Further to my pre-sale enquiries on this forum last autumn, I finally bought the AC58U. I can at least report, (as hoped) it is economical on power, consuming a suitably low 4.8 Watts from the wall. (at least in idle, not connected to any traffic)
I travel frequently between countries. Not every country offers 1 month ISP contracts, many require minimum 1 year contract, so can be expensive paying for internet service in multiple countries at same time. I just moved to a location where I was told I don't need to signup for a ISP 1 year contract as there is a (semi-public) internet Access Point my miniPC/other Clients can connect to, but as my location would be some distance away, I would need sensitive WiFi equipment to achieve a connection. This was my reason for buying the AC58U, as I knew from past experience WiFi range of my Intel NUC with AC7260 minicard and internal antenna very limited.
I had assumed a modern Wireless Router with specification stating long range, could be configured to connect to the Remote AP much like any other client, requiring only a 'Passkey' to make the connection, and allow local clients to gain internet access either by wired connection to a Router LAN Port, or by configuring the Router to also act as a Hotspot for local clients to connect via WiFi.
Is this possible using ASUSWRT on the AC58U ?
Before registering on this Forum last autumn, I sent same question to the email address on the ASUS UK website, but no reply. Calling the UK phone number on same site got routed to what sounded like someone in Asia, maybe ASUS HQ, but the person only knew about post-purchase service, couldnt help get a reply to pre-sale email.
Although not finding any indepth review of AC58U by time due to leave UK I took a chance and bought it.
Having arrived at the location where I need to use it, I am unable to find a page in ASUSWRT equivalent to the Wifi connection pages of either my Android Nexus 5 (Settings>Wifi>Pick AP from List>Connect, enter 'Passkey') or Windows 7 on my NUC (Wifi icon in systray>Pick AP from List>Connect, enter 'Passkey'). ASUSWRT in both Wizard and Manual choices, appears to assume user wants to connect to a Modem, either a wired ADSL modem or to a USB connected modem, which of course is not what I want.
All I managed to establish was I could connect my Nexus5 and NUC to the AC58 using WiFi connection, and that 'inSSIDer Home' on my NUC showed a very strong WiFi signal from the AC58U.
Purchase docs suggested registering purchase with ASUS giving access to a forms based email claiming answers in 48hrs. I put my findings and again put my pre-sale request for a simple step-by-step guide to configuring the AC58U as above. I got a 2 line reply which was 'Use WDS', with a link to 'FAQ114612'.
FAQ114612 title "[Wireless] How to set up WDS?" appears to be for people who own a pair of routers, 'Primary' and 'Secondary', and can connect their computer directly to the Admin Console of BOTH routers to alter a number of parameters to achieve a 'Wireless Distribution System', NOT the aforesaid connection to a 'Remote AP' requiring only a 'Passkey' to the Remote - owned by someone who provides only a 'Passkey' to a group of users, NO Admin access.
Despite being pointed to what seems to be a wrong setup guide, I attempted to use section B) Setup Secondary Router. In step 1 I clked Advanced Settings > Wireless > WDS tab. Step 2 asks me "to enter my [AC58] MAC address into the Remote AP list of the Primary Router" - which being actually a Remote AP belonging to someone else with no access to the public, I obviously cannot do. Step 3. Set same Frequency as in the Primary [distant Remote AP] & select AP Mode=Hybrid. I guess by 'Frequency' is meant 'Band/Channel Number' ? The Remote AP is on 2.4GHz Chan#1. My AC58 is on 2.4GHz Chan#6. I cannot see how to alter the AC58 to Chan#1. How do I do that ?
I set AP Mode=Hybrid.
Step 4. I enabled Connect to APs in List; Step 5. same issue as Step. 3 How do I select Chan# in AC58 ?
Step 6. "In the Remote AP list field, key in the MAC address of the 'Primary Router' " - I assume the 'Remote AP'. After clking the red toggle to right of Remote AP list, I saw a list of 11 Remote APs, all showing their MAC addresses. (thus showing the AC58 with its 4 ext Antenna is indeed far more sensitive than my NUC with internal antenna, who's AP list shows typically 2 or 3 APs) I selected the Remote AP I have Passkey for, and in Step 7 clicked Add,. As its MAC address already displayed, I didn't have to 'key it in'. The MAC address shows in the line below, with option to 'Delete'. Step 8. I click Apply. After which Network Map>Internet status: "network cable is unplugged" still.
I am not sure what to do about Step 9. 'Assign static LAN IP address for 'Secondary Router' such as 192.168.1.2 & Step 10 'Disable the DHCP server'. Currently Advanced>LAN>LAN IP tab shows IP Address=192.168.1.1, DHCP enabled. Being a novice, am worried might altering either these settings disable my access to the Admin Console ?
I suspect FAQ114612 setup guide, when so much of it unimplementable, eg equating a owned 'Primary Router' to a non-owned semi-public 'Remote AP' to which I have no Admin access/rights, that FAQ is a red herring and waste of time. Am I right thinking without all 10 steps of the FAQ setup implemented, it wont work ?
I would be very grateful if forum members can post a 'newbie' guide on how to use ASUSWRT/AC58 to connect to the Remote AP when all I have is the Passkey and the info reported by 'inSSIDer Home' & my Nexus5 connection to it.
It may be a day or 2 before I can read/reply to the forum, as my only connection to Internet is flaky with my Nexus5 - and can't peruse snbforums due to some 'reCAPTCHA' glitch barring access, so hope having travelled some distance to use a desktop at a cybercafe I can post.
