Mesh Router Suggestion - Detailed use case and help request.

[dssguy1]

Hello SNB community. I've been a long time lurker absorbing network advice for over 10 years from SNB and every time I get close to updating my network, I come here to get the latest and greatest advice. I've been a long time user of ASUS hardware and do want to stay with ASUS if I can, since I am so familiar with the interface.

Could I please ask for some tried and true suggestions for my complete network overhaul?

Facts:
- 2 story house with basement. Built in 1993, typical wood and drywall construction. About 4000ft^2 above ground.
- I have 1gbE up and down with fiber internet.
- I typically believe I want a router and 2 satellites. Router on main floor in office towards one side of the house and each satellite on the other side of the house, one in basement and one on the second floor.
- Both my sats will be hardwired straight to the router with Cat 6 cable
- I have an 8 port 10GBE switch in my basement that I connect to all my higher capability devices (computers and NAS) and then connect directly to the main router (preferably to a 10gbE port on router)
- Basically everything with a wired port, is wired, I have run ethernet everywhere in the house. No streaming devices are using WIFI except for Echos. All computers, laptops, TVs, shield devices, etc, wired.
- I have about 45 IOT devices and would like them on a separate network. Mostly Kasa smart switches, 7 echos, a couple light switches, ecobee thermostats, Nest Fire detectors, fridge, a smart things network.
- Total I have around 60 devices on the whole network.
- I have a few devices that should work with WIFI 7, but really, it isn't that big of a deal, would just prefer not to have to update everything in a couple years if I could just get the capability for WIFI 7 now and possibly just turn it off until it is more stable. We have new Apple devices that can use wifi 7 but I struggle to think of why I would need that speed on an ipad or iphone.
- I do like to use wireless PCVR with my Quest 3 (Wifi 6E is all it can handle)
- I want stability and performance if it exists!
- Money isn't a big concern, I would rather pay more and not have to mess with it for 5 years, versus needing to upgrade in 2.


I did take the plunge and upgrade from a GT-AX11000 ROG and 2 XT8 sats. I purchased the 3 pack BQ16. So far it has been ok, no major issues but it seems a little buggy sometimes I check and 40 wireless devices are connecting to my router and 0 to one of the sats and 4 to the other. If I reboot, it will more evenly distribute. Meta Quest 3 disconnects more often then my previous setup. I basically turned off MLO and Wifi 7 because I knew I wasn't really using those features. AT the end of the day, it was a $1250 (had a couple discounts) investment and I read that very few have this setup, Merlin doesn't support it and a lot say that they consider it 1st gen hardware or buggy.

What are the GURUs suggesting for my particular setup, if robust wireless, Merlin support and trying to future proof my setup were priorities? I would also like the ability to use my 10gbE switch with a proper connection to the router if possible.

I did do a fair amount of research but I was finding differences in use cases across a lot of the recommendations and some dated responses that I wasn't sure if they still applied in 2025.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[degrub]

So what you have is working and only has a few minor hiccups ?

Do you need wifi calling (VOIP) roaming ?

Does your 10 Gbit switch support VLANs ?

Do you need outside wifi available ?

No areas of low RSSI (signal power level ) ?
Do a basic wifi power survey for each of the available bands from each radio on each device ( master and two nodes). You can use something simple like Apple Airport Utility (in settings set "allow wifi scan") and walk around to all of the areas / corners of the house. You may find it useful to have only one node ( main router, each mesh device) powered on at a time or set different SSIDs for each radio and band. Look for areas with significant power overlap also. You don't have a lot of control with ASUS, and you want to avoid if possible.

Clients will attach to the first radio they see and can get a handshake from unless you take steps to not allow the connection, for example by MAC filtering in the AP. Most IOTs should prefer 2.4 GHz band. Some dedicate that band just for IOTs as they are low bandwidth need devices. Many try to improve their local security by isolating IOTs on their own VLAN if they need internet access, but in some cases you may not be able to access the IOT in an app on your phone.

Since you have CAT6 throughout the house, it would be easy to migrate to a SMB solution rather than consumer level since stability is a preference. SMB gear is typically lower power APs and more of them with a controller managing wifi roaming handoffs. APs are powered over ethernet with either a switch with adequate POE ports or with power injectors as needed. Most support VLANs for traffic segmentation and isolation and the router is dedicated to routing. In the residential case that is usually just traffic to/from the internet. Typical layout is ISP Modem --- Router ---switch ---- APs (as many as needed). In my case, i have 4 APs with only 5GHz bands enabled covering a 2 story 3,000 sqr. ft house similar to yours. The AP controller is built into the APs and if one goes down, another will pick up controlling.

Have a look at the basic Ubiquiti gear. Also, TPlink Omada (not the regular TPlink devices). Both have entry level SMB gear. CISCO still has some SMB equipment in their lower tier devices. They did a push into SMB a decade ago with a number of devices and have been rock solid for me over the years. The only time my network has rebooted after initial configuration has been after power outages or firmware security upgrade. Set and forget.

