I know that wireless range extenders cut wireless throughput roughly in half.
I wanted to better understand and confirm my understanding about media bridges (specifically the Asus WIRELESS media bridge implementation) and access points.
A. (Just including this method for reference - I do not have question aboput extenders)
Wireless Range extender - I tried one when i had a Linksys E4200 router, but the issue of course was that it cut throughput in half (which I knew going in but I had no other choice).
B. Configuring network using Media bridge (wireless) - Asus offers this on their RT-AC66U.
My understanding is that you set one AC66U up in regular 'router' mode and then configure the second AC66U router up in 'media bridge' mode.
The first one then communicates with the second one wirelessly via one band (e.g. 5 GHz) and the bridge AC66U can be connected to both via its ethernet ports (wired) or wirelessly via the other band (2.4 GHz e.g.)
1. Is there any throughput loss on the wireless side either when connecting a wifi client (e.g. laptop with wifi adapter) to the main router wirelessly or to the bridge wirelessly when operating in this wireless media bridge?
C. Configuring network using Access Point.
E.g. one Asus AC66U router is configured as a router, the second is set up in 'access point' mode and connected to the main RT-AC66U via ethernet (not wirelessly).
In this scenario, one can connect wifi-enabled devices (clients) wirelessly to the router operating in access point in case the client is too far from the primary router which is operating in 'router' mode.
2. I assume there is no wireless throughput loss in this scenario since the two
routers are connected via ethernet?
3. Are separate SSID's used? (I know a limitation of my old extender was that it had to have the same SSID as the router, so you could not be sure whether your clients werre connected to the router's SSID or the extender's SSID...
I appreciate any feedback since I've never experimented with options B and C I had no need and maybe still don't but seeing the media bridge mode on the AC66U, resurrected my curiosity with respect to AP's and (now) media bridges...
PS: Feel free to correct any misunderstandings noted above...
I don't claim to be familiar with AP's and bridges.
What are the pros and cons or B and C?
Note - If I explorer either the media bridge or AP solution it would be with the goal to extend my wifi network a bit further (not sure i even need it given the performance of my AC66U, but it can't hurt to educate myself on this and, potentially, explore some of these options since I may need them down the road).
I wanted to better understand and confirm my understanding about media bridges (specifically the Asus WIRELESS media bridge implementation) and access points.
A. (Just including this method for reference - I do not have question aboput extenders)
Wireless Range extender - I tried one when i had a Linksys E4200 router, but the issue of course was that it cut throughput in half (which I knew going in but I had no other choice).
B. Configuring network using Media bridge (wireless) - Asus offers this on their RT-AC66U.
My understanding is that you set one AC66U up in regular 'router' mode and then configure the second AC66U router up in 'media bridge' mode.
The first one then communicates with the second one wirelessly via one band (e.g. 5 GHz) and the bridge AC66U can be connected to both via its ethernet ports (wired) or wirelessly via the other band (2.4 GHz e.g.)
1. Is there any throughput loss on the wireless side either when connecting a wifi client (e.g. laptop with wifi adapter) to the main router wirelessly or to the bridge wirelessly when operating in this wireless media bridge?
C. Configuring network using Access Point.
E.g. one Asus AC66U router is configured as a router, the second is set up in 'access point' mode and connected to the main RT-AC66U via ethernet (not wirelessly).
In this scenario, one can connect wifi-enabled devices (clients) wirelessly to the router operating in access point in case the client is too far from the primary router which is operating in 'router' mode.
2. I assume there is no wireless throughput loss in this scenario since the two
routers are connected via ethernet?
3. Are separate SSID's used? (I know a limitation of my old extender was that it had to have the same SSID as the router, so you could not be sure whether your clients werre connected to the router's SSID or the extender's SSID...
I appreciate any feedback since I've never experimented with options B and C I had no need and maybe still don't but seeing the media bridge mode on the AC66U, resurrected my curiosity with respect to AP's and (now) media bridges...
PS: Feel free to correct any misunderstandings noted above...
I don't claim to be familiar with AP's and bridges.
What are the pros and cons or B and C?
Note - If I explorer either the media bridge or AP solution it would be with the goal to extend my wifi network a bit further (not sure i even need it given the performance of my AC66U, but it can't hurt to educate myself on this and, potentially, explore some of these options since I may need them down the road).