Asus RT-AC3200 as AP?

[TechPup]

Due to the configuration of my house, my current network is based upon 3 Asus RT-AC66R routers, with one acting as a main LAN router and the other two configured as APs. The main router obviously handles the routing for my network, but handles very little wireless traffic. The heavy wireless loads are borne by the two router/APs. Clients (as many as 35 including computers, iPads, iPhones, TV's, printers, satellite boxes, media streamers, etc.) for these APs are a mixture primarily of wireless N and AC clients. I am starting to experience disconnects and instability with this system (I have tried downloading RMerlin's most recent firmware, flashing, resetting, clearing the NVRAM per RMerlin's and others' suggestions without effect), and am considering replacing the RT-AC66s with either RT-AC87s or RT-AC3200s.

I am well aware of the disconnect problems with the 3200, but am interested in its (admittedly not as yet fully perfected) smart connect features to optimize client performance. My questions are basically these: (1) When I configured my AC66s as APs, I could not get them to connect with any stability until I gave the 2.4 and 5.0GHZ SSIDs separate names on the router/APs. With smart connect and the AC3200, all SSIDs have the same name. Will this create the same instabilty issues I had with the AC66s? If I need to turn off smart connect to make the network stable, I might as well just buy AC87s. (2) Will the smart connect feature even work when the AC3200s are configured as APs? (3) Will RMerlin's firmware provide any improvement in performance to any of the Asus routers mentioned when configured in the AP mode? If the smart connect features of the AC3200s are not available in access point mode, my current thinking is to either just go with (i) 3 AC87s; (ii) an Edgerouter Lite configured using RMerlin's stock configuration (I am not confidant I have the skill to configure the Edgerouter myself) as a main router coupled with one of the old AC66s as AP to provide wireless capabilty to the Edgerouter, further coupled with two AC87s configured as APs to bear the heavy house wireless traffic; or (iii) some other low networking skill combination that members might suggest.

Thanks in advance for your advice/suggestions.

 

[daca]

那么多设备需要连接？

 

[TechPup]

Sorry don't read your language.

 

[trichard]

Sorry don't read your language.

He asking you have so many devices?

 

[TechPup]

He asking you have so many devices?

Yes. The number is inflated somewhat by the fact that I run several media/music software programs on my computers and tablets that are assigned their own IP addresses by my main router, but as far as the router is concerned it manages 30-35 devices on a regular basis.

 

[sfx2000]

Stick with your AC66R boxes, and sort the network there...

Moving/adding AC87/AC3200 at this point will add more potential issues perhaps getting you deeper in to the rat hole of problems you might have.

 

[thiggins]

Smart Connect will work with the router configured as an AP.

Your disconnects with single SSID could be caused by clients that aggressively roam. Smart Connect won't help solve this. It can't control how clients act.

 

[TechPup]

Smart Connect will work with the router configured as an AP.

Your disconnects with single SSID could be caused by clients that aggressively roam. Smart Connect won't help solve this. It can't control how clients act.

Thanks. As sfx2000 points out, adding the Asus AC3200 to my network may add further complication. I think I will work some more attempting to solve the disconnects and instabilty with my AC66 routers and wait to see how the new technologies are refined over time.

 

[W4RH34D]

I think it would be a waste with all the main router features that it has, as an AP you can use none of it plus no guest network.

 

[TechPup]

I think it would be a waste with all the main router features that it has, as an AP you can use none of it plus no guest network.

Good point. My main interest in the Ac3200 as an AP was its smart connect feature, but am hesitant in view of the replies members have made to add possibly more complications to my network.