Questions on moving from Stock to Merlin and will it affect my configuration?

[Marvin Gage]

OK My current setup is below.

RT-AX86U - AI Mesh Hub
RT-AX58U - AI node
RT-AC68U - AI node (bridged connected to RT-AX58U)

If I update Hub to Asuswrt-Merlin will it having any issues with AI Mesh? I know that it did not work a couple of years ago so I had reverted it back to stock firmware, but is there any issues now with updating? I know the RT-AC68U is old so I won't bother with trying to update that one but also not sure if there is any benefit to updating the RT-AX58U to Asuswrt-Merlin also?

Buffer Bloat has become a big issue with the current Stock Firmware Adaptive QOS causing more bloat than turning it off with my 1GB/1GB Fiber connection. I am not using the FIOS Frontier router my connection goes directly into my RT-AX86U router.

Buffer Bloat for download latency with QOS Adaptive enabled: speed reduced by well over 100MB/s and latency running between 58-68ms
Buffer Bloat with QOS disabled speed tops out at full speed of the 943/939 average I get with download latency at 18ms

So thinking about using Merlin with the Flex QOS to fix the severe Buffer Bloat issue when using QOS.

 

[RandomUser777]

Why do you want QoS with those speeds?

 

[Marvin Gage]

Why do you want QoS with those speeds?

To focus on features needed most as I do work hybrid some at home so I used a custom priority and had work of course first followed by web. In this way I can make sure voice calls on Zoom or Cisco Jabber has best peformance.

 

[Gary_Dexter]

To focus on features needed most as I do work hybrid some at home so I used a custom priority and had work of course first followed by web. In this way I can make sure voice calls on Zoom or Cisco Jabber has best peformance.

They use like 2-3 meg of bandwidth. If that.

 

[Analog-1]

not sure if there is any benefit to updating the RT-AX58U to Asuswrt-Merlin also?

Is your AX58U a Ver1 ? If not it's not supported by Asus Merlin.

 

[Marvin Gage]

Is your AX58U a Ver1 ? If not it's not supported by Asus Merlin.

OK thanks for that info looks like I am in luck as mine is version 1. Has no version mentioned on it. So will the AI Mesh on merlin have any issues with the Stock firmware?

 

[Crimliar]

Your AiMesh should work, but there is a possibility that you'll have to make an initial connection using an ethernet cable. You'll probably need to, and I would recommend that you do, reset the devices to factory settings. Any major change and while a dirty upgrade/crossgrade may work, a clean from factory is often the better option.

 

[Tech9]

So thinking about using Merlin with the Flex QOS to fix the severe Buffer Bloat issue when using QOS.

Sounds like another victim of Waveform website. You're hurting yourself with this QoS on symmetrical Gigabit ISP and are going to waste time reinstalling your working system for no reason. Hopefully Waveform shows you a bit better score after so you have an excuse for the downtime.

 

[Marvin Gage]

Thanks I was able to resolve the Bufferbloat after I found that even though AI Protection was disabled it was actually enabled and blocked a site. I found how to disable by withdrawing and my buffer bloat went down to a 22ms download latency and an A rating. So that AI Protection is total garbage..