Asus RT-N56U WDS on 5ghz?

[echofx]

I just picked up two Asus RT-N56U's to run in WDS mode to replace my 5 year old Airport Extremes that I had doing the same thing.

I followed the docs on Asus' site and was able to get WDS setup between them. Hybrid mode, specified channels, set the MAC addresses, etc, on both the 2.4ghz and 5ghz radios. That all works.

However, it appears the WDS is happening over the 2.4ghz channel. When I view the traffic monitor in the web interface, doing a file copy via wireless was showing activity on the 2.4ghz interface.

I tried switching the 2.4ghz radio to 'AP only' mode but then the WDS broke, even after rebooting both routers. I was no longer able to ping across the link. I re-enabled 'hybrid mode', rebooted and I was back.

Is there any way to force the WDS to happen on 5ghz?

 

[Greg_Elite]

First off, make sure your updated to the latest firmware that was released on 1/11/12.
Second, I'd recommend just manually set your wireless settings.

 

[echofx]

First off, make sure your updated to the latest firmware that was released on 1/11/12.
Second, I'd recommend just manually set your wireless settings.

Yep, I've got the latest - 1.0.1.8b. What do you mean by manually setting them, exactly?

I configured everything manually - configured both the 2.4 and 5.0 to use WPA2/AES and set the channel explicitly for both. In the 'bridge' setting I have both the 2.4 and 5.0 set to 'hybrid'. The WDS does not seem to work if I set the 2.4 to 'AP Only'.

What I'd like is to have the WDS operating at 5ghz for maximum performance while still allowing 2.4ghz clients (iPhones, boxee box, etc) to connect wirelessly.

 

[sfx2000]

Probably better off using 2.4GHz - if the AP's can't see each other at 5GHz...

I backhaul my home network on 2.4GHz, and have the STA's attach (if they're dual band) on the 5GHz radio...otherwise, they go to the closest 2.4Ghz AP...

FWIW - I have a multiple Airport Extreme dual-band network here at the house - it's a smaller house (1600 sq ft) - most of my devices are dual band, but some are single band 2.4GHz and mixed mode (b/g/n) at that... for the most part it works. I've got a time capsule at the demarc in the garage next to the cable modem, and it's dual band and covers the 5GHz in the front of the house - backhauled on 2.4Ghz (130 Mbps) to an dual band airport extreme in the middle of the house to cover the home office and bedrooms, and an 2.4Ghz airport express n to the back of the house and backyard...

I generally get around 20MB downlink, 5MB uplink just about everywhere on all clients to the internet on either band wireless - on the LAN, it's fast enough to stream HD to any station... and let me use VOIP apps on laptops and handhelds - yes, Apple does do QoS...

Note - I do have GigE to the NAS from the TimeCapsule, which helps... the NAS is a homebuilt ubuntu box based on a dual-core Atom motherboard... at some point, when time/money permits, I will do some GigE drops to the AP's, perhaps replacing the Airport Express, as it only does 100BaseT....

 

[echofx]

Talked to Asus, realized my error - the 2.4 and 5.0 radios have different MAC addresses. Duh. Totally obvious but I still completely missed it when I was setting it up.