Whatever path you choose, make sure you have UPS systems powering the network gear. Whole house surge suppression is also recommended to reduce issues from nearby lightning and electrical noise.

If money is not a concern, hire a local pro experienced in SMB and residential to sort it out and support the system.

 

[Tech9]

I purchased the 3 pack BQ16

You are going to have interesting life. BQ16 troubleshooting is one of the longest ongoing threads around.

 

[dssguy1]

You are going to have interesting life. BQ16 troubleshooting is one of the longest ongoing threads around.

As I stated, that's exactly what I am trying to avoid.

I can return the BQ16's, no problem, just need some good model numbers that SNB feels are pretty stable, to replace them with.

I appreciate the really long reply above, but it steered me to a bunch of other manufacturers and to start a whole new learning curve on new equipment. What I would really like to know is what is the most stable recommended set of ASUS routers/sats that are suggested these days, that also meet the future proofing requests I made.

 

[Tech9]

You locked yourself to a vendor with currently work-in-progress firmware and "mesh" redesign. Any Wi-Fi 7 model on 3006 firmware will give you similar experience and you have to be patient until Asus figures it out. If your current set doesn't work as advertised at the moment of purchase - send it back immediately and look for other options.

 

[dssguy1]

You locked yourself to a vendor with currently work-in-progress firmware and "mesh" redesign. Any Wi-Fi 7 model on 3006 firmware will give you similar experience and you have to be patient until Asus figures it out. If your current set doesn't work as advertised at the moment of purchase - send it back immediately and look for other options.

Are there any more mature versions of Hardware that ASUS has where I wouldn't be struggling with Hardware and Software infancy? I would consider 6E if everything Wifi 7 is unstable with Asus.

To be clear, the BQ16's are not total trash, they work and I have decent connectivity. But for the $1400 MSRP, I was expecting more, maybe I just haven't realized "more" is buggy currently.

 

[Tech9]

Asus Wi-Fi 6E models are actually in worse situation. They all got locked to 3004 firmware perhaps due to issues with Broadcom support upstream. My advice to you is to explore SMB options. You have the infrastructure, make the best use of it. Good core switch with PoE, gateway/firewall, fully VLAN aware APs with controller managed network. Single vendor integrated system is perhaps better for stability and compatibility. This is more like futureproofing. When the time comes you can replace the APs only.

 

[dssguy1]

Asus Wi-Fi 6E models are actually in worse situation. They all got locked to 3004 firmware perhaps due to issues with Broadcom support upstream. My advice to you is to explore SMB options. You have the infrastructure, make the best use of it. Good core switch with PoE, gateway/firewall, fully VLAN aware APs with controller managed network. Single vendor integrated system is perhaps better for stability and compatibility. This is more like futureproofing. When the time comes you can replace the APs only.

Ok, I'm listening. Do you have any specific hardware you would recommend for my situation? I have never done a POE network, I don't know if I really need it, I have power everywhere I have ethernet but maybe that is just how SMB gear works?

What all would I need to have to build a good solid system? If you steer me to the equipment you think is suitable, I will start my research in earnest.

 

[degrub]

Are there any more mature versions of Hardware that ASUS has where I wouldn't be struggling with Hardware and Software infancy? I would consider 6E if everything Wifi 7 is unstable with Asus.

To be clear, the BQ16's are not total trash, they work and I have decent connectivity. But for the $1400 MSRP, I was expecting more, maybe I just haven't realized "more" is buggy currently.

The difference between SMB and consumer gear like ASUS is one of focus. SMB gear is designed and aimed at being a one time purchase and supported for long time. Companies do not like to have to reinvest every 3-4 years. Consumer gear is aimed at the "latest", 'greatest", G.A.S. motivated marketing with mass distribution and high turnover. That is how they make their money - on margins. SMB, you pay more upfront, but it tends to last longer and is not as bleeding edge with significant issues outside of the lab environment. With latest consumer gear, expect 1-2 years of beta testing on consumers before the major issues are worked out - if they are and are not simply abandoned by releasing another generation of marketing.

 

[dssguy1]

The difference between SMB and consumer gear like ASUS is one of focus. SMB gear is designed and aimed at being a one time purchase and supported for long time. Companies do not like to have to reinvest every 3-4 years. Consumer gear is aimed at the "latest", 'greatest", G.A.S. motivated marketing with mass distribution and high turnover. That is how they make their money - on margins. SMB, you pay more upfront, but it tends to last longer and is not as bleeding edge with significant issues outside of the lab environment. With latest consumer gear, expect 1-2 years of beta testing on consumers before the major issues are worked out - if they are and are not simply abandoned by releasing another generation of marketing.

That makes sense. I work at a very large company and I see Cisco and other brand APs everywhere. Nothing I ever considered buying but they do tend to just work. They don't upgrade them very often either.

I have the money to buy solid equipment, I just don't know where to start since I have never lived in that world. I have been buying ASUS, Netgear (Orbi), etc for my whole adult life.

