I wanted to replace my old Linksys ( WRT1900AC ) with a faster ( AX ) router. So I bought the Linksys MR9600 and it performed so poorly ( hard to set up and very weak signals ) that I gave up on Linksys. Then bought the Asus XT8.Couldn't be happier. Easy to install the router and set up using the web browser interface. And it gave stronger signals housewide than any of my previous routers. Also very easy to add additional AiMesh routers as nodes.But. I had bought the combo XT8, with three routers. What to do? Turned out I didn't need the AiMesh system for improved signal strength, but I discovered a feature that I absolutely love. Namely, you can set up a Aimesh system with multiple routers and then use either wireless or wired connections for computers at the router and/or at any node. In this way I was able to have a wireless network with some of my computers connected via ethernet cable in various rooms without the nodes being connected with cables. The throughput is FAST. And when hard-wired with the proper CAT6 or better cable, it is faster than my computer's AC network adapter.Please note that this system has three channels, 1 at 2.4 GHz and 2 at 5 GHz. You can set up separate networks or a smart network ( or both, using guest networks ( with or without passwords )). But when you use AiMesh to connect the router to nodes, it uses the second 5 GHz channel for backhauling. If you are using a "smart" network and log on from a wireless computer, the "system" will determine the channel and ( if using AiMesh ) the node. With separate networks you can force a given connection to either 2.4 o5 5 GHz.You can also block internet access by device. For example I have several NAS drives connected to the router that I don't want to have internet access.Lots of other features I have not explored.Five stars. Even with several couple of quirks ( minor flaws ).First is that while you can add a USB drive to any router or node, the firmware will only allow you to configure and dismount a USB drive connected to the router, not one connected to a node. If the drive is connected to a node, you have to power off the node before safely removing the USB drive. The USB drive works fine connected to a node, with these limitations. I can live with that.Second, the router sometimes forgets the names of computers connected to the network. Doesn't have any operational impact. Just keep track of the IP addresses and enter the name of the computer yourself, or wait until the "mystery" device is powered on again or the system reboots ? Or don't worry about it.Bottom line is ... I like it so much I am going to buy a fourth XT8 as a third node to place upstairs for my daughter when she visits. Not for the improved signal strength ( which is significant ), but so she can plug in her computer and get faster data transfers.