AI mesh switch and router placement

[networkasus]

Hi, I live in a three-story house and have a router located on the 1st floor and one in the basement. Fiber comes in on floor 2 and I have pulled a cat6 from that floor to my Asus AC-68 U on floor 1 (this acts as a router). From my Asus AC-68U I have a wireless bridge to a d-link AP.

Unfortunately, I have poor coverage on the 2nd floor. I am therefore considering acquiring the Asus router (86U) to act as a AI mesh router and a AC-68U to replace the d-link in the basement and thus be able to run AI mesh.

I want to use the new router (86U) as AImesh router and my two 68U as nodes.

As the node in the basement can only be connected wirelessly (it is not possible to run an ethernet backhaul to it), I would prefer to place the AImesh router (86U) on the 1st floor.

Now to my question: Since it is probably not possible to run two Cat6 cables between floors 2 (where fiber comes in) and 1 (where I want my AI mesh router) I wonder if the following setup is possible (see link):

 

[bbunge]

Hi, I live in a three-story house and have a router located on the 1st floor and one in the basement. Fiber comes in on floor 2 and I have pulled a cat6 from that floor to my Asus AC-68 U on floor 1 (this acts as a router). From my Asus AC-68U I have a wireless bridge to a d-link AP.

Unfortunately, I have poor coverage on the 2nd floor. I am therefore considering acquiring the Asus router (86U) to act as a AI mesh router and a AC-68U to replace the d-link in the basement and thus be able to run AI mesh.

I want to use the new router (86U) as AImesh router and my two 68U as nodes.

As the node in the basement can only be connected wirelessly (it is not possible to run an ethernet backhaul to it), I would prefer to place the AImesh router (86U) on the 1st floor.

Now to my question: Since it is probably not possible to run two Cat6 cables between floors 2 (where fiber comes in) and 1 (where I want my AI mesh router) I wonder if the following setup is possible (see link):View attachment 26118

Will not work.
You could "split" the CAT6 from the 2nd floor to the 1st floor to feed down to the AC86U then back up to the AC68U but your bandwidth would be reduced to 100 MEG on the WAN side.
Ethernet cable has 4 pairs of wires. Gig Ethernet uses all 4 pairs. 100 MEG Ethernet uses 2 pair. Thus it is possible to use one cable to feed to two devices. In the good old days it was not an issue as most devices worked at 100 MEG Ethernet anyway.
Until you can run more cabling using WIFI backhaul would be best.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi, I live in a three-story house and have a router located on the 1st floor and one in the basement. Fiber comes in on floor 2 and I have pulled a cat6 from that floor to my Asus AC-68 U on floor 1 (this acts as a router). From my Asus AC-68U I have a wireless bridge to a d-link AP.

Unfortunately, I have poor coverage on the 2nd floor. I am therefore considering acquiring the Asus router (86U) to act as a AI mesh router and a AC-68U to replace the d-link in the basement and thus be able to run AI mesh.

I want to use the new router (86U) as AImesh router and my two 68U as nodes.

As the node in the basement can only be connected wirelessly (it is not possible to run an ethernet backhaul to it), I would prefer to place the AImesh router (86U) on the 1st floor.

Now to my question: Since it is probably not possible to run two Cat6 cables between floors 2 (where fiber comes in) and 1 (where I want my AI mesh router) I wonder if the following setup is possible (see link):View attachment 26118

No. The AiMesh remote nodes must connect wirelessly or be wired to the root node LAN. Can the cable you pulled be used to pull two cables?

The higher spec AC86U should be the root node. Having it as the hub in a star topology is best. Having it on the first floor might better serve guests as the root node is the only node that can broadcast guest WLANs until AiMesh 2.0 is released. Having it on the first floor might better serve WiFi outside.

Place the wireless remote nodes left and right of the root node vs. stacked.

Disable Smart Connect on the AC86U and set different SSIDs and fixed channels... because the AC68Us do not support Smart Connect.

OE

 

[Deleted member 51572]

Hi, I live in a three-story house and have a router located on the 1st floor and one in the basement. Fiber comes in on floor 2 and I have pulled a cat6 from that floor to my Asus AC-68 U on floor 1 (this acts as a router). From my Asus AC-68U I have a wireless bridge to a d-link AP.

Unfortunately, I have poor coverage on the 2nd floor. I am therefore considering acquiring the Asus router (86U) to act as a AI mesh router and a AC-68U to replace the d-link in the basement and thus be able to run AI mesh.

I want to use the new router (86U) as AImesh router and my two 68U as nodes.

As the node in the basement can only be connected wirelessly (it is not possible to run an ethernet backhaul to it), I would prefer to place the AImesh router (86U) on the 1st floor.

Now to my question: Since it is probably not possible to run two Cat6 cables between floors 2 (where fiber comes in) and 1 (where I want my AI mesh router) I wonder if the following setup is possible (see link):View attachment 26118

i'd put the 86U on the 2nd floor, as the primary mesh node; locate the router central to the coverage area and high up off the floor as you can get it, like on top of a bookshelf or something (not on the floor or hidden behind furniture). then connect the 86U to your modem with a relatively short length of CAT5e or better cabling. since you've already pulled an ethernet cable from floor 2 to 1, i'd use that cable to connect a 68U mesh node to the 86U upstairs via wired backhaul. then, if necessary, put another 68U in the basement and connect it via wireless backhaul to the mesh network.

if it turns out that coverage in the basement is reasonably good with a 68U on the 1st floor, then i'd simply use that 68U in AP (Access Point) mode and not bother with a 3-node mesh network.

btw, in your diagram above, the switch should be on the LAN side, not the WAN. but you don't actually need that switch.

 

[networkasus]

Thank you very much for your replies.

My new idea is to get two AC-86U and keep my 68U.

My new question is if it matters (except for guest network) where I place my root node? Could I place it on the second floor, connect another AC86U on my first floor (with Ethernet cable) and then connect my AC68U in the basement wireless. Does the AC68U connect to the AC86U node on the first floor or the AC86U root note on the second floor?

Best
Gustav

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you very much for your replies.

My new idea is to get two AC-86U and keep my 68U.

My new question is if it matters (except for guest network) where I place my root node? Could I place it on the second floor, connect another AC86U on my first floor (with Ethernet cable) and then connect my AC68U in the basement wireless. Does the AC68U connect to the AC86U node on the first floor or the AC86U root note on the second floor?

Best
Gustav

That can work. It may be too much WiFi... you may not need the basement node... could depend on building material affect on signals.

The wireless basement node will likely daisy chain through the first floor node.

OE

 

[networkasus]

OK, thank you. Currently my AC68U (on the first floor) does not cover the part of the basement that needs wifi, hence the reason for a node in the basement. I will check if this still is the case if I install a AC86U on the first floor.

 

[OzarkEdge]

OK, thank you. Currently my AC68U (on the first floor) does not cover the part of the basement that needs wifi, hence the reason for a node in the basement. I will check if this still is the case if I install a AC86U on the first floor.

The 86U effective WiFi coverage can be ~20% better than the 68U. If you have two 86Us, you may not need the 68U. You'll have to experiment.

OE