AiMesh setup issues with RT-AX88U and RT-AX58U. Looking for suggestions.

[ramishka]

Hi,
I currently have a AiMesh setup with the following ASUS routers:

AX88U: 3.0.0.4.388_22525 (Host)
AX58U: 3.0.0.4.388_22525 (AiMesh Node - Connected over Ethernet)

I have some random issues with the current setup:
- Samsung S22U phones sometimes drop the Wifi occasionally
- An iPad's connection to the AiMesh node seems sub optimal (it will sometimes drop the signal and reconnect on its own)
All above devices are connected over the 5GHz SSID. I live in a Condominun and the network usage here I would say is pretty high.

AX58U is rated AX3000 and AX88U is rated AX6000. So I have a feeling I may be bottlenecking the network to some extent with the 58U (pls correct me if im wrong).
I am planning to swap out the AX56U node to a newer router model with better range + speed, so looking for suggestions.

The options I have been thinking are:
- Get another AX88U
- Go for ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 . Then use AX11000 as primary and AX88U as a node.

Seeking your opinion or alternative suggestions. Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AX58U isn't a recommended router (from me). I almost immediately sold it as it could be observed it brought down the rest of the network it was connected to (RT-AX88U and then the much better RT-AX86U).

I haven't tried the GT-AX11000, and I probably never will. 2 radio and 3 'band' routers are gimmicky at best.

My suggestion is 2x GT-AX6000 (as main and node) and sell the much older RT-AX88U as well.

 

[ramishka]

The RT-AX58U isn't a recommended router (from me). I almost immediately sold it as it could be observed it brought down the rest of the network it was connected to (RT-AX88U and then the much better RT-AX86U).

I haven't tried the GT-AX11000, and I probably never will. 2 radio and 3 'band' routers are gimmicky at best.

My suggestion is 2x GT-AX6000 (as main and node) and sell the much older RT-AX88U as well.

Thank you for the reply.
I will check the AX6000.

In the meantime, if the wifi issues are related to congestion (I live in a condominum and I can see a lot of wifi networks from neighbours around me), would the tri band router help more?

 

[L&LD]

The congestion is certainly a problem, but the RT-AX58U is also contributing its fair share to the issues too, I'm sure.

Tri-band routers are less than helpful. They simply take the bands a 2-band router offers and split it between two radios. Yuck.

When a true 3-radio router with 3 (full) bands is available, that will be the model to at least test in your network.

 

[ramishka]

The congestion is certainly a problem, but the RT-AX58U is also contributing its fair share to the issues too, I'm sure.

Tri-band routers are less than helpful. They simply take the bands a 2-band router offers and split it between two radios. Yuck.

When a true 3-radio router with 3 (full) bands is available, that will be the model to at least test in your network.

Thanks. Clearer for me now.

Another point I thought of; the entire reason I need 2 routers in a Mesh setup is I have somewhat low wifi signal strength for the 5Ghz network in the bedroom (Unfortunately i live in a rental place and I cant change the location where the primary router can be placed in).

I was wondering how better or more powerful the signal strength of these 8 antenna routers such as AX-11000 Pro or AX-11000 or AX89X is. If one of these can provide at least around 20% more powerful signal than the AX88U, I can live with just 1 router and get rid of the mesh setup altogether. Unfortunately I couldnt find anything on the internet so far that compares the signal strength of these models.

 

[bitsbytes]

The RT-AX58U isn't a recommended router (from me). I almost immediately sold it as it could be observed it brought down the rest of the network it was connected to (RT-AX88U and then the much better RT-AX86U).

I haven't tried the GT-AX11000, and I probably never will. 2 radio and 3 'band' routers are gimmicky at best.

My suggestion is 2x GT-AX6000 (as main and node) and sell the much older RT-AX88U as well.