 

[degrub]

You will need dimensioned plan views of your house for each floor so that you can make a first guess at placement of APs if your current placements have issues with gaps or too much overlap in RF power. Once you get a starter set of APs, you have to experiment by placing them in different locations and mapping out the RF power.

 

[bbunge]

AX86U Pro. On sale now! Works well for me.

 

[Tech9]

I typically believe I want a router and 2 satellites

Plan your Wi-Fi and don't rely on luck. Use UniFi or Omada online tools to create a heat map of your place. It may help deciding what you need. Avoid products with subscriptions. Cisco APs are nice and they do have low cost options, but switches are super expensive and firewalls will kill you with fees. UniFi and Omada are lower cost options for home application, don't require subscriptions and online account is optional. Both are good quality Qualcomm hardware. UniFi offers more gateway features with the new UCG devices.

 

[degrub]

That makes sense. I work at a very large company and I see Cisco and other brand APs everywhere. Nothing I ever considered buying but they do tend to just work. They don't upgrade them very often either.

I have the money to buy solid equipment, I just don't know where to start since I have never lived in that world. I have been buying ASUS, Netgear (Orbi), etc for my whole adult life.

i switched to cisco RV325 +WAP371 APs about a decade ago. i had to experiment with placement for 2.4 GHz, power levels, and channel interference ( in a very crowded RF neighborhood). Since i don't need IOT functionality, i ended up turning off the 2.4 GHz radios. i just run 5GHz and experimented with placement and orientation of the AP (vertical or horizontal - ceiling or shelf). i even have one AP in a closet to provide wifi to one bedroom that was in a RF dead spot. i used Apple Airport Utility to manually generate RF heat maps so i could adjust placement and TX power. Nothing complicated in the configuration. Learned to implement VLANs on the system and segmented traffic to reduce the chance of promiscuous devices (phones, tablets) bringing in malware from teenagers.

It's not hard to get the basics. i did not have to touch any of the finer controls on the wifi radios to have an adequate system. If i needed that, i would hire a local pro to optimize the system. It worked well enough for 2 work-from-home and 3 children growing to adulthood.

 

[Tech9]

Since i don't need IOT functionality

This part may be tricky with SMB gear. Most vendors don't support WPS. Unifi and Omada networks included. There is a workaround, but in general WPS is considered security risk in SMB world and is not supported. Some IoTs rely on it for initial connection.

 

[degrub]

This part may be tricky with SMB gear. Most vendors don't support WPS. Unifi and Omada networks included. There is a workaround, but in general WPS is considered security risk in SMB world and is not supported. Some IoTs rely on it for initial connection.

Maybe use the ISP's AP to do initial config ?

 

[Tech9]

Yes, something with WPS supported just to make the initial connection. There is a trick it has to be done outside of AP reach because it may trigger common rogue AP protection. Most network controllers monitor the environment by default.

 

[radiomyke]

I've just changed a very similar set up (AX11000 and 2 XT8 nodes) to a pair of BQ16s (I'm in the UK so they're the non Pro versions). I'd been researching newer mesh set-ups since the start of the new year and had been very hesitant about changing due to the numerous problems which were prevalent. I bought the dual pack when they were on offer at Amazon last week.

First thing I did was to upgrade the FW to the January update on each of the BQ16s. Then I set up the mesh (wireless backhaul as before) and moved the second to the centre of the house before I setting them up to closely resemble the system I'd had with the AX11000/XT8s; separate 2.4/5.1/5.2 and 6 networks replicating the SSIDs from the AX11000. As I was anticipating problems I wanted to try and leave as much as possible unchanged to see how it went, so that's all I did initially.

To my amazement everything connected as expected although I've only got 30 odd clients around the house. I had no problems with, for example, Sonos speakers not being recognised, clients losing connections etc which I'd previously read were problematic. I managed to rename all the connected devices without any problems but haven't tampered with much else as I'm still wary of messing something up. However, everything has worked as I'd wanted it to do for almost a full week now lol.

As I'd had a 3 box system before, I was anticipating having to purchase another BE router to ensure whole house wifi coverage but the pair of BQs provide a really strong signal throughout so that's not a necessity.

I'm actually really pleased I took the plunge, especially as I got a relatively good deal and the price has gone back up this week.

 

[Tech9]

What I notice as a trend lately with multi-radio routers in AiMesh - the less units involved the better. Single unit users with no AiMesh are happy in general. Dual unit users may have some issues, but acceptable and easier to manage. Three or more unit users run into deal breaker issues and usually look for other solutions. Something to consider when three or more APs are needed.

 

[Tech9]

Maybe use the ISP's AP to do initial config ?

Just tested the theory with an additional router in reach of my UniFi system APs and it triggers rogue AP detection (in AP Mode) and both rogue AP detection plus rogue DHCP detection (in Router mode). So this protection has to be disabled first in settings of whatever system is used. The "offender" was correctly identified as an Asus device. Now I have a warning in Performance/Environment panel even though I acknowledged the notifications and the extra AP was removed. It will clear itself over time, but not good user experience with this workaround.