HELP with second ASUS router

[mabhz]

Hi folks! First post here!

I already have a RT AC68U and I'm pretty satisfied with it.

Im moving to a two floor house (with VERY thick walls), and I want to stick with ASUS and buy a second one to use as a repeater/extender.

On WiFi I have:
. 03 desktops
. 03 laptops
. 04 iPads (mini and full)
. 04 smartphones (02 iPhones/02 Windows phones)
. 03 video game consoles
. Apple TV
. SmarTV

Netflix and gaming are constant draining my bandwidth, everyday, for at least 4~8 times a day.

My ADSL is 25Mb download, configured as bridge with AC68U used for DSL login on ISP.

The AC68U is an excellent router, with much stronger signal than any of the previous ones I used (Airport, Dlink, TP Link, Linksys, , Sagemcomm, etc), but i still have weak spots in my apartment.

I was going to purchase a second AC68U, but someone suggested a get a newer ASUS model, so i started my research.

Im VERY confused, because i read excellent reviews of many newer Asus models, but when it comes to signal strength comparatives, specially at 2,4GHz, the AC68 seems to still have the best numbers!!

Is it possible? Very few of the devices in my network would use the 5Ghz, which always seems weaker and slower in my apartment, and only my MacBook would use the AC signal, all others restricted to N.

So, I would REALLY appreciate if you folks could PLEASE point me to the BEST Asus router choice as far as SIGNAL STRENGH at great distances in a house with thick walls:

. RT AC88U / RT AC3100
. RT5300
. RT AC87U

I know i can use repeaters and etc, but please, give me your advice considering only TWO routers: the AC68U in one floor, and the other on the other floor.

I was leaning towards the RT AC3100, but some comparative tests between the AC88U and the AC68U showed better signals at 15meters with the AC68U, which made me confused.

Then i decided upon the very expensive RT5300 because of the number of antennas and the comments about how strong the signal is.

Please, advice!

THANKS!!

IMPORTANT PS - i DONT live in USA or EUROPE, so a friend might bring the router i choose to me, and therefore i CANT return it and change for another model if I don't like. I need to make the better and definitive choice NOW.

 

[pete y testing]

but please, give me your advice considering only TWO routers: the AC68U in one floor, and the other on the other floor.

my question

is there ethernet run between the floors or can you have ethernet installed as this will allow you to run the second router in AP mode and have the best connection and coverage

if you going to run a wifi transmission per floor then another asus rt-ac68u will be fine

 

[mabhz]

my question

is there ethernet run between the floors or can you have ethernet installed as this will allow you to run the second router in AP mode and have the best connection and coverage

Thanks for your reply!

It's very unlikely I'll have Ethernet cable connection both routers in each floor. There will be one connected to the ADSL MODEN in one floor and the other router extending the signal on the other floor. Besides that, I want to use the second Asus here in my apartment so enhance the signal at the extremes of the place, where signal is weak. The AC68 signal is not strong enough to cover my 114 square meters apartment.

I would go for another AC68U, but many folks told me to check a newer Asus model, with a better signal. There are other enhancements on newer models, but a better stronger signal is the only thing I'm looking after.

I know RT5300 has TONS of features and two 5ghz channels, but.... Won't it ALSO give me a stronger signal on 2.4ghz than my old RTAC68U?

If AC88 and RT5300 have the same internally, and RT3100 is basically a AC88 with 4 ports instead of 8, wouldn't it be the best choice?

Or the 8 antennas of the RT5300 do the magic????

 

[RMerlin]

I would expect the 2.4 GHz performance to be quite similar between all the recent high-end models.

 

[sfx2000]

Or the 8 antennas of the RT5300 do the magic????

No...

 

[mabhz]

I would expect the 2.4 GHz performance to be quite similar between all the recent high-end models.

Thanks for your reply!

