1x RT-AC88u or AiMesh pack 2x RT-AC67U?

[reetron]

Hi everyone

My RT N66u has served our home well, but it looks like it is time to be retired.

I have been offered a 2nd hand AC88U at quite a discount, however, I also need to be cognizant about the AP we have upstairs - a lowly TP link AP (TL-WR840N) that our fibre provider gave to us, but serving just OK as an AP.
However, it only has 100 mb link ETH ports, so I'm sure its a bottleneck on the entire network?
Most devices connect wirelessly, but I do sometimes need ethernet to VPN into work.

Taking the above into account, do you think I should jump on the single AC88u deal, and then next phase buy an RTAC66u (or better) to act as the backhaul AP upstairs down the line and create aimesh or:
purchase the 2 pack RTAC67U aimesh for just a bit more and have two reasonably fast routers, with aimesh, covering our 3000 ft2 dbl storey home right now?

Thanks in advance

 

[JDB]

If take the cheap 88U and add later as required.

The processing power of AiMesh nodes is irrelevant as they are just fancy AP’s.

I’d even say go on eBay and get a second hand 66U or similar to be the upstairs node now.


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[reetron]

If take the cheap 88U and add later as required.

The processing power of AiMesh nodes is irrelevant as they are just fancy AP’s.

I’d even say go on eBay and get a second hand 66U or similar to be the upstairs node now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks JDB, I assume the AC88u will be a nice upgrade from the N66u?

 

[JDB]

Yea definitely, I’ve had one for a few years now and it’s great.
Only issue I’ve ever had is maybe twice, 4 of the 8 eth ports (they are on a separate internal switch) stopped responding necessitating a power cycle, but in 3+ years only happening twice I can live with that!


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[OzarkEdge]

Hi everyone

My RT N66u has served our home well, but it looks like it is time to be retired.

I have been offered a 2nd hand AC88U at quite a discount, however, I also need to be cognizant about the AP we have upstairs - a lowly TP link AP (TL-WR840N) that our fibre provider gave to us, but serving just OK as an AP.
However, it only has 100 mb link ETH ports, so I'm sure its a bottleneck on the entire network?
Most devices connect wirelessly, but I do sometimes need ethernet to VPN into work.

Taking the above into account, do you think I should jump on the single AC88u deal, and then next phase buy an RTAC66u (or better) to act as the backhaul AP upstairs down the line and create aimesh or:
purchase the 2 pack RTAC67U aimesh for just a bit more and have two reasonably fast routers, with aimesh, covering our 3000 ft2 dbl storey home right now?

Thanks in advance

Go with cheap, if it works. But if you start investing, make sure an AC1900 build supports Smart Connect if you want a single SSID. For me, the minimum is the 86U... current build, strong hardware, strong router VPN, 4th antenna on 5.0 GHz, great WiFi range, and Micro Center has been bundling them for a good price. One would probably cover your 2x1500 levels without having to mess with mesh... if so, you could resell the 2nd one.

OE

 

[reetron]

Thanks for the advice - one thing I forgot to mention is that I don't live in the US. I'm from South Africa, so prices here are WAY different than in the US.
The vastly reduced price, for me for the 88U, works out to exactly what purchasing a new unit in US$ from a an e-tailer would be. Such is life.