Matching nodes for a Rt-AX88

[Avinitlarge]

I’m currently running a RT-AX88u with 3 x RT-AC86u nodes. Obviously with the setup, WiFi 6 won’t be available from the nodes so I’m looking to replace them. Are there any recommendations or will any RT-AX models be ok as a node?

Thanks

 

[degrub]

Best chance of success with AiMesh is to have all devices the same exact same model and running identical firmware.
Are you using wired (ethernet) backhaul or wireless ?
Unless your clients all support wifi 6 or higher AND your RF environment allows you to use 80 MHz or 160 MHz (need clear line of sight) channel width, moving to wifi6 radios would only incrementally improve your local bandwidth.

What is your ISP service down/up bandwidth ?

Moving to AX with supporting clients would only increase your local transfer bandwidth, not the ISP bandwidth, so that would become the new bottleneck. Most home use setups are not able to saturate a 1 Gbit/s local link, much less a 1Gbit/s ISP link. Internet servers, many times, limit clients to 100 Mbit/s bandwidth or less. 100 Mbit/s works amazingly well for most residential setups but can be saturated locally. So 1 Gbit/s lan and wifi is usually more than adequate for residential.

As long as the APs/wifi routers are not directly facing the internet, EOL support doesn't really matter. For staying on AiMesh with best chance of success, it may if the primary router's firmware is updated and breaks the mesh support. You could also just run them as APs instead of mesh nodes in that case. Most clients are 2x2 radios, so more than that on the AP doesn't change anything.

 

[Avinitlarge]

Ah right, it’s probably not going to make any difference then. All of the nodes are connected via Ethernet, Download speed is only about 370Mbps and upload is 38Mbps.
I have a few devices which are WiFi6 compatible but I’m assuming that it’s pointless upgrading with the low speed of the ISP.
So if I was to upgrade, you would recommend having all RT-AX88u’s?

 

[bbunge]

Ah right, it’s probably not going to make any difference then. All of the nodes are connected via Ethernet, Download speed is only about 370Mbps and upload is 38Mbps.
I have a few devices which are WiFi6 compatible but I’m assuming that it’s pointless upgrading with the low speed of the ISP.
So if I was to upgrade, you would recommend having all RT-AX88u’s?

No. The devices do not have to be the same model. In your case they should all be AX with 5 GHz capable of 160 MHz (unless 80 MHz works OK for you). AX86U or AX86S would be a good match. Other Asus AX would also work.

 

[Crimliar]

One of the cheapest solutions would be a couple of RP-AX58! Your router is going to outperform them, but if AX3000 (2400+600) is enough they'll do just fine!

 

[Tech9]

Are there any recommendations

AiMesh doesn’t scale well. If you really need 4x APs better look at something better from available SMB options. Ubiquiti, TP-Link, MikroTik even Cisco have good for home application products. Don’t dig yourself into mostly marketing, buggy and with unpredictable future compatibility AiMesh hole. What you see marketed as AiMesh Compatible may come with surprises.