Is it possible to have AP and client at same time on Zyxel EX3301

[gameboy]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share my main issue: I don't want to run Ethernet cables to reach the second access point (AP). My main router's signal barely reaches the rest of my house. So, I thought, why not add another AP and use OpenWRT mesh networking to avoid physical cables? The plan is that all Wi-Fi devices connected to the second AP would get the same internet speed as if they were connected to the main AP. The second AP would connect to the first one using mesh Wi-Fi backhaul, so the second AP is client and server at same time.

This way, I can finally get my full download speed throughout the house without having to run any long cables. With a little effort, I was able to secure a Zyxel EX3301 router from the used market. It's a powerful device, but unfortunately, I can't find OpenWRT for it.

Have any of you tried building a similar mesh network with OpenWRT? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

Cheers!

 

[Tech9]

This way, I can finally get my full download speed throughout the house without having to run any long cables.

You are not getting full throughput from a dual-band AP in mesh configuration due to the fact single 5GHz radio has to serve the uplink and the clients. You can get around 50% to the mesh AP connected clients. According to specifications this device supports Zyxel MPro Mesh, but you have to find out how it works.

 

[gameboy]

i put your argument straight to gemini AI and it says this
That is correct for high-performance mesh systems, but not for all mesh systems. Tri-band (or quad-band) mesh systems typically have a dedicated radio exclusively for backhaul, while dual-band systems often share the same radio for both client connections and node-to-node communication.

 

[gameboy]

Now the question is, if the EX3301 is a dual-band router, how does it have Zyxel mesh, which works with their own proprietary routers? , I am bit confuse here , well I am looking for something that works with OpenWRT.

 

[Tech9]

I'm done here. Direct your questions to your favorite AI and good luck.