The Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12 is great larger homes and public buildings that benefit from the performance and range of this mesh Wi-Fi.
The Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12 isn’t going to be for everyone. Most of us have barely started to get our heads around Wi-Fi 6. However, it’s still worth considering as we’re already starting to see a steady flow of new routers and mesh Wi-Fi systems that have adopted the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard.
It’s tempting to overlook these new routers – especially given their current high prices – but with new products such as the forthcoming iPhone 14 expected to adopt Wi-Fi 6E before the end of this year, it’s clear that 6E will be a mainstream Wi-Fi technology within just a few months.
Mind you, even if you’re an eager early adopter, a high-end mesh system such as the ZenWiFi Pro ET12 may still be what the Sisters Of Mercy once referred to as ‘a slight case of overbombing’. As well as supporting tri-band Wi-Fi 6E, the ET12 provides a top speed of 11Gbps – or 10.756Gbps, to be precise, but router manufacturers always like to round things up – while the two-pack mesh system that we review here is capable of covering areas of up to 6,000 sq. ft.
That means that it’s very much designed for larger homes with half a dozen or more bedrooms, as well as businesses that may have large offices or public venues such as hotels or restaurants that need good Wi-Fi.
State-of-the-art Wi-Fi 6E mesh networking doesn’t come cheap, and the ZenWifi Pro ET12 is one of the most expensive mesh systems we’ve ever seen. But, somewhat oddly for a mesh Wi-Fi system, you can only buy the ET12 as a single unit from Asus’ website.
A single ET12 router costs $479 from Asus in the US and should be able to cover an area of up to 3,000 sq. ft, so a single router on its own should certainly be suitable for most small and medium-sized homes. If you need more extensive Wi-Fi coverage for larger homes or buildings then you’ll have to search around online to buy a 2-pack from third-party retailers for around $900.
That option doesn’t seem to be available in the UK, with the ET12 currently only being sold as a single unit for £399.
