Name: RT-AC88U
Brand: ASUS
SKU: 7981

RT-AC88U

AC3100 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Gaming Router with MU-MIMO, supporting AiProtection network security by Trend Micro, AiMesh for mesh wifi system and WTFast game accelerator

Ultra-fast 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi router boosts speeds up to 3167 Mbps for low-latency online gaming, smooth 4K UHD video playback and extremely fast file-sharing.
4x4 antenna design with AiRadar universal beamforming for unrivaled Wi-Fi range.
Intuitive ASUS Router App lets you control your network anywhere, without needing to boot up a PC.
Exclusive built-in game accelerator from WTFast® lets you enjoy smooth gameplay in supported multi-player online games.
AiProtection with Trend Micro™ for triple-strength network security, plus robust Parental Controls and privacy protection.
8 Gigabit LAN ports for extensive connectivity.
Link aggregation for up to 2Gbps wired network speeds, so more devices can enjoy faster access.
Revolutionary MU-MIMO technology can connect multiple MU-MIMO-compatible clients at each device’s maximum speed simultaneously.
AiMesh Supported - Connect to other compatible ASUS routers to create a powerful and flexible whole-home Wi-Fi network

COMPARISON

*Please keep your router's firmware updated for the best experience.

Ultimate Gaming and 4K Streaming

NitroQAM™ Technology - Seamless Experience

Whether you're gaming online in a heated competition or streaming a live event in 4K UHD, lag and buffering are simply not an option. NitroQAM™ (1024-QAM) technology on the RT-AC88U delivers a combined 3167 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, ensuring everyone on your network can enjoy smooth streaming and low-latency online gaming.

DOUBLE GAMING BOOST

Enjoy low-latency online gaming
with boosted internet and home network performance!

RT-AC88U gaming router boosts both home network and online gaming

Free Game Accelerator Inside

Ping time and variance are critical technical parameters that affect responsiveness in online gaming, and their values depend heavily on the route game packets take to and from their destination. The Gamers Private Network® (GPN®) from WTFast® automatically performs route optimization, choosing the most efficient route for game packets, resulting in consistently-lower ping time and minimal packet loss. With RT-AC88U this optimization is free for accelerating one selectable device at a time, so you can enjoy the results on supported competitive multi-player online games1. Check out supported games list and more information about WTFast router edition here.

Avg. ping time

30%-60%
Avg. ping variation

70%-90%
Avg. packet loss

70%-90%

See how WTFast® works

Congested traffic slows down data speed and gameplay

Optimize Internet connection and speed in online games

See how WTFast® works

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Network speed impacts every device you game with on every platform you game on. The ASUS RT-AC88U delivers bandwidth and coverage for all your gaming devices, from consoles to PCs to mobile devices*, and supports every operating system, including Windows®2, Mac OS®3 and Linux®4.

*WTFast® compatibility for games on consoles and mobile devices is now under development. The schedule of availability depends on actual situation. Please check supported game list for the latest information.

Adaptive QoS – Prioritize Your Game

Boost your gaming bandwidth with Adaptive QoS (Quality of Service), which allows you to easily prioritize gaming packets and activities. You can even assign full dedicated bandwidth while gaming under gamer solo mode, making RT-AC88U the perfect ally for low latency gaming anywhere in your home. It supports major consoles including PlayStation^®3, PlayStation^®4, PS4™ Pro, PlayStation^®Vita, Wii U, 3DS and Xbox One.

RT-AC88U with adaptive QoS allows you to easily prioritize gaming packets and activities

Free Up PC System 'Resources' During Gameplay

Networking is only half the equation when it comes to game performance. Anti-virus programs and 3rd party applications can consume valuable CPU and memory that could be reallocated to your game. With AiProtection on the RT-AC88U you can confidently turn off these utilities while you game, ensuring every available drop of resource is spent enhancing your game.

Everywhere Entertainment in Your Smart Home

Bandwidth for All

RT-AC88U is the master of entertaining, able to support multiple of devices and Full HD 1080p streams simultaneously. Beyond content consumption, the RT-AC88U enables a smarter home, supporting IP cameras, thermostats and a variety of devices you don't even own yet.

