Pairing TUF-AX6000 with ZenWiFi XD4 Plus

[Terepin]

I only need to extend the coverage due to steel-concrete walls. Only Chromecast with Google TV, STB and dishwasher is connected to it. My gaming PC is connected via wire and my mom's PC wirelessly to the AX6000. I'm worried that XD4 Plus will hold me back because:
1. Firmware was never updated to 388.
2. Since it's not the newest I fear it will reach EoL way too soon after purchase and a lot sooner than AX6000.

Are my worries warranted, or I'm just being paranoid?

 

[Tech9]

Are my worries warranted

In my opinion - Yes.

- your TUF series main router is MediaTek hardware, historically exotics don't get very long support at Asus
- your DX4 unit is entry-level dual-band mesh product, historically less popular products get less support at Asus

 

[Terepin]

I'm worried only with the node. What would you recommend instead? Would XD5 be a better choice? I don't need high speeds or massive coverage, I just a model with long support.

 

[Tech9]

Had to check - XD4 Plus is also MediaTek based hardware and quite old from AC-class products time. This thing may never move past 3004.386 firmware. What model will have long support is a question with no answer. For a chance of longer support you need to pick popular and released lately product. In most cased this means something from the new BE-class products.

 

[Terepin]

Would BD4 be okay?

 

[Tech9]

No idea, sorry.

 

[Terepin]

Do you know what's the difference between XD4 and XD4 Plus? The plus version isn't even listed in the EoL list. Asus lists only two firmware versions on its side too.

 

[Tech9]

Do you know what's the difference between XD4 and XD4 Plus?

Looking at the specs - the main difference is XD4 comes with different units XD4R (Router) and XD4N (Node), for XD4 Plus seems like every unit is the same and can be used as Router or Node. For the user this means XD4 has to go as a set always, XD4 Plus can be separated. Otherwise everything else as functionality is about the same.

 

[Terepin]

Well, realistically speaking, with only a gigabit connection, only a handful slow devices (with two of them on 2,4 GHz), I really don't see any reason to invest more money into something faster - I can't even fully utilize the AX1800 speeds. The only thing I care about is support.

I do wonder about one thing. I know that XD Plus has a striped down AiProtection, but that shouldn't matter when used as a node only, since AX6000 is taking care of that, right?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Why do you need an AiMesh device specifically? The only real advantage of AiMesh is the ability the have an isolated guest network on the node as well as the main router. If you don't need that and merely want to extend your normal network to another area you can do that with a regular access point from any manufacturer. You don't even need for it to be a "supported" device because once it's working it doesn't ever need to be updated.

 

[Terepin]

RP-AX58 has a similar price so I would gain nothing in that regard. And I want to extend my existing network, not to create a separate one. That's like buying a new bottle when you want a refill. Who the frack does that.

 

[ColinTaylor]

RP-AX58 has a similar price so I would gain nothing in that regard. And I want to extend my existing network, not to create a separate one. That's like buying a new bottle when you want a refill. Who the frack does that.

Sorry, who/what are you replying to? I don't see anything in this thread that suggested you should buy an RP-AX58.

 

[Terepin]

Well, I also don't see anything that suggests I want two networks.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Well, I also don't see anything that suggests I want two networks.

You've lost me. I don't know what you mean by this.

 

[Terepin]

Access point extends the coverage by creating additional network. AiMesh extends the coverage of an existing network.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Access point extends the coverage by creating additional network. AiMesh extends the coverage of an existing network.

Incorrect. An access point doesn't create an additional network.

 

[Terepin]

Well damn, I misunderstood the difference. My apologies.
At any point, 85€ is already cheap as frack and I'm not willing to go even cheaper; I'm not rich enough to afford it. Furthermore, it's only AX1800 and my dishwasher already lost one bar just through a single wall.

 

[thiggins]

@Terepin Clean up your language please.

 

[Tech9]

it's only AX1800

Your clients will work exactly the same way with the same link speeds connected to AX6000 and AX1800 routers. Those are marketing numbers. Realistically you can get ~800Mbps throughput on 5GHz 80MHz channel (AX 2-stream client) and ~90Mbps on 2.4GHz 20MHz channel (N 2-stream client). And this is only if your Wi-Fi environment is relatively quiet. This throughput will be shared between all your clients using the same radio/channel. So forget about AX6000 and AX1800.

 

[Terepin]

I know, but you don't see AX1800 with strong coverage. All the powerful wifi routers have ludicrous wireless speeds, so for all intents and purposes the bigger the number - the bigger the coverage.