Asus RT-AC5300 Smart Connect on or off?

[njweb]

I got Smart Connect (Tri Band) working on all my devices by resetting the SSID = changed SSID to another value and then changed it back on the screen where you can enable or disable Smart Connect.
I also made sure 2.4 GHz was selected in the dropdown before selecting the 'button' to enable Smart Connect (one would think this should not matter).

Now that I have it working for everything, Smart Connect is selecting the 5 GHz band for only 3 of 11 wifi devices that are actively connected...
2 Smart phones and 1 Roku 3 are on 5 Ghz.

I suspect it will be one more on 5 GHz once I connect my USB adapter for one of my laptops.
(My Tivos are all connected via MoCA so they don't use wifi, otherwise it would be more).

Anyway, is it really that ineffective at detecting which clients would be better served on the 5 GHz network or has it truly determined that my 2.4 GHz band is working so well (few neighboring networks near by and excellent speed) that it feels it doesn't need to put the Roku and Smart TV devices on my 5 GHz band?
Right now it has 1 of 5 Rokus on 5 GHz and 4 on 2.4 GHz

I will see how Smart Connect works for a while and then perhaps disable it and go back to manual assignment.

PS: It appears clients (like Roku 3 streamers) will not auto switch between 2.4 and 5 GHz depending on parameters such as wifi signal strength.

 

[Hydro]

SC disabled on my 5300. I simply have no interest in a feature like that, even if it were to work as perfectly as advertised. I'd much rather control what network each device connects too.

 

[solo]

After experimenting with the feature and reading comments around the board, I decided against it. I have now manually assigned my only device to the 2.4 (friedrich wifi A/C unit - do not buy); all N devices to 5.1, and all AC devices to 5.2. Works great

 

[bobiii]

Does not work for my Amazon Echo. So it stays off.

 

[Curado Kev]

Smart Connect is a joke - marketing garbage. I have 16 devices on my AC5300 and it wouldn't hook in with some apple products. I love ASUS routers but just an example of putting it in for marketing and maybe 1-2 years from now they will have the programming code worked out to make it work.

Set up 3 different SSID's and different passwords - then you'll be fine. In my house, I have kids and wives devices on 5G-1 and all mine on 5G-2 - so it works well. Granted those channels have different frequencies but in a 2,400 sq. ft hosue and connection not an issue. In fact, switching from AC68 to AC 5300 - boosted my 5G range from only in house to a 100 yard circle around my house - router in bedroom on 2nd floor. The range on AC5300 is unreal.

 

[njweb]

I now have everything running with Smart Connect enabled for a few weeks. I'll keep it on until something fails to connect.

 

[sfx2000]

I've seen issues where "clever connect" tries to be too smart and bounce clients off what should be a good AP.

Not one of Broadcom's better ideas, and with some clients, rather broken... turning it off, along with "roaming assistance" fixes more issues with clients camping/losing connections...

 

[COBOL-Coder]

I now have everything running with Smart Connect enabled for a few weeks. I'll keep it on until something fails to connect.

Failing to connect is not exactly the main issue as I see it. Everything may connect but not advantageously. I have played around with Smart Connect some only to be unpleasently surprised to find my Samsung J3 cell phone assigned to the slower of the 2 5GHz bands and my bandwidth hungry 4K TV on the slower band as well with nothing assigned to the faster 5GHz band. A cell phone should never get assigned to a 5GHz band ever in my opinion and my 4K TV(s) should be assigned the faster 5GHz band almost as a certainty, no?

 

[COBOL-Coder]

I got Smart Connect (Tri Band) working on all my devices by resetting the SSID = changed SSID to another value and then changed it back on the screen where you can enable or disable Smart Connect.
I also made sure 2.4 GHz was selected in the dropdown before selecting the 'button' to enable Smart Connect (one would think this should not matter).

Now that I have it working for everything, Smart Connect is selecting the 5 GHz band for only 3 of 11 wifi devices that are actively connected...
2 Smart phones and 1 Roku 3 are on 5 Ghz.

I suspect it will be one more on 5 GHz once I connect my USB adapter for one of my laptops.
(My Tivos are all connected via MoCA so they don't use wifi, otherwise it would be more).

Anyway, is it really that ineffective at detecting which clients would be better served on the 5 GHz network or has it truly determined that my 2.4 GHz band is working so well (few neighboring networks near by and excellent speed) that it feels it doesn't need to put the Roku and Smart TV devices on my 5 GHz band?
Right now it has 1 of 5 Rokus on 5 GHz and 4 on 2.4 GHz

I will see how Smart Connect works for a while and then perhaps disable it and go back to manual assignment.

PS: It appears clients (like Roku 3 streamers) will not auto switch between 2.4 and 5 GHz depending on parameters such as wifi signal strength.

I like you am perplexed at what appears to be ineffective choices made by Smart Connect? I'm assuming even a newbi would assign a 4K TV to a 5gHz band and a low end cell phone to the 2.4 band, right? Not happening. Am I missing something? I believed the firmware would detect the baseline need of a device as to whether it require a minimum of 5gHz or will run effectively on 2.4, 1st if available. Should there be anyone who could enlighten me, please do so. Much appreciated.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I like you am perplexed at what appears to be ineffective choices made by Smart Connect? I'm assuming even a newbi would assign a 4K TV to a 5gHz band and a low end cell phone to the 2.4 band, right? Not happening. Am I missing something? I believed the firmware would detect the baseline need of a device as to whether it require a minimum of 5gHz or will run effectively on 2.4, 1st if available. Should there be anyone who could enlighten me, please do so. Much appreciated.

