With the ExpertWiFi EBM68, ASUS offers an interesting and unusual WLAN system. This is not aimed at end customers, like ASUS other WLAN products, but at companies, especially companies with customers who should/can also access the WLAN.
The ExpertWiFi EBM68 system is aimed at retail, cafes and business customers in general. For this purpose, this diverse software feature has to create, for example, separate WLAN networks for customers and employees, the possibility of setting up guest portals, additional security features, etc.
ASUS relies on a completely different user interface than its normal network products. However, the high-end nature of ASUS network products has remained.
The ExpertWiFi EBM68 should be able to reach a whopping 7800 Mbit, thanks to a tri-band design.
Sounds exciting! Let’s take a look at the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68 in the test!
At this point, many thanks to ASUS for providing the EBM68 for this test.
The ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68 in the test, ideal WLAN for restaurants and cafés?
ASUS relies on a comparatively simple and compact design for the EBM68. At first glance, this looks almost like a “non-gamer” version of the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6.
So here we have a plain white and quite flat case with no visible external antennas.
The stations can either be simply set up or the enclosed brackets can be mounted on the wall. Appropriately, the connections are embedded a little deeper on the back.
Important, in contrast to many other “professional” WiFi systems, the ExpertWiFi system does not rely on a power supply via PoE! This has two very classic power supplies included.
This has its advantages and disadvantages, but restaurants, cafés and small companies in particular do not necessarily have a PoE infrastructure or suitable cabling. Here a normal power supply unit can be the simpler solution.
On the side of the connections we have:
1x 2,5 Gbit WAN
3x 1 Gbit LAN
1x USB 3.0
This looks very reasonable at first glance!
Router and access point mode
You can operate the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68 in router or access point mode. In access point mode, however, some software features are omitted, such as the guest portal, etc.
UI and app
So far, ASUS has used the same user interface for all of its WLAN routers, at least the ones I knew, which were then slightly adapted depending on the model.
So I was extremely surprised by the EBM68 system, which has a completely redesigned user interface and app. You can control the system via a web interface on the PC/notebook or via the Asus app on your smartphone.
Both ways offer +- the same possibilities. I find it easier to set up via the app, but then the detailed configuration via the web interface is more pleasant, but that’s purely a matter of taste.
This part is aimed at Asus, please bring this user interface in a slightly modified form to your normal WLAN router! Because I really like the user interface here.
This is tidy, clear but detailed at the same time. Sometimes even with live-updating charts and statistics.
However, the user interface remains very extensive with sometimes extreme detail settings.
Let’s go through a few features of the EBM68 system separately:
Guest portal for businesses, retail, restaurants
One of the special features of the EBM68 system is the “guest portal”. The system creates an open WLAN network, but when you register, a special website is automatically loaded.
On this you can “force” a user to agree to a text/terms of use that you can freely define. Otherwise the WiFi will not work.
The maximum data rate of this WLAN network can also be throttled and of course the users are shielded from your internal network.
Guest Network / Planned Network
If you want to create a “simple” open WLAN network for guests or visitors, this is also possible.
You even have several options here, for example you can provide the guest network with a timer or plan it if you only want to offer it during opening hours, for example.
AiProtection
You can find AiProtection in most ASUS routers. But this is a bit further developed here. The core of AiProtection consists of 3 functions:
Block Malicious Websites Two-Way IPS Detect and block infected devices
I think these points are mostly self-explanatory. AiProtection can block malicious websites, detect when devices on your network access botnet control servers or there is other suspicious network traffic.
This is done in cooperation with the manufacturer Trend Micro, an antivirus manufacturer.
TriBand WLAN, technology of the EBM68
According to ASUS, one station of the EBM68 offers up to 7800 MBit. However, this is divided into three WLAN bands. So here we have 1x 2.4 GHz and 2x 5 GHz bands according to the WLAN 6 standard.
2,4 GHz – 574 Mbit
5 GHz 1 – 4804 Mbit
5 GHz 2 – 2402 Mbit
We have here a router with a “4×4” design, with 160MHz channel width. The latter is very important in order to achieve full speed in combination with the standard Intel WLAN cards in notebooks.
You can choose to receive all bands under one SSID or individually. So you can use both 5Ghz bands freely. However, one of the 5Ghz bands is also used as a return channel for the WiFi mesh system.
It’s a pity, it’s not possible to assign a special 5GHz band to the WLAN networks, e.g. the guest network.
A short performance test
Of course, let’s also take a look at the performance of the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68.
Unfortunately, this is not easy with WLAN systems, because the performance of these fluctuates extremely depending on the environment and end devices. Still, let’s look at some numbers.
First of all, regarding the connection between the two mesh stations. To do this, I connect a server to the system via LAN on the base and a client on the satellite, also via 2.5 Gbit LAN.
Here we measure the pure data rates of the two stations with each other.
ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68 vs. ASUS ROG GT6 system
These values can certainly be described as impressive! At a short distance between the two stations, I managed to download a whopping 1972 Mbit. An absolute top value!
Even with 2 walls in the way, we still get 1640 Mbit in download and 1199 Mbit in upload, impressive!
The performance compared to other WLAN routers directly to a client with the widely used Intel AX201 WLAN card (here over a short distance) is impressively good!
In short, in this short quick test I have nothing to complain about the performance of the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68!
A few words about stability and other issues
Asus isn’t exactly known for professional WLAN systems. This raises the question, are these stable/reliable enough?
In my experience, the answer here is a resounding yes! Stability and reliability is not a problem even with Asus’ normal end customer models and I speak from experience here! In general, Asus WLAN products are more mature and reliable than is often assumed.
However, I had a temporary problem with the EBM68 and the internet would not work. IP addresses etc. were obtained correctly and according to the UI internet was available. However, connected computers and smartphones could not connect to the Internet for whatever reason. At some point, this problem went away on its own and has never reappeared.
power consumption
What about the power consumption of the EBM68? Of course, this fluctuates somewhat depending on use, workload, etc.
However, this fluctuates in the range of +- 8W and can increase to almost 10W under high load. This is not too much for a device of this class, quite the opposite! Power consumption is slightly lower than expected.
Conclusion
You have a cafe, restaurant or other small business where you want to offer WLAN for customers without bringing an IT service provider on board? Then the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68 might be just the thing for you!
ASUS is building an interesting bridge between a high-performance “end customer” WLAN system and a business WLAN system. Above all, the EBM68 is easy to use and offers very high performance!
The software is particularly exciting, which makes it very easy for you to set up additional WLAN networks for customers, guests, IoT devices or employees, which are separated from each other.
Fortunately, ASUS has completely redesigned its WebUI and app for this. I really like the new design! This is a lot more modern and clearer than ASUS’ old design, which is used in normal consumer WLAN routers.
Added to this is top performance! In the short test, it was even able to beat the performance of ASUS gaming WLAN mesh systems. It doesn’t get much better at the moment!
WiFi 6 + 4804 Mbit + 160 MHz = perfect for everyday use. The power consumption is pleasingly low at +- 8W per station.
In short, if you are looking for a powerful WiFi system for your shop, restaurant or cafe that is easy to use, then the ASUS ExpertWiFi EBM68 is a great choice! There are, of course, systems that are even more “professional”, such as the Cisco Meraki Go, but this then also becomes more complicated and expensive. ASUS strikes a simpler balance here.
POSITIVE
Very high WiFi performance
2,5GBit LAN Port
Outstanding WebUI
Very extensive software
Low power consumption
NEGATIVE
Only 1x 2.5GBit LAN Port pro Station