Which Asus AX model to pair with my AX86U in backhaul?

[torstein]

My Ax86U (with merlin) has moved into the basement and taken over the routing responsibility from the ISPs subpar multifunction modem. I am so lucky that previous owner has cat5e cables in the walls, and i would like to connect a wifi access point in the living room in ethernet backhaul.

Which asus ax model will be a good fit to be an access point paired with my ax86u? other than another ax86u of course. it will have to fulfill a few requirements:

1. Be merlin compatible
2. not more expensive than my ax86u
3. have good wifi performance
4. not close to eol

I want to buy second hand to save money and saw an ax88u, but i've read some negative reviews of its performance.

or perhaps do pay more and get a better router with beefier processors and chips, ie ax86u pro to future proof it, and use the ax86u as a wifi access point? and that way get the guest wifi pro feature. i guess even if the ax86u is eol next year or in two years, if its just abscess point, it doesnt need the latest firmware to be secure and stable?

 

[bbunge]

You do not need to run Merlin on an AiMesh node. Most of the Asus AX class of router would work well. But, consider getting an AX86U Pro as a main router and use the AX86U as the node.
The AX86U Pro goes on sale for about $200 often.

 

[PunchCardBoss]

Most of the Asus AX class of router would work well. But, consider getting an AX86U Pro as a main router and use the AX86U as the node.

Careful...

The conventional wisdom is "don't mix Firmware class/generation".

Most AX (non PRO) run the same AsusWRT (gen 4) firmware: X.X.X.X.388_XXXXX. But PRO models run AsusWRT (gen 5) 3.0.0.6.102_XXXXX.

Now, if you are planning on running Merlin on both host and node, that might be a different story IF both PRO and non-PRO run the same Merlin firmware generation. But I don't think that is an option. Others may be able to add more clarity.

So, be careful. Choose well.

 

[bbunge]

Careful...

The conventional wisdom is "don't mix Firmware class/generation".

Most AX (non PRO) run the same AsusWRT (gen 4) firmware: X.X.X.X.388_XXXXX. But PRO models run AsusWRT (gen 5) 3.0.0.6.102_XXXXX.

Now, if you are planning on running Merlin on both host and node, that might be a different story IF both PRO and non-PRO run the same Merlin firmware generation. But I don't think that is an option. Others may be able to add more clarity.

So, be careful. Choose well.

Hmm.. not necessarily so. As the OP stated they wanted Merlin firmware the AX86U Pro and AX86U will work well together. See my signature. Yes, I have run the Asus 5.0 firmware on my pro and admit it may not play well with the 388 firmware. This combo works very well for me! Even the 2.5 GB backhaul seems stable.

 

[DJones]

Depends on what you need from your node. If you want fairly reliable wifi backed by a 1gb wired backhaul or wireless backhaul. You could go cheap rt-ax58u v1 Merlin or v2 but is a little more unstable as it’s gnuton and it’s new to his platform.

If you want 2.5gb lan also on your node then you’ll want something better. More wifi radios might also help on better routers. But it largely depends on your use case.

Mixing generations “might” cause issues idk.

 

[torstein]

Is that an accepted and proven fact that Asus-wrt 5.0 and 4.0 will not play nicely together, even if the 4.0 router will function just as an wireless AP and switch? I will probably have to reconsider to not get the ax86u pro then, and just see if I can get a second hand ax86u (non-pro). It seems a bit wasteful to run merlin 388 on the pro, and not get the fancy new vlan-features of 5.0.

 

[jksmurf]

I run a RT-AX86U with a RT-AX3000 node (wireless BH) and separately a RT-AX86U Pro with a RT-AX58U and two ZenWifi XD6 nodes (all wired BH). It’s early days in the second but apart from a total disconnect of one of the XD6 nodes recently, it works well and is cheap enough.

If you want to extend the life of your setup (FW wise) then having nodes with FW that supports Guest Network Pro (as well as your main router) will allow you to propagate all the guest (or IoT etc) networks to all the nodes with that FW, which for far flung IoT devices in your house, is great. Currently AIMESH limits the propagation to GN1 only.

