ASUS RT- AC5300Set up help.

[Markboz]

Hows the roaming assist work? Sometimes I think I am connecting to the Node when i should be on the Main router.

I was wondering that myself

 

[HuskyHerder]

Roaming assist is in the professional page, and the values will total be dependent upon you testing and finding the value at which the router should attempt to help the device switching.

Me, I live in a huge faraday cage with plaster walls and wire mesh behind those walls. The default for the setup is -70.

I have mine set at -55, I purposely went with -55 to try and force node switching/changing quicker than most people see. For me it was the 5300 seeming to hold onto the wireless signal more than the nodes. But again its really all dependent on your setup. There is a great discussion around here, about setting it up. If I can find it I’ll add a link to it.

You basically use a net stumbler to try and determine the level at which the switch should occur. I just used the signal level on my Mac.

In my case the 5300 sits in the middle of the home and the nodes are on each end.

* Oh, I also turned down the transmit power level, from performance to Good. On the 5300 professional page (at the bottom) I only tried this after the RA to also assist in the switching of nodes. You may or may not have to adjust this.

 

[HuskyHerder]

Edit :

Whoops wrong quote, was Markboz asking about how RA worked.


That use to happen a lot and still does occasionally but not as often with roaming assist on. I have been able to watch the switch occur and the 5300 sometimes doesn't want to let go.

 

[HuskyHerder]

The router uses a set of values to determine if the signal is too weak for the client and if it goes below a threshold it tries to help the change along and nudge the client to another node, ap etc.

Mesh does some more things if I read the topics properly where it will intentionally bump a machine and then temp block that machine from reconnecting, back to that same AP or router, to force it to look for a stronger point aka another node you have configured. Now this is not something it just does to bump you off, Its all the time comparing the signal level from the machine and another node. It will always try to keep you on the strongest signal.
Try looking at the system log with Roaming assist on you will see it doing a lot of comparative work in the back ground based upon signal levels.

I could be wrong on this but thats how I interpreted it.

 

[Markboz]

The router uses a set of values to determine if the signal is too weak for the client and if it goes below a threshold it tries to help the change along and nudge the client to another node, ap etc.

Mesh does some more things if I read the topics properly where it will intentionally bump a machine and then temp block that machine from reconnecting, back to that same AP or router, to force it to look for a stronger point aka another node you have configured. Now this is not something it just does to bump you off, Its all the time comparing the signal level from the machine and another node. It will always try to keep you on the strongest signal.
Try looking at the system log with Roaming assist on you will see it doing a lot of comparative work in the back ground based upon signal levels.

I could be wrong on this but thats how I interpreted it.

So in a AiMesh system you want roaming turned on each band correct?

And what would you say is the right settings to set each band to to have it switch to another node? And what app should I use to measure the strength with?

Thank you

 

[OzarkEdge]

>>So in a AiMesh system you want roaming turned on each band correct?

Yes...
Wireless\Professional\2.4 GHz Roaming assistant: <Enabled> <-55 dBm>
Wireless\Professional\5.0 GHz Roaming assistant: <Enabled> <-70 dBm>

Depending on the WiFi coverage overlap and your clients, you can tweak the RSSI thresholds to encourage/discourage roaming.

>>And what would you say is the right settings to set each band to to have it switch to another node?

Use the defaults until you determine that you want a different response from your clients. Increase/Decrease the RSSI to roam sooner/later.

>>And what app should I use to measure the strength with?

I use WiFi Analyzer Classic on Android to get a rough idea of signal power/overlap. But I'm still using the default RSSI values.

OE

 

[Markboz]

>>So in a AiMesh system you want roaming turned on each band correct?

Yes...
Wireless\Professional\2.4 GHz Roaming assistant: <Enabled> <-55 dBm>
Wireless\Professional\5.0 GHz Roaming assistant: <Enabled> <-70 dBm>

Depending on the WiFi coverage overlap and your clients, you can tweak the RSSI thresholds to encourage/discourage roaming.

>>And what would you say is the right settings to set each band to to have it switch to another node?

Use the defaults until you determine that you want a different response from your clients. Increase/Decrease the RSSI to roam sooner/later.

