ASUS RT-BE90U Review: Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 With Six Antennas and USB Storage Sharing
9.4 Gbps across three bands with MLO, four 2.5 GbE ports, AiMesh, a full VPN suite and Time Machine support over USB.
The ASUS RT-BE90U is a traditional antenna-heavy router built for Wi-Fi 7: three bands rated at 9.4 Gbps combined, six external antennas, MLO so compatible clients use several bands at once, and WPA3. Every wired port is 2.5 GbE, one WAN and three LAN, and multi-WAN with failover is supported. What sets it apart from mesh-first competitors is what it does beyond routing: a USB 3 port turns a drive into a Samba or FTP share, a media server, or a Time Machine target for Macs. It also runs one of the most complete VPN feature sets on a consumer router, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec and PPTP, as client and server, and it carries a three year warranty.
- Wi-Fi 7 upgrades in larger homes
- Mac users wanting Time Machine over the network
- VPN and remote access setups
- AiMesh expansion
Pros
- Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 rated at 9.4 Gbps combined, with MLO and WPA3
- All four ports at 2.5 GbE, with multi-WAN and failover
- Six external antennas for coverage from a single unit
- AiMesh support for expanding later
- Complete VPN suite: WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, client and server, plus DDNS
- USB 3 storage sharing with Samba, FTP, media serving and Time Machine
- Guest and IoT networks, firewall, QoS and configuration backup
- Three year warranty
Cons
- No 10 Gbps or SFP+ port, so it caps at 2.5 Gbps WAN
- No cellular backup for WAN failover
- Not a Thread border router or Matter controller
- Power consumption, antenna gain and device limits are not documented
- Large chassis with six antennas needs open space
- Includes PPTP, which is outdated and best left disabled
Who is the RT-BE90U for?
It suits a house that needs coverage from a single unit rather than a mesh of nodes: six external antennas exist precisely to push signal through walls and across floors, which is a different design philosophy from the small mesh pucks that dominate the category. If coverage still falls short, AiMesh lets you add other ASUS units later rather than replacing the router. It is also the choice for anyone who wants their router to double as light network storage, since the USB 3 port covers file sharing, media serving and Mac backups.
Wi-Fi and wired performance
Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with 688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, 2882 Mbps on 5 GHz and 5764 Mbps on 6 GHz, for a 9.4 Gbps combined rating, and backward compatibility through Wi-Fi 6E, 6 and 5. MLO is supported, which lets a Wi-Fi 7 client use multiple bands simultaneously for lower latency and steadier throughput. Wired, all four ports run at 2.5 GbE (one WAN, three LAN), so the local network is not stuck at gigabit, and multi-WAN with failover means a second internet connection can take over automatically. Access point mode is available if you want to keep an existing router.
Software and management
The VPN list is the standout: client and server modes with WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec and PPTP, plus dynamic DNS, which covers both reaching your home network from outside and routing your traffic out through a provider. Separate guest and IoT networks let smart home devices be isolated from personal ones, and there is a firewall, QoS, new-connection notifications and configuration backup and restore. Management is through the web interface, iOS and Android apps, and a command line for anyone who wants it. USB storage features cover FTP, Samba, media sharing and Time Machine.
What to know before you buy
There is no 10 Gbps port and no SFP+ cage, so if your internet service exceeds 2.5 Gbps this is not the router for it. There is no cellular backup option, so WAN failover needs a second wired line. It is not a smart home hub: no Thread border router and no Matter controller. Power consumption, antenna gain and the maximum number of connected devices are not documented. Physically it is large at 320 x 180 x 191 mm with six antennas, so it needs an open shelf rather than a cupboard. PPTP is included but is an outdated protocol that should not be used for anything sensitive.
Is the ASUS RT-BE90U worth it?
It lands in the upper-middle of the Wi-Fi 7 market and justifies it with all-2.5 GbE ports, a genuinely complete VPN stack, USB storage features that rivals drop, and three years of warranty. If your priority is a single powerful unit with strong software, it is a strong pick. If you need 10 Gbps WAN, or you would rather have several small mesh nodes than one large router, look at the alternatives in those categories.
Frequently asked questions
How fast is the wired networking?
Every port is 2.5 GbE: one WAN and three LAN. There is no 10 Gbps or SFP+ option, so a faster than 2.5 Gbps internet line would be bottlenecked.
Can it share a USB drive on the network?
Yes. It supports Samba and FTP sharing, media serving, and Time Machine backups for Macs, through its USB 3 port.
Which VPN protocols does it support?
WireGuard, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec and PPTP, in both client and server modes, with dynamic DNS. PPTP is included but outdated and should be avoided.
Can I extend the coverage later?
Yes, through AiMesh, which lets compatible ASUS units join as mesh nodes rather than requiring a whole new system.
Does it work as a Matter or Thread hub?
No. It is neither a Matter controller nor a Thread border router.











