(AI)Mesh vs Access Point

[Preskitt.man]

Not having much else to do the other day, I took an old Netgear Router (N750), put it into AP mode and placed it in my family room using a cable connection) and now have more solid WiFi service in the family room, as well as 5 extra LAN ports for my AV equipment. As I walk from family room to back of house where my ASUS router is, I can see my phone switch from the AP in the family room to the router in the office. All is good.

So, this got me to wondering, what are the advantages and differences between this and a mesh system. I'm guessing there is a less setup work in Mesh and if you don't need a cable connection. Beyond that, is there more?

 

[thiggins]

An access point connected via Ethernet is always preferable to a Wi-Fi extender or mesh point. It's all about the backhaul (the thing connecting an AP to the wired network). No wireless connection is going to beat the bandwidth and stability of Ethernet.

 

[Grisu]

An access point connected via Ethernet is always preferable to a Wi-Fi extender or mesh point. It's all about the backhaul (the thing connecting an AP to the wired network). No wireless connection is going to beat the bandwidth and stability of Ethernet.

But you can use ethernet-backhaul on an AiMesh as well!

Advantage less config-work and if it works seamless WiFi-transition from one to the other router.

 

[Vincent Wong]

But you can use ethernet-backhaul on an AiMesh as well!

Advantage less config-work and if it works seamless WiFi-transition from one to the other router.

Not forgetting a single WiFi ID.


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[agilani]

But you can use ethernet-backhaul on an AiMesh as well!

Advantage less config-work and if it works seamless WiFi-transition from one to the other router.

Sharing a single wireless channel between the router and the aimesh nodes is less than ideal.

 

[Grisu]

Not forgetting a single WiFi ID.


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You can setup a single SSID in AP-mode too, thats not only possible with AiMesh.

 

[Paolo Rolfo]

Not forgetting a single WiFi ID.


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You can also use same SSID with access point net, but for better performance every radio need a unique channel.
Imho mesh net are easy to setup but for people able to configure a router a cable backhaul accesspoint offer a much better performance and possibility of managment.
Same mesh node are able to use cable backhaul only on paper!

 

[Vincent Wong]

You can setup a single SSID in AP-mode too, thats not only possible with AiMesh.

No doubt you can do that with an AP. But it does not have roaming control with you have an overlapping WiFi coverage of your Primary AP and your secondary AP. In my experience the client will stay with the primary AP even if it’s signal is a lot weaker even when it is near the secondary AP. This is one reason why AI Mesh wins over AP.


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[Paolo Rolfo]

Your point is partially correct because channel HOP is a firmware device behaviour .
You may also state that access point coverage is almost better then mesh node.
The problem you report is true but how many device you use when moving across the node?


Inviato dal mio F5121 utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[greggy101]

Just my 2 cents
I had 3 routers w/Merlin's FW on them. Main AC88U, and 2 AP's AC68U.
Wireless coverage was okay (big 3 story house). Then I've got AX88U as a main one and decided to try AiMesh on it with the other 2 APs turned into nodes with stock FW on them.
The result was beyond GREAT! I have never had such a good coverage and signal strength (except with Hugo's FW)
Setup with ethernet-backhaul was quick and easy. But there is 1 negative aspect of all of this - I can't get used to the firmware without Merlin's touch to it. Eric has stated number of times that he won't be able to support AiMesh and honestly this is the worst case scenario for me. I will probably wait a couple of months with my fingers crossed that Eric will change his mind and if not I will revert back to his FW and go with 2 AP's to extend the wireless coverage.
FYI -for the first time I used the "Smart Connect" option and it worked like a charm!

 

[HuskyHerder]

I will probably wait a couple of months with my fingers crossed that Eric will change his mind and if not I will revert back to his FW and go with 2 AP's to extend the wireless coverage.

Likely not gonna happen. If I recall correctly, he said the AIMesh was closed source, so there would be no way to support it.

 

[greggy101]

Likely not gonna happen. If I recall correctly, he said the AIMesh was closed source, so there would be no way to support it.

If I remember it correctly the emphasis was on compability issues with Merlin's FW, code being closed source is obviously the problem but it seems as majority of the features are beyond access by any skilled programmers including Eric. What I would hope for is for Eric to make a single entry AiMesh On/Off and let users decide whether they would want to try and play with it, disclaiming that there is no support for this feature and at user's own risk. AiMesh is an embedded feature and it wouldn't require Eric to make any changes to it. At least that's is my understanding of it and of course I could be wrong

 

[HuskyHerder]

Well the last bit I found was here https://www.snbforums.com/threads/faq-read-me-first-before-posting-a-question.47153/

Well hopefully, I to am wrong too, I guess never say never.

Q: Will Asuswrt-Merlin support AiMesh?
A: Highly unlikely, due to technical limitations caused by incompatibilities between my code, and Asus's closed source components for AiMesh.

 

[greggy101]

This could be my wishful thinking but I see AiMesh as inevitable feature that one way or the other, sooner or later will get an implementation in RMerlin's FW.
As Asus irons out their code and all the bugs will be gone (it is already getting better) Eric will see it as "less
headache" and hopefully will give it a try. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Also, hoping he will notice this thread and will chime in

 

[HuskyHerder]

Just for the record, I am having issues giving up Merlin too. Ive went back and forth a couple of times the last month. It's so hard to loose Merlin builds/functionality. I too would love his support of Mesh. But I am not banking on it, and I have prepared, myself..

 

[HendryAripin]

so atm the combination aimesh uding merlin cant be done?

 

[Paolo Rolfo]

No doubt you can do that with an AP. But it does not have roaming control with you have an overlapping WiFi coverage of your Primary AP and your secondary AP. In my experience the client will stay with the primary AP even if it’s signal is a lot weaker even when it is near the secondary AP. This is one reason why AI Mesh wins over AP.


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802.11R Is implementation for WiFi roaming device.

Inviato dal mio F5121 utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[Shah Saad]

But you can use ethernet-backhaul on an AiMesh as well!

Advantage less config-work and if it works seamless WiFi-transition from one to the other router.

Is that seamless transition possible in AP mode as well? I have two two 86U set as AiMesh network and thinking about experimenting with the AP mode.

Also I am unable to access the Usb device attached with the node which I read on this forum isn't possible straightaway. So in AP mode I can access the USB device attached with the AP router?

 

[Grisu]

Is that seamless transition possible in AP mode as well? I have two two 86U set as AiMesh network and thinking about experimenting with the AP mode.

Also I am unable to access the Usb device attached with the node which I read on this forum isn't possible straightaway. So in AP mode I can access the USB device attached with the AP router?

try it, in AP mode it is dependent on clients to make transition. USB will work in AP-mode.
Guest wont be available on node when meshed.