>>And what app should I use to measure the strength with?

I use WiFi Analyzer Classic on Android to get a rough idea of signal power/overlap. But I'm still using the default RSSI values.

OE

Thank you!

So the higher the dBm the sooner it switches or the lower dBm it switches over?

If this is not turned on the client stays on the main router rather than switching over to the other node?

Is there anything else I should be doing to this set up?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[OzarkEdge]

>>So the higher the RSSI dBm setting the sooner it switches?

Roughly, yes. Higher power being a less negative number. AiMesh is suppose to 'persuade' the wireless client to roam to a better node/signal 'seamlessly'... and you need to make sure that your nodes are located with suitable signal overlap to enable the client to make this move... a client won't roam to another node/signal if that node is too far away i.e. no signal. Ultimately, the client decides... but ASUS' proprietary 'techniques' are intended to assist the client's decision to roam to another node.

>>If this is not turned on the client stays on the main router rather than switching over to the other node?

No. The client does what it wants. It will likely just do it less well/more poorly such as cling to a far node/bad signal too long before deciding the node nearest to it offers a better signal. By then, the user has suffered through a poor/no connection for too long.

>>Is there anything else I should be doing to this set up?

Use the defaults. Maybe my install notes will shed some light.

OE

 

[HowIFix]

Use the defaults. Maybe my install notes will shed some light.

I recommend you create a thread with your notes to help others, similar to this thread:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/rt-ac5300-performance-security-guide.45710/

Stop updating your post in a thread that is abandoned, better create one.

 

[Markboz]

>>So in a AiMesh system you want roaming turned on each band correct?

Yes...
Wireless\Professional\2.4 GHz Roaming assistant: <Enabled> <-55 dBm>
Wireless\Professional\5.0 GHz Roaming assistant: <Enabled> <-70 dBm>

Depending on the WiFi coverage overlap and your clients, you can tweak the RSSI thresholds to encourage/discourage roaming.

>>And what would you say is the right settings to set each band to to have it switch to another node?

Use the defaults until you determine that you want a different response from your clients. Increase/Decrease the RSSI to roam sooner/later.

>>And what app should I use to measure the strength with?

I use WiFi Analyzer Classic on Android to get a rough idea of signal power/overlap. But I'm still using the default RSSI values.

OE

Thank you!

I am IOS and that app is not on there, do you recommend anything else?

Your post and everyone else’s are helping me on setting my WiFi AiMesh system up! Just turning on roaming asst brought 9 clints over to the upstairs node, again you guys are GREAT on this forum!!!!

Woundering if I need to add another node as an AC3100 Dual band router, but this one would have to wireless haul and not hardwire back haul

 

[JOE.G]

This is helping me also as I am doing the same myself now, I have two 5300 and one 3100. -50 will switch over sooner then -70?

 

[OzarkEdge]

This is helping me also as I am doing the same myself now, I have two 5300 and one 3100. -50 will switch over sooner then -70?

Should... as the client roams away from one node, that node's WiFi power decreases. And, the next node's power increases as the client approaches. The set RSSI threshold is for the node the client is currently connected to. Do you want it to roam to the next node at -50/sooner, or at -70/later. Just be sure you first locate your nodes for 5.0 GHz signal overlap since 5.0 GHz travels less far than 2.4 GHz.

OE

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you!

I am IOS and that app is not on there, do you recommend anything else?

Your post and everyone else’s are helping me on setting my WiFi AiMesh system up! Just turning on roaming asst brought 9 clints over to the upstairs node, again you guys are GREAT on this forum!!!!

Woundering if I need to add another node as an AC3100 Dual band router, but this one would have to wireless haul and not hardwire back haul

I don't have an iOS WiFi signal analyzer app recommendation, but I trust there are some.

Too many nodes is not a good thing... wait and see.

OE

 

[JOE.G]

My setup is Main Router and node in my home and another node in my shop which is about 120 Ft away.

 

[Grisu]

on Win-laptop I use acrylic Wifi analyzer home free and android I use WiFiAnalyzer app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...pps/details?id=com.vrem.wifianalyzer&hl=de_AT