Gaming consoles can't get into 5GHz, but I believe iPhones and iPads can, right? Newest models would deliver a better stronger signal at far distances?? Or the only enhancements I would get are MiMo and other things I don't have use for?

I really get no benefit with the 8 antennas?

 

[pete y testing]

I would go for another AC68U, but many folks told me to check a newer Asus model, with a better signal. There are other enhancements on newer models, but a better stronger signal is the only thing I'm looking after.

not to the degree i think you are after

Besides that, I want to use the second Asus here in my apartment so enhance the signal at the extremes of the place, where signal is weak. The AC68 signal is not strong enough to cover my 114 square meters apartment.

i just think you maybe spending a whole lot of money to find out it still wont be strong enough

to give you some idea here is my floor plan

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=7D5C...1a0742!812&parId=7D5CB240BE1A0742!144&o=OneUp

my main router and test position is location A

now at 25 meters down the other end of the house at location E

2.4 gig with the

rt-ac68u im getting about -75db rssi and 1 bar of signal

rt-ac3200 im getting about -70db rssi and just on 2 bars of signal

rt-ac5300 im getting about -70db rssi and just on 2 bars of signal

5 gig with the


rt-ac68u im getting about -79db rssi and 1 bar of signal

rt-ac3200 im getting about -78db rssi and just on 1 bars of signal

rt-ac5300 im getting about -78db rssi and just on 1 bars of signal

for this reason i run a second wireless access point at location D connected back to the main router via ethernet and acting as an access point

-------------------

i tried using a router in repeater mode at location D but the issue is the signal is not that strong and so its just repeating a crap slow signal

im not a big fan of repeaters as their limitations outweigh the benefits

Won't it ALSO give me a stronger signal on 2.4ghz than my old RTAC68U?

not a great deal esp at distance if walls and objects are also in the way

 

[mabhz]

not to the degree i think you are after

i tried using a router in repeater mode at location D but the issue is the signal is not that strong and so its just repeating a crap slow signal

im not a big fan of repeaters as their limitations outweigh the benefits

not a great deal esp at distance if walls and objects are also in the way

Hmmm.... This is really bad news!

Both routers will be very close to each other, the main one connected to the ADSL MODEN, probably on lower floor, at the base of the stair, and the second one, the wireless repeated on the top of the stairs, like 3 meters above the other.

Wouldn't this "proximity" help the repeated actually "repeat" a stronger signal?

Since the RT5300 won't make such a big difference, the RT3100 would bring me a slightly better signal them the AC68, or the AC68 is REALLY one of (or the best) Asus routers as far as signal strength goes?

When I decide buying it an year ago I remember reading many reviews praising his excellent signal.

Botton line: RT3100 + my old AC68U

OR..

AC 68U + AC 68U +another cheap Asus repeater?

 

[pete y testing]

if your really going to repeat the signal i would look at the rp-ac68u

https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RP-AC68U/

at least its not hampered by halving the throughput like many others are

reality i would suggest getting someone in to assess if ethernet can be run between the two routers and run the second as an access point

 

[mabhz]

Thanks for the reply!

On your tests, did the AC68U performed better than all the other ones, if even by just and inch?

-75db is "better" (stronger signal) than -70, just like -79 is "better" than -78, right?

How come the Ac68u, being an older router model, actually performes with better stronger signal?

 

[pete y testing]

-75db is "better" (stronger signal) than -70,

other way around

-70 is better than -75

so yes the 3200 and 5300 are slightly better and i expect its because of better beamforming algorithms than better power output

 

[sfx2000]

-73 is important for 802.11n...

 

[pete y testing]

-70 is also where roaming assistant kicks in , you really are starting to struggle with signal at -70 and above -80db its pretty much unusable

 

[mabhz]

Thanks for all the explanations, folks!

So, what i´m understanding is that a newer router (AC88U, RT5300) wont make a HUGE difference and give me aWAY MUCH better signal, but..... it will give me a better signal because of tech improvements, right?

