Key takeaways
- Design: it looks like a decor piece rather than a spider of antennas, so it can sit in a living room in plain view, which helps signal more than hiding a router in a cabinet.
- Everyday speed: 4×4 Wi-Fi 5 on 5 GHz is still enough for 4K streaming, video calls and internet plans up to a few hundred Mbps in a small to mid-size apartment.
- ASUS software: the familiar web interface with QoS, parental controls, guest networks and VPN server options.
- USB 3.0 port: handy for basic file sharing from a drive.
The ASUS Blue Cave is a 2017 AC2600 Wi-Fi 5 router with a striking white cube design, solid speeds for its day and a full ASUS feature set, but in 2026 it is a router to keep only if it still covers your home well and your internet plan is under about 500 Mbps; if you are buying, skip it and choose an entry-level Wi-Fi 7 model such as the ASUS RT-BE58U instead. The Blue Cave lacks Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 efficiency, has only Gigabit ports, and is now roughly nine years old, which matters for firmware security updates as much as for speed.
Blue Cave specifications
| Spec | ASUS Blue Cave |
|---|---|
| Launch | 2017 |
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac Wave 2), dual-band |
| Rated speed | Up to 800 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + 1,734 Mbps (5 GHz) |
| Streams / MU-MIMO | 4×4, MU-MIMO |
| Antennas | 4 internal |
| Processor | Intel (Lantiq) GRX350 dual-core |
| Memory | 512 MB RAM, 128 MB flash |
| Wired ports | 1 Gigabit WAN, 4 Gigabit LAN |
| USB | 1 x USB 3.0 |
| Size | About 6.3 x 6.3 x 3.1 in |
| Extras | Alexa and IFTTT integration, access point and media bridge modes |
The Blue Cave was one of the few ASUS routers built on an Intel platform rather than the Broadcom or Qualcomm chips used in most of its siblings. That gave it good performance for 2017 but also set it apart from the larger family of ASUS models that later picked up new features.
What it still does well
- Design: it looks like a decor piece rather than a spider of antennas, so it can sit in a living room in plain view, which helps signal more than hiding a router in a cabinet.
- Everyday speed: 4×4 Wi-Fi 5 on 5 GHz is still enough for 4K streaming, video calls and internet plans up to a few hundred Mbps in a small to mid-size apartment.
- ASUS software: the familiar web interface with QoS, parental controls, guest networks and VPN server options.
- USB 3.0 port: handy for basic file sharing from a drive.
What the AC2600 rating means in real use
The 1,734 Mbps figure on 5 GHz assumes a 4×4 client, and almost no phones or laptops have four antennas. Most laptops and phones are 2×2, which connect to a Wi-Fi 5 router at a maximum link rate of about 867 Mbps on an 80 MHz channel. Real throughput is typically around half to two-thirds of the link rate close to the router, so think of roughly 400–600 Mbps in the same room, dropping to 100–300 Mbps a couple of walls away. That is why the Blue Cave still feels fine on a 300 Mbps plan but cannot deliver a gigabit plan over Wi-Fi.
Where it falls short in 2026
| Limitation | Practical effect |
|---|---|
| No Wi-Fi 6 / 6E / 7 | Less efficient with many devices; no OFDMA, no 6 GHz, no MLO |
| Gigabit WAN only | Caps internet at roughly 940 Mbps real-world; wasted on 2 Gbps+ plans |
| No WPA3 support | Stuck with WPA2 security |
| Internal antennas only | Coverage suits apartments and small homes rather than large or multi-story houses |
| Age (about 9 years) | Firmware updates have slowed or ended; security patches matter more than speed |
| No port activity lights | Harder to troubleshoot wired connections at a glance |
The firmware point is the biggest one. A router sits at the edge of your network, and models that no longer receive regular security updates are a growing risk. Look at the support page for your model on the ASUS site; if it is listed as end-of-life or the newest firmware is years old, plan a replacement even if speeds feel fine.
Keep it or replace it?
| Your situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Small apartment, plan under 500 Mbps, few devices, firmware still updating | Keep for now |
| Plan of 1 Gbps or more | Replace; you want a 2.5G WAN port and Wi-Fi 7 |
| 20+ connected devices, smart home, several streamers | Replace; Wi-Fi 6/7 handles crowded networks better |
| Dead zones in a larger home | Replace with a Wi-Fi 7 router plus mesh, or a mesh kit |
| Already bought a new main router | Use the Blue Cave as a wired access point or retire it; avoid running unsupported firmware at the network edge |
What to buy instead
| Model | Wi-Fi | Key ports | Best for | Typical price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS RT-BE58U | Wi-Fi 7 dual-band (BE3600) | 2.5G WAN/LAN + 4 x 1G | Direct Blue Cave replacement for apartments and small homes | About $130–$200 |
| ASUS RT-BE92U | Wi-Fi 7 tri-band with 6 GHz (BE9700) | 10G and 2.5G ports | Mid-size homes with many newer devices | About $200–$330 |
| ASUS RT-BE88U | Wi-Fi 7 dual-band (BE7200) | Two 10G ports plus multiple 2.5G and 1G ports | Multi-gig plans and heavy wired use | About $280–$400 |
| ASUS ZenWiFi Wi-Fi 7 mesh kit | Wi-Fi 7 | Varies by model | Large or multi-story homes | About $300–$900 for 2–3 nodes |
The RT-BE58U is the most natural successor for a Blue Cave owner: similar footprint in a home, same ASUS interface, but with Wi-Fi 7, WPA3, MLO and a 2.5G port. If you liked the Blue Cave’s look, note that most current ASUS routers use external antennas; mesh nodes are the closest thing to a tidy, antenna-free design.
If you keep the Blue Cave
- Install the latest firmware ASUS offers for it.
- Change the default admin password and disable remote WAN administration.
- Turn off WPS and UPnP if you do not need them.
- Use WPA2-AES (not TKIP or mixed legacy modes).
- Place it high and central, out of cabinets; internal antennas suffer more from obstruction.
Verdict
The ASUS Blue Cave was a stylish, fast Wi-Fi 5 router in 2017, and it can still serve a small apartment on a modest plan. As a purchase in 2026, it makes little sense: an entry Wi-Fi 7 router like the RT-BE58U costs similar money to what the Blue Cave once did and adds faster wired ports, current security and years of firmware support.
