AiMesh setup with ac88u & ac5300

[SadikP]

Planning to set up an AiMesh with an ac88u & ac5300.

My question is which one do I use as the main router?

The Asus setup guide says I should use the more advanced router as the main, would this be the ac5300?

 

[HuskyHerder]

I was gonna say the 5300, I'm a little biased as I love my alien thingy. lol
However, I just looked at a comparison on the ASUS site and, now I am curious what others have to say. Though that want change my love of the 5300.

The 5300 has an extra 5G radio.
The 88u looks to have 8 LAN ports.

Just glossing through the comparison that's all that jumps out at me. So now I am on the fence too. Here is a topic I found, https://www.snbforums.com/threads/asus-ac5300-vs-rt-ac88u.30721/

 

[HowIFix]

The 5300 has an extra 5G radio.
The 88u looks to have 8 LAN ports.

The RT-AC86U does not have an extra 5G radio or 4 extra LAN ports but it's better and newer than both.

 

[SadikP]

I already have the routers. Just wanted to know what config I should set them up with.

Do I set the ac5300 up as a node, will I be then able to config one of the 5G radios as the backhaul or does it not matter in this case?

 

[Grisu]

What do you need where?
They got almost similar power, so where do you need better radio and where more LAN-ports. If LAN ports not really needed I would use 5300 as parent router with more radio (one exlusively for mesh).
But again depends where you need higher WiFi throughput, we cant know your situation.

If you have 2 cars very similar, same engine and size but one with 7 seats and other with larger trunk, where will you use them, one need for your wife at home and one you take to work.
Do you have more than 2 children or is she buying large things, and what do you need at work, take your colleagues with you or full with tools.

Seems for you both will fit equal!

 

[SadikP]

So I would be able to implement dedicated backhaul with a tri(main) + dual(node) config?
or does dedicated backhaul only work with tri to tri?

 

[SadikP]

The RT-AC86U does not have an extra 5G radio or 4 extra LAN ports but it's better and newer than both.

The RT-AC86U is not an option as I already own both the ac88 & ac5300

 

[Grisu]

can only work with 3->3, otherwise the other will have to use its 5G for both connections to your wireless devices and other router.

But to reach the speeds of your DSL both will be fine as 5G WiFi with 80MHz usually is much faster if you dont have GB-access.
Best would be ethernet backhaul - ever.

 

[SadikP]

Okay, so I've set the ac5300 as the main & the ac88u as the node.
I'm having a problem where the 2 routers are connected to each other via 2.4Ghz band only. In fact the ac88 is only transmitting/using the 2.4Ghz. It does not seem to utilising the 5Ghz band

 

[Grisu]

is there a strong enough 5G signal from one to the other?
Do they use the same 5G-channel (check it with your mobile phone WiFi-analyzer).
What happens if you turn off 2G?
Change them and setup vice versa.

 

[SadikP]

okay, so I've now got 5G working but now am faced with a new problem.

WiFi_5G-1 goes from channel 36 to 64
WiFi_5G-2 goes from channel 100 to 140

the node is broadcasting WiFi_5G-2, this is a problem as I have 5G devices that can not use Ch 100 to 140. How do I force the node to use/broadcast WiFi-5G-1?

 

[Grisu]

you cannot force the node to do something, all done by Aimesh.

so you would have to disable 5G-2, your devices cannot use it (connect to) nearby this router and all running on 36-64, devices and backhaul.

And it has not been a problem before?
Your devices could even go on 2G if they cannot connect to 100-140.

 

[SadikP]

How do I disable it? How to I force the node to use 5G-1?

It's only 2 devices, and they have always just worked on 5G, I had no idea they were not 100-140 compatible until now.

 

[Grisu]

change the 2 routers and on the other (only 1x 5G) you could set working channel (used on both).
maybe in professional settings it is possible to disable 5G-2, dont have this router.

 

[SadikP]

Thanks for your help.

This is also what I was thinking. I will have to swap the router roles. There is no benefit in disabling the 3rd band

 

[Grisu]

probably best you can do

 

[HuskyHerder]

You can disable the 5g-2 band in professional.

 

[HuskyHerder]

@SadikP

There is a setting when setting up mesh where you choose which radio the 5300 will use for mesh.

You select radio 1 or 2 or some kind of wording like that. If I recall correctly. I cant find a setting for it, but my nodes are wired.

I don't think I have ever gotten a router setup on my first go. If in doubt remove the nodes and try linking again. I would try that before reversing roles.

 

[HowIFix]

Watch this videos about AiMesh
- Why AIMesh? What am I missing?

 

[SadikP]

Quick update.

I finally got things working last night. All good.

Well, no. Not quite. this morning the mesh was not working.
Spent hours trying to re-establish the network, not happening. Turns out the ac5300 5G band keeps defaulting to Channel 0 (zero) regardless of me setting it to Auto or Fixed.
Quick google tells me that the router is faulty.