Also, if the second router is connected via cable to the main one (connected to ADSL moden), the signal it will repeat will be MUCH better. Also correct?

But im confused about the RP-AC68U... its almost the same price as the RT AC68U, but it has no antenas! How can it "provides" a strong signal, as "good" as the RT AC68U, considering its antenas are internal? Same "problem" with the Apple Airport I also have: exceptional signal at closer range, horrible signal at far distant placements.

So, please, correct me if Im wrong: my target purchase would be a RT3100 (cause its the same as the RT AC88U, minus 4 ports?) plus a RP AC68U.
Correct??

Or the RP AC68U (with internall antena) will provide a better signal than the RT 3100?

I still dont get how a repeater can have a better stronger signal than a full working router with plenty of antenas. If external antenas were "irrelevante", RT5300 wouldnt have eight!!

 

[mabhz]

Concerning the RP AC68U, theres a review on this link (click here) stating that it only allows you to repeat the 2,4GHz OR the 5GHz, not both.

If thats true, its a bad thing for me, cause I have my gaming consoles on 2.4Ghz and all Apple devices on 5Ghz.

Also, it looks like the RT AC68U has a REALTEK chipset instead of the Broadcom used on RT AC68U (post #13 on this link). Im not tech savy, but i read many good comments about the Broadcom and how good its when two devices with same chipset connect (repeater x router).

Anyone confirms this?

 

[RMerlin]

Gaming consoles can't get into 5GHz, but I believe iPhones and iPads can, right? Newest models would deliver a better stronger signal at far distances?? Or the only enhancements I would get are MiMo and other things I don't have use for?

Newer iPad and iPhones will support 5 GHz, yes. I don't know when Apple started to support it however.

Newer models can improve things a bit at mid-range (through beamforming), and might slightly improve things at far range (through newer/better amps and filters), but overall I wouldn't expect any major difference, as long you're comparing high-end models, and not, say, an RT-N12 with an RT-AC88U.

 

[mabhz]

Thanks your reply!

Considering that i NEED to purchase another equipment to extend my wireless signal, my initial idea was to purchase a newer model to replace my AC 68U and use it as a repeater/extender.

Is it such a really bad idea to get a AC 88U/RT3100 and use it in place of my AC 68U connected to the moden, and then use the AC 68U as the repeater, instead of a "real oficial" repeater like the RP AC68U??

My main ideia of getting another "high end" router was upgrade my routing gear while adding na excelent repeater (AC 68U) that can act as a main router in case the new one fails.

In that line of thought, my main focus would be the AC 88U or the RC3100. Is it a bad idea?

The RP AC68U would work "better" with the AC 88U compared to the RT AC68U??

 

[RMerlin]

Is it such a really bad idea to get a AC 88U/RT3100 and use it in place of my AC 68U connected to the moden, and then use the AC 68U as the repeater, instead of a "real oficial" repeater like the RP AC68U??

No, the AC68U should be fine as a repeater. You just have to locate it properly (I.e. not inside the dark zone you're trying to cover, but somewhere mid-way between the main router and that dark zone).

 

[pete y testing]

The RP AC68U would work "better" with the AC 88U compared to the RT AC68U??

yes in the fact the rp-ac68u has overcome the issue all repeaters face including the rt-ac68u in the devices connected to the repeater only get half the throughput as compared to those devices connect directly to the main router

have a read about ASUS ExpressWay boosts performance in the link i posted above on the rp-ac68u

 

[mabhz]

yes in the fact the rp-ac68u has overcome the issue all repeaters face including the rt-ac68u in the devices connected to the repeater only get half the throughput as compared to those devices connect directly to the main router

have a read about ASUS ExpressWay boosts performance in the link i posted above on the rp-ac68u

OK, but I also have read bad comments about the REALTEK chipset the RP-AC68U uses, instead of the BROADCOM of the RT AC-68U. Ive been told its not a good idea to mix chipsets when pairing routers/repeaters.