replacing aimesh node. which one to pick

[Gravityz]

i currently have thr RT-AX88U as main router with RT-AC86U as aimesh node(5Ghz backhaul)
it works but is not perfect(disconnects sometimes)

what would be the best/most stable choice if i replace the RT-AC86U

RT-AX88U same model with AX speed
RT-AX86U different model with AX speed
RT-AX86U pro different model with ax speed(seems to be cheaper than the RT-AX86U non pro version)

i need the 8 ports in the main router so replacing that with the pro version is a no go

 

[ColinTaylor]

Out of those three I think I would choose the RT-AX86U Pro in your situation. It looks to me like the non-Pro version is being phased out in preference for the Pro version. The prices shown on the UK website for each have dropped to £210 vs. £220 respectively making the Pro an easy choice IMHO, assuming you can actually get hold of them at that price.

 

[Gravityz]

i can buy one used for even cheaper EUR 150

sounds like a plan

 

[jksmurf]

It probably also depends on if you intend to use Wired vs Wireless backhaul.

I’ve been looking at XD6’s and XT8’s specifically as nodes, with Wired making good sense for either.

 

[Gravityz]

i am going to use 5Ghz wireless as backhaul.
at the moment i get 1300 speeds between the routers. hopefully the rt-ax86u will increase the backhaul bandwidth as well as range.


those satellites look nice but i do not think those internal antenna's will give a better range versus external antenna's

 

[jksmurf]

those satellites look nice but i do not think those internal antenna's will give a better range versus external antenna's

Interesting thought, I wonder if anyone has test data or real world experience on the difference. Always thought a beefy Router unit like an RT-AX86U was a bit of a waste as an AIMESH node though.

The other driver is aesthetics, but that’s a pretty subjective criteria.

 

[akb]

I have a ax86u with 5 xd4 which work really well on wired backhaul.

Since 86u does not have second 5ghz xd4 is perfect as it handles 160mhz which is more than enough for my Comcast 1400/35 plan. So from any AP I get full speed on 5ghz .

 

[jksmurf]

xd4 is perfect as it handles 160mhz

???

Sorry (and not being a smarty pants here) but I cannot find a reference to XD4 handling 160MHz, all these suggest it is a shortcoming of the XD4?

Did you perhaps mean to type XD6?

• https://einfoldtech.com/2021/04/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4-review/
• https://medium.com/@bestreviewssg/w...ax-mini-xd4-comprehensive-review-c439452c48eb
• https://routerkb.asuscomm.com/?p=12786&lang=en
• https://www.bestreviews.sg/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4/
• https://www.snbforums.com/threads/w...n-ax-router-is-also-set-for-160mhz-dfs.81029/
• https://dongknows.com/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4-mesh-system/

k.

EDIT: I see from another post you wrote you had XD5s running at 160Mhz and XD4s at 80MHz so I’m guessing you meant XD5s in this context.

 

[akb]

???

Sorry (and not being a smarty pants here) but I cannot find a reference to XD4 handling 160MHz, all these suggest it is a shortcoming of the XD4?

Did you perhaps mean to type XD6?

• https://einfoldtech.com/2021/04/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4-review/
• https://medium.com/@bestreviewssg/w...ax-mini-xd4-comprehensive-review-c439452c48eb
• https://routerkb.asuscomm.com/?p=12786&lang=en
• https://www.bestreviews.sg/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4/
• https://www.snbforums.com/threads/w...n-ax-router-is-also-set-for-160mhz-dfs.81029/
• https://dongknows.com/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4-mesh-system/

k.

I am sorry I mean xd5 its basically the xd4 with 160mhz

 

[Gravityz]

well that was fast. installed the RT-AX86U pro
everthing seems in order.
let's see if things will get more stable.

things i noticed
speeds did not increase

backhaul bandwidth did also not increase

still running WPA2, should i go to WPA2/WPA3 or does this not affect speed

 

[akb]

Wpa3 only or wpa2 only.

Your remote speeds should have increased. Did you link the two with 2.5g? Otherwise your bottleneck is ~960mbs

Or is it all wireless backhaul? Did you confirm its 160mhz?

 

[Gravityz]

i have a wireless backhaul 5Ghz
at the moment everything is running stable at 80Mhz fixed.

i will switch to 160Mhz after a couple of days so i have a good before/after picture
i tried 160Mhz fixed but that did not work and i lost my complete aimesh(channel fixed to 100)
so next time i will try

and

 

[Gravityz]

everything still stable

160mhz only make sense for the backhaul which alreasy is fast enough
iphone15pro uses 160mhz but only on wifi6e(which my routers do not have.

so for now it looks like replacing theAC node with an AX node(making everything AX) is more stable overall