Unbeatable Wi-Fi Coverage

With a four-transmit, four-receive (4T4R) antenna design, both Wi-Fi range and signal stability improve dramatically. AiRadar beamforming further focuses Wi-Fi signal on your devices, making your Wi-Fi faster, clearer and stronger.

RT-AC88U
with AiRadar beamforming

Other Routers
without AiRadar beamforming

Powerful Whole-home Wi-Fi System.
The Way You Want.

In most cases, your RT-AC88U can deliver smooth, reliable Wi-Fi to every part of your home. But Wi-Fi coverage can be affected by many factors — room layout, construction materials, and even furnishings. ASUS AiMesh is an innovative new router feature that fixes these problems: it creates a whole-home Wi-Fi network using multiple ASUS routers. AiMesh is powerful, flexible and you can use a mix of ASUS router models — protecting your investment! AiMesh gives you time-saving central control, and seamless roaming capability. AiMesh is Wi-Fi you can rely on — for all your devices, all the time!

Learn More

Turn your ASUS routers into whole-home Wi-Fi system with a simple firmware update
Mix and match preferred models from selected ASUS routers
Create a Wi-Fi network with either a single SSID or multiple SSIDs
All router features works across the entire Wi-Fi system

Powerful Processor, Faster Transfers

RT-AC88U's top-of-the-line 1.4 GHz dual-core processor brings its computational capability to the next level. USB data transfers enjoy up to over 100 MB/s speed and the router download/upload speed (WAN-LAN throughput) up to 1800 Mbps5.

Multiple Capacity Wi-Fi with Revolutionary MU-MIMO Tenchology

MU-MIMO gives every compatible device6 its own dedicated full-speed Wi-Fi connection, so that multiple devices can connect at the same time without slowing down the network.
In fact, RT-AC88U is able to connect to multiple MU-MIMO-compatible clients at each device's maximum speed simultaneously, unlike standard single-user MIMO where individual devices have to wait for sequential transmissions7.

Single-user MIMO
Serve one device at a time

Multi-user MIMO
Serve multi-device at a time

AiProtection Pro
Commercial-Grade Security for Family

All your family members, young or old, are exposed to the dangers of internet every single moment they're online. Disguised cyber threats can sneak in to steal your private data, or your kids may accidentally encounter inappropriate content during their ever-growing screen time. RT-AC88U includes Advanced Parental Controls to give you total peace of mind, with AiProtection Pro - commercial grade security for your home network and comprehensive, easy control of the online experience for each family member and each device, all via the mobile app.

Learn more

AiProtection powered by Trend Micro™ gives you enterprise-level security in the home

No Subscription Fee Some routers only offer 3 years of protection, ASUS AiProtection has you covered for the life of your product

Block Access to Malicious WebsitesAiProtection uses Trend Micro's official database to identify and block known malicious sites, preventing infection even before you click.

Protection Against AttacksIntrusion Prevention System (IPS) blocks all common internet-based attacks.

Infection Detection and BlockingEven if an already-infected device is connected to RT-AC88U, AiProtection prevents any personal data on the device from being compromised.

Parental Controls

Keep your kids safe when they explore the internet. The state-of-the-art parental controls in AiProtection integrate all the management functions you need in one place and the intuitive interface makes it super easy to view and apply security settings to all the devices owned by individual family members.*

Internet Activity Dashboard*

View each family member's internet activity on a clear graphical dashboard showing the peak time and what kind of content they are viewing. You can group devices that belong to your children to view aggregated data and apply scheduled block times and content filters with just a few taps.
Kid-Safe Preset*

Check the box when editing a device and profile, and the preset automatically applies filters for inappropriate content to all their devices.
Schedule Block Time

Reserve valuable family time or help your children develop responsible behavior by selecting scheduled time periods to block internet access on specific devices.
Content Filter*

