ElShaddai Edwards
Occasional Visitor
I've had a RT-AC66U as my main router for over a year now after my N66U went belly up with a power issue. Overall it's been working great. I have a two-story rambler and the router is in the south end, downstairs. I'm using 2.4 GHz for my general wireless -- phones, kindles, etc. -- while reserving 5 GHz for my media connections -- NAS, TV, gaming computers, office. Overall it works well.
I also have a Buffalo AC1300 media bridge -- used to have it in my office on the far (north) end of the house, but recently moved it next to the kids' gaming computers in the same room as the router as their online gaming needs have increased. The Buffalo has a solid 5 GHz bridge connection, often maxed out in terms of Tx/Rx rates reported by the main router.
With that move, however, I need to get a new bridge connection from my office to the main router since running wires is not an option. At the same time, I want to see if I can strengthen the 2.4 GHz signal on the north end of the house, extending into the garage and far end of the yard where the primary signal dies off.
First, I tried a TP-LINK RE450 extender (and external switch), which was able to establish an AC bridge connection on 5GHz, but the 2.4 GHz signal wasn't much stronger than the one from my main router once I got into the garage/outside.
I then picked up a second AC66U unit since the first one has been working so well. Out of the box, the media bridge mode works well, with a little more Tx/Rx rate than the RE450, but I haven't been able to figure out how to establish a dedicated bridge to the main router with the 5GHz radio while (re)broadcasting the N connection on the 2.4GHz radio. Tried both current stock and Merlin firmware. For what it's worth, the AC66U provides ~350-500 Mbps Tx/Rx through the AC bridge at a distance of 50-60'.
Most recently, I did figure out how to get a media bridge+AP using the Tomato Shibby firmware, but I'm seeing weaker overall Tx/Rx signals on the media bridge than I did with the stock or Merlin firmware.
So my questions:
I also have a Buffalo AC1300 media bridge -- used to have it in my office on the far (north) end of the house, but recently moved it next to the kids' gaming computers in the same room as the router as their online gaming needs have increased. The Buffalo has a solid 5 GHz bridge connection, often maxed out in terms of Tx/Rx rates reported by the main router.
With that move, however, I need to get a new bridge connection from my office to the main router since running wires is not an option. At the same time, I want to see if I can strengthen the 2.4 GHz signal on the north end of the house, extending into the garage and far end of the yard where the primary signal dies off.
First, I tried a TP-LINK RE450 extender (and external switch), which was able to establish an AC bridge connection on 5GHz, but the 2.4 GHz signal wasn't much stronger than the one from my main router once I got into the garage/outside.
I then picked up a second AC66U unit since the first one has been working so well. Out of the box, the media bridge mode works well, with a little more Tx/Rx rate than the RE450, but I haven't been able to figure out how to establish a dedicated bridge to the main router with the 5GHz radio while (re)broadcasting the N connection on the 2.4GHz radio. Tried both current stock and Merlin firmware. For what it's worth, the AC66U provides ~350-500 Mbps Tx/Rx through the AC bridge at a distance of 50-60'.
Most recently, I did figure out how to get a media bridge+AP using the Tomato Shibby firmware, but I'm seeing weaker overall Tx/Rx signals on the media bridge than I did with the stock or Merlin firmware.
So my questions:
- Other than using Tomato and presumably DD-WRT, is there another method to get separate media bridge+AP radios on the AC66U?
- Should I simply be looking at a different solution for extending the strongest possible wireless signal at 2.4 GHz to my outside locations?
- Is there a better product than a AC router to use as a wireless media bridge? Buffalo doesn't make their media bridge any more.
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