Hands on: I tried out the Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63 – read how easy this Wi-Fi 6 router is for price, and security
This comment first appeared in Issue 355 PC Pro.
Asus’ expert Wifi product family with Small Business and retail stores require a complete cybersecurity solution that is affordable and easy to deploy. EBR63 is a good example: this one seems small router Combined double band Wi-Fi 6 The service with a bunch of gateway security measures is available for only £125.
On the wireless side, the EBR63’s AX3000 rating gets 574mbits/sec on its 2.4GHz radio, and 2,402Mbits/sec on a 5GHz radio, which supports high-performance 160MHz Wi-Fi 6 channels. However, the EBR63’s switches have only Gigabit WAN and LAN ports, so you won’t see the full performance potential of its Wi-Fi 6 credentials.
Active takeaway is support for Asus’ Aimesh technology, so you can use any compatible Asus wireless device to increase wireless coverage and up to 12 grid nodes. You can also create up to five wireless SSIDs and provide a custom captive portal to guests and customers.
The EBR63 is a compact plastic unit that can be used for walls or ceilings using two holes in the rear panel. It also has a flipped table stand, but we don’t recommend using it in a busy environment because it’s fragile and the router weighs only 415 grams, so it’s easy to get knocked down.
Internet redundancy exists, and the dual WAN capability is able to apply failover or load balancing on two Internet connections using the WAN port and the LAN port of your choice. If your primary Internet connection drops, fix it quickly Mobile Go to the USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port of EBR63 and use it as an instant internet backup.
With ExpertWifi mobile app, deployment is easy. Load it into a iPadwe connect it to the router’s secure default SSID and follow the wizard to activate the device and update its firmware.
Management options abound. EBR63 proposes a well-designed web interface that we use to create more wireless or custom networks. It’s great to handle when you choose from a list of options including employees, portals, visitors, plans and IoT, then fill in the fields that appear and select WPA2 or more secure WPA3 encryption. When you choose an environment like an office, coffee shop, or home work, Scene Explorer makes it easier and it will give you the most appropriate setting.
The safety features are excellent considering the price. SPI Firewall It can be customized using up to 128 rules, while the trend micro Aiprotection Pro service blocks malicious websites, blocks infected systems from accessing the network, provides intrusion prevention services (IPS) and generates security assessment reports.
Web content and Apply filtering Can be applied to selected clients where you select any of the four categories next to any of the categories, select a discovered device from the drop-down list and add a new rule. VPN The options are excellent because ASUS supports PPTP, OpenVPN, IPSEC and Wineguard VPN servers, and the VPN Fusion feature creates a secure connection for devices that cannot run VPN client software. Additionally, the Quality of Service (QoS) feature is processed by Asus’ adaptive QoS, which uses a customizable list to prioritize traffic from different applications and activities.
Despite only gigabit ports, the EBR63 offers considerable speeds in our actual tests. use Dell Windows 11 With Pro Workstation equipped with TP-Link Archer TXE75E Wi-Fi 6/6e PCI-E adapter, we see a close copy between the client and the Windows Server connected to the LAN, returning 112MB/sec, descending to the router’s 89MB/sec placed ten meters in an adjacent room.
ExpertWifi EBR63 will attract small businesses that want all network services and security in one easy-to-manage device. Gigabit ports do limit wireless performance, but overall speeds are still impressive, with Asus offering incredible security measures at a very attractive price.