Block specific categories of mobile apps and websites, and apply these settings to all devices belonging to individual family members. The advanced filtering integrates Trend Micro's Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) engine to filter not only by website URL, but also by the internet packets themselves, which means it filters content viewed not only in a web browser, but also within mobile apps on your devices.*

View each family member's internet activity on a clear graphical dashboard showing the peak time and what kind of content they are viewing. You can group devices that belong to your children to view aggregated data and apply scheduled block times and content filters with just a few taps.
Check the box when editing a device and profile, and the preset automatically applies filters for inappropriate content to all their devices.
Reserve valuable family time or help your children develop responsible behavior by selecting scheduled time periods to block internet access on specific devices.
Block specific categories of mobile apps and websites, and apply these settings to all devices belonging to individual family members. The advanced filtering integrates Trend Micro's Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) engine to filter not only by website URL, but also by the internet packets themselves, which means it filters content viewed not only in a web browser, but also within mobile apps on your devices.*

Your Digital Home Hub and Network Center

Extensive Connectivity Options

RT-AC88U exclusively has eight Gigabit LAN ports – twice the number most routers provide – for up to eight Ethernet-compatible devices to connect simultaneously. Smart TVs, game consoles, set top boxes, media players, NAS storage devices and more can now have their own dedicated ports, making RT-AC88U your digital home hub.

8 Gigabit LAN ports – twice the number most routers provide – making RT-AC88U your digital home hub

Your Sharing Center

With built-in USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, you can connect USB-enabled devices, such as external storage drives, printers, or a 3G/4G dongle to your ASUS router and share them conveniently with other users via Wi-Fi. And with USB 3.0, you can enjoy up to 10X faster data transfer speeds.

Link Aggregation, More Devices Go Faster

RT-AC88U features Link Aggregation, which combines two teaming LAN ports (the 1st and 2nd port) into one superfast wired connection for up to 2 Gbps using two Gigabit Ethernet cables5. With Link Aggregation enabled on your NAS, clients can unlock unprecedented transfer speeds.

*Device speeds vary according to Wi-Fi specifications and environmental factors.

ASUSWRT –Easily Control Your Network

ASUSWRT graphical user interface gives you easy, CD-free setup and advanced network control

RT-AC88U features the enhanced, intuitive ASUSWRT user interface, which gives you easy access to both the 3-step web-based installation process and a wealth of robust advanced options.

Check out more exciting features

Control Your Network Anywhere

ASUS Router App

In your increasingly mobile-enabled life, having control over your network via an app is more important than ever. The new ASUS Router App is built from the ground-up to be both intuitive and robust, allowing you to setup your router, manage network traffic, diagnose connection issues and even update firmware, all without needing to boot up a PC.
» Learn more

Download ASUS Router

Easy Router Setup
Real-Time Traffic Monitoring
One-click Game Boost
Effortless Guest Wi-Fi Sharing
Clever Network Diagnosis
Handy Firmware Update

Control Your Network Anywhere

ASUS Router App

Easy Router Setup
Real-Time Traffic Monitoring
One-click Game Boost
Effortless Guest Wi-Fi Sharing
Clever Network Diagnosis
Handy Firmware Update

Download ASUS Router

Keep Up to Date!

Remember to always keep your device's firmware up to date so you can benefit from the very latest service and security enhancements — and get exciting new features! Learn more about updating new firmware.

Discover more wireless AC solutions

Disclaimers:

The free router edition supports one selectable device on your network at a time with GPN traffic limits, and includes WTFast® technical support. Users can pay to upgrade to the advanced version for simultaneous acceleration of multiple devices with more GPN traffic and advanced features.
Windows is either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Mac OS® is a trademark of Apple Inc.
Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.
The actual performance may vary as a result of network conditions and environmental factors.
MU-MIMO-certified client(s) required.
MU-MIMO beta firmware will be available by the end of 2015.
Smart connect beta firmware will be available by 2016 Q1.
* ASUS received the highest numerical score among wireless routers in the J.D. Power 2015 Wireless Router Satisfaction Report, based on 2,716 responses from 8 companies measuring satisfaction with wireless routers surveyed November-December 2015. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com