AC Routeur<=>AC Bridge ?

[Nicolas]

Hello,

Since I moved to a new house recently, I have not wired rooms anymore. I'm renting the house, so I cannot go to the pain of getting a wired connection all around the house.
There's only my desk which got a wired access coming from the modem in the main entrence.

I have a server which I heavily use for virtualization testing. I need speed and stability... all what we get with Gb wired connection, I know.
I planned to install it in the garage next to my desk, but again do not want to get a hole through the wall in between.
So, I was thinking about a powerful routeur on my desk, I'd plug my client (a laptop) to a Gb port.
I'd place a bridge in my garage and plug my server to a Gb port in it.
There'd be about 1 meter between the two devices and a quite big wall (30-40 cm). My routeur will also be used for few others Wifi laptops.

What about a AC routeur/bridge and configure a 5GHz in between to get a max. speed ? But here I hesitate between the two Asus RT-AC66U and RT-AC68U.
I read the review about the 68 which does not seem so performant as we could expect for a brand new routeur, but is it really worth to go for an old one ?
The 68 is not yet available in my country, so perhaps the few issues will be fixed by then ?

Anybody tested such a configuration ? Any other advices ?

Thanks,

Nicolas.

 

[chris431]

I am using an AC66 in bridge mode connected to another AC66. The bridge AC66 connects to a switch that is connected to an HTPC that streams live TV from an HDHomerun (a constant 1-2MB/s; I tested 3 streams at once (>6MB/s with no issues), as well as stream media, and serves 4 or 5 other devices including a laptop that I frequently am using while watching TV. The AC66 delivers great throughput (excessive for uses other than file transfers; avg. 31MB/s file transfer; highs in the 40MB/s; alas this is an AC66 to an AC66) but has been much more flaky than the previous bridge I was using (an Asus EA-N66 bridge connected to an Asus RT-N65U - I replaced both simultaneously with the 2 AC66s). It requires intermittent reboots due to losing internet service (it typically continues TV streaming but does not provide internet service to the laptop, etc. so the connection to the router is there. I have not dug deep into what might be causing this issue - SEE UPDATE A FEW POSTS DOWN REGARDING STABILITY). The bridge is 60ft from the router. The wireless signal passes through several walls due to its location (straight shot was through a closet & front/back of bathroom walls) although given reflections some of the signal may go through a straight path bouncing down an open hall. The AC66 does have an older firmware (3004374130) that allowed it to serve as a bridge and an AP (using the other band not connected to the router) which might be of interest.

 

[stevech]

Anybody tested such a configuration ? Any other advices ?

Thanks,

Nicolas.

Would MoCA or IP on power wiring help you avoid using WiFi?

 

[Nicolas]

Thank you for your answer.
IP on power wiring could be an option indeed. However I'm already using for TV, would it be an issue ?

Nicolas.

 

[Nicolas]

Chris, I was also considering AC66 but worried about those intermittent required reboot...

 

[thiggins]

Thank you for your answer.
IP on power wiring could be an option indeed. However I'm already using for TV, would it be an issue ?

It should not be. You can have multiple powerline adapters.

 

[stevech]

Should be able to add a third adapter; don't need to buy in pairs.

 

[Pericynthion]

FWIW - I have an RT-AC66U running as the main router and then a Trend TEW-800MB media-bridge (4xgigabit eth ports) connected a 80Mhz in the next room.

I can't run powerline adapters due to the power-breakers in my new house, and this seems to do the trick quite nicely (its still $90 but half the price of another AC-66U)

 

[chris431]

My RT-AC66U to RT-AC66U (bridge mode) has been running rock solid since I assigned a fixed IP address in the bridge mode (under Lan -> Get LAN IP Automatically? Choose No & assign it the IP address it was generally connecting to) & rebooting the primary router after making said change. Perhaps this is a coincidence but it's more stable than I remember it in quite some time (up time of 9 days at the moment). My setup is:

Router -> Bridge -> Unmanaged Switch -> Devices (including htpc streaming cable from HD Homerun Prime).
The router is also independently connected to an unmanaged switch to connect other devices.

 

[p3matty]

My RT-AC66U to RT-AC66U (bridge mode) has been running rock solid since I assigned a fixed IP address in the bridge mode (under Lan -> Get LAN IP Automatically? Choose No & assign it the IP address it was generally connecting to) & rebooting the primary router after making said change. Perhaps this is a coincidence but it's more stable than I remember it in quite some time (up time of 9 days at the moment). My setup is:

Router -> Bridge -> Unmanaged Switch -> Devices (including htpc streaming cable from HD Homerun Prime).
The router is also independently connected to an unmanaged switch to connect other devices.

I'm considering a similar setup between asus routers, using one as a media bridge. Would the ac66u to ac66u allow for a further distance between them than a pair of n66us? Would a pair of ac68us allow for even further distance between them? I'm trying to get a pair to connect between 2 floors roughly 70 feet apart - and I don't think powerline adapters will work as the plugs are fed from different breaker boxes.