2T2R for 2.4 GHz and 2T3R for 5 GHz. The default settings allow only one radio channel to be used on 2.4 GHz. So before the test, we set the mode to “20/40 Auto” and WPA2-PSK for each radio module. For a more complete picture, we checked the speed of work with all the equipment currently available to us: AirPort (as part of the 2010 MacBook Air), D-Link DWA-140, Intel 5300, LevelOne WUA-0603, NETGEAR WNA1100, TP-Link TL- WN821N. All of these models are capable of operating at 2.4 GHz, and a couple of them are capable of operating at 5 GHz. AirPort has been tested under Mac OS X and Windows. Let's start with the 2.4 GHz band.

The maximum performance when working in one direction is 130-145 Mbit/s. Modern 802.11n solutions allow us to confidently say that today these devices can operate faster than a wired 100 Mbit/s network, which is good news. But to achieve high speeds, you need to use the “right” equipment, and the ASUS RT-N56U is perfectly suited for this role. What’s nice is that even with 1T1R adapters, the speed is also quite high - about 70 Mbps, which is about three times the speed of the previous generation - 802.11g.

It’s interesting what a 5 GHz device can show.

No words other than “amazing” come to mind after viewing these results. In RT-N56U we have found a new leader in wireless communications - the maximum speed from the router to the client can reach 160 Mbit/s, and in the opposite direction even more - 200 Mbit/s (affected by the asymmetrical radio unit of the router). This is a unique result today. This is what technology development means. Of course, a gigabit wired network is still very far away, but when compared with the previous wireless standard, the speed has increased eight times!

conclusions

I think that no one has any doubt that I really liked the device. The company has created a product that combines original design, extensive capabilities and high performance. For the combination of these advantages, ASUS RT-N56U deserves our award.

Of course, some compromises had to be made. In particular, the design looks great, but in reality, connecting five network cables and a pair of USBs will significantly reduce the effect of delight from the uniquely compact case. Although if you use only one cable to connect to the Internet, the device will continue to please the eye, especially if you take the included flat patch cord.

The router's firmware also makes a good impression with its capabilities and stable operation. It has built-in support for all modern options for connecting to the Internet, IPTV, access to the provider’s network in VPN modes, and much more. My only wish would be to add some options for some services, such as FTP, and improve the logging system.

The presence of two USB ports will allow the user to add a few more interesting functions to their router - use it as a simple file server or print server with MFP support. The data read/write speed is relatively low, but it is suitable as a small backup storage. You can also use the built-in FTP server to access data over the Internet. If there are DLNA players on your home network, you can implement a corresponding server based on the router. It is quite suitable for photos, music and simple videos. If desired, you can also broadcast HD video, but due to the large volume of files, they are not very inconvenient to work with over the network. The built-in file upload system can be used for leisurely downloading of small files, and its capabilities are also too simple by modern standards.

Some minor flaws in the firmware can be corrected by installing third-party software packages, but this operation is relatively difficult for the general user. Although, naturally, the powerful filling is perfect for this.

The hardware configuration of the device allows you to use two radio modules simultaneously - at 2.4 and 5 GHz. Today, similar models appear more and more often, but the RT-N56U was one of the first. In testing, the router showed very high routing performance, which allows us to recommend it for high-speed plans. This model will allow you to fully use the 100 Mbit/s channel with all connection options. There are no problems with intensive work in peer-to-peer networks.

We will especially note the high speed of the wireless modules - testing showed figures at the level of 150 Mbit/s for the 2.4 GHz band and up to 200 Mbit/s at 5 GHz. These results are among the highest today. But to achieve them, you will also need a high-speed adapter on the client side.

ASUS RT-N56U is already available in domestic stores. The average retail price in Moscow, current at the time you read this article, is $81().

Yandex.Market data

General characteristics
Type Wi-Fi router
Wireless Standard 802.11n, frequency 2.4 / 5 GHz, possibility of simultaneous operation in two bands
Max. wireless connection speed 600 Mbit/s
Reception/transmission
Data protection WEP, WPA, WPA2
Access Point/Bridge Options
Switch 4xLAN
Port speed 1000 Mbit/s
Number of USB 2.0 Type A connectors 2
Advanced Features file download, file server, FTP server, UPnP AV server
Router
Firewall There is
NAT There is
SPI There is
DHCP server There is
Dynamic DNS support There is
Monitoring and configuration
Web interface There is
Memory
Flash memory capacity 8 MB
Additionally
Built-in print server interface USB
Flash memory There is
Dimensions (WxHxD) 145x172x60 mm
Weight 330 g

Reviews of the ASUS RT-N56U router

Yandex.Market data

Rating: 5 out of 5

Alexander Sarafanov

Pros: Excellent model for the right price. Without dancing with tambourines, just updating the official firmware (to Version 3.0.0.4.334), I received a number of goodies in addition to two stable radio channels (2.4 and 5 GHz). The speed does not slow down, it holds 60/100 (d/n) Mbit declared by Beeline. I would like to emphasize that I did not have any skills related to organizing internal network resources, nor did I have a clear understanding of what Samba, FTP, DLNA, Media Server, etc. are. In the process of getting acquainted with the capabilities of the device and the “firmware” (or OS?), everything becomes clear almost by itself, the built-in comments are quite helpful. I connected the existing 2.5” HDD 500 Gb, one NTFS partition. No formatting is needed in Linux formats. Download Master was installed into the firmware by clicking the corresponding link. It has a Bit Torrent client, there’s no dancing here either, you let it open the *.torrent file and it does everything else itself, downloads AND STAYS on distribution. In the future, these same actions can be easily performed from a smartphone, and it turns out that a laptop, for example, is not needed at all in this process! (for me, this is a new stage in digital evolution :-)) I discovered the delights of the Media Server. Alternatively, immediately after downloading, you can display the file on TV, while disconnecting the hard drive, dragging it to the TV, connecting it, etc. - all these actions are absolutely unnecessary! It is enough that the TV is integrated into the home network. I configured it as a network drive in Windows, a small thing, but nice. Using the same prompts, I set up DDNS (I didn’t know what it was), and now REMOTELY, using the address bar of any browser, I can log into the torrent downloader of my router and do all the same actions as at home. I also configured FTP there. Now I have access to my hard drive from my smartphone, and here’s your “cloud”.

