Best settings for Zenwifi XT8 with virgin hub 4/1gig fibre

[Nij2021]

Hi

So I've had virgin gig1 for a few months and was getting around 940mbps with a wired connection but wanted better coverage with wifi as I'm in a 3 storey new build house, so decided to purchase the asus zenwifi XT8 (2) and when I set it up I just went for the easy option with one SSID and let it use smart connect (even though I knew spending more time to configure it would of been better) and wasn't really getting the wireless speeds I expected around the house but just went with it

Anyway after a few weeks and a few firmware updates, it's not working too well now even on wired connection, I'm only getting around 300mbps evem at different times of the day, so i'm gonna factory reset it and start again but I'll put the virgin router back into router mode and check the speeds then to see if the problem is at virgins end or my connection

Anyway just wondering if anyone using this wouldn't mind sharing their settings or advising of the best way to set this up, as I say i'm in a 3 storey new build house so I did try at first with the main unit next to the virgin router (in modem mode) and the second node on the 3rd floor at the other end of the house which seemed to work fine at first but then the light was yellow every now and then so thought it's obviously got a weak signal so i've put the node back on the ground floor on the other side of the house which isn't too far from the main node and connection between the nodes seems stable now (i'm not in a position to use ethernet between nodes neither but obviously the main node is connected to the hub)

So whatever peoples settings are or advice would be great thanks, I was expecting better speeds on my wifi 6 devices too but again only got around 500mbps (even close to the router), what I've read so far, I should set up 3 separate SSID's and turn off smart connect/QoS and air protection and use the 3rd band for wifi 6 devices but I thought the 3rd band was used for the 2 units to communicate between each other so I'm a bit unsure now

Thanks in advance

 

[Piel]

If you're hardwired, you can free up the third band for AX

 

[Nij2021]

Cheers, I actually got a 20 metre ethernet cable today and I'm looking at hardwiring the 2 units together, gonna just run the cable around the outside of the house

So in that case would I not need to use the 3rd band for dedicated wifi backhaul and change it to AX mode (I've only got a couple of wifi 6 devices at the moment)

Fixed my speed issue also and am back to getting around 920 mbps now, turned out QoS was disabled in the app but enabled on the web client

 

[BobAmart]

Hi
i'm experiencing the same issue with the XT8 and 1gb internet from VM! Where are you disabling QOS on the web client? In the router settings it is disabled?

 

[RogerSC]

I have my ZenWiFi set up with wireless backhaul, on firmware version 42095. It's in AP mode, since I use an RT-AX86U on the latest RMerlin firmware as my connection to the outside world to compensate for the retro (but stable) firmware on the ZenWiFi. Working great...we currently have AT&T fiber, 500/500 speed tier, provisioned at about 620/620Mbps. Have always had full speed for wired connections, including when I was on gigabit fiber. At this point, using wifi-6, I see about 550+Mpbs at the remote node across my house from the router node on internet speed tests. When I had gigabit fiber, I would see about 650+Mbps on the remote node, again with wireless backhaul and wifi-6. The ZenWiFi has been totally reliable, and love the wifi speeds...most of my clients are wifi-6, so I really do see it. At this point, we just have one wifi-5 client, an older iPad Pro, and it's doing just fine, too *smile*.

Just a word about speed with the ZenWiFi AX. They're optimized for wireless backhaul, best I've seen for that. When I used wired backhaul for a while, just a little more speed, but more problems for sure. Configured using wireless backhaul, the ZenWiFi has been trouble-free. So no point for me to go with wired backhaul. Note that when I used wired backhaul, I used only the 5GHz-2 radio, had the 5GHz-1 radio disabled, to take advantage of the 4-stream radio. Really wasn't much gain there compared to the problems that I ran into, so that didn't last.

