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ASUS RT N12E Review | 77 Data compared

Avg. price:~£20Wi-Fi version:Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)Wi-Fi speed:300 MbpsLAN port speeds:100 MbpsMesh Wi-Fi:no

ASUS RT N12E Review: Compare 77 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Routers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.3

Overall score

Score
6.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the router's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best routers on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 81% of models
Score components

90%

6.0

Technical Score

10%

8.3

User score

â–¼Worse than 81% of routers
6.0

Technical Score

Technical score
6.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 86% of models
Score components

26%

4.7

Wireless

20%

5.1

Ports

18%

7.5

Networking

14%

9.1

Security

12%

4.3

Hardware

10%

6.6

Management

â–¼Worse than 86% of routers
8.3

User score

User score
8.3/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 71% of models
Score components

70%

8.2

User reviews

30%

8.6

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.2
(1425)
amazon
3.9
(803)

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

â–²Better than 71% of routers
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  • asus-rt-n12e
  • asus-rt-n12e
  • asus-rt-n12e
asus-rt-n12e
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asus-rt-n12e

Best prices in UK

Best rankings

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Verdict

The ASUS RT-N12E is a 3-in-1 Wireless-N300 router designed for home and small office use, featuring a 2.4GHz single-band frequency with data transfer rates up to 300 Mbps. It is equipped with two fixed 5dBi high-gain antennas for extended coverage and utilizes 2x2 MIMO technology alongside 8MB of flash memory and 32MB of RAM. Key hardware includes one 10/100 BaseT WAN port and four 10/100 BaseT LAN ports, supporting versatile operation modes such as Router, Access Point, and Repeater. Main pros include its energy-efficient Green WLAN technology, a simple three-step CD-free installation process, and support for up to four multiple SSIDs for guest management. However, notable cons include the lack of a USB port for storage sharing, the absence of Gigabit Ethernet ports which limits wired speeds to 100 Mbps, and no support for the faster 5GHz band.

Technical Specifications of router ASUS RT N12E

Technical Score
Technical score
6.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 86% of models
Score components:

26%

4.7

Wireless

20%

5.1

Ports

18%

7.5

Networking

14%

9.1

Security

12%

4.3

Hardware

10%

6.6

Management

6.0
ASUS RT N12E has a technical score of 6 points, which is lower than that of 86% of products in this category.
User score
User score
8.3/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 71% of models
Score components

70%

8.2

User reviews

30%

8.6

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.2
(1425)
amazon
3.9
(803)

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

8.3
ASUS RT N12E has a user score of 8.31 points, which is higher than that of 70.6% of products in this category.
Popularity
Popularity
8.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you prefer to choose a router reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 76% of models
Popularity:
ASUS RT N12E has a popularity score of 8.6 points, which is higher than that of 76% of products in this category.
8.6
ASUS RT N12E has a popularity score of 8.6 points, which is higher than that of 76% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price
Value for money
7.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the router's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a router with a good balance between network performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 81% of models
Score components:

