Ok Thanks. I'm planning on adding a Mesh node. Would it be best to get another AX86U Pro or does it really matter?
Be sure your router/network is working properly before adding the node... keeps the troubleshooting simpler.
AiMesh can be a bit of a can of worms (or not)... you can minimize this by choosing wisely. Typically, you would buy a new main router and retire your current router to node duty and call it your backup router. Starting out, you may just add a lesser model as node to minimize expense... unless having a ready backup router is important/critical. (ASUS should introduce some dedicated indoor and outdoor AiMesh nodes/APs, imo.)
It is presumed that keeping node and router models/firmware similar can pay dividends... less trouble... and this is somewhat proven by user experience reported here. I favor this approach, so I would suggest your new node should be similar... same WiFi6, dual-band 2.4/5.0, and number of antenna streams per band. If wireless backhaul, then you might delve into using tri-band with the appropriate band dedicated to the wireless backhaul to avoid the performance hit from sharing a band with both client and backhaul traffic... but ideally, wire the backhaul and stick with dual-band or atleast only one WLAN configurable in the 5.0 band... I tend to think that splitting the 5.0 band into two WLANs makes using the 5.0 band in one's particular radio space less flexible/usable, but I've never used a tri-band model and my radio space is not crowded/difficult.
So, consider adding another RT-AX86U, S, or U Pro as node. The AX68U may also serve as node/AP well enough. One wrinkle is the coming Pro firmware that may or may not extend new functionality to non-Pro nodes... you might want to insist on a Pro model node to keep the hardware homogenous and ready for this next gen firmware.
For many users, the difference in model cost over the service life of the product can be easily justified... hopefully less trouble, plus extended duty as a node when talking about a main router purchase.
My AiMesh lineage:
2xAC68U barely worked in early 2018, shortly after AiMesh was introduced... the wireless backhaul was marginal for my layout. Immediately upgraded.
2xAC86U worked until the routers died prematurely due to a hardware defect. ASUS replaced one; I replaced the other and continued until the timing was good to upgrade.
AX86U + AC86U worked. Worked much better after upgrading to MOCA2.5 wired backhaul. 160MHz bandwidth would not hold... perhaps the AC model was the issue?
AX86U Pro + AX86U works fine. 160MHz bandwidth holds steady; will need to check this again after the leaves come down this fall since I'm about 8 miles from an airport.
In theory, my next node will be my current router, but its all working so well now inside and out at distance that I will likely hold off upgrading until I have to, depending on the usual timing factors. For me, the AiMesh growing pains lasted from 2018 to about 2022... the pandemic did not help. Using similar models seemed to help during these early days...
OE