 

[Benv]

Dear Roger, I'm hoping you can help an amateur please.
I've had my two ZenWifi AX XT8s for a year & have just discovered Access Point mode. Don't ask...but speeds & range have never been amazing.
However, when I today tried to change (using the web admin gui) from Wireless Router mode to Access Point mode, I encountered huge problems.
(Everything from the XT8 Router turning red, to losing the Admin Settings, having to do factory reboots & definitely not being able to connect via wifi in AP mode).
I suspect the problem might be to do with IP addresses or moving the Virgin Hub modem cable from the WAN port to the Lan port on the XT8.
In short, I'm completely clueless and in need of an idiot's guide / set of instructions. Had to go back to wireless router mode.
Needless to add Asus support didn't support...(I've scoured the web & youtube too - not sure why it's so problematic for me).
Any help would be hugely appreciated (from anyone). Thank you!
ps the Virgin modem Hub (3.0) has DHCP enabled & working

 

[RogerSC]

Couple of things, the cable from the Virgin Hub "modem" to the XT8 should go to the WAN port on the XT8. Also, I assume from this that the Virgin Hub modem must also have a router piece in it. And you used to have that in bridge mode so that you could use your ZenWiFi in full router mode. You did take the Hub out of bridge mode before connecting it to the ZenWiFi? Also, be sure to turn off the wireless radios on the Virgin Hub, the ZenWiFi should be providing all your wifi.

Also, when everything's connected correctly, my method of switching the ZenWiFi from router to AP mode is to use the smart phone app. Works every time for me.

 

[Benv]

Cheers for that, much appreciated. The virgin hub is in full modem mode, no wireless radios enabled, as far as I can see. Cabling seems ok too - hadn't thought of using the app, will give it a try. Thanks again

 

[BobAmart]

Hi Ben,
did changing from "Wireless router mode / AiMesh Router mode (Default)" to "Access Point(AP) mode / AiMesh Router in AP mode" in the XT8 settings work, and fix your speed issue with Virgin Media?

Is the Virgin hub still in modem mode only and connected to WAN?

 

[Benv]

Hi Bob,
Thanks for replying, I'm still in need of help.
Good & bad news: using the App seemed to work better than the online admin - the Asus router changed to Access Point mode without problems, with a nice solid white light shining at me.
However, I can't connect to the wifi network....My devices are giving me the same "Can't Obtain IP Address" (from the router) error message. An ipad advised "No Internet Connection"
I'm aware that the router's IP address may have changed but no idea how to fix it. (Have turned the Virgin modem & Asus router on & off, virgin hub connected to WAN).
I'm now working off my phone's hotspot & gradually losing what I had left of my hair.
Any advice out there?
Thanks in advance, Ben
(ps looking on the asus router app, there's no IP address now for the router but a LAN IP address is given, which I can't access via my browser

 

[Benv]

pps Using the Asus Device Discovery Tool, it couldn't find the router at all.
(My AiMesh node is out of action until a new power plug arrives today)

 

[RogerSC]

Just one detail, you don't have the Virgin Hub in modem-only mode, do you? You have it doing routing as well, right? It's really confusing to me when you refer to your Hub as a modem, or talk about it being in "full modem mode", whatever that is...you need the Hub in the mode where it is both a modem and a router, if the ZenWiFi is to be in AP mode.

Also, are you using wired backhaul or wireless? If you're using wired backhaul, I'd suggest trying wireless backhaul as a test. If you're already using wireless backhaul, never mind *smile*.

 

[Benv]

Thanks Roger. The Virgin Hub gives me a choice of only being in either router or modem only mode.
I'll try switching the virgin hub back to router mode...stand by.

 

[Benv]

Progress. Of sorts. Thanks Roger - your suggestion of changing the virgin hub out of modem mode (into router mode) has helped.
Thankfully, the Asus XT8 is now working in Access Point mode & I can connect devices to it.
However, the download speeds across all wifi devices is now much slower than before, even with wireless disabled in the virgin hub.
The object of the exercise was to increase speeds, closer to the 600 + Mbps I'm receiving via Virgin.
I think I'll give it 24 hours before making any more changes, or giving up on Access Point mode.
Any other speed-related suggestions in Access Point mode would of course be very welcome
Thanks Roger / guys - really appreciate your help. Ben

 

[Benv]

Final note from me on this one.
A big thank you Roger for your suggestions - my wifi speeds are now higher than ever, the Asus XT8 in AP mode makes a significant difference. (After a couple of hrs & some config on settings).
I'd certainly never have thought of changing the virgin hub from modem mode, back to wireless/router mode.
Thanks again, Ben

 

[BobAmart]

Ben,
Sounds like I need to follow exactly the same thing you've done.

