ASUS just recently quietly made available the ZenWiFi BD4 to presumably rival the TP-Link BE3600 (which is a stripped-down version of the Deco BE25), at least in terms of cost.
At $129.99 per single router or $299.9 for a 3-pack, it’s one of the most affordable Wi-Fi 7 systems on the market. And like the Deco counterpart, it’s inexpensive for a reason.
This brief take will help you understand what to expect from this new Wi-Fi system and when to consider it. CES 2025 is around the corner, and there will soon be a lot more to take in, but for now, the gist is that the ZenWiFi BD4 is basically the dual-band version of the higher-grade full-band ZenWiFi sets, such as the BT8 or BT10.
ASUS ZenWiFi BD4: The bare-minimum Wi-Fi 7 ZenWiFi
Like the case of the TP-Link BE3600 (a.k.a Deco BE23), the ZenWiFi BD4 is minimal in Wi-Fi 7 specs. With a total theoretical bandwidth of 3600Mbps, it’s actually less than many Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E sets. The ZenWiFi XT8 and ET8, for example, each have 6600Mbps of total Wi-Fi bandwidth.
First dual-band Wi-Fi 7 ZenWiFi
The low bandwidth results from the fact that the BD4 has only two bands—5GHz and 2.4GHz—instead of three, unlike the BT8 or BT10. Additionally, its Wi-Fi hardware also has entry-level specs.
ZenWiFi naming convention
Asus has a good selection of ZenWiFi models, such as CT8, XT8, XD4, ET8, XT12, ET12, BQ16, etc.
Dissecting the ZenWiFi model names
These model names include two letters and a number. Here is what they mean.
- The first letter indicates the Wi-Fi standard:
- C stands for 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).
- X is for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).
- E is for Wi-Fi 6E, which is the extension of Wi-Fi 6.
- B is for Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be).
- The second letter indicates the number of Wi-Fi bands:
- D means dual-band—each hardware unit has two Wi-Fi bands.
- T means tri-band. This is for a system where each hardware unit has three Wi-Fi frequency bands.
- Q means quad-band, indicating that the hardware features four Wi-Fi bands, with either 5GHz or 6GHz band split into two sub-bands.
- The last digit indicates the number of Wi-Fi streams each broadcaster has.
An example: The ZenWiFi ET8 is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E system, with each hardware unit having eight streams (including a quad-stream (4×4) 6GHz band, a dual-stream (2×2) 5GHz band, and a 2×2 2.4GHz band).
By now, this sans-6GHz approach has become familiar. There has been a lot of dual-band Wi-Fi 7 hardware, including ASUS’s RT-BE88U or RT-BE86U routers. However, this is the first ZenWiFi set that has gone dual-band, and chances are it won’t be the last.
How the 6GHz band is regulated around the world
The 6GHz band has a total width of 1200 MHz, ranging from 5.925 MHz to 7.125 MHz, and is divided into 59 channels of 20 MHz each. These channels are grouped to create “sub-bands,” which also vary from one region to another.
In the U.S., the FCC has designated four sub-bands across the entire 6GHz spectrum, including UNII-5, UNII-6, UNII-7, and UNII-8, for Wi-Fi use, though portions of the band may be reserved for other applications.
The E.U. Commission allows only the UNII-5 equivalent part of the frequency for Wi-Fi use, which is 480 MHz in width from 5925 MHz to 6425 MHz. Some other parts of the world are somewhere in between, with the UNII-5 portion adopted and the rest being considered. In the rest, this band may not even be available for Wi-Fi at all.
Generally, Wi-Fi 6E needs a 160MHz channel to deliver the best performance, and Wi-Fi 7 requires double that, 320MHz. Due to spectrum availability and other reasons, real-world hardware tends to use narrower channels in most cases.
Overall, the use of the 6GHz frequency is complicated and is the main reason a Wi-Fi broadcaster made for one region might not work in another.
The table below shows its current adoption worldwide. The “Considering” portion is generally slated to be finalized eventually, though that varies from one region to another.
