AiMesh vs Access Point ?

[Steve2300]

I have RT86U as my main router and a spare DSL68U, as well as an old tplink & netgear routers collecting dust.

There's an area in my house that gets slightly bad wifi coverage, I clould live with 2.4GHz but would rather full nice 5GHz coverage. This room is connected directly to my main router via CAT6, so that's a plus.

I could potentially use my spare DSL68U as AiMesh, or use it as an AP connected via Ethernet port 1.

What are the pros and cons of each method ? LAN to AP or just AiMesh ? And which would you recommend ?

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have RT86U as my main router and a spare DSL68U, as well as an old tplink & netgear routers collecting dust.

There's an area in my house that gets slightly bad wifi coverage, I clould live with 2.4GHz but would rather full nice 5GHz coverage. This room is connected directly to my main router via CAT6, so that's a plus.

I could potentially use my spare DSL68U as AiMesh, or use it as an AP connected via Ethernet port 1.

What are the pros and cons of each method ? LAN to AP or just AiMesh ? And which would you recommend ?

If the 68U supports AiMesh, wire it WAN-to-LAN and add it as an AiMesh node. Disable Smart Connect and set different SSIDs per band and fixed channels.

Be sure to install cleanly... latest firmware, reset, and then configure the 86U router from scratch, if it needs it, and leave the 68U in default reset state.

My install notes may offer some basic setup clues.

Never mind the pros and cons... just try it.

OE

 

[Steve2300]

Thank you OE for your quick reply.

The DSL68U will support being a node but without ethernet back haul. That's one of the reasons I'm debating AiMesh vs AP.

I like the idea of ethernet back haul for wireless APs, also it gives me the benefit of 3 extra LANs. But would that impede on the seamless wifi coverage provided by the AiMesh system ?

Also, would an AP that only connects my IoT devices make the rest of my network secure/safer ?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you OE for your quick reply.

The DSL68U will support being a node but without ethernet back haul. That's one of the reasons I'm debating AiMesh vs AP.

I like the idea of ethernet back haul for wireless APs, also it gives me the benefit of 3 extra LANs. But would that impede on the seamless wifi coverage provided by the AiMesh system ?

Also, would an AP that only connects my IoT devices make the rest of my network secure/safer ?

So, I would try wireless then.

In my experience with my clients, AiMesh is more seamless.

Having different WLANs may help to segregate clients, but it currently only isolates them for the WLANs broadcasting from the router/root node. From what I've read here, Asus AP WLANs do not isolate clients from the network(s).

AiMesh 2.0 is under development and intends to offer guest WLANs across all nodes that are properly isolated, although early results have shown them to be isolated from each other, also, within the same WLAN, which may upset IoT monitoring.

There is no need to debate this... just try it... you never know how your clients will behave until you try them.

OE

 

[coxhaus]

So, I would try wireless then.

In my experience with my clients, AiMesh is more seamless.

Having different WLANs may help to segregate clients, but it currently only isolates them for the WLANs broadcasting from the router/root node. From what I've read here, Asus AP WLANs do not isolate clients from the network(s).

AiMesh 2.0 is under development and intends to offer guest WLANs across all nodes that are properly isolated, although early results have shown them to be isolated from each other, also, within the same WLAN, which may upset IoT monitoring.

There is no need to debate this... just try it... you never know how your clients will behave until you try them.

OE

How is AiMesh more seamless if you are using different SSIDs?

I don't even use separate SSIDs for 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

 

[OzarkEdge]

How is AiMesh more seamless if you are using different SSIDs?

I don't even use separate SSIDs for 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

The SSID (and channel) is the same within a band. I don't roam between bands/SSIDs. It's more seamless for my clients. But it's not worth debating... just try it... it doesn't take much effort to switch it around.

OE

 

[coxhaus]

You can't roam between SSIDs.

 

[OzarkEdge]

You can't roam between SSIDs.