60%

6.3

Overall score

40%

10

Price

7.4
ASUS RT N12E has a value-for-money score of 7.4 points, which is lower than that of 75% of products in this category.
Brand name
Asus
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
This router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), which is less advanced than 60.8% of routers and equal to 37.3% of routers.
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 75% of models
This router supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi bands, which are less versatile than 75.4% of routers and equal to 22.4% of routers.
Wi-Fi speed
300 Mbps
Wi-Fi speed
300 Mbps
â–¼ Worse than 74% of models
Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
This router delivers 300 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, which is lower than 73.7% of routers and equal to 16.8% of routers.
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz
â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
This router supports 20 MHz + 40 MHz channel width options, which is fewer than 59.3% of routers and the same as 35.1% of routers.
Show more
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
â–¼ Worse than 67% of models
This router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS Wi-Fi security protocols, which are less advanced than 67.5% of routers and equal to 11.6% of routers.
DoS protection
yes
DoS protection
yes
â–² Better than 13% of models
This router includes DoS protection. 12.8% of routers include DoS protection.
SPI intrusion protection
yes
SPI intrusion protection
yes
â–² Better than 6% of models
This router includes SPI-based intrusion protection. 6.1% of routers include SPI-based intrusion protection.
MAC address filtering
yes
MAC address filtering
yes
â–² Better than 2% of models
This router supports MAC address filtering. 2.2% of routers include MAC address filtering.
URL filter
yes
URL filter
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router supports URL filtering. 3.4% of routers include URL filtering.
Show more
IPv6 support
yes
IPv6 support
yes
â–² Better than 12% of models
This router supports IPv6. 11.5% of routers are IPv6-ready.
Dynamic routing
no
Dynamic routing
no
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
This router does not support dynamic routing. 52.5% of routers support dynamic routing.
Inter-VLAN routing
no
Inter-VLAN routing
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not support inter-VLAN routing. 23.5% of routers support inter-VLAN routing.
VLAN tagging
no
VLAN tagging
no
â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
This router does not support VLAN tagging. 62% of routers include VLAN tagging.
QoS
yes
QoS
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router includes QoS controls. 3.2% of routers include QoS controls.
Show more
N. of LAN ports
4
N. of LAN ports
4
â–² Better than 24% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 4 LAN ports, which is more than 23.7% of routers and the same as 69.2% of routers.
LAN port speeds
100 Mbps
LAN port speeds
100 Mbps
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
This router offers 100 Mbps on its LAN ports, which is slower than 73.2% of routers and on par with 26.4% of routers.
N. of WAN ports
1
N. of WAN ports
1
â–¼ Worse than 9% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 WAN ports, which is more than 1% of routers and the same as 90.1% of routers.
N. of USB ports
0
N. of USB ports
0
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 0 USB ports, which is fewer than 60.8% of routers and the same as 39.2% of routers.
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Category Benchmark
This router does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE). 0.5% of routers can be powered over Ethernet.
Show more
Management interface
Web UI, App
Management interface
Web UI, App
â–² Better than 33% of models
This router uses Web UI, App for management, which is more advanced than 33.4% of routers and equal to 57% of routers.
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
This router supports Web UI firmware update methods, which are less convenient than 69.5% of routers and equal to 29.7% of routers.
Traffic monitoring
yes
Traffic monitoring
yes
â–² Better than 18% of models
This router includes traffic monitoring. 18.1% of routers include traffic monitoring.
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
â–² Better than 9% of models
This router offers a guest Wi‑Fi network. 8.6% of routers offer a guest Wi‑Fi network.
Captive portal
no
Captive portal
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not offer captive portal features. 23.5% of routers offer captive portal features.
Show more
CPU clock speed
0.3 GHz
CPU clock speed
0.3 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
This router runs at 0.3 GHz, which is slower than 94.2% of routers and on par with 4% of routers.
RAM capacity
32 MB
RAM capacity
32 MB
â–¼ Worse than 83% of models
Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
This router has 32 MB of RAM, which is less than 83.5% of routers and the same as 12% of routers.
Internal storage
0.007812 GB
Internal storage
0.007812 GB
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
This router has 0.007812 GB of internal storage, which is less than 72.7% of routers and the same as 20.6% of routers.
Hardware acceleration
no
Hardware acceleration
no
â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
This router does not offer hardware acceleration. 68.9% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
N. of external antennas
2
N. of external antennas
2
â–² Better than 45% of models
Market range: <0 – >10
This router has 2 external antennas, which is more than 45.1% of routers and the same as 13.1% of routers.
Show more