| Country | Adopted Spectrum |
|---|---|
| United States | 5925-7125 MHz (entire band including UNII5, UNII-6, UNII-7, and UNII-8) |
| Albania | 5945-6425 MHz (UNII-5) |
| Andorra | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Argentina | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Australia | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Austria | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Azerbaijan | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Bahrain | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Bangladesh | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Belarus | 5945-6425 MHz |
| 5945-6425 MHz | |
| Belgium | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Brazil | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Bulgaria | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Burkina Faso | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Canada | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Chile | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Colombia | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Costa Rica | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Croatia | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Cyprus | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Czech Republic | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Denmark | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Dominican Republic | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Egypt | 5925-6425 MHz |
| El Salvador | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Estonia | 5945-6425 MHz |
| European Union | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Faroe Islands | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Finland | 5945-6425 MHz |
| France | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Georgia | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Germany | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Gibraltar | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Greece | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Guatemala | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Honduras | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Hong Kong | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Hungary | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Iceland | 5945-6425 MHz |
| India | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Ireland | 5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Isle of Man | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Italy | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Japan | 5925-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Jordan | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Kazakhstan | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Kenya | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Latvia | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Liechtenstein | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Lithuania | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Luxembourg | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Macao | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Macedonia | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Malaysia | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Malta | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Mauritius | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Mexico | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Moldova | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Monaco | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Montenegro | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Morocco | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Namibia | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Netherlands | 5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| New Zealand | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Norway | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Pakistan | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Paraguay | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Peru | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Philippines | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Poland | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Portugal | 5945-6425 MHz 6425-7125 MHz |
| Qatar | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Romania | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Russian Federation | 5925-6425 MHz |
| San Marino | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Saudi Arabia | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Singapore | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Slovakia | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Slovenia | 5925-6425 MHz |
| South Africa | 5925-6425 MHz |
| South Korea | 5925-7125 MHz |
| Spain | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Sweden | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Switzerland | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Thailand | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Togo | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Tunisia | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Turkey | 5925-6425 MHz |
| Ukraine | 5925-6425 MHz |
| United Arab Emirates | 5925-6425 MHz |
| United Kingdom | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Holy See (Vatican City State) | 5945-6425 MHz |
| Vietnam | 5945-6425 MHz |
Compact design, only two ports
The ZenWiFi BD4 shares the same design as previous Wi-Fi 7 hardware in the family but is significantly smaller. In return, it has only two auto-sensing network ports, both of which are 2.5Gbps, making it similar to the dual-band Deco sets.
Considering the entry-level Wi-Fi specs, which generally have Gig+ real-world sustained rates, these low-end Multi-Gig ports make sense. The table below shows how the ZenWiFi BD4 is stacked up against the dual-band Decos.
Hardware specifications: ASUS ZenWiFi BD4 vs. TP-Link BE3600 vs. TP-Link Deco BE25
A familiar ZenWiFi system
Despite the dual-band specs and low-performance grade, the BD4 remains a variant of the ZenWiFi family. As a result, you can expect it to be similar to, if not the same, the rest of the family in terms of hardware configurations, network settings, and features applicable to its hardware specs and ports. Specifically, it’ll have:
- The MLO feature: The hardware comes with MLO out of the box. In fact, by default, it’ll use an MLO link as the wireless backhaul, a.k.a. “Smart Haul”.
- Pre-synced hardware: When you get a pack, the identical hardware units are pre-synced. As a result, all you need to do is pick one unit to set up as the primary router—one likely has a removable label suggesting that it’s the “Main Unit”, though you can pick any—and the rest will be part of the system when plugged in.
- ASUSWRT 5.0 firmware and core features:
- Multiple SSIDs via the “Smart Home Master” feature.
- Safe Browsing with DNS filters via specific servers.
- Useful Parental Controls and advanced VPN feature set, which includes VPN Fusion and Instant Guard.
- Advanced QoS and online protection (via AiProtection) to keep your network and devices safe.
- A comprehensive set of network settings and features managed via the web user interface or the (optional) ASUS Router mobile app that requires no login account or subscription.
If you’ve used an ASUS router before, the new ZenWiFi BD4 will be a familiar experience. And like most ASUS hardware I’ve tested, chances are you can even load the setting backup files of other ASUS routers onto it, making it an easy replacement.
In terms of performance, you clearly won’t get more than 2.5Gbps out of the hardware due to its port. That said, generally, you can have Gig+ Wi-Fi performance out of it, making it a reasonable system for those with Gigabit broadband. Finally, like all dual-band systems, it’s best to use it in a home already wired with network cables since you’ll get the best performance via wired backhauling.
Pros
Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 with two 2.5Gbps ports; affordable
ASUSWRT 5.0 has lots of customizations and free-for-life high-end features (VPN, Parental Controls, Online Protection, Smart Home Master, etc.).
Robust web user interface and helpful optional mobile app; easy-to-blend-in design
Compact with no internal fan
Cons
Only two network ports; entry-level hardware specs
The takeaway
Considering the Deco BE25 (and its variants), the new ZenWiFi BTD 4 is an eventual development from ASUS. Chances are you’ll find a few other variants in the near future. While the new hardware is not earth-shattering, it has enough to deliver Gigabit-class real-world performance, especially when used in a wired home. That, plus the comprehensive set of features known among ASUS’s ZenWiFi hardware, will make it a formidable contender among the dua-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh crowd.
There’s more to come, but if you’re in the market for Wi-Fi 7 that won’t dig a hole in your wallet, consider a set today!