Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 mesh Wi-Fi system Wi-Fi 7 25000 Mbps, 5 × LAN, 12 antennas

The BQ16 uses the Wi-Fi 7 standard (802.11be), and according to the manufacturer its bands add up to 25000 Mbps. That is the sum of all radios: a single phone or laptop will not see that speed, but such headroom means 4K streaming, online gaming, video calls and large backups all fit on one network at the same time, without anyone slowing down at someone else's expense.

The system works in the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz ranges, and four bands means one of those ranges is split between two radios. 2.4 GHz reaches furthest and gets through walls best, 5 GHz balances speed and range, and 6 GHz is the least crowded and fastest for devices nearby. The manufacturer does not specify the exact band split.

The 6 GHz band is still new and only Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices use it, so there are far fewer neighbouring networks and less interference than on 2.4 or 5 GHz. A new laptop or phone gets wide channels and low latency there, which you notice in video calls and online games. Older devices stay on 2.4 and 5 GHz and do not hold back faster clients.

Each unit has five RJ-45 Ethernet ports, so a TV, games console, desktop PC or NAS can connect directly by cable, where the link is most stable. There is also one USB port. At a mesh node, that means a desktop PC in an upstairs study does not need a separate network switch.

Inside the housing are 12 antennas and MU-MIMO support, which lets the router send data to several devices at once rather than one after another. In a home with dozens of phones, cameras, smart home sensors and computers online, that shortens the queue and keeps speeds even. Internal antennas also mean the unit looks tidy in a living room with nothing sticking out.

Mesh support means the BQ16 works with other nodes of the same system as one network with one name and password. A phone or laptop stays on the same network as you move between floors, and the nodes pass traffic between themselves. That lets you cover a multi-storey house, a flat with thick walls or an office where a single router would be weak in the far rooms.

Owners of a large house or flat who want Wi-Fi 7 and 6 GHz speed in every room; families and home offices with many wired devices that need five ports; and small offices where many people use the network at once and an older Wi-Fi 6 system has run out of room.