At the same pricepoint - Netgear X10 R9000 or RT-AX88U?

[Mark M]

No 50/50 about it for me. Asus + RMerlin + RT-AX88U all the way.

Welcome to the best consumer networking solution today!

May be a stupid question but... Do you know if I Can I use AI Mesh if all of the Asus devices are all in Access Point mode, or does one of them need to be in Router mode (as the primary)?

I ask because I’m sort of finalizing my setup. I have my pfSense router and TP Link switch. Im deciding on what to do for two or three access points now for seamless roaming.

I heard about Ubiquiti WAPs... wondering if those are fairly simple to add to my pfSense network (I read they have a package addon to manage Ubiquiti devices?)

I feel like ill be doing either AI Mesh or Ubiquiti, of if theres another similar AP mesh system that’s fairly easy to configure.

 

[coxhaus]

Ubiquiti WAPs would work more like a real wireless system network than a bunch of consumer routers. You should be able to add a real guest wireless VLAN to the same wireless Ubiquiti APs whereas you will not on the Asus as it does not really support VLANs. The pfsense and Ubiquiti WAPs will be a real high level network over consumer routers if I had to choose between the 2.

I like and run Cisco wireless like the Cisco WAP581 APs.

 

[Mark M]

Ubiquiti WAPs would work more like a real wireless system network than a bunch of consumer routers. You should be able to add a real guest wireless VLAN to the same wireless Ubiquiti APs whereas you will not on the Asus as it does not really support VLANs. The pfsense and Ubiquiti WAPs will be a real high level network over consumer routers if I had to choose between the 2.

I like and run Cisco wireless like the Cisco WAP581 APs.

Gotcha.

I'd say the Ubiquiti's are a lot easier to set up than Cisco though, no? One of the reasons why I'd prefer it over a Cisco WAP. Plus, I don't have a Cisco controller either. Would I need an additional controller for the Ubiquiti?

 

[coxhaus]

Cisco is pretty easy and no controller is required for the Cisco small business APs like the Cisco WAP581 wireless AP.
Here is a small demo. The WAP581 can be accessed on 192.168.1.245 by a browser. This demo is with the old GUI they have since changed the GUI to a better format but the setup is the same. Here is what the new GUI looks like
https://www.cisco.com/assets/sol/sb/WAP581_Emulators/WAP581_Emulator_v1-0-1-3/main.htm