Using the AX86U PRO as the router AiMesh'd to the AXE11000 load balanced with Merlin's firmware and Ranger's fail-over script (once I figure out how to implement it ) was how I was inclined to go but I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something; reliability is important so I am a little leery of AIMesh. It is a work at home situation, but I can fall back to cell access if it comes to that, I just need it to be stable, I may not be here all the time and a non-technical SO needs it simple.Both routers have a 1 GB WAN port and a 2.5 GB WAN/LAN port. With two GB WAN services you can connect the cable to the 1 GB WAN and the fiber to the 2.5 GB WAN (or vice versa) and set up load balancing which may or may not work. Merlin firmware has an add on that may give you better WAN failover operation.
As for the AiMesh backhaul, use a LAN port on the router to the WAN port on the AiMesh node. However, you may want to deploy the second router as an Access Point and use different WIFI channels. AS the AXE11000 6 GHz channel is short ranged you may want to use the AX86U Pro as the router and the AXE11000 as the AiMesh node or Access Point.
I may not be here all the time and a non-technical SO needs it simple.
You might start with the Asus firmware. It does load balancing. Failover does not seem to work reliably. Also go with AP mode in the AXE11000 to start.Using the AX86U PRO as the router AiMesh'd to the AXE11000 load balanced with Merlin's firmware and Ranger's fail-over script (once I figure out how to implement it ) was how I was inclined to go but I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something; reliability is important so I am a little leery of AIMesh. It is a work at home situation, but I can fall back to cell access if it comes to that, I just need it to be stable, I may not be here all the time and a non-technical SO needs it simple.
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