I can only suggest that Smart Connect encourages a wireless client to connect to the better connection/band based on WiFi connection availability/signals, not on the actual wireless client or its data usage requirements... it doesn't probe and evaluate wireless client behavior beyond WiFi connection signaling... imo. Ideally, it will encourage the wireless client to make the best connection regardless of how the client uses that connection... if you want specific clients on specific bands, then use separate SSIDs and connect them manually.

Disable Airtime Fairness and Universal beamforming per band, and give your wireless clients ample time to arrive at the best connection; then consider the results.

I assume you are using same SSIDs for all bands. Perhaps forget previously defined connections on your troubled wireless clients so that they recreate these for the common SSID.

Wire that TV, if you can, just because.

OE

 

[COBOL-Coder]

I agree with your observations as well, however, I just cannot shake the feeling that there's more to Smart Connect then meets the eye. If the algorithm(s) just notices that thee is a device in need, not knowing a smart phone from a 4K TV, looks at available bandwidth noting that the 2.4 is available and assigns my 4K TV to it, then I'm not sure that would be a Smart Connect, no? What am I missing? To avoid writing another post, I have already decided to resort to the 3 SSID scenario and assign my devices manually until such time that I can fully understand better the algorithm(s) in use to manage Smart Connect.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I agree with your observations as well, however, I just cannot shake the feeling that there's more to Smart Connect then meets the eye. If the algorithm(s) just notices that thee is a device in need, not knowing a smart phone from a 4K TV, looks at available bandwidth noting that the 2.4 is available and assigns my 4K TV to it, then I'm not sure that would be a Smart Connect, no? What am I missing? To avoid writing another post, I have already decided to resort to the 3 SSID scenario and assign my devices manually until such time that I can fully understand better the algorithm(s) in use to manage Smart Connect.

Maybe this article will shed some light: https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wir...us-rt-ac3200-smart-connect-the-missing-manual

Me, I want Smart Connect to choose the best WiFi connection for stability and maximum throughput no matter how my wireless client proceeds to use the connection. This typically means the 5 GHz band at close range, followed by the 2.4 GHz band at greater distance from the AP.

OE

 

[COBOL-Coder]

Thank you OE, yes, I've spent more time then usual for me in that write-up and as a result, I'm working on the rules. Your reasoning, along with your Sr level experience leads me to review or take a second look at Smart Connect. Say, what ever happened to 1200 Baud?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you OE, yes, I've spent more time then usual for me in that write-up and as a result, I'm working on the rules. Your reasoning, along with your Sr level experience leads me to review or take a second look at Smart Connect. Say, what ever happened to 1200 Baud?

I would not pay much attention to this forum's automatic senior-ization of its members... it's based on post count, which is not very scientific.

I've only used the default Smart Connect rules... they work well here.

OE

 

[Moabdave]

I would really like to be able to tweak the Smart Connect rules to have a working setup. I like the idea of having one SSID and letting the router move to the 5g band when signal supports it, but 2g band when farther away. But I only have enough knowledge about RF to be dangerous, and with the default rules I see two problems over and over. First, as I roam about the house a mobile device will drop off for significantly longer that it would to just manually switch from the 5g down to the 2g band (presuming I'm getting farther from the router). Second, all my Apple devices struggle to connect when Smart Connect is on, and I'm far from the router (I have a large, older home, and my signal drops off through walls more than the average home does). Not finding a setup that works, I just switched it off.

 

[gommm]

For a while I was wondering why, whenever I went with my laptop to my bedroom, the wifi speed would be much slower when I was close to the router again... I've now turned off smart connect and it seems to have solved this.

I think what happens is that when I went to my bedroom, the walls were thick, so 5ghz didn't work very well, causing my laptop to switch to 2.4GHZ. Then smart connect would remember the switch and keep my laptop at 2.4GHZ for a while when it no longer needed that... Not very smart is it?

 

[OzarkEdge]

For a while I was wondering why, whenever I went with my laptop to my bedroom, the wifi speed would be much slower when I was close to the router again... I've now turned off smart connect and it seems to have solved this.

I think what happens is that when I went to my bedroom, the walls were thick, so 5ghz didn't work very well, causing my laptop to switch to 2.4GHZ. Then smart connect would remember the switch and keep my laptop at 2.4GHZ for a while when it no longer needed that... Not very smart is it?

The wireless client decides where to connect. Look at its connection details to know for sure where it is connecting for any location.

You don't have to use Smart Connect. You can define separate SSIDs and separate connections on your client and then see just how smart it is at choosing the best SSID/band/connection when you walk around your thick walls.

OE

 

[Wrkdbf_Guy]

You need an Option 5 which most replies seem to be using:

SC Disabled - Using different SSIDs. I want to decide which Band is most appropriate for the particular Device(s).

WG