Name: Asus just unveiled the first router that supports next-gen Wi-Fi 6E connections
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Asus just unveiled the first router that supports next-gen Wi-Fi 6E connections

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Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.FollowComing in December, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 is a tri-band gaming router that can send and receive signals in the newly opened 6GHz band.Ry CristSenior Editor / Reviews - AppliancesOriginally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, and home networking.3 min readEarlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission paved the way for a new generation of Wi-Fi connections by for unlicensed use. That opened up a huge swath of relatively untapped bandwidth, all of it reserved exclusively for next-gen networking.&nbsp;Now, Asus is staking a claim in that fresh Wi-Fi real estate by announcing the first router to support in that 6GHz band. Specifically, it's the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000, a high-end, tri-band that'll hit stores in December of this year. Like the previous router in the lineup, the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, the new model features eight antennas in a modern, show-offy design meant to appeal to gamers -- but as the extra "E" in the model number suggests, it adds in support for Wi-Fi 6E.Asus debuts world's first Wi-Fi 6e router"Asus is an established leader in the networking market and was the first to launch a Wi-Fi 6 router," the company said in its press release announcing the product. "Now Asus is delivering the wider bandwidth and increased 160 MHz channels of Wi-Fi 6E with ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000, the world's first Wi-Fi 6E router." Pricing details are still yet to be determined, but given that the previous model is , you shouldn't expect the GT-AXE11000 to come cheap once it arrives.Wi-Fi 6 vs. Wi-FI 6E: Here's the difference in three...The big benefit of support for Wi-Fi 6E is that it allows devices to access in the 6GHz band. With 1,200MHz, it's more than twice as wide as the 5GHz band, which allows for a greater number of wider channels that can pass traffic faster and more efficiently. And, since there aren't any legacy Wi-Fi devices in that band, it'll serve as a semi-exclusive VIP section for the newest Wi-Fi gadgets equipped to take advantage. That means less interference and improved latency.Earlier this year, Extreme Networks Director of Product Marketing Perry Correll, who sits on both the IEEE 11ax and Wi-Fi Alliance Wi-Fi 6 task groups, explained that Wi-Fi 6E connections might be on the cutting edge."AR/VR and gaming is another great use case for the 6GHz band," Correll told CNET. "Many don't realize the high-end VR sets that require the most bandwidth are actually tethered with cables. With Wi-Fi 6E, you not only get more bandwidth but cleaner bandwidth -- meaning it is able to wirelessly provide the higher data rates required along with true mobility."Beyond the Wi-Fi 6E support, the GT-AXE11000 is powered by a 1.8GHz, 64-bit CPU with 1GB of RAM. It supports 4X4 Wi-Fi 6 connections, features a multi-gig LAN port for wired speeds of up to 2.5Gbps, and allows for WAN aggregation, where you combine the incoming speeds from two Ethernet WAN ports to achieve wireless speeds of up to 2Gbps. The router also uses "the latest 6GHz power amplifier" to improve signal strength and coverage -- a noteworthy inclusion, since signals .Hopefully, we'll know a lot more about this new gaming router in the coming weeks -- including just how much it actually costs. Once we've had the chance to test it out for ourselves, we'll be sure to tell you all about it, so stay tuned.Get the CNET Home newsletterModernize your home with the latest news on smart home products and trends. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.FollowComing in December, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 is a tri-band gaming router that can send and receive signals in the newly opened 6GHz band.Ry CristSenior Editor / Reviews - AppliancesOriginally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances,...

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CNET, formerly Computer Network, is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally. Founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition in 2008.

Asus just unveiled the first router that supports next-gen Wi-Fi 6E connections

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