It includes a free-for-life real-time Network Protection powered by Trend Micro and a Parental Control engine. The ZenWiFi Pro ET12 has the complete set of Asus AiProtection

You can also use this 2.5G port to connect to the second ET12 unit for mesh networking. The other two RJ45 ports are Gigabit but can also be aggregated to plug into devices such as NAS units that support link aggregation for speeds over a Gigabit. From a wired perspective, the ZenWiFi Pro ET12 offers excellent connectivity for a home network. Be noted: This is an early stage beta, there might be bugs. This version can be downgraded via web GUI only. This feature is a huge optional time saver if you have many settings, such as IP reservation and port-forwarding entries.This mesh kit consists of two fairly large nodes at 4.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches tall. The top few inches is an acrylic housing for eight external antennas. Four antennas at the corners stand straight up, while the other four are at 45-degree angles. This should ensure good coverage in multi-story homes, as well as on the same level as the router itself. With 10 total antennas listed, it's safe to assume ASUS has put the 2.4GHz antennas inside the main housing. As a standalone router, its default 2.5Gbps WAN always works as the WAN port, there’s no way to change this. Some Wi-Fi 6E devices may also be limited to 1201Mbps as is the case with an ASUS TUF gaming motherboard I was able to test the network with. To be fair, this is plenty of speed for just about anything, but worth keeping in mind if you need multi-gig speeds, or just want the best. On the other hand, as a Wi-Fi 6E device, the Zen Wi-Fi Pro ET12 has a 2.4GHz band, a 5GHz band, and a 6GHz band.

Getting connected: Dual-WAN vs Link Aggregation | Dual-band vs Tri-band vs Quad-band | Fiber-optic vs Cable | Getting your home wired | Multi-Gig explained | Cable modem activation | Routers explained | Mesh explained ASUS ZenWiFi Pro ET12 is a tri-band whole-home mesh Wi-Fi system with support for the Wi-Fi 6E standard, and its total maximum theoretical bandwidth is split as follows: If I were to upgrade my routers to a multi-gig wired setup, could I run both units from a pair of ET12s in AP mode and combine them with, say, a GT-AX6000 in router mode? I realise the combo wouldn’t play nice in AIMesh, but I don’t need 6GHz support at the router location (nice-to-have at AP locations though!) and prefer manual control over channel numbers. ZenWiFi Pro XT12 vs ZenWiFi Pro ET12: You must turn them on and look at the front lights to know which is which. If you like your home networking kit to look like it's been borrowed from the set of the latest Star Wars movie, then you'll love the look of the two units that make up the Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12.The rest is self-explanatory. The first time you get to the web interface, you’ll run into a wizard that walks you through a few steps. Alternatively, you can also use the Asus mobile app in step #3 if you use a phone or tablet instead of a computer. However, I recommend the web user interface even when you use a mobile device for the setup process.) Helpful mobile app, no login account required Overall, I think this router looks and feels like a premium device, and one-ups the design of something like an eero Pro 6E and Orbi RBKE963. It may even pass the AmpliFi Alien, depending on how you feel about underglow lighting.

The interface allows access to a router’s tons of settings and features — some are listed below. Savvy networking enthusiasts will love that though it can be overwhelming for novice users. Dynamic DNS On 6GHZ, speeds were generally high and in line with some of the best mesh systems I’ve tested in this location, such as the remarkable Orbi RKBE963 system. If you’re looking for 6GHz Wi-Fi to transform your Wi-Fi experience, it’s not so straightforward.

The Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12 is a top-of-the-range Wi-Fi 6E mesh system for larger homes and offices

And as a mesh router, the Pro ET12 has all features and settings of a device that support AiMesh 2.0. I detailed that in this post on AiMesh.

Technically, we’re supposed to be able to use the XT12 and ET12 hardware together in a single mesh system, per the way AiMesh works. And eventually, that likely will be the case. The message I got when adding the ZenWiFi Pro XT12 to my GT-AXE16000 Wi-Fi 6E (or the ZenWiFi Pro ET12). While this might change, it’s not a good idea to mix Wi-Fi standards in a mesh system, anyway. The ZenWiFi Pro ET12 is a new Tri-band router— all of its bands are needed to host 2.4GHz, 5Ghz, and 6GHz clients. will fill in the rest of the house, and 2.4GHz will still be available for the widest coverage. There’s also the benefit that moving the devices that can use 6GHz to the new bands can free up some space on 5GHz. On 6GHz, routers need to use a lower power level than 5GHz. This means that things like walls are going to have a much more profound impact on speeds and connection quality. This is evident in how much the speeds fell off as I moved to the third location. One 2.4 GHz band, with a total maximum bandwidth of 1148 Mbps. This band can work using either Wi-Fi 4 or Wi-Fi 6.The process of setting up mesh equipment like this is usually the same no matter what manufacturer you're dealing with. One unit plugs straight into your router, the other unit goes somewhere else in your home, and they both talk to each other to blanket all of your rooms in high-speed Wi-Fi. There's usually an app to guide you through everything as well, which is the case here too. While most of this extra content was available in the general post on Asus Wi-Fi broadcasters, it contains specific information about the ZenWiFi Pro ET12. Universal setting restoration Each Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12 comes with four network ports on one of its sides, including two 2.5Gbps Multi-Gig ports.