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What are the best routers for smart home automation?

Manufacturers like ASUS or NETGEAR launched a WiFi Mesh system a couple of years ago that integrated Amazon Alexa (speaker and microphones), so we didn’t even have to buy the device with Alexa in question, but we could incorporate it into a network directly. This has two strong points, on the one hand we don’t have to buy an Amazon Echo or the like, so we save money. On the other hand, we have an additional WiFi Mesh system node, so not only will we have all the functions of an Amazon Echo or similar, but it is integrated into the Mesh network to provide an Internet connection via WiFi or cable.

In the case of ASUS with the Lyra Voice, it meant the complete integration of Alexa in their routers, and the progress in the development of different voice commands that we could execute, today the operation is much better than then. Of course, with the Lyra Voice we could place several of them throughout our house, just as we do with the Amazon Echo, so that it always listens to us wherever we are.

Routers that support automation

The most important thing when choosing a router for smart home automation is the firmware and the integration with the different voice assistants, this is critical to decide on one model or another. In addition, within the same manufacturer there are routers that have compatibility or not, so we must look very carefully at the router model in question, and make sure that it supports it.

ASUS

The manufacturer ASUS is the brand of routers that has the most versatility with home automation. The vast majority of their routers have support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so we can send them voice commands without problems. The skill that we have available will allow us to send you a large number of commands by voice, the configuration is very fast and the operation is excellent, and as time goes by they add and refine everything related to home automation. The configuration of ASUS routers with Alexa and the Google assistant is really simple, and in the configuration menu via the web or with the ASUS Router app for Android and iOS smartphones we can configure it easily and quickly.

Another remarkable aspect of ASUS routers is that we can link them with IFTTT, the popular automation service that integrates with other services to perform simple, but also complex actions. ASUS is one of the few manufacturers that support IFTTT for smart home automation. Many ASUS models support this functionality, but some don’t, so we need to make sure whether or not it supports this function.

Finally, the Asuswrt firmware is also compatible with the popular Home Assistant home automation platform, we can integrate it to see the status of the router at all times, and also to perform different advanced automations. Some of the most recommended ASUS routers for automation are their latest ASUS ZenWiFi that have WiFi Mesh to cover WiFi coverage throughout our home.

The ASUS Zen WiFi XT8 has simultaneous triple band with WiFi 6 class AX6600, for customers we will have WiFi 6 AX1800 (up to 574Mbps in the 2.4GHz band and up to 1,201Mbps in the 5GHz band), in the interconnection network we will have WiFi 6 with a speed of up to 4,804Mbps, ideal for not having any bottleneck when connecting dozens of wireless devices simultaneously. This equipment has a 2.5G Multigigabit port for the WAN/LAN and a total of three dedicated Gigabit Ethernet ports for the LAN, we also have a high-performance USB 3.0 port to share files and folders on the local network and the Internet at a great speed. speed.

The model ASUS Zen WiFi XD6 It is another very good option to form a complete WiFi Mesh network and integrate it into the automation of our home. This WiFi Mesh system is simultaneous dual band with Wi-Fi 6 and AX5400 class. In the 2.4GHz band we can achieve a speed of up to 574Mbps, in the 5GHz band we can achieve a speed of up to 4.804Mbps thanks to the 160MHz of channel width that it supports. This computer has a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet port for the WAN, and a total of three Gigabit Ethernet ports for the LAN, but it does not have a USB 3.0 port like the previous XT8 model.

One of the strong points of ASUS is that the Asuswrt firmware is similar in all models, so all of them have compatibility with integration in smart home automation, the only difference is that only high-end equipment has support for IFTTT, but compatibility with Amazon Alexa or the Google assistant is present in all models.

D Link

The manufacturer D-Link is another one that has done a very good job of integrating Amazon Alexa and the Google assistant. This manufacturer has been adding compatibility with both voice assistants to all its home IP Cloud cameras, to its smart home devices such as smart plugs for the home, and also to its WiFi routers and WiFi Mesh systems. The integration of Alexa and the Google assistant is done through its free D-Link Wi-Fi application, we must link it with the D-Link manufacturer’s Cloud to later send voice commands, in this way, we will receive instant alerts about updates of the network, check the security status of any device, enable the guest WiFi network and other functionalities.

Its range of high-end neutral routers such as the DIR-X5460, the DIR-1860 or the DIR-1560 support these features, depending on your needs as a user you can buy one model or another. Its WiFi Mesh systems such as the COVR-X1862 also include this functionality, as well as its WiFi Mesh with the WiFi 5 standard, such as the COVR-1102 that we have previously analyzed in RedesZone. What D-Link doesn’t have is a specifically designed router with Amazon Alexa built-in, like the ASUS Lyra Voice or NETGEAR Orbi Voice, but it supports the service without a hitch.

NETGEAR

The manufacturer NETGEAR also has support for Amazon Alexa and the Google assistant. The process we must follow to activate it is to use the Nighthawk App for the manufacturer’s high-end neutral routers, or the Orbi App for its WiFi Mesh systems. Once we have remote management of the router enabled, we can link them with both services to start squeezing voice assistants easily and quickly. NETGEAR provides this service to different models of routers, among which are:

  • RAX200
  • RAX120
  • RAX80
  • RAX75
  • RAX40
  • RAX35
  • RAX20
  • RAX15

It is also supported by other lower-end models with the WiFi 5 standard, and even its range of WiFi Mesh products with the Orbi, whether they are the models with the Wi-Fi 6 or WiFi 5 standard. A very important aspect is that for To enable this functionality, we must activate the remote management of the router to connect it with the NETGEAR Cloud and be able to receive and send voice commands. Finally, we must point out that NETGEAR has the Orbi Voice, which is like the ASUS Lyra Voice but with a clearly larger size.

Tp link

Manufacturer TP-Link supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on its smart home devices such as smart plugs, smart light bulbs, and Cloud IP cameras, however, users are having a lot of issues with compatibility and integration, having random crashes on an ongoing basis and even losing sync from TP-Link Cloud. A very important detail is that it does not support automation with routers or WiFi Mesh systems, only a couple of WiFi repeater models support this functionality, so if you are thinking of a TP-Link device to automate your smart home, it is better to take another brand like ASUS.

As you have seen, depending on the manufacturer we will have greater support and perfect functionality, we must also pay close attention to the exact model of router to integrate, because some of them have support for Alexa, Google and IFTTT, but others only for Alexa and/or Google, so we need to look into it and confirm whether the latest firmware updates are supported or not.

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