Pros/cons moving to AiMesh

[lindros2]

On the fence to move to AiMesh (wireless backhaul, since my house makes it difficult to affordably wire).
My reason is less about "control", and more about "cleaning up" a large number of SSID's.

I currently have three Asus routers active, and a couple others on "standby". I very briefly tested 3-4 years ago, but didn't stay with AiMesh.

Router models (tri-band):
1. GT-AX11000
2. GT-AC5300
3. RT-AC5300

(and three AC68U which I'd decommission or keep on standby)

 

[Logi]

Is there a special AiMesh mode called “standby”?

 

[bbunge]

You need to get off of the fence and try it. Especially with tri-band routers. You will be limited to the specs of the lowest router for channel selection and Wi-Fi encryption (WPA2).

 

[Tech9]

My reason is less about "control", and more about "cleaning up" a large number of SSID's.

In wireless AiMesh 5GHz-2 radio on all your routers will be used for dedicated backhaul. You can have 1x 2.4GHz SSID and 1x 5GHz SSID only. I do not recommend enabling SmartConnect. Use stock Asuswrt on all routers for more stable AiMesh. Try with 2x routers first and see if they provide adequate coverage. The two GT models are better hardware HND platform routers. RT model is older ARMv7 platform router.

 

[lindros2]

Is there a special AiMesh mode called “standby”?

sarcasm aside, when we lose power, I extend my AT&T router with an AC68U (preconfigured) and keep two AC68U's set for extending my main network during updates and other maintenance windows.

 

[Tech9]

What powers your AT&T router and your AC68U extender when... you lose power?

 

[fisherman]

In wireless AiMesh 5GHz-2 radio on all your routers will be used for dedicated backhaul. You can have 1x 2.4GHz SSID and 1x 5GHz SSID only. I do not recommend enabling SmartConnect. Use stock Asuswrt on all routers for more stable AiMesh. Try with 2x routers first and see if they provide adequate coverage. The two GT models are better hardware HND platform routers. RT model is older ARMv7 platform router.

Can you explain pls why you don't recommend SmartConnect? I just got my AIMesh running a day or two ago but to have SmartConnect on seems to work just fine and certainly simplifies vs. having multiple SSIDs.

 

[Tech9]

Can you explain pls why you don't recommend SmartConnect?

Because you have very little control over where your devices connect, SmartConnect in Asuswrt in my personal experience is not Smart enough and jumping between bands when you walk around disrupts your video/voice time-sensitive connections. It's SimpleConnect indeed, but not Smart.

 

[lindros2]

Because you have very little control over where your devices connect, SmartConnect in Asuswrt in my personal experience is not Smart enough and jumping between bands when you walk around disrupts your video/voice time-sensitive connections. It's SimpleConnect indeed, but not Smart.

I would agree with this across the board - I always split my 2.4 and 5 GHz channels - 2.4 better at distance; 5 better for speed. And my devices will max out at 65-70 if they lock onto a 2.4 channel.
(this is especially true for mobile phones which have a delay of a couple seconds listing the faster bands)

 

[lindros2]

What powers your AT&T router and your AC68U extender when... you lose power?

An enterprise grade UPS in my basement.
My main ASUS router is on the main level, powered separately.
I have a wired connection from AT&T (HUMAX) to ASUS across levels.

 

[Tech9]

This is one of disadvantages of routers used as APs. My APs are PoE powered and the entire system stays up during power outages.

 

[lindros2]

I thought the next question was "why don't you plug in your ASUS router too" which my answer would be "because I prefer to power my sump pump so my basement doesn't flood"

 

[bbunge]

Can you explain pls why you don't recommend SmartConnect? I just got my AIMesh running a day or two ago but to have SmartConnect on seems to work just fine and certainly simplifies vs. having multiple SSIDs.

Some of us do recommend and use Dual band SmartConnect. A single SSID with the router on Auto channel and bandwidth works well. Let the router and clients choose what is best for them. Far fewer setup headaches...

 

[Tech9]

Let the router and clients choose what is best for them.

In general no one likes to work. Best for them is perhaps sleep mode or turned off. I want them to do what's best for me.

 

[fisherman]

The OP will decide what's best for him, but he started with "too many SSIDs!" and SmartConnect helps with that.