This would generally be good info but according to the op he is using ethernet as his main connection between the router and node so any WiFi limits shouldn't be applied. I have a similar setup between an ax86u and and an ax58u using ethernet and it's working fine. In my case though most of the heavy traffic is on the ax86u side of my house.

 

[bbunge]

I have had two refurbished AX58U's purchased from Amazon. Both were returned. The first seemed to work OK as a node with my AX86U but something did not seem right. I returned the AX86U to Asus under warranty and bought an AX86U Pro. I tried a second AX58U with the AX86U Pro in a mesh setup and the AX58U made the router go wonky. Now with the AX86U back from "repair" it is set up as a node to the AX86U Pro and is working well.
The OP may want to try an AX86S as a node?

 

[L&LD]

@bitsbytes, ime, it didn't matter which connection was used (wired or wireless), having the RT-AX58U in the network introduced instability that was removed when the router was either powered down or fully removed, from the network. In my case, another RT-AX86U proved the superior setup (by far). I've never bought another RT-AX58U for myself or recommended them to my customers. The RT-AX68U is also a superior design with excellent performance (if you can find it cheap enough).

 

[L&LD]

Thanks. Clearer for me now.

Another point I thought of; the entire reason I need 2 routers in a Mesh setup is I have somewhat low wifi signal strength for the 5Ghz network in the bedroom (Unfortunately i live in a rental place and I cant change the location where the primary router can be placed in).

I was wondering how better or more powerful the signal strength of these 8 antenna routers such as AX-11000 Pro or AX-11000 or AX89X is. If one of these can provide at least around 20% more powerful signal than the AX88U, I can live with just 1 router and get rid of the mesh setup altogether. Unfortunately I couldnt find anything on the internet so far that compares the signal strength of these models.

If they were true 8 antennae routers, they would be superior, but they're not.

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Data Rate​

2.4GHz AX: 4x4 (Tx/Rx) 1024 QAM 20/40MHz, up to 1148Mbps
5G-1Hz AX: 4x4 (Tx/Rx) 1024 QAM 20/40/80/160MHz, up to 4804Mbps
5G-2Hz AX: 4x4 (Tx/Rx) 1024 QAM 20/40/80/160MHz, up to 4804Mbps

Notice they are only 4x4:4 setups.


I had the RT-AX88U and the RT-AX58U, and both were replaced by the superior (~20% faster throughput at the same distance to the same client/location) RT-AX86U and then that latter model was replaced by the GT-AX6000 (with another 20% improvement in throughput again, at the same distance, and an equivalent reduction in latency too), I wouldn't be surprised if a single GT-AX6000 was enough to replace your entire current setup.

The RT-AX88U is many years old today and based on inferior RF design and older SDKs. The RT-AX58U was never a contender at all for a stable and performant Asus-based network, time.

Try a single GT-AX6000 in your environment (buy two, only open one from the box, and be ready to return the second one if the first gives you the results you seek). I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[ramishka]

I'm just curious, If I can get the GT-AX11000 Pro and GT-AX6000 roughly for the same price, is there any harm getting the GT-AX11000 Pro over the GT-AX6000?
(I am planning to get 1 unit of either and test first, as return / exchange are sometimes lengthy process in my region)

 

[L&LD]

Depends if you're a gambling man/woman.

The GT-AX6000 is a known and proven router at this point. It has the best balance of hardware possible, for its price point, and it is fast and stable with no issues for many.

The GT-AX11000 Pro is a gimmicky 2 radio, 3 band (i.e. the 5GHz band is split into two, instead of one continuous band), router that may have great specs on paper, but it hardly fits seamlessly in most networks. I have never bought/used a 2 radio, 3 band router for myself or my customers. But I have replaced a few with excellent 2 radio 2 band routers with superior results.

I would wait for the GT-AX6000 to go on sale before I bought it (and even if the 'pro' is discounted similarly, I would question why that is so), and buy/test that first.

