12V ASUS router with the longest 2.4GHz WiFi range

[nishadrox]

Hi,
I'm new here.

I have an ASUS AX4200Q and some smart bulbs around the house that only support 2.4GHz Wifi.

But the 2.4 GHz wifi range of that router is not good enough for one smart bulb.

So I want to know a better 12V ASUS wifi router which has a longer 2.4GHz wifi range than the AX4200Q does. Currently looking at buying an AX86U PRO.

Please let me know if AX86U Pro can do the trick.

Thanks!

 

[kuki68ster]

Need more details...

How big is your house? One floor? Two?

AX86U PRO is better than the AX4200Q, but it will depend on how much ground you need to cover.

Maybe a AX86U PRO (main) + AX4200Q (aimesh mode ethernet backhaul mode)...

 

[nishadrox]

Two floors, and I have to have the router in my room on the first floor (Not ground floor which is where the smart bulb is). House has cement walls.

AX4200Q can connect to that specific smart bulb. But the problem is it drops from time to time. I want to know if the AX86U PRO would be able to connect to that smart bulb WITHOUT intermittent dropping. Also the bulb only supports 2.4GHz wifi.

 

[kuki68ster]

Don't you have another Asus router (old model) to try and setup as an aimesh node?

If only that specific smart bulb is having issues, probably the signal is very weak on the ground floor, so you would need to put another acess point there (better if it had an ethernet connection to the main router).

The AX86U PRO is better than AX4200Q, but there is no guarantee it would solve the issue, in the same circumstances.

Concrete walls are more effective at blocking WiFi signals than brick walls because of their higher density and thicker mass.

You can buy the AX86U PRO, set it up as the main router and use the AX4200Q in the ground floor as an aimesh node...I think that would work.

 

[Crimliar]

I'd be making sure that it is the router that's the problem before doing anything else! You should be able to see the signal strength to the bulb from "Network Map: View List" on your router. Unless it's only a single bar I'd not be worried about the signal strength - most smart bulb only sip data spending most of their time on standby. If it is low then think about adding an AP, or mesh unit (dumb repeaters should be your very last option). Also is the router in a good location?
If the signal strength is good, I might also be thinking about the wiring at the switch and the lamp holder itself - if you are not competent/confident in working with mains electricity get in someone who is!

 

[rung]

If it's just a smart bulb, why not just put in an inexpensive WiFi extender like the TP-Link AC1200?

 

[nishadrox]

Thanks for all your suggestions!

Sine AX86U Pro might aslo not solve my problem I'm now thinking about getting a AX3000 or something and make it a mesh node as outlined below.

I already have an AX1800S that I can also make a mesh node.
So AX4200Q will be the main router, while AX1800S and AX3000 will be mesh nodes.

AX4200Q - my room upstairs (About at the center of my house/land)
AX 3000 - dining room ground floor (Close to the back of the house where I have 3 smart devices including the smart bulb in question)
AX1800S - living room ground floor (Close to the front of the house where I have 3 smart devices all of which can already connect to the AX4200Q main router)

Will the above setup be a problem? Will devices switch between the routers causing me to get smart device offline notifications (which I hate getting multiple of)? Any other problems...?

Binding a device to a router could be problematic...

 

[nishadrox]

Also with AX1800S as a mesh node with AX4200Q I get this notification when trying to click Apply on Wireless>Professional page

Any idea what's not supported by AX1800S? Will I need to get two AX3000 units for my AiMesh and replace the AX1800S for good, for compatibility purposes? Please let me know...

 

[kuki68ster]

Also with AX1800S as a mesh node with AX4200Q I get this notification when trying to click Apply on Wireless>Professional page
View attachment 57755

Any idea what's not supported by AX1800S? Will I need to get two AX3000 units for my AiMesh and replace the AX1800S for good, for compatibility purposes? Please let me know...

Try first with the devices you already have.

Leave the professional settings alone, you will do more harm than good meddling with that...

Check if you have firmware upgrades available, if so upgrade your routers and factory reset so you can set your network as new...

If possible connect the nodes trough ethernet cable, so as to free the wifi bandwidth for the devices that need it...

For the devices that you don't want roaming between the routers you have 2 options:

Don't activate smart connect, setup the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz separated and connect your devices using the prefered acess point;

or

activate smart connect, aimesh mode and when connecting your devices, bond a specific device to a specific band in the aimesh settings (Connect one by one your devices and bind the device accordingly)...

 

[ColinTaylor]

Also with AX1800S as a mesh node with AX4200Q I get this notification when trying to click Apply on Wireless>Professional page

Any idea what's not supported by AX1800S? Will I need to get two AX3000 units for my AiMesh and replace the AX1800S for good, for compatibility purposes? Please let me know...

