THE NEXT STEP for mesh routers appears
to be integrating voice assistants into
their repertoire. With the release of
the Lyra Voice, Asus joins the likes of the
Netgear Orbi Voice by releasing a router
that also takes a turn as a gateway to
the wonderful world of Amazon Alexa.
In terms of headline figures, this is
very much a router in the same guise
as the original Lyra, offering AC2200
connectivity: 400Mb/s at 2.4GHz, and
dual 867Mb/s connections at 5GHz.
Before we go any further, it’s worth
considering how this will fit in your
home, because if the Internet connection
enters your house in a foyer, under a
staircase, or somewhere out of the way,
this limits the usefulness of the main
selling point of the Lyra Voice as an all-
in-one solution. The good news is that
the Lyra Voice can work alongside your
existing mesh network (or indeed any
Wi-Fi router), but in many ways, it’s much
neater as an all-in-one solution (if your
layout will play ball).
The Lyra Voice is different from
your normal router in that it boasts a
fabric finish and isn’t covered in visible
antennae. There’s a slightly thinner band
in the middle adorned with the Asus logo,
the light strip used by Alexa to show that
it’s heard you (and al so used dur ing setup
to show where it is in the installation
process), and four buttons on the top that
control volume, mute the speaker, and
wake Alexa instantly. Around the back is
an on/off switch, as well as two Ethernet
ports, and a power connector.
In terms of audio, the Lyra Voice is
loud without being overbearing, and it
isn’t overly bass heavy, which can oftenDecent smart speaker that happens to be a router
Asus Lyra Voice
7
VERDICT Asus Lyra VoiceCONNECTED Performs
decently; operates as a
Bluetooth speaker; Alexa works well.
DETACHED Software needs work; not
ideal for every layout.
$220, http://www.asus.comSPECIFICATIONSConnectivity AC2200 (400Mb/s on 2.4GHz;
867Mb/s + 867Mb/s on 5GHz)
Antenna 6x Wi-Fi, 1x Bluetooth
Memory 256MB Flash, 512MB RAM
Ports 1x Gigabit WAN port,
1x Gigabit LAN port
Encryption WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPA-
Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise
Dimensions 10.6 x 3 x 3 inchesbe the case with Bluetooth speakers.
Speaking of which, when paired as a
Bluetooth speaker or streaming directly,
it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable
musical experience, and thanks to Alexa,
it’s easy to control as well. As a smart
speaker, it impresses—we found talking
to Alexa, even from a distance, worked
well. The responses are clear, and it was
reasonably rare for us to have to clarify
any of our questions.SOFTWARE SORROWS
All good so far, which brings us to our
biggest problem with the Lyra Voice—
its software. We initially tried setting up
the Lyra Voice as an additional unit to an
existing mesh network, but couldn’t get
it to complete the installation, despite
picking up the network we wanted it to
attach to easily enough. We then tried
setting it up in router mode, but came
unstuck at the end of installation as well.
It transpired that there was a problem
with the setup app, and judging by the
comments on the app store, this problem
had been ongoing for some time.
After several weeks, an update finally
became available, and at this point we
could finish the installation, and use it as
intended. However, we then witnessed
performance that was well below what
you’d expect from a modern router—
5Mb/s, even if standing next to it. Fast-
forward a few more eagerly downloaded
updates, and we finally have a router that
performs well. But as experiences go, it
hardly instils confidence.
Once configured properly (and
updated), the actual throughput you’ll
enjoy from the Lyra Voice is impressive,especially at range. It’s a consistent
performer, too. Indeed, for a single
router, it managed much better coverage
than we would have expected, and for
modest sized homes, there’s a lot to like
here as a standalone router.
However, the initial software
problems left a bad taste in our mouths,
and while it now works as intended, this
did knock our confidence in Asus’s ability
to maintain the software in a reasonable
timeframe. That said, the combination of
a smart assistant and decent Bluetooth
speaker makes for a tempting addition
to normal router capabilities. And while
it may cost a little more than a normal
router, it feels like a good return on the
investment. –ALAN DEXTERmaximumpc.com DEC 2019 MAXIMUMPC 87