If they're both on sale now (with the GT-AX6000 around the $250 mark or less), I would buy both and first test with the GT-AX6000 and only open the 'pro' if you're not happy with the results the GT-AX6000 gives you.

 

[Piotrek]

I'm just curious, If I can get the GT-AX11000 Pro and GT-AX6000 roughly for the same price, is there any harm getting the GT-AX11000 Pro over the GT-AX6000?

GT-AX11000 Pro is better than GT-AX6000.

 

[Piotrek]

So I have a feeling I may be bottlenecking the network to some extent with the 58U (pls correct me if im wrong).

RT-AX58U gives more than your iPad can use.

 

[L&LD]

Specs, yes. Have you directly compared them in a real network?

The RT-AX58U is abysmal as a router or as an AiMesh node with any AX class main router, ime.

 

[Tech9]

GT-AX11000 Pro is better than GT-AX6000.

Both have the same hardware inside. AX11000 has one extra radio and can support more 5GHz connected devices at higher aggregate speeds. In an average household though you have just a few active clients at the same time. This makes AX11000 more marketing than real advantage. It may be better in some specific cases like high bandwidth VR set connected to one radio and the rest to the other. Better, but only if you need it. Most households don't need it and some folks just pay extra for higher numbers in specs. It's equally ugly and even bigger insect than GT-AX6000. The 8x legs are omnidirectional 2dBi antennas mostly for show and demonstration of "power" in the eyes of average consumer with no technical knowledge.

 

[Piotrek]

Specs, yes. Have you directly compared them in a real network?

No, and you?
We all know that you have been worshiping GT-AX6000 for several months. Probably in a few months you will fall in love with another model, maybe even GT-AX11000 Pro.

The RT-AX58U is abysmal as a router or as an AiMesh node with any AX class main router, ime.

How many RT-AX58U in how many real networks in different locations have you checked?
I'm successfully using multiple RT-AX56U in different real networks in different locations. I have no reason to believe that RT-AX58U will be worse.

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[Piotrek]

Both have the same hardware inside.

GT-AX11000 Pro has 10GbE port.

I can get the GT-AX11000 Pro and GT-AX6000 roughly for the same price

For the same price out of the 2, I would choose the GT-AX11000 Pro.
Though overall I probably wouldn't buy any of them

 

[Tech9]

GT-AX11000 Pro has 10GbE port.

Yes, and no 10Gbps capable hardware inside. It has a 10Gbps port. Part of the marketing package. AX11000, remember?

For the same price out of the 2, I would choose the GT-AX11000 Pro.

When I go shopping for a car though I obviously want a car and don't come back with a pick-up truck at the same price.

 

[Piotrek]

AX11000, remember?

Yes, I remember

When I go shopping for a car though I obviously want a car and don't come back with a pick-up truck at the same price.

We don't know what OP really needs.
Earlier he wrote that he sometimes has connection issue for iPad and S22 on 5GHz Wi-Fi, and for that he doesn't need either GT-AX6000 or GT-AX11000 Pro.

 

[ramishka]

Yes, I remember

We don't know what OP really needs.
Earlier he wrote that he sometimes has connection issue for iPad and S22 on 5GHz Wi-Fi, and for that he doesn't need either GT-AX6000 or GT-AX11000 Pro.

Hi thanks all for your replies and suggestions so far.

To clarify, my main requirement is to
- Either have a mesh network with 2 routers that doesnt have connection drops. My current setup with 88U and 58U surely seems to have some issue with this.
OR
- Have one router with more powerful signal that gives stable wifi connectivity without connection drops.

Also I probably should have mentioned this sooner. I have had my current setup with 88U and 58U for roughly a year. It has been working pretty well up until about a week ago without much drops. But suddenly now the drops have become very noticeable without any changes on the network and without any new device being added.

So I'm looking to swap out the 58U node first to a more powerful router and try first, as the 58U seem to be the weakest link right now on my network in terms of hardware.