I've never heard of the AX4200Q before. It looks like a China-only model. I suspect it is objecting to you setting the AX1800S to Australia rather than China. If it's not that try toggling each option one at a time until you find the culprit. My next guess would be "Xtra Range 2.0". In any case it sounds like a warning that you can choose to ignore.

Why are you limiting your choice of routers to only those that run off 12 volts?

 

[Tech9]

If it's just a smart bulb, why not just put in an inexpensive WiFi extender like the TP-Link AC1200?

Even N300 extender will do, TL-WA850RE is like $15. I'm sure this "smart" bulb is 2.4GHz only.

 

[nishadrox]

Try first with the devices you already have.

Leave the professional settings alone, you will do more harm than good meddling with that...

Check if you have firmware upgrades available, if so upgrade your routers and factory reset so you can set your network as new...

If possible connect the nodes trough ethernet cable, so as to free the wifi bandwidth for the devices that need it...

For the devices that you don't want roaming between the routers you have 2 options:

Don't activate smart connect, setup the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz separated and connect your devices using the prefered acess point;

or

activate smart connect, aimesh mode and when connecting your devices, bond a specific device to a specific band in the aimesh settings (Connect one by one your devices and bind the device accordingly)...

How do I set a device to conenct to a specific band? Specific node is there in the settings.

I've never heard of the AX4200Q before. It looks like a China-only model. I suspect it is objecting to you setting the AX1800S to Australia rather than China. If it's not that try toggling each option one at a time until you find the culprit. My next guess would be "Xtra Range 2.0". In any case it sounds like a warning that you can choose to ignore.

Why are you limiting your choice of routers to only those that run off 12 volts?

Yes it's a China-only model. I need to use a UPS for all routers, that's why I'm limited to 12V...

 

[rung]

Even N300 extender will do, TL-WA850RE is like $15. I'm sure this "smart" bulb is 2.4GHz only.

Not sure if it's a gimmick but the dual band for $24 let you receive on 2.4GHz and then connect to the router on 5GHz to increase throughout. Still how much bandwidth does a bulb need anyway?

 

[L&LD]

More than a gimmick, it is an impossibility.

The throughput will always be less than the maximum of the backhaul. Always.

Even if it was hardwired to a client, with a 2.4GHz backhaul, she ain't going faster.

 

[kuki68ster]

How do I set a device to conenct to a specific band? Specific node is there in the settings.


Yes it's a China-only model. I need to use a UPS for all routers, that's why I'm limited to 12V...

Will you be using Smart Connect? If so, you need to go to AiMesh / Topology and you will see in your right corner the client list, where you will have the option to bind a device to a particular wifi band (you can refresh them to get the optimal signal):

You also have the option to enable the roaming block list, to force a device to maintain his connection to a specific acess point:

 

[rung]

More than a gimmick, it is an impossibility.

The throughput will always be less than the maximum of the backhaul. Always.

Even if it was hardwired to a client, with a 2.4GHz backhaul, she ain't going faster.

What I meant was if the gadget was only 2.4GHz capable, the throughput is cut in half at best (50% for client, 50% to router). But if the gadget had two bands you could dedicate 2.4GHz to the client and 5GHz to the router. Faster but limited to whichever channel has less bandwidth. I didn't mean to imply it would exceed the lesser of the two!

 

[Tech9]

Still how much bandwidth does a bulb need anyway?

It needs virtually no bandwidth. Just some connectivity to receive commands and report status, eventually.

 

[nishadrox]

So I tested with the AX4200Q as the main router and my old AX1800S as the mesh node.
Still that smart bulb keeps dropping. I even reset that smart bulb. The AX1800S is about 5 meters away from the smart bulb. Still no luck.
This is getting to be a headache.

I think these "dumb" smart devices can't connect to the node with the highest signal. Even if I bind this bulb to the closest node it still drops.

 

[bbunge]

So I tested with the AX4200Q as the main router and my old AX1800S as the mesh node.
Still that smart bulb keeps dropping. I even reset that smart bulb. The AX1800S is about 5 meters away from the smart bulb. Still no luck.
This is getting to be a headache.

I think these "dumb" smart devices can't connect to the node with the highest signal. Even if I bind this bulb to the closest node it still drops.

Some smart devices are not too smart. Your best bet is to use the router default WIFI settings including Dual Band SmartConnect. This includes using WPA2-PERSONAL.

 

[nishadrox]

If I were to use a single standalone router, will an AX86U Pro be a better solution than using the AX4200Q in terms of 2.4GHz wifi range?