2X RT-AC68U - router/AP or AiMesh

[Joe Campitelli]

I'm looking for some guidance on how to best set up a pair of RT-AC68U. Whether I set them up as router/AP or as AiMesh router and node I have an overlapping space where the wireless handoff from one node to the other takes several seconds to complete. This only happens when the wireless client is travelling from one area to the other. When using MS Teams or FaceTime, it's enough to disrupt the connection.

I'm on the latest Asus firmware using ethernet backhaul. I'm currently in a Router/AP configuration. Is the expectation AiMesh supposed to handle the handoff better?

In the past I've tried running Merlin firmware, using L&LD and OE's recommended suggestions but I keep running into the same issue. I've also tried adjusting the roaming assistant but I think that it just causes the handoff to happen earlier (or later) depending which way I adjust the RA.

I don't expect a seamless handoff between nodes but is it fair to expect the handshake to take a few seconds and not 15-20 seconds?

 

[Tech9]

Whether I set them up as router/AP or as AiMesh router and node I have an overlapping space where the wireless handoff from one node to the other takes several seconds to complete.

Roaming is the same in both configurations. It depends mostly on clients and several seconds is normal. I would run router/AP for more control over the AP. AiMesh does the same thing with prettier UI, but less AP control. You can't set different channels for AP with AiMesh. I tested with AC86U routers and clients behavior is exactly the same. My test wasn't long enough and I don't know how stable AiMesh is, but router/AP should work without hiccups.

 

[Mr Tvardovsky]

I confirm the @Tech9 's recommendation. My routers are very similar hardware as yours (and in case of AsusWRT-Merlin, exactly the same firmware). I extensively tested both setups and performance-wise, they were practically the same to me - including stability. I settled with AiMesh mainly for the reason of central management, which got very nicely improved with AiMesh 2.0. By the way, on Merlin you can still manage the nodes / APs individually via SSH.

 

[Joe Campitelli]

It depends mostly on clients and several seconds is normal.

That makes sense. I'm just surprised that several seconds is considered normal. If that is the expected behavior I may need to consider a single centrally located access point powerful enough to reach the far corners of my home or consider a different solution that may offer seamless handoff.

 

[ComputerAbuser]

Interesting, I would have expected AiMesh to handle it better. When you have two APs with the same SSID without any handoff logic, you basically need to get far enough to lose signal from one, before it will connect to the other. I thought the AiMesh would include logic to kick the user to the other AP based on the signal levels it sees from both APs.
At least, that's how other Mesh networks handle it. They are advertised as being able to hold a video call seamlessly when switching APs.

 

[Tech9]

Promising feature in AiMesh 2.0 is the guest network extension to nodes. This is something you don't have with router/AP configuration.

 

[Mr Tvardovsky]

They are advertised as being able to hold a video call seamlessly when switching APs.

In my experience, it depends a lot on the client. In my setup, I can seamlessly roam in a video call on my company notebook, but not on the home one. My iPhone is a bit picky, on some occasions roams better than on others. Even with AiMesh it helps if you enable Roaming Assistant in the wireless Professional settings of the router.

 

[bbunge]

I have these routers in a small office in a warehouse with no connection issues and up time since the Feb 3 except for a power failure. Root router and two AiMesh nodes. One wired the other wireless. Asus beta firmware. Using the guest 1 across the nodes.