ASUS today announced EA-AC87, a wireless AC-1800 dual-purpose media bridge and access point. It is the world’s first wireless client to use a 4x4 MIMO antenna array. When paired with a suitable 4x4 router, it is capable of delivering the world’s fastest 5GHz speeds of up to 1734Mbit/s. EA-AC87 also features AiRadar with universal beamforming for unrivalled multi-device performance and wide, reliable coverage.
With its easily-selected operating modes, the versatile EA-AC87 is perfect for upgrading an older router to the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, or for adding Wi-Fi capability to any wired network device.
The world’s fastest Wi-Fi, with the best coverage
ASUS EA-AC87 has four external detachable antennas arranged in a four-transmit, four-receive (4x4) MIMO configuration, giving it the world’s fastest Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1743Mbit/s when paired with a suitable 4x4 MIMO router such as ASUS RT-AC87U. This faster-than-wired speed ensures super-smooth streaming of 4K/UHD videos, and lag-free online gaming with PCs or games consoles like the Xbox One� and Playstation® 4.
EA-AC87 features ASUS AiRadar, which includes universal beamforming technology to ensure fast and reliable connections over an area up to 465m2 (around 5000ft2) � 33% better than previous generation Wi-Fi usinng 3x3 antennas. Universal beamforming intelligently focuses the radio signals to each device to ensure the most stable connection and best range.
Media bridge mode: converts any wired device to Wi-Fi
In Media Bridge mode, EA-AC87 can be connected via cable to any wired network device � including smart TVs, set-top boxes, gamees consoles, printers or network-attached storage (NAS) devices � to add high-speed wireless capability. With a ttotal of five Gigabit Ethernet ports available for connecting devices, EA-AC87 is a powerful and indispensable addition to modern multi-device households. For added future-proofing, firmware upgrades at a later date will add support for multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO), which will enhance RT-AC87U’s performance in multi-device environments even further.
Access Point mode: instant network upgrade to ultra-fast 802.11ac
As well as a high-performance media bridge, EA-AC87 is also a versatile access point. In Access Point mode, EA-AC87 can be connected via an Ethernet cable to an existing wireless router to upgrade it to the 802.11ac standard, adding extra capacity to handle more devices and extending wireless coverage. If the old router is a single-band 2.4GHz model, users will also get the added benefits of a 5GHz connection, such as ultra-fast speeds and less interference than in congested 2.4GHz Wi-Fi environments.
Signal quality indicator makes it easy to find the best Wi-Fi reception
EA-AC87 takes the guesswork out of finding the location with the best wireless signal in Media Bridge mode. The five LED indicators on the front panel act as signal quality indicators, showing users at a glance where the wireless signal quality is best for optimum connection speeds and reliability.
AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS EA-AC87 will be available from May 2015 in Benelux. The expected SRP will be EURO159,-.