ASUS RT N12E vs the average router

246810TotalWirelessSecurityNetworkingPortsManagementHardware
  • Wider temperature range
    Operating temperature range
    0 to 45 C
    ★ Better than 93% of models
    This router is rated for 0 to 45 C, while the average router is rated for 0 to 40 C.
    0 to 45 C vs 0 to 40 C
  • 6.1 W lower power consumption
    Power consumption
    2 W
    ★ Better than 95% of models
    Market range: <3 W – >18 W
    This router uses less power than the average router (2 W vs 8.1 W). The average router uses 8.1 W power.
    2 W vs 8.1 W
  • 4.5x cheaper
    ASUS RT N12E is cheaper than the average router (£20 vs £90).
    £20 vs £90
  • 4.5x cheaper
    ASUS RT N12E is cheaper than the average router (£20 vs £90).
    £20 vs £90
  • Wider temperature range
    Operating temperature range
    0 to 45 C
    ★ Better than 93% of models
    This router is rated for 0 to 45 C, while the average router is rated for 0 to 40 C.
    0 to 45 C vs 0 to 40 C
  • 6.1 W lower power consumption
    Power consumption
    2 W
    ★ Better than 95% of models
    Market range: <3 W – >18 W
    This router uses less power than the average router (2 W vs 8.1 W). The average router uses 8.1 W power.
    2 W vs 8.1 W
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • Slower LAN ports
    LAN port speeds
    100 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    This router has a lower LAN port speed than the average router (100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps). The average router has a LAN port speed of 1 Gbps.
    100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps
  • Older Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    This router uses an older Wi-Fi version than the average router (Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)). The average router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • No hardware acceleration
    Hardware acceleration
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router does not offer hardware acceleration, while the average router does. 68.7% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
  • Fewer Wi-Fi bands
    Wi-Fi bands
    2.4 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 75% of models
    This router supports fewer Wi-Fi bands than the average router (2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz). The average router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
    2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • Lower CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    0.3 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
    This router has a lower CPU clock speed than the average router (0.3 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    0.3 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • 5.8% worse value for money
    ASUS RT N12E has worse value for money than the average router (7.39 vs 7.8).
    7.39 vs 7.82
  • Older Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    This router uses an older Wi-Fi version than the average router (Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)). The average router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • Fewer Wi-Fi bands
    Wi-Fi bands
    2.4 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 75% of models
    This router supports fewer Wi-Fi bands than the average router (2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz). The average router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
    2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
  • 79.7% slower Wi-Fi speed
    Wi-Fi speed
    300 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 74% of models
    Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
    This router has a lower Wi-Fi speed than the average router (300 Mbps vs 1475 Mbps). The average router reaches Wi-Fi speed of 1475 Mbps.
    300 Mbps vs 1,475 Mbps
  • Narrower channel widths
    Channel widths supported
    20 MHz + 40 MHz
    â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
    This router has a lower supported channel width than the average router (20 MHz + 40 MHz vs 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz). The average router supports channel width of 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz.
    20 MHz + 40 MHz vs 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
  • 1 fewer spatial streams
    N. of spatial streams
    2
    â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer spatial streams than the average router (2 vs 3). The average router has 3 spatial streams.
    2 vs 3
  • No band steering
    Band steering
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support band steering, while the average router does. 51.8% of routers support band steering.
  • No beamforming
    Beamforming
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 57% of models
    This router does not support beamforming, while the average router does. 56.7% of routers support beamforming.
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • No dynamic routing
    Dynamic routing
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support dynamic routing, while the average router does. 52.3% of routers support dynamic routing.
  • 9,988 fewer NAT sessions
    NAT concurrent sessions
    5,000
    â–¼ Worse than 71% of models
    Market range: <0 – >300k
    This router has fewer concurrent NAT sessions than the average router (5,000 vs 14,988). The average router supports 14,988 concurrent NAT sessions.
    5,000 vs 14,988
  • Slower LAN ports
    LAN port speeds
    100 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    This router has a lower LAN port speed than the average router (100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps). The average router has a LAN port speed of 1 Gbps.
    100 Mbps vs 1 Gbps
  • 1 fewer USB ports
    N. of USB ports
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    Market range: <0 – >5
    This router has fewer USB ports than the average router (0 vs 1). The average router has 1 USB ports.
    0 vs 1
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    none
    â–¼ Worse than 58% of models
    This router includes none NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    none vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • No DLNA support
    DLNA support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 54% of models
    This router does not support DLNA, while the average router does. 54% of routers support DLNA.
  • No hardware acceleration
    Hardware acceleration
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router does not offer hardware acceleration, while the average router does. 68.7% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
  • Lower CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    0.3 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
    This router has a lower CPU clock speed than the average router (0.3 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    0.3 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • 87.5% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    32 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 83% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (32 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    32 MB vs 256 MB
  • 93.8% less internal storage
    Internal storage
    0.007812 GB
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
    This router has less internal storage than the average router (0 GB vs 0.1 GB). The average router offers 0.125 GB of internal storage.
    0.007812 GB vs 0.125 GB
  • 3 older release date
    Release date
    2012
    â–¼ Worse than 65% of models
    Market range: <2k – >2k
    This router is an older model than the average router (2012 vs 2015). The average router release year is 2015.
    January 2012
    2012 vs 2015

Graphic comparison of ASUS RT N12E and other routers

No results found

Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
4.2
1425 Reviews
amazon
3.9
803 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: May 2026)

What customers like about ASUS RT N12E?

  • Affordable budget-friendly price point
  • Simple and quick setup process, often completed in minutes
  • Versatile operating modes including Router, Access Point, and Repeater
  • Comprehensive web interface (AsusWRT) with advanced customization options
  • Energy-efficient Green WLAN technology reduces power consumption
  • Stable performance for basic internet needs and small apartments

What customers dislike about ASUS RT N12E?

  • Limited Wi-Fi range that struggles to penetrate multiple walls
  • Lacks 5GHz band support, restricted to the more congested 2.4GHz frequency
  • No Gigabit Ethernet ports; LAN and WAN ports are limited to 100 Mbps
  • Can struggle with heavy traffic such as multiple simultaneous HD streams
  • Outdated Wireless-N (802.11n) technology compared to modern Wi-Fi 5 or 6 standards
  • Region-specific versions may include incompatible power plugs (e.g., European plugs in non-EU regions)

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

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