ASUS RT-AC68U
ASUS RT-AC68 U (v1S)
Availability: common
Manuf (OEM/ODM): Askey
FCC approval date: 30 September 2013
(Est.) release date: 09 October 2013
(Est.) initial retail price (in USD): $220
UPC: 886227419005 (UPC DB, On eBay)
Country of manuf.: China
S/N prefix: (90IG00C1-BM3000)
Series: AC1900
Amazon image
ASIN 
B00FB45SI4 (
, On Amazon, On CCC, multiple uses)
multiple revisions of this device, use caution
On Newegg
Type: wireless router
FCC ID: MSQ-RTAC68U
IC ID: 3568A-RTAC68U
Power: 19 VDC, 1.75 A
Connector type: barrel
CPU1: Broadcom BCM4708A0 (800 MHz, 2 cores)
FLA1: 128 MiB134,217,728 B <br />1,048,576 Kib <br />131,072 KiB <br />1,024 Mib <br />0.125 GiB <br /> (Spansion S34ML01G100TFI00)
RAM1: 256 MiB268,435,456 B <br />2,097,152 Kib <br />262,144 KiB <br />2,048 Mib <br />0.25 GiB <br /> (ESMT M15F2G16128A-ADB)
Expansion IFs: USB 2.0, USB 3.0
USB ports: 2
Serial: yes, 4-pin header
WI1 chip1: Broadcom BCM4360
WI1 802dot11 protocols: bgn
WI1 MIMO config: 3x3:3
WI1 antenna connector: RP-SMA
WI2 chip1: Broadcom BCM4360
WI2 802dot11 protocols: an+ac
WI2 MIMO config: 3x3:3
WI2 antenna connector: RP-SMA
ETH chip1: Broadcom BCM4708A0
Switch: Broadcom BCM4708A0
LAN speed: 1GbE
LAN ports: 4
WAN speed: 1GbE
WAN ports: 1
abgn+ac
Additional chips
2.4GHz Power Amplifier IC;Richwave;RTC6649E;;3;
5GHz Power Amplifier IC;Skyworks;SE5023L;SiGe, 5023L, TW;3;
Stock bootloader: CFE 1.0.1.9
Stock FW OS: Linux 2.6.36 brcmarm
TPFirmware supported: AsusWRT-Merlin • (Wiki | List), DD-WRT • (List), Tomato (Shibby) • (List | DLs), TomatoUSB RAF (Victek) • (List | DLs), FreshTomato • (List | DLs)
Flags: AiCloud support, AiMesh
Default SSID: ASUS (97 addl. devices)
, ASUS_5G (44 addl. devices)
Default IP address: 192.168.1.1
the IP 192.168.1.1 is used by 1317 additional devices
of which 168 are ASUS devices
Default login user: admin
Default login password: admin
admin:admin credentials used by 1332 additional devices
of which 200 are ASUS devices
| FCC ID | |
|---|---|
| ASUS TM-AC1900 | MSQ-RTAC68U | 
| CPU1 brand | WI1 chip1 brand | WI2 chip1 brand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS RT-AC68P | Broadcom | Broadcom | Broadcom | 
| ASUS RT-AC68U | Broadcom | Broadcom | Broadcom | 
| ASUS RT-AC68U Extreme | Broadcom | Broadcom | Broadcom | 
| ASUS RT-AC68U V3 | Broadcom | Broadcom | Broadcom | 
| ASUS RT-AC68UF | Broadcom | Broadcom | Broadcom | 
For a list of all currently documented Broadcom chipsets with specifications, see Broadcom.
- • 1300 Mbps max PHY rate for the 80MHz wide 5GHz channel,
 - • 600 Mbps max. PHY rate for the 40MHz wide 2.4GHz channel = 1900 Mbps class
 
Wireless-AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit Router
- Model Part Num: 90IG00C1-BM3000
 
Wi-Fi Certified : WFA19421 (as of 08/29/2013)
- This certification also applies to the RT-AC68R.
 
This device would seem to be running Linux kernel 2.6.36.4 (brcmarm).
Note: A tag line of 802.11ac Concurrent Dual-band AC1900 Router (600Mbps/2.4GHz* +
1300Mbps/5GHz) w/ ASUSWRT source to the RT-AC68U, RT-AC68U v2, RT-AC69U.
FCC info
- The ASUS logo, "RT-AC68U" and "REV 1.60" is silkscreened on the board.
 - The manufacturer stated in the test report is Askey Technology (Jiangsu)
 
Per the FCC photos...
- The SoC used would seem to be BCM4708A0/BCM4709A0
 
- (BCM470[8/9]A0KFEBG, TT1311 P10, 272573-04 B18)
 - Visual inspection of actual product confirms BCM4708A
 
- Two BCM4360 provide the wireless interfaces for this device.
 - The shown power supply is an ASUS branded AD890326
 
- (100-240VAC ~ 50/60Hz, 0.8A -> 19VDC, 1.75A).
 
Additional specifications
- per ASUS's product page
 
- Expansion IFs: 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0
 - Dimensions (W x H x D): 220 mm x 160 mm x 83.3 mm
 - Weight: 640 g0.64 kg <br />22.573 oz <br />1.411 lbs <br />
 
Reviews
- Inside Story: ASUS RT-AC56U & RT-AC68U on SmallNetBuilder
 
- Per SNB's conversation w/ Broadcom, TurboQAM functionality is integrated
 - into Broadcom 802.11ac chips - allowing QAM256 usage in 2.4GHz band.
 
- AC1900 First Look: NETGEAR R7000 & ASUS RT-AC68U on SNB
 - ASUS RT-AC68U on C|Net (Rev A1 unit, 74:D0:2B OUI)
 - The New Wireless Flagship Device or ASUS RT-AC68U on FoxNetLab
 - ASUS RT-AC68U on OpenITforum
 
Forum threads
Third party firmware support
News
- CES 2013 Day 0 - ASUS Networking Products on YouTube (3:30)
 - ASUS Announces Next-Generation Wi-Fi Devices - ASUS Press Release
 - Broadcom Announces Beefed-Up SoCs To Power Up Draft 802.11ac 
Products on SmallNetBuilder (BCM4708x series announcement stuff) 
Additional vendor links
On Newegg (preorder only) (source of the release date and price)
See also
- ASUS RT-AC68U • Product Page
 - ASUS RT-AC68P • Product Page
 - ASUS RT-AC68R • Product Page
 - ASUS RT-AC68W • Product Page
 
T-Mobile Personal Cellspot Router (TM-AC1900)
Support
- T-Mobile released a wireless router rebranded from the RT-AC68U.
 
- The T-Mobile rebranded version has a custom proprietary firmware
 - that is modified for optimizing the T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling feature.
 - This router requires a refundable $25 deposit (or none if qualified) for postpaid
 - plan customers [$99 for retail pricing/prepaid accounts] since this is a lease.
 
- Notice: If you got this router as a postpaid customer, keep in mind that T-Mobile expects
 
- it back after you cancel your T-Mobile service or if a coverage line is disconnected
 - from a family/multiple line account within 45 days after cancellation/disconnection.
 - Failure to do so may incur a $99 non-return fee. If the router is returned damaged, $25.
 - [This doesn't apply to prepaid customers or if bought in retail price.]