Best new router for Merlin?

[ZakM]

What does everyone think is the best new router to get for Asus-Merlin in a heavy bandwidth home office/home setup?
Our AC66U B1 seems to be struggling.
What's the difference of the AX line?

 

[ZakM]

I also use a B1. We stream all day for our jobs and have no issues. You may want to check the CPU/RAM usage during the day, if it's not redlining, it may be elsewhere.

Yeah exactly why I mentioned this, it IS redlining, I get CPU spikes a lot. The router worked great for many years, I think it's due time for an upgrade (and work can pay for it )
Thanks for your input, I'll start looking at that one, but hope others chip in with their views too!

 

[bbunge]

AX86U here with the AC66U_B1 as an AiMesh node right now.

 

[wouterv]

AX routers are the best choice these days, with support for WPA3.

 

[ZakM]

So besides the AX86U, what else is decent? Is there a cheaper AX option?

 

[L&LD]

Current Order of Recommended Routers Late 2021

RT-AX86U vs. RT-AX88U

Report - 2x RT-AX68U upgrade over 2x RT-AC86U in wireless backhaul mode

About L&LD

 

[ZakM]

Current Order of Recommended Routers Late 2021

RT-AX86U vs. RT-AX88U

Report - 2x RT-AX68U upgrade over 2x RT-AC86U in wireless backhaul mode

About L&LD

Very detailed, thank you!

And what would happen if I kept the old AC66U-B1 as an AiMesh node? Would that hinder the AX86U performance?

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AX58U and the RT-AX88U hindered the performance of the RT-AX86U. I believe the RT-AC66U_B1 will too.

The best use for it may be as a Media Bridge, to a few wired only clients.

 

[Tech9]

Would that hinder the AX86U performance?

Any additional radio working in close proximity and on the same frequency/channel will affect your main router's performance, even if the routers are the same model and high performance models. This is how Wi-Fi works, it takes turns to send/receive data - AiMesh is using the same channels. Router + Access Point on different channels (the SSID's can be the same) can do higher simultaneous throughput (using more available bandwidth).

 

[ZakM]

Any additional radio working in close proximity and on the same frequency/channel will affect your main router's performance, even if the routers are the same model and high performance models. This is how Wi-Fi works, it takes turns to send/receive data - AiMesh is using the same channels. Router + Access Point on different channels (the SSID's can be the same) can do higher simultaneous throughput (using more available bandwidth).

on nice, interesting t hen, that's worth looking into! So via a wired link then using different channels, it should be alright?

 

[Background]

I've my eye on the AX86U!

Just waiting for Curry's to restock at £239 to replace my AC88U (been slow since the latest beta getting 200 out of 500 and can't work out why) - Hoping to improve WiFi (and try WiFi 6) as well.

Let me know which you decide to purchase and your thoughts

 

[bbunge]

Very detailed, thank you!

And what would happen if I kept the old AC66U-B1 as an AiMesh node? Would that hinder the AX86U performance?

The AC66U_B1 works well as an AiMesh node. I have one I set up from time to time just to test things. Best to run the main router 5 GHz at 80 MHz with WPA2-Personal to be most compatible with the AC router.

And I would not recommend the AX88U...old hardware and design.

 

[doczenith1]

So besides the AX86U, what else is decent? Is there a cheaper AX option?

On the Asus website they have the RT-AX86U product page and if you got to Tech specs they also show a RT-AX86S which appears to be a neutered AX86U. I'm assuming it would be less expensive but note that it is not listed on Merlin's website as a supported model at this time. Another less expensive Asus-Merlin compatible option would be the RT-AX68U.

 

[Tech9]

RT-AX86S... not listed on Merlin's website as a supported model at this time

Asuswrt-Merlin support added with 386.4 firmware:

Changelog (388.x) | Asuswrt-Merlin

www.asuswrt-merlin.net

 

[ZakM]

Thanks to everyone for your views!
I just got an AX86U and, so far, I am VERY happy with it. The CPU cores are not spiking as often as on the AC66U_B1 (and I get two more cores!), performance seems and feels better, in all, a happy transition!

Now I'm going thru the new features of this model, and trying to configure it like the old router. For the time being I will test it without adding the old router as an AiMesh node, I feel the improved wifi might just be all that we need for improved performance on the clients that sit further away from the router.

I did notice some things that I can't find, for example, Diversion statistics on the web UI. The uiDivStats package on amtm is not the same one I used to have at all, actually, I had never installed taht package before. Is this not available on the AX86U or am I missing something I need to install?

 

[doczenith1]

Asuswrt-Merlin support added with 386.4 firmware:

Changelog (388.x) | Asuswrt-Merlin

www.asuswrt-merlin.net

Good catch. I glossed right over that when reading the change log two weeks ago.