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The ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 is an easy-to-use router designed for smaller homes with exceptional latency. However, its WiFi speeds disappoint, and download/upload speeds are below average. Also, it has a limited connection range, poor signal, and limited USB space.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
Released in 2017, the dual-band ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 is an entry-level router that supports 802.11ac with four internal antennas. It has a maximum speed of up to 2600 Mbps, which is split into 800 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 1733 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. The download speeds are 48.3 Mbps on a 2.4 GHz band and 242 Mbps on a 5 GHz band. It is powered by a dual-core Intel CPU and is equipped with four Gigabit Ethernet ports and one USB 3.0 port, which is common in some of the best routers out today.
The Blue Cave also supports AiProtection network security powered by Trend. Additionally, it features support for IFTTT and Alexa for smart home integration. Also, consider checking out or guide to the best WiFi extender for FIOS.
Consensus
our Verdict
The ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 is a dual-band router that best fits smaller homes. The connection can be difficult for larger homes, as the range drops out after about 125 feet and significantly slows on the second floor. It also has poor download speeds, which are 242 Mbps on a 5 GHz band and 48 Mbps on a 2.4 GHz band. Unfortunately, it’s not a mesh router, and while it has the circuitry for MU-MIMO, the feature doesn’t come enabled.
However, the router is very easy to use, and setup takes only about 5 minutes. It also comes with a dedicated app that can be used on Apple or Android and comes with many handy features, such as parental controls, ECO power mode, and a bandwidth limiter. It also comes with four LAN ports, but only one USB port limits the ability to connect external devices directly.
ReasonS to Buy
Easy to Setup and Configure
The router performs best with small homes and apartments. The Blue Cave is easy to install quickly in about 10m minutes. Users can either go onto their web browser or use the Asus Router Phone app on Android or iPhone.
Users also have a range of setup options, such as easy toggling between RAM and CPU usage, parental controls, and the ECO power mode.
Great Latency
The Blue Cave establishes quick wireless connections between devices, as it tests in at a latency of 2 ms, which is in the top 5% of the category.
Reason to Avoid
WiFi speeds below what’s advertised
The ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 is said to have 800Mbps on the 2.4GHz band. However, there are complaints that the router capped out at 439.1 Mbps.
The dual-band router lacks Wi-Fi 6E, limiting its top speed.
Poor Download/Upload Speed
Compared to other routers, the Blue Cave is slow to download and upload files. It has a 48.3 Mbps download speed on a 2.4 GHz band and 242 Mbps on a 5 GHz band, which ranks in the bottom 15% of the category in both respects.
Additionally, its upload speed is 64 Mbps on a 2.4 band, which is in the bottom 10%. The 5 GHz upload speed is 242 Mbps, which is better but still in the bottom half of the category.
Inadequate range of coverage
The router doesn’t reach far corners of larger homes, as the connectivity drops out after 125 feet, slightly below average for a router.
Released in 2017, the dual-band ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 is an entry-level router that supports 802.11ac with four internal antennas. It has a maximum speed…
Released in 2017, the dual-band ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 is an entry-level router that supports 802.11ac with four internal antennas. It has a maximum speed of up to 2600 Mbps, which is split into 800 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 1733 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. The download speeds are 48.3 Mbps on a 2.4 GHz band and 242 Mbps on a 5 GHz band. It is powered by a dual-core Intel CPU and is equipped with four Gigabit Ethernet ports and one USB 3.0 port, which is common in some of the best routers out today.
The Blue Cave also supports AiProtection network security powered by Trend. Additionally, it features support for IFTTT and Alexa for smart home integration. Also, consider checking out or guide to the best WiFi extender for FIOS.
No Comparing the ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 and the Asus ROG Rapture GT6 Wi-Fi 6, the Blue Cave AC2600 offers 802.11ac and maxes out at…
No Comparing the ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 and the Asus ROG Rapture GT6 Wi-Fi 6, the Blue Cave AC2600 offers 802.11ac and maxes out at 439 Mbps, suitable for standard home use. In contrast, the ROG Rapture GT6 is a high-performance gaming router with Wi-Fi 6 technology, offering higher speeds of 1.398Gbps at close range; it also has lower latency and improved capacity. It features three Ethernet ports, including multi-gig ports, and one USB 3.2 for advanced connectivity. However, the Blue Cave has a higher connection range, offering 125 feet of connection, whereas the Rapture GT6 only gives 95 feet. If you want to view another good gaming router, check out our ASUS ROG GT AX1000 Pro review.
The connection range is the largest difference between the ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 and ASUS AC66U. The AC66U has a super long range of up…
The connection range is the largest difference between the ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 and ASUS AC66U. The AC66U has a super long range of up to 300 feet, whereas the Blue Cave only reaches about 125. However, the Blue Cave offers better max WiFi speed, which is 439 Mbps, while the AC66U peaked at 339 Mbps. Lastly, the AC66U has a better setup for connecting external devices, as it has 2 USB 3.0 ports compared to the Blue Caves single USB port. We also have a great guide to the best TP link router.
The ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 comes out on top in terms of speed compared to the Eero 6+. The Blue Cave clocks in at 439…
The ASUS Blue Cave AC2600 comes out on top in terms of speed compared to the Eero 6+. The Blue Cave clocks in at 439 Mbps, while the Eero is significantly slower, topping out at 309 Mbps. Connection options are also more bountiful with the ASUS, as it has 4 LAN connections, while the Eero is limited to two. The ASUS also has more available features, such as parental controls that come with the software; the Eero also has controls that cost extra. For a great gaming router, check out our ASUS ROG GT AXE16000 review.