I currently have the Virgin Hub 4 (1gb speed) with the XT8. however getting no where near the 1gb speed as promised by virgin... more like 550-600mb. Current setup is Virgin Hub in modem mode only and XT8 as wireless router / aimesh.

So to achieve the increased speed, you turned back the virgin hub into router, and then the XT8 into AP?

 

[RogerSC]

More suggestions...pick a channel on 2.4GHz, don't default to auto select. And use 20MHz. channel width, not 20/40MHz. Same on the two 5GHz. channels...pick a channel for each, and disable 160MHz. channel width for the 5GHz-2 radio. The ZenWiFi will use 80MHz. channels on 5GHz, which is more stable and performs better around here...by the way, I use channel 44 for the 5GHz-1 radio, and 157 for the 5GHz-2 radio. This may vary at your location. Those are basically all I change for wireless. Oh yeah, I also turn off "universal beamforming" in the "Professional" wireless settings tab, and leave the other beamforming setting ("Explicit beamforming"?) on. I also use "smart connect", it has worked well for me, and I prefer to have only one SSID as well.

The above may help you, I hope so. What does the smart phone app say about the connection between your ZenWiFi router and node? Just tap the node on the map on the Home page, and it will take you to a page on the node. At the top, it gives the dBm for the connection, and also an adjective like "Great", or "Weak" or whatever. What are those? My connection strength is always more than -60dBm, and the word description is "Great". Helps my self esteem, and also works well *smile*.

 

[BobAmart]

ok i will try your suggestions tonight as i'm keen to find a solution in my current setup because i have all SSID set up with all my devices ( a 2.4gh, 5ghz and 5ghz wireless backhaul) and i'm scared that if i go to AP on XT8, the virgin hub doesnt allow multiple SSIDs so will just mean i need to setup all devices again... let alone the change of IP addresses which could disturb the unifi devices i have going etc.

It's weird though if i do a speed test within the admin ui of the XT8 i can see the speed is close to 1gb going into it. it's just the wireless that limits it...

 

[RogerSC]

Yeah, I always use one SSID via "smart connect", and get all the speed that I'm expecting. So never a problem switching routers or meshes. You may have some different considerations, sounds like you have a wider variety of client devices than I do.

A comment on wireless speed...when I had gigabit internet, my wifi-6 in the living room by the ZenWiFi remote node was about 650Mbps with wireless backhaul. Hard to beat that. Now I'm on 500/500 speed tier (provisioned at 620/620), and I see about 550Mbps at the remote node in my living room. Not missing the gigabit fiber at all *smile*. Paying $25/month less, though.

 

[Benv]

ok i will try your suggestions tonight as i'm keen to find a solution in my current setup because i have all SSID set up with all my devices ( a 2.4gh, 5ghz and 5ghz wireless backhaul) and i'm scared that if i go to AP on XT8, the virgin hub doesnt allow multiple SSIDs so will just mean i need to setup all devices again... let alone the change of IP addresses which could disturb the unifi devices i have going etc.

It's weird though if i do a speed test within the admin ui of the XT8 i can see the speed is close to 1gb going into it. it's just the wireless that limits it...

Hi Rob, here's a quick step by step of what worked for me (Roger's knowledge was super helpful). Ignore whatever's obvious.
Leave the Virgin hub in modem mode. Factory reboot all XT8s (this was vital for me, not sure why). Reinstall in wireless router mode via the Asus App.
Turn off Asus boxes & enter the virgin hub admin - change from modem mode to router mode (these have different IP addresses).
Enable the virgin router & then disable the wireless wifi settings in the virgin Admin.
Once the virgin hub looks ok, connect one Asus box, which will be the AP Parent to the virgin hub (I used a CAT7 cable, from port 1 on the virgin hub to the WAN blue port on the XT8).
When the XT8 white light was solid I used the Asus App to change from Wireless mode to Access Point Mode (no idea why the App worked better for me).
Once this Asus box was up and running (white led & able to connect to wifi) I then went into the new LAN IP address (you can find it on the Asus App) & configured the 2.4ghz & 5-ghz bands etc etc
I then added the 2nd XT8 as the node w/o drama.
I'm now achieving 650Mbps on my mobile (wifi 6), my incoming virgin speed is 660 tops. Job done. Big improvement in speed & coverage in AP Mode.
Good luck