You can verify everything written here is true with a quick google search. Talking to you, Amazon.
While ASUS does source some production to China, ASUS is a Taiwanese company and the sticker on the router states “Made in Vietnam”. I’m inclined to believe that. The product origin on this page states “China” but I doubt, and hope, that’s not true. You may not think it matters, but it does more than you might know.
Most consumers only care about speed and affordability when it comes to routers, but it should be security at the top of the list. All your data flows through your router, including personal and financial data. Security flaws in your network can also affect neighboring networks around you. If you buy a cheap router based on speed capability alone with security flaws built in, either intentionally or not, you’re basically paying to be hacked, or for your neighbors to be, or possibly unknowingly being a conduit for attacks on your entire country. It has happened in the past, it’s still happening, and will continue to happen.
Most routers today are produced in China. Even companies based in the US produce there and it’s very hard to find one that’s not made there. The problem with routers made in China is that ultimately, businesses there are controlled by the CCP government, not the business owner. This allows their government to implement whatever they want in their exported tech and products. It’s why some of their tech companies like Huawei have been banned in numerous countries. Routers made in China from brands like Wavlink which are sold in big retail stores across the US have been found to contain hidden back doors and intentional security holes and vulnerabilities to malware like Mirai. Basically open doors for hackers. Some of these back doors have been used in the past to launch cyber attacks (Mirai botnet) on the US which caused major network outages, as well as in other countries. From a cybersecurity perspective, these look a lot like “trial runs” to me. But speculation and paranoia aside, why take the chance on inviting that kind of tech into your home? It wasn’t an isolated, one time event when these back doors were discovered, and it was with various routers and companies out of China. Again, all this is verifiable with the slightest amount of research using credible sources.
I have tried some routers made in China. I could tell they had horrible security just by using the app, or during setup. One was capable of remote access, yet the option to turn it on or off was non existent. It didn’t even ask during set up and the option was nowhere in the app. Remote access should always be turned off, unless you need to access your router from outside your home, which is rarely needed for the average user. If it’s on, it’s just an unnecessary access point open for hackers to attempt access. It might have been possible to check by connecting directly to it using the Web UI, but instead I just returned it and went on the hunt for non-Chinese routers. It took a lot of research since there aren’t many, but finally landed on this one.
I am much, much happier with this ASUS router and it seems very security focused! There are numerous security options available in the app, and also asks you about remote access during set up. It has AI Protection by Trend Micro built in (included free of charge) which constantly monitors your network for viruses and intrusions and even blocks harmful websites. You can also monitor all connections and traffic through the app. There are even additional apps you can download for more functionalities.
As for speed, WiFi 6 is awesome. This thing is lightning fast to my previous ISP provided router and much more stable. If you’re not familiar with WiFi 6, it’s not really a speed booster. It provides a more stable connection though, even in very signal-congested areas such as apartments or offices where there’s numerous routers and networks overlapping and causing interference. This more stable connection will often times yield higher speeds. Your PC and various hardware must be WiFi 6 capable to utilize it, but there are cheap and affordable USB adapters available to enable it on your PC if it’s not already capable. Aside from that, the 5GHz signal is stable and fast, even without WiFi 6. 2.4GHz is not bad at all either. There are options in the app to monitor what’s connected at all times and you can even limit bandwidth to certain devices, or ban them from connecting completely if you want to streamline your connections.
There are a lot more features to this router, which are easily accessed from the app which appears extremely robust compared to the anemic apps I used with the Chinese routers. Those seemed like toys compared to this. I haven’t tried Ai Mesh, but it is yet another useful capability of this router.
Completely happy with this router based on speed, stability, capabilities, and most of all, security!
ASUS RT-AX1800S Dual Band WiFi 6 Extendable Router, Subscription-Free Network Security, Parental Control, Built-in VPN, AiMes
4.4 | 1,850 ratings
Price: 68.99
Last update: 01-11-2025
About this item
New-Gen WiFi Standard – WiFi 6(802.11ax) standard supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better efficiency and throughput.Antenna : External antenna x 4. Processor : Dual-core (4 VPE). Power Supply : AC Input : 110V-240V(50-60Hz), DC Output : 12 V with max. 1.5A current.
Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
Easy Extendable Network – Enjoy seamless roaming with rich, advanced features by adding any AiMesh-compatible router.
Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
Easy Extendable Network – Enjoy seamless roaming with rich, advanced features by adding any AiMesh-compatible router.
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 9.06 x 5.28 x 2.2 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 13.1 ounces |
| ASIN | B09M9477NS |
| Item model number | RT-AX1800S |
| Customer Reviews |
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars
5,147 ratings
4.4 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,024 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #10 in Computer Routers |
| Date First Available | November 19, 2021 |
| Manufacturer | ASUS |
| Country of Origin | China |
Top reviews from the United States
scuba steve
NOT made in China. Fast, excellent security.
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2023
scuba steve
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2023
While ASUS does source some production to China, ASUS is a Taiwanese company and the sticker on the router states “Made in Vietnam”. I’m inclined to believe that. The product origin on this page states “China” but I doubt, and hope, that’s not true. You may not think it matters, but it does more than you might know.
Most consumers only care about speed and affordability when it comes to routers, but it should be security at the top of the list. All your data flows through your router, including personal and financial data. Security flaws in your network can also affect neighboring networks around you. If you buy a cheap router based on speed capability alone with security flaws built in, either intentionally or not, you’re basically paying to be hacked, or for your neighbors to be, or possibly unknowingly being a conduit for attacks on your entire country. It has happened in the past, it’s still happening, and will continue to happen.
Most routers today are produced in China. Even companies based in the US produce there and it’s very hard to find one that’s not made there. The problem with routers made in China is that ultimately, businesses there are controlled by the CCP government, not the business owner. This allows their government to implement whatever they want in their exported tech and products. It’s why some of their tech companies like Huawei have been banned in numerous countries. Routers made in China from brands like Wavlink which are sold in big retail stores across the US have been found to contain hidden back doors and intentional security holes and vulnerabilities to malware like Mirai. Basically open doors for hackers. Some of these back doors have been used in the past to launch cyber attacks (Mirai botnet) on the US which caused major network outages, as well as in other countries. From a cybersecurity perspective, these look a lot like “trial runs” to me. But speculation and paranoia aside, why take the chance on inviting that kind of tech into your home? It wasn’t an isolated, one time event when these back doors were discovered, and it was with various routers and companies out of China. Again, all this is verifiable with the slightest amount of research using credible sources.
I have tried some routers made in China. I could tell they had horrible security just by using the app, or during setup. One was capable of remote access, yet the option to turn it on or off was non existent. It didn’t even ask during set up and the option was nowhere in the app. Remote access should always be turned off, unless you need to access your router from outside your home, which is rarely needed for the average user. If it’s on, it’s just an unnecessary access point open for hackers to attempt access. It might have been possible to check by connecting directly to it using the Web UI, but instead I just returned it and went on the hunt for non-Chinese routers. It took a lot of research since there aren’t many, but finally landed on this one.
I am much, much happier with this ASUS router and it seems very security focused! There are numerous security options available in the app, and also asks you about remote access during set up. It has AI Protection by Trend Micro built in (included free of charge) which constantly monitors your network for viruses and intrusions and even blocks harmful websites. You can also monitor all connections and traffic through the app. There are even additional apps you can download for more functionalities.
As for speed, WiFi 6 is awesome. This thing is lightning fast to my previous ISP provided router and much more stable. If you’re not familiar with WiFi 6, it’s not really a speed booster. It provides a more stable connection though, even in very signal-congested areas such as apartments or offices where there’s numerous routers and networks overlapping and causing interference. This more stable connection will often times yield higher speeds. Your PC and various hardware must be WiFi 6 capable to utilize it, but there are cheap and affordable USB adapters available to enable it on your PC if it’s not already capable. Aside from that, the 5GHz signal is stable and fast, even without WiFi 6. 2.4GHz is not bad at all either. There are options in the app to monitor what’s connected at all times and you can even limit bandwidth to certain devices, or ban them from connecting completely if you want to streamline your connections.
There are a lot more features to this router, which are easily accessed from the app which appears extremely robust compared to the anemic apps I used with the Chinese routers. Those seemed like toys compared to this. I haven’t tried Ai Mesh, but it is yet another useful capability of this router.
Completely happy with this router based on speed, stability, capabilities, and most of all, security!
Images in this review
Kelsey S
If you’re a gamer or someone who relies on connection speed.
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024CoastingOregon
Excellent hardware despite misinformation in the manual and quick start guide
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2018