Advice for a 60+ device home where base can't be central

[Elbub]

AiMesh is an Asus thing. If you want to use it you will need an all Asus setup.

Afaik, you can't use 'mesh' routers between brands currently.

I was wondering if it was worth moving to two ASUS devices.

But with much of the advice, I've done some reconfiguration - what I can do without the factory reset - and I've been able to improve the dropped-packet problem. Turned 2.4GHz back on on the extender on a different channel and removed the sonos conflict. Backhaul still is flaky. Hoping the reset solves that, as the backhaul weirdness is new after the last firmware update that added parental controls and the new security stuff. I really am hoping the factory reset solves it.

 

[coxhaus]

Setting wireless up for 100 meg connection is much different than a 1 gig connection. A 100 meg ISP connection can be distributed with 2.4 GHz. When you switch to a 1 gig ISP connection then 2.4 GHz is lacking and you need 5 GHz to tap the potential of the 1 gig connection. Going to 5 GHz requires more APs to distribute the 5 GHz signal in a larger house. Consumer routers start lacking when going to 3 or 4 wireless APs. You will want software to manage all the APs as 1 virtual wireless AP. This is all based on wanting or using fast wireless. If you are happy with slow wireless then you can get away with less APs and the slower 2.4GHz wireless.

 

[Trip]

@Elbub - How many square feet is your place? Any chance you could upload a layout with some scaling/dimensions labeled? Depending on the speeds you desire, you might be able to do this all-wirelessly, but likely not towards the top end of wifi speeds. For that you'll need to hard-wire at least a pair of APs, if not more (square footage and materials depending).

 

[Elbub]

@Elbub - How many square feet is your place? Any chance you could upload a layout with some scaling/dimensions labeled? Depending on the speeds you desire, you might be able to do this all-wirelessly, but likely not towards the top end of wifi speeds. For that you'll need to hard-wire at least a pair of APs, if not more (square footage and materials depending).

4700sf.

And a few updates. I spent the day re-configuring everything. I got the backchannels working at speed and deconflicted Sonos. I'm not fairly convinced that the EAX80 is the main problem. I was able to relocate it to a more central location. It seems to do a very poor job of handling streaming traffic and locks up. Everything connected directly via wire or wireless to the RAX200 is fine. What's weird is that the EAX80 seems to isolate the connected devices from the main network and meter the connection back. Signal strength is fine. Even the netgear admin page shows great signal. But it locks up continually and seems to be the main source of the issue.

I've ordered a pair of ASUS RT-AX92Us to try in mesh-mode to see if there is a difference. I'll return them if not.

The factory reset and rebuild seemed to completely stabilize the RAX200.

 

[coxhaus]

There is no way you are going to cover 4700sf with 2 wireless units very well unless you are happy with weak 2.4 GHz in some areas.

 

[Trip]

@Elbub - 4700sf is likely going to require 3 to 5 APs, depending on your speed goals, environmental variables and the wireless product itself.

Q: Is your airspace fairly congested, or are your broadcasts pretty much the only thing you pickup in/around the house? If it's the latter, something with higher static backhaul spatial streams, like AmpliFi Alien, may work well enough -- three units of each: one right by the firewall divide (on the larger half of the house), the other on the same side towards the far end, and the third alone on the opposite side of the firewall in the smaller half of the house, so that the middle one serves as a hub between the other two. But with three you're ~$1K and honestly at that point you'd just be better off investing in a solid cabling job, lower-cost wired APs and be done with it.

Maybe AiMesh will work well enough for you. I've heard an all-wireless deployment of it has its issues, but perhaps they've addressed those well enough by now. You'll likely need to add a third or even fourth node, though.

 

[MichaelCG]

We really need to better understand the floor plan, distances, and wall materials a bit more. 4700sqft is a lot of area to cover with 2 APs especially with the number of devices you have connecting. 20+ devices per radio with less than optimal RF characteristics will never make for a good experience.

Also, you keep throwing money at fancy devices, but still more than likely have too much distance or interference between the devices.

 

[Elbub]

OK, for those following along at home. The EAX80 ended up being the weak link. It is, IMHO, a piece of unstable garbage. I did a complete rework and got it working, but the instability of the EAX80 kept causing problems. I decided to grab an ASUS GT-AX11000 and the RT-AX92U 2-pack. The GT-AX11000 alone just about fixed the issues. Much better signal distribution. I added the first RT-AX92U in AIMesh mode and I was pretty much done. Ended up installing the second RT-AX92U to provide a bit better signal to the master bedroom, but honestly it wasn't necessary.

Not saying a Netgear mesh option wouldn't have solved the issue, but The RAX200/EAX80pairing just didn't work.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and advice. Problem solved for now.

 

[coxhaus]

I can tell you I never would be happy with your wireless system in that large of house. I would have to replace it as it would be too frustrating for me. I could not stand the weak signals and the effect it would have on the wireless system. To each his own.

 

[Elbub]

I can tell you I never would be happy with your wireless system in that large of house. I would have to replace it as it would be too frustrating for me. I could not stand the weak signals and the effect it would have on the wireless system. To each his own.

Its hard to understand the house layout without seeing pictures, but imagine a pretty much completely-open middle area with a loft. Like full, open-floor-plan (I sound like HGTV) and a wing with the master BR and another wing with an office and a bedroom.

Signal distribution from the loft has never been an issue. And for years I've used the RG-6 connection in the loft to host the main router. The problem started when I had to move the main router to one extreme end of the house and then put an extender in the loft. As I rewired, I did some signal testing and found that the signal strength was very different.

I'm seeing ~200mbs down/50mbs up from most locations in my house. Those hardwired in my office are getting full gig. So using products with better signal distribution and a mesh vs extender seems to have worked.

EDIT: I should add, I'll make someone a deal on an RAX200 and an EAX80

 

[coxhaus]

I would immediately junk that system. There is no way you can convince me 2 APs cover 4700 sqft. and does a good job.

 

[L&LD]

@coxhaus it really does depend on the home layout and the router and a little luck (construction materials used).

RT-AC3100 Report https://www.snbforums.com/threads/s...-go-with-the-rt-ac1900p-v3.34748/#post-281391

In 2016 when I set up that single router for my customer with about 5000 SqFt on 3 floors, I was pleasantly surprised too.

 

[coxhaus]

No way it would make me happy. I would replace it.