WiFi ~6x faster when Smart Connect is enabled on RT-BE88u (WiFi 7)router

[ZT-60622c50]

Admin closed the previous thread before this issue was resolved.

Closing threads before solutions are found means that a new thread has to be opened to post an update.

When connecting to the Google TV Streamer WiFi 5 can transfer at 450 Mb/s if Smart Connect is being used... but only 72 Mb/s when Smart Connect is off N.B. Switching between 2.5 & 5 Ghz didn't help. I have an older AX88u which doesn't do this... so it's probably a firmware issue of some type. 

BTW: Smart Connect allows the 2.5 & 5 Ghz bands to be combined under a single SSID & password. It chooses the best 2.5 or 5 Ghz band for optimal performance.

Comparing the BE88u to the older AX88u the range is about the same (signal drops out at ~74 m)... but the throughput is ~30% higher on the same device (tested on a WiFi 5 Google TV streamer).

The range also seems to suffer when Smart Connect is off.

Asus updated the firmware to this router on 14/11/25 and fixed the slow loading of the admin page when using Chrome and many (but not all) common browsers. Not sure if the Smart Connect issue got fixed as well... because every time you switch off Smart Connect you have to enter all your passwords again... which is a painfully slow process... and then you have to do it again when you switch back. So not keen to check on my system.

A friend has exactly the same problem... only he didn't do enough testing and has Smart Connect turned off. He's using a series of repeaters to make his network work better... but this is probably unnecessary. Using Smart Connect is probably all it takes to improve his network range and speed. Now that the problem and a solution has been identified I'm intending to trouble shoot his network in the near future.

Can someone confirm if the reduced speed on the BE88u when not using Smart Connect has been resolved?

🙂

[Alex52]

I can't confirm what you ask, but I can offer some settings that will improve performance.

Also check that authentication and encryption are set to defaults.

Keep Smart Connect on, activate MLO, with MLO fronthaul, and turn off the 5GHz Control Channel DFS switch. ASUS has MLO working now and MLO wireless speeds are unbeatable. If you don't need the Control Channel switch turned on (and likely you don't) this will free up router resources for much improved performance.

[ZT-60622c50]

Activated MLO and got 72 Mb/s up and down (previously ~450/100)

Path: Wireless/MLO

MLO (Multi Link Operation) allows the router to connect to a device using both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands simultaneously. This increases overall throughput, reduces latency, and creates a more stable and faster connection for compatible Wi-Fi 7 devices. 

Where is the 5 GHz Control channel DFS switch found?

Are you referring to the 5 GHz tick box that says "Auto select channel including DFS channels"?

Path: Wireless/General

🙂

[Alex52]

Settings, WiFi, Wireless Settings, Advanced Settings. But, that could be the path on your router. Uncheck the box.

It sounds like MLO is working for you but your connection rates should be much higher - not to be confused with Internet speeds.

Be sure to set the authentication and encryption to defaults. This may take a WPS reset and be sure not to use a network restoration file - even if you did the WPS reset already. If you have any meshed routers be sure to do the WPS reset on them also and re-add them manually.

[ZT-60622c50]

The paths and options on various Asus routers differ a fair bit.

On the BE88u the path: Advanced settings/wireless/Professional

Has no DFS options

Unticking the 5 GHz box that says "Auto select channel including DFS channels" made the wifi even slower.

Path: Wireless/General

WiFi speed is now ~55/57 

Turning DFS back on didn't speed things up.

Authentication and encryption haven't been changed from defaults.

No meshed routers. Don't need any. The BE88u covers the entire house and garage just fine.

WPS Reset did absolutely nothing. Still getting ~70 Mb/s

We have 1 Gb/s internet so our wifi speed is not limited by our internet speed.

Sounds like the MLO option on the BE88u might be broken?

🙂