Asus combines Lyra Voice mesh router with Alexa assistant and Bluetooth speakers

Asus announces the Lyra Voice. It is a device that combines three functions: it is a WiFi router for, among other things, mesh networks, a smart home hub with Alexa and a speaker that can work via bluetooth.

The Lyra Voice router is part of Asus’ AiMesh family and can thus serve as a mesh router or as a node in existing mesh networks in combination with compatible Asus network equipment. In addition, the device can serve as a standalone tri-band router with support for 802.11ac, or WiFi 5. The router has six integrated antennas and a WAN and a LAN port.

In addition, there is support for bluetooth 4.2. The device has two 8W speakers that function via Bluetooth to reproduce audio. There is support for dts surround playback. In addition, there is a pair of microphones, which can pick up the voice commands for the integrated Amazon Alexa voice assistant. According to Asus, there is support for far-field detection and a Synaptics chip is present to filter noise. Support to control smart home devices will arrive sometime in the first quarter of this year. Asus has not yet announced the price and immediate availability.

Update: Originally, this post also included the RT-AX88U announced in the US, but this 802.11ax router is already available in the Benelux and has already been announced here.