Keep Wireless Router mode but have AX86U automatically connect to my phone's Wi-Fi Hotspot when I am home to have that as the only Internet source?

[domic]

Can I set up my AX86U (it has Merlin) to stay in a wireless router mode, (so my intranet still has the router as a DHCP server, firewall and everything else) while setting it up to have its only Internet source be my phone when I come home and turn on my phone's wifi hotspot?

This means I don't want to use a USB connection to turn my phone into a modem.

Any ideas?

 

[ColinTaylor]

No. Asus routers don't support wireless WAN connections.

 

[domic]

I guess I could use my old phone as a bridge with USB tethering and connecting it as a wifi client to my phone then.

 

[glens]

Got two active SIMs?

 

[domic]

Got two active SIMs?

What do you mean?

 

[bennor]

Can I set up my AX86U (it has Merlin) to stay in a wireless router mode, (so my intranet still has the router as a DHCP server, firewall and everything else) while setting it up to have its only Internet source be my phone when I come home and turn on my phone's wifi hotspot?

This means I don't want to use a USB connection to turn my phone into a modem.

Any ideas?

One possible option, but not optimal since you don't want to use the USB tethering, is to use some kind of WiFi extender which has a Ethernet port. Connect the WiFi extender to the phone's WiFi hotspot then connect the router's WAN port to the extender's Ethernet port. If one does want to go the USB tethering route see the following:
[Wireless Router] How to set up an Android smartphone to share the network to the router?

 

[domic]

One possible option, but not optimal since you don't want to use the USB tethering, is to use some kind of WiFi extender which has a Ethernet port. Connect the WiFi extender to the phone's WiFi hotspot then connect the router's WAN port to the extender's Ethernet port. If one does want to go the USB tethering route see the following:
[Wireless Router] How to set up an Android smartphone to share the network to the router?

My router doesn't detect Android devices via USB strangely enough. All firmwares and packages are up to date. I'll try switching USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 mode and see if the drivers accepts that type of USB connections.

 

[bennor]

My router doesn't detect Android devices via USB strangely enough. All firmwares and packages are up to date. I'll try switching USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 mode and see if the drivers accepts that type of USB connections.

Make sure to put the Android phone into USB tethering mode after connecting the phone to the router's USB port. No issues with a Motorola phone set to USB tethering mode connected to a USB 3.0 port on an RT-AX86U Pro router with Merlin 3004.388.4.