ASUS RT-N13U Wireless Router and Print Server Review


First Looks
The ASUS RT-N13U is a thin, white book-like device which is meant to stand vertically. Its base does not permit it to lay flat. A silver bezel is underneath a transparent cover which lines the top and front of the device. LEDs on the front show LAN, WAN, WLAN, and power status. The top bears the name of the product in solid black lettering.


ASUS RT-N13U Wireless Router and Print Server Review ASUS RT-N13U Wireless Router and Print Server Review ASUS RT-N13U Wireless Router and Print Server Review


There are five Ethernet ports on the rear of the RT-N13U. Four are yellow, meaning that they are LAN ports, while the other is blue, meaning it’s a WAN port. The power cord port is at the bottom of the device, while the USB port is above the Ethernet ports.

One of the more interesting features of the RT-N13U is its easily-switched mode setting. A hardware switch on the bottom of the unit can switch the RT-N13U from router mode to repeater mode or AP mode. In router mode, the RT-N13U is connected to the WAN and coordinates all traffic with the WAN through itself. In repeater mode, the RT-N13U can repeat another wireless router’s signal in order to extend the range of the wireless network. In AP mode, the RT-N13U is connected via its WAN port to another router, but simply coordinates traffic for the wireless devices accessing the network.


ASUS RT-N13U Wireless Router and Print Server Review ASUS RT-N13U Wireless Router and Print Server Review

The RT-N13U is the kind of networking device which offers an aesthetic not often found in networking products. It can easily be hidden away on a bookshelf in between books or in another inconspicuous yet effective location.
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36 comments
  1. This router is quite exceptional, it allows you to network your printer. Most routers do not have that function, but you can network it through windows, which does not work if that main computer is not online.

  2. This router is quite exceptional, it allows you to network your printer. Most routers do not have that function, but you can network it through windows, which does not work if that main computer is not online.

  3. Turning any printer into a “wireless” printer is definately cool. I have a cheap printer that I keep on a media rack in my livingroom and I'd love to be able to plug it directly in the D-Link AP I have on the other side of the room instead of keeping a coiled USB cord on the top of it.

  4. Turning any printer into a “wireless” printer is definately cool. I have a cheap printer that I keep on a media rack in my livingroom and I'd love to be able to plug it directly in the D-Link AP I have on the other side of the room instead of keeping a coiled USB cord on the top of it.

  5. Yea wireless N is great. i get the internet speed of my isp directly, no losses. Only if my internet speed was faster, so i could utilize the full potential of N.

  6. Yea wireless N is great. i get the internet speed of my isp directly, no losses. Only if my internet speed was faster, so i could utilize the full potential of N.

  7. Yea wireless N is great. i get the internet speed of my isp directly, no losses. Only if my internet speed was faster, so i could utilize the full potential of N.

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  9. is there an antenna that can be added to this unit to boost the signal. wireless or cable because the coverage is not good.

  10. RT-N13U Wireless Router / Print Server
    print server works with long delay and only for very small documents (i.e. Windows Print Test Page)
    I purchased this router because of its claim to operate as a Print Server. I have spent at least 6 hours trying to get my HP CP1215 Laser Color printer to work with your router print server USB connection. As I said there is a long (5 min) delay before it will print anything and then it will only print small text documents.
    I thought I would take a chance on your RT-N13U router because I have been in IT for 13 years and thought ASUS was a name to be trusted. This Print Server does NOT work!
    To claim that this router includes print server functionality is simply a misrepresentation of the truth; or as most would say, “A lie”.
    Shame on you ASUS!

  11. This isn’t a review — this is a press release posting! What is the control panel like? What did your speed tests show? And LOS stands for LINE of SIGHT (just a typo I’m sure).

  12. sadly, i just discovered the same thing. Good router, reasonable price, but the print capability is a joke.

  13. I have never been happy with vertical routers/cable modems, etc. The cables are always heavier than the devices and continually torque them over, sending surrounding items flying. The only way to prevent this is to wedge them between heavier items, like between books in a bookcase, but then where do you route the cables? Also, I suspect the books would seriously attenuate the signal in almost every direction. Give me a design that lays flat and stays flat, wherever you want to put it.

  14. i purchased a new asus rt-n13u and i used it as an access point (AP). it is possible that the download master will run for this set-up?
    i tried many times but there is no network connection. please help me in order to run this download master.
    thank you.

  15. The Print Server was very troublesome to setup and use. Documents would remian in the print queue – finally gave up using this as a print server.

    Otherwise this is a great, reliable and high performance device

  16. The Print Server was very troublesome to setup and use. Documents would remian in the print queue – finally gave up using this as a print server.

    Otherwise this is a great, reliable and high performance device

  17. This router just plain sucks… While it has great download speeds, the printer server barely works and the upload speed is terrible. I was running an old linksys G type router and wanted to upgrade to a better range. The range is better on the asus but the upload speed (important to gamers) ran at about 1.5 while my old g router ran uploads at about 5.0. This is not a gamers router.

  18. I purchased the router and initially had the same problem with the printer, but found that despite my printer, an epson 730 inkjet, being a dinosaur it works fine and yes it does take aout 5 seconds to load, but I have printed documents with pie chart and diagonal charts easily,now if that is still simple text documents the yes it does that. As for printer problem remedy, well use window 7and windows xp and have management to make it work perfectly on both. In all it appears to be the router I thought it would be, with a printer port and multifunctional. Yes you give up about 2/5 of your speed when on wireless but that is something I am beginning to look into.

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