I thank you in advance.
I travel frequently between countries. Not every country offers 1 month ISP contracts, many require minimum 1 year contract, so can be expensive paying for internet service in multiple countries at same time. I just moved to a location where I was told I don't need to signup for a ISP 1 year contract as there is a (semi-public) internet Access Point my miniPC/other Clients can connect to, but as my location would be some distance away, I would need sensitive WiFi equipment to achieve a connection. This was my reason for buying the AC58U, as I knew from past experience WiFi range of my Intel NUC with AC7260 minicard and internal antenna very limited.
I had assumed a modern Wireless Router with specification stating long range, could be configured to connect to the Remote AP much like any other client, requiring only a 'Passkey' to make the connection, and allow local clients to gain internet access either by wired connection to a Router LAN Port, or by configuring the Router to also act as a Hotspot for local clients to connect via WiFi.
Is this possible using ASUSWRT on the AC58U ?
Before registering on this Forum last autumn, I sent same question to the email address on the ASUS UK website, but no reply. Calling the UK phone number on same site got routed to what sounded like someone in Asia, maybe ASUS HQ, but the person only knew about post-purchase service, couldnt help get a reply to pre-sale email.
Although not finding any indepth review of AC58U by time due to leave UK I took a chance and bought it.
Having arrived at the location where I need to use it, I am unable to find a page in ASUSWRT equivalent to the Wifi connection pages of either my Android Nexus 5 (Settings>Wifi>Pick AP from List>Connect, enter 'Passkey') or Windows 7 on my NUC (Wifi icon in systray>Pick AP from List>Connect, enter 'Passkey'). ASUSWRT in both Wizard and Manual choices, appears to assume user wants to connect to a Modem, either a wired ADSL modem or to a USB connected modem, which of course is not what I want.
All I managed to establish was I could connect my Nexus5 and NUC to the AC58 using WiFi connection, and that 'inSSIDer Home' on my NUC showed a very strong WiFi signal from the AC58U.
Purchase docs suggested registering purchase with ASUS giving access to a forms based email claiming answers in 48hrs. I put my findings and again put my pre-sale request for a simple step-by-step guide to configuring the AC58U as above. I got a 2 line reply which was 'Use WDS', with a link to 'FAQ114612'.
FAQ114612 title "[Wireless] How to set up WDS?" appears to be for people who own a pair of routers, 'Primary' and 'Secondary', and can connect their computer directly to the Admin Console of BOTH routers to alter a number of parameters to achieve a 'Wireless Distribution System', NOT the aforesaid connection to a 'Remote AP' requiring only a 'Passkey' to the Remote - owned by someone who provides only a 'Passkey' to a group of users, NO Admin access.
Despite being pointed to what seems to be a wrong setup guide, I attempted to use section B) Setup Secondary Router. In step 1 I clked Advanced Settings > Wireless > WDS tab. Step 2 asks me "to enter my [AC58] MAC address into the Remote AP list of the Primary Router" - which being actually a Remote AP belonging to someone else with no access to the public, I obviously cannot do. Step 3. Set same Frequency as in the Primary [distant Remote AP] & select AP Mode=Hybrid. I guess by 'Frequency' is meant 'Band/Channel Number' ? The Remote AP is on 2.4GHz Chan#1. My AC58 is on 2.4GHz Chan#6. I cannot see how to alter the AC58 to Chan#1. How do I do that ?
I set AP Mode=Hybrid.
Step 4. I enabled Connect to APs in List; Step 5. same issue as Step. 3 How do I select Chan# in AC58 ?
Step 6. "In the Remote AP list field, key in the MAC address of the 'Primary Router' " - I assume the 'Remote AP'. After clking the red toggle to right of Remote AP list, I saw a list of 11 Remote APs, all showing their MAC addresses. (thus showing the AC58 with its 4 ext Antenna is indeed far more sensitive than my NUC with internal antenna, who's AP list shows typically 2 or 3 APs) I selected the Remote AP I have Passkey for, and in Step 7 clicked Add,. As its MAC address already displayed, I didn't have to 'key it in'. The MAC address shows in the line below, with option to 'Delete'. Step 8. I click Apply. After which Network Map>Internet status: "network cable is unplugged" still.
I am not sure what to do about Step 9. 'Assign static LAN IP address for 'Secondary Router' such as 192.168.1.2 & Step 10 'Disable the DHCP server'. Currently Advanced>LAN>LAN IP tab shows IP Address=192.168.1.1, DHCP enabled. Being a novice, am worried might altering either these settings disable my access to the Admin Console ?
I suspect FAQ114612 setup guide, when so much of it unimplementable, eg equating a owned 'Primary Router' to a non-owned semi-public 'Remote AP' to which I have no Admin access/rights, that FAQ is a red herring and waste of time. Am I right thinking without all 10 steps of the FAQ setup implemented, it wont work ?
I would be very grateful if forum members can post a 'newbie' guide on how to use ASUSWRT/AC58 to connect to the Remote AP when all I have is the Passkey and the info reported by 'inSSIDer Home' & my Nexus5 connection to it.
It may be a day or 2 before I can read/reply to the forum, as my only connection to Internet is flaky with my Nexus5 - and can't peruse snbforums due to some 'reCAPTCHA' glitch barring access, so hope having travelled some distance to use a desktop at a cybercafe I can post.
I thank you in advance.