 

[PunchCardBoss]

Is that an accepted and proven fact that Asus-wrt 5.0 and 4.0 will not play nicely together, even if the 4.0 router will function just as an wireless AP and switch?

Dare good question.

As @bbhas pointed out, Merlin changes things. Asus-WRT 4 and 5 refer to Asus firmware. Not Merlin. I haven't checked to know if the same gen Merlin Firmware runs on AX86U and AX88U-PRO. But I will take @bbhas word that it does.

But back to your question.... There are many posts from those that have tried mixing Asus-WRT 4 and 5 (Asus Firmware) on host and Aimesh node and experience compatability issues. Personally, I don't use a mesh system. I'm only pointing out that others have reported issues.

But, if you intend to use Merlin on both routers, then this issue is moot.

 

[bbunge]

Is that an accepted and proven fact that Asus-wrt 5.0 and 4.0 will not play nicely together, even if the 4.0 router will function just as an wireless AP and switch? I will probably have to reconsider to not get the ax86u pro then, and just see if I can get a second hand ax86u (non-pro). It seems a bit wasteful to run merlin 388 on the pro, and not get the fancy new vlan-features of 5.0.

Running Merlin on the pro is not a waste. Running Merlin on the AiMesh node is not a waste but not required. I run both the router and node on Merlin because I can.

FWIW - I did run the next gen Asus firmware (3.0.0.6.102_34313) on my AX86U Pro for a while. I ran Guest Network Pro (IoT) and VLAN and they worked mostly. What did not work was getting the AX86U to do 2.4 and 5 GHz guest WIFI. That was not a show stopper but I realized that I wanted to run an add blocker but not an add blocking service. Adding a Pi-Hole mostly worked but it was another device to manage. I've been a user of Merlin since my first Asus router, an RT-N66U. I got away from Merlin for a while because of some health issues. I did not want a complicated network if something happened to me. Now I am back to Merlin and running Diversion and Skynet just because I can run them (the family hasn't noticed!).

Yes, maybe running Asus 4.0 on one device and 5.0 on another may not allow all features to work. But remember, the AX86U Pro was on the Asus 4.0 (388.x)firmware for over a year. So there are no incompatibilities with the Merlin firmware.

 

[Tech9]

I can get a second hand ax86u

Perhaps the best option, ~$100 and you have 2x identical units on the same firmware. Whoever is running 388 Asuswrt-Merlin on Pro router has to know that 388.8 will be perhaps the last Asuswrt 4.0 based firmware for it. Asus moved Pro models to 102 and there will be no more 388 GPL.

if its just abscess point

Digging yourself deeper in AiMesh marketing hole will most likely produce abscess point... at some point. Faster if you mix and match models, run different firmware or rely on wireless backhaul. Two routers is okay, get identical units, run a wire between them. 2x RT-AX86U run well together.

 

[torstein]

Hahaha, wow, "abscess"... damn iphone autocorrect.

There are currently no AX86U non-pro and pro's used for sale here in Norway (small country and few people), but I can get a used AX88U purchased in 2020 for 160€ (good price actually, considering what everything else costs here). Will that one work as a wired backhauled Wifi-access point and switch with my original AX86U as main router, or is the AX88U-hardware trouble with that particular model with the wifi performance?

 

[Tech9]

Sorry, I don't know your market in Norway. Last time in Norway I was watching polar bears in Svalbard.

 

[jksmurf]

It’s early days in the second but apart from a total disconnect of one of the XD6 nodes recently,

And as luck would have it, the XD6 just did it again (disconnected from the Mesh) :-( .

I'm 9000kms away from it so I cannot reset it myself, will have to ask someone else.

Oddly it is only one of my two XD6 units but I'm not sure I would recommend these until it becomes more reliable.
It was (and is) fine with the RT-AX58U on the same Mesh Network.