I have found myself running-out of 5GHz range and then having to switch back to 2.4 (differently named SSIDs) and it's been a PIA so I'm hoping SC becomes a "set-and-forget" thing.

For the way we use our portable gizmos, we don't typically recognize the speed differences anyway...

 

[Tech9]

The OP will decide what's best for him

Agree.

For the way we use our portable gizmos

The main problem with Asus' (and other home routers too) SmartConnect and Roaming is the slow switching between bands or nodes. It's Broadcom radio SoC and drivers related, not Asus' or other manufacturer fault. It takes up to 8-10 seconds time and breaks connections, drops calls. This is why single router with SmartConnect off by default works best. Controller based Qualcomm multi-AP Wi-Fi systems do better job in both band-steering and roaming. I don't recommend it on home routers because it's available, but not great. Good for the price point and may work for some users though.

 

[lindros2]

The OP will decide what's best for him, but he started with "too many SSIDs!" and SmartConnect helps with that.

thank you. "Too many SSIDs" for me is no joke:

-552
-522
-5G
-2G
-554
-556
-557

The reason - albeit idiotic - is "I like control" and (when my auto-select Band 5-2 WiFi 6 band chooses band 100 and my older devices like Rokus can't find it)... it gives me precise control over which device uses which...

Also I'm getting 400Mbps+ (wireless and wired) in my hacked [AT&T_Router] > GT-AC5300 > GT-AX11000 > [devices] config...

 

[fisherman]

The main problem with Asus' (and other home routers too) SmartConnect and Roaming is the slow switching between bands or nodes. It's Broadcom radio SoC and drivers related, not Asus' or other manufacturer fault. It takes up to 8-10 seconds time and breaks connections, drops calls. This is why single router with SmartConnect off by default works best. Controller based Qualcomm multi-AP Wi-Fi systems do better job in both band-steering and roaming. I don't recommend it on home routers because it's available, but not great. Good for the price point and may work for some users though.

As you may know, since you helped me to get my new two-RT-AC86U system working just a few days ago, I am a brand-spanking-new rookie to AIMesh. And I learned today that some (most) of my clients do not switch WiFi source as I might have expected.

I'd set-up my AIMesh node 86U in my garage, where I have cameras and Liftmaster door openers, and was surprised to see that these had a very low signal level. Turns-out that I'd not yet put my Garage 86U on a UPS, and when we had a power failure, the garages devices all "latched-on" to my Primary 86U when power was restored, because of course the Primary never stopped working owing to its UPS, while the node 86U was still booting itself, having lost power. These clients, even after 24 hours, did not see-and-use the stronger signal from the local 86U! But after I put my node on a UPS, and power-reset the garage devices, they all saw the node and are at full signal strength now.

I don't understand the difference between the Primary's weak WiFi signal and the Node's very strong one--somehow it is different to the clients...

[scratches head]

 

[OzarkEdge]

As you may know, since you helped me to get my new two-RT-AC86U system working just a few days ago, I am a brand-spanking-new rookie to AIMesh. And I learned today that some (most) of my clients do not switch WiFi source as I might have expected.

I'd set-up my AIMesh node 86U in my garage, where I have cameras and Liftmaster door openers, and was surprised to see that these had a very low signal level. Turns-out that I'd not yet put my Garage 86U on a UPS, and when we had a power failure, the garages devices all "latched-on" to my Primary 86U when power was restored, because of course the Primary never stopped working owing to its UPS, while the node 86U was still booting itself, having lost power. These clients, even after 24 hours, did not see-and-use the stronger signal from the local 86U! But after I put my node on a UPS, and power-reset the garage devices, they all saw the node and are at full signal strength now.

I don't understand the difference between the Primary's weak WiFi signal and the Node's very strong one--somehow it is different to the clients...

[scratches head]

Are you referring to 2.4GHz clients reconnecting to the house router? How far is the garage node from the house router?

Even with the garage node on a UPS, watch for 2.4 garage clients connecting to the house WLAN first whenever the AiMesh WLANs are cycled and the house WLANs come up first.

OE

 

[fisherman]

Yes, eight or nine are 2.4GHz and a couple are 5GHz. The node might be 50ft from the main router.

What would cause the AIMesh WLANs to be "cycled"? They are now both on UPSes.