Disadvantages: The web interface is occasionally slow. It turns out like this: after clicking on the link in the address bar, the text changes, and the new page is either slow or doesn’t load at all; you have to activate the address bar and press Enter. In most cases it helps. The presence of a diode on the power supply is not bad, but it’s not clear why I need this excessive illumination.

Comment: I hope my review will also help those who do not see specific advantages behind the bare names of protocols and technologies. I tried to describe the language of the user, which I myself am. Before this, the Asus WL500gp V2 worked for 3 years, it still works stably without any complaints, but it is morally outdated due to the availability of high speeds. It's now on the shelf. The report was written on the third day of use, so far the impressions are purely positive.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Vladimir Gerasimov

Advantages: 1. Works with the stock firmware for weeks under load, without failures; 2. Given that the channel is filled to capacity with torrents, you can surf the Internet quite comfortably. Those. the router copes well with a large number of connections; 3. A good admin panel - convenient, a lot of features, visual; 4. You can change it over Wi-Fi, I used to have D-links and Trendnets, which did not allow this 5. With 2.4 GHz on and 5 GHz off, it doesn’t get particularly hot; I can’t test it with 5 GHz loaded (there are no such clients ); 6. As beautiful as Apollo :) 7. Many possibilities for connecting storage devices, printers, working as a network drive, built-in download master, support for “your own” dynamic DNS server, etc. etc., a lot of additional functions. 8. Instantly hooks clients, subjectively faster than anything I’ve seen before.

Disadvantages: 0. Price (!!!); 1. During the setup process, a wide range of glitches are possible. That is, you need to configure it, then reboot. Some settings do not require a reboot, but are “ratified” with a delay, which sometimes makes client computers feel worse; 2. Sometimes clients start clinging to 54 Mbit/s until the latter are rebooted. However, this might be a consequence of a clogged airwaves (apartment building, a dozen networks are visible at once); 3. Does not hang on the wall; 4. In order to use the rocker built into the subject, you need to install some software on your computer. I would prefer to implement all this on the router's web interface. 5. Oddly enough, the web face is sometimes buggy with Opera 11.60. After some actions, the main page of the admin panel showed me that my encryption was WEP and I needed to enter the key, although WPA2... Opening the admin panel in another browser, relogin or opening in Opera’s private page (it is “isolated” from cookies, cache, etc.) solves the problem. 5. At the end of 2011, there were no alternative (non-branded) firmware, for those who love them this may be important; 6. The antennas are built-in, directly on the board in the form of tracks, that is, there is no possibility to have fun with external antennas. 7. Once during the setup process, the built-in DNS fell off (before rebooting) (which translates requests wherever you say, I have it from my provider and 8.8.8.8 as a backup). It will be repeated - I will configure DHCP to give Google DNS as the main one for clients. But so far it hasn’t happened again in 2 months.

Comment: Overall, I’m very pleased with the purchase, although my talkativeness made me rattle off such a list of shortcomings. I wanted a router that did not require red eyes, firmware from enthusiasts and setting up 100,500 parameters, and I got this router. I don’t use half the chips, because... At home there is a constantly switched on server for torrents and so on. I haven’t tested the router as a print server yet, I need to blow off the dust from the printer and change the cartridges in it. Similar routers were purchased by two friends, both are 100% satisfied. One of them has a laptop with a 5 GHz radio and says it flies like an airplane. In general, if you are not a geek, a lover of firmware from Oleg, Linux, “red eye”, and need a “turn it on, set it up and forget it” solution, I recommend this product! PS Who bought the subject and does not understand why the speed does not rise above 65 Mbit/s, go to the advanced settings of the 2.4 GHz radio and turn on the channel width of 40 MHz. Provided that your adapter in your computer also has an n-ku 40 MHz, you will get 150 or 300 Mbit/s. However, the actual speed at 2.4 very much depends on the load on the airwaves.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Nick Mikhalych

Advantages: 1. 5 Antennas 2. 2 Bands 3. Alternative firmware 4. Excellent communication quality both over a wired connection and via Wi-Fi 5. Easy settings in the web interface 6. HDD connection up to 3TB 7. A very large number of models connected MFPs and printers 8. Own media - server 9. Built-in torrent - client, etc., etc.))

Disadvantages: Stand, cannot be mounted on a wall. I hope that ASUS engineers will correct their mistake and come up with a 2-3 in 1 stand - a strong, stable stand on the table, wall mounting, and what’s interesting about the third option. And they started selling as an accessory at an affordable price! I think there would be a lot of people who would buy it...

Comment: The router is really good. It took me a long time to choose, read reviews, read reviews... I bought it - I don’t regret it! I won’t say that it’s worth the money - no - it could still cost less. But I will say one thing - it works great! Those who say that they are cutting speed, etc. and so on. - pay attention to your Internet providers - they do not always provide the declared speed - it fluctuates very much! And also pay attention to the straightness of your hands - a lot depends on them too! Good luck with this device to everyone! By the way, new firmware appears regularly (https://code.google.com/p/rt-n56u/). More than a year has passed - the “march” is working 24/7 without stopping. There were no crashes, freezes, or other bad incidents! I check and update the firmware regularly...


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