Either way, the LEDs will light up to show that WPS is active when you connect a device to one of the four LAN ports, and yes, we also have a dedicated LED for the 2.5GbE LAN port. Each radio band has an LED, as does the WAN port. Turning the ASUS RT-AX86U Pro around, we see that the entire back panel is covered in various shaped vents that should help with heat dissipation. And towards the bottom, you can see the ports and connectors.
asus-rt-ax86u-pro-ports
But it’s missing some mounting holes, so you won’t be able to mount this router on a wall. That’s not surprising, since this particular form factor was never meant to be placed anywhere other than on a desk. Then again, other devices can, like the Synology RT1900ac. That said, in the port area, you’ll find a power jack, a power switch, and a recessed reset button. Next up are two USB ports: one 3.0, one 2.0, which is a very odd downgrade from the RT-AX86U’s two USB 3.0 ports.
Further to the right are a Gigabit WAN port, a 2.5GbE canada telegram data LAN port (which can also function as a WAN), and four Gigabit LAN ports. The first of the four LAN ports is labeled as a gaming port, so connect your console or any gaming device to it for a better experience.
Temperature control
asus-rt-ax86u-pro-wifi6-router-heat
Almost all ASUS wireless routers have improved in terms of heat management since the RT-AX68U, and I suspect the RT-AX86U Pro will do just as well. So I grabbed a smartphone with a built-in thermal camera and snapped some photos. As you can see, there are some warmer spots where the heat sinks are dissipating heat, but overall, performance is decent.