Asus
Networking · Last assessed 6/9/2026
Score breakdown
Why this grade
Strongest firmware-freedom story of the group: Asus releases its Asuswrt firmware under the GPL, which underpins the actively maintained third-party Asuswrt-Merlin firmware, and many models (RT-AX88U, RT-AX86U, RT-AC68U, etc.) also run OpenWrt. That raises the software-lock (freedom) score well above peers. Physical repairability is comparable to other consumer routers — openable screwed/clipped cases, replaceable external antennas and PSUs, board-level fixes — but, like all the brands here, Asus publishes no schematics and offers no official spare-parts channel, which caps the overall repairability grade.
Methodology & version
Five dimensions — parts availability, schematic access, repairability, OEM pricing, and software freedom — are scored 0–100 and weighted equally; the letter grade is the average (A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79, D 60–69, F below 60). This assessment is current as of 6/9/2026 and cites its sources below. It covers the Networking category and is not a claim about every device the maker ships.