I 'roam' from OE-24 to OE-24... two nodes, two WLANs (same channel), two SSIDs with the same name. And similar for OE-50.

OE

 

[coxhaus]

How do you roam a voice call across SSIDs?

You are not roaming across SSIDs if they are the same name. And this is not what you said. You stated " Disable Smart Connect and set different SSIDs per band and fixed channels." is what you stated.

 

[OzarkEdge]

How do you roam a voice call across SSIDs?

You are not roaming across SSIDs if they are the same name. And this is not what you said. You stated " Disable Smart Connect and set different SSIDs per band and fixed channels." is what you stated.

OK, if that's how you define it.

Yes, that is what I stated... disable Smart Connect so that you can define different/separate SSIDs for each band. With AiMesh, the 5.0 SSID will propagate to all node 5.0 WLANs; and the 2.4 SSID will propagate to all node 2.4 WLANs. When my client disconnects from node1 WLAN OE-24 and connects to node2 WLAN OE-24, I call that roaming whether it is or not.

OE

 

[coxhaus]

Yes that is roaming but not what I call seamless. To me seamless roaming is the SSID includes both bands on multiple APs on different channels. So my guest network has 1 SSSID for all APs using both 2.4GHz and 5GHz which is seamless to me.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Yes that is roaming but not what I call seamless. To me seamless roaming is the SSID includes both bands on multiple APs on different channels. So my guest network has 1 SSSID for all APs using both 2.4GHz and 5GHz which is seamless to me.

I said, '"In my experience with my clients, AiMesh is more seamless." than an AP, which is what the OP was asking about, 'AiMesh vs. AP'.

Take your meds, coxhaus.

OE

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have RT86U as my main router and a spare DSL68U

This may help: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/dsl-ac68u-new-firmware-version-3-0-0-4-386_39648.66188/post-616030

OE

 

[Livin]

Update....
Tested AImesh = disaster. My cams(10 DHCP reserved IPs) almost none stayed connected. I tried many days, many different settings/channels/etc -- nothing worked.

I went back to Router mode + AP mode and the cameras work rock solid.

My only tweaks...
1. excluded a few cam MACs from each just to ensure the ones close to an AP stick to that AP as they will try to connect to an AP that has virtually no signal sometimes.
2. backed down 2.4 radio to 'Good'
3. set Channels manually. Found my cams do not like higher 5G channels, must stick with 36.

I've concluded that when AIMESH APs overlap (my 2.4 does but 5 does not at all) they don't work for devices that are physically static / non-roaming

 

[Moabdave]

Does anybody have an estimate for when AiMesh 2.0 will be released? I ask as I would like to completely rebuild my home network, to address some issues I was not aware of when I did it the last time. As the ability to use the guest wifi with AiMesh is a feature I am anxiously awaiting, I am waiting for this FW update to start the project.

 

[L&LD]

My unofficial estimate is soon! I am eagerly awaiting this for the ability to have isolated guests on nodes too.

 

[Steve2300]

I'm the OP, and here is my semi-update.

RT-AC86U is my main router running latest Merlin. I used an old DSL-AC68U running an updated stock firmware as a child/node in an AiMesh setup.

So far, I'm happy. Devices roam nicely, coverage is awesome and haven't noticed any lagging or unusual behaviour.

However, I think a Guest network extended to the node will be brilliant. The lack of ethernet backhaul is annoying but it's a DSL model after all.

I may try to see how I go with an AP setup, at least I know the AiMesh is a good alternative without needing to buy a new device/router.

 

[Steve2300]

My unofficial estimate is soon! I am eagerly awaiting this for the ability to have isolated guests on nodes too.

That would be really great!

Any unofficial dates ?

 

[L&LD]

The first week of October would be a nice time for me for Asus to release this not just final, but GPL downloads for all supported RMerlin models.

 

[Steve2300]

The first week of October

I hope so. I'm waiting for it.