Router upgrade time perhaps

[splatee]

I am toying with the idea of upgrading current router rt-ac87r running Merlin to maybe a rt-ac5300 and a rt-ac86ufor aimesh setup.

We have a lot of wireless devices such as WiFi security cameras, firetv sticks, amazon echos, smart TVs, smart washer and dryer, Xbox’s, PlayStation as well as iPhones and iPads. So there is a lot of streaming going on.

I was looking at the rt-ac5300 because of its dual 5ghz being the main router upstairs and placing the ac86u downstairs and doing a mesh setup. Does this sound like a good combo? I am going to be running Merlin firmware on them.

 

[L&LD]

No, not a good combo. The RT-AC5300 will not have dual 5GHz bands in AiMesh mode.

 

[JDB]

Keep in mind the 5300 will dedicate one of the 5Ghz radios for AiMesh backhaul (even if you use Ethernet backhaul). It’s a very annoying bug if you use Ethernet backhaul (but a great feature if you don’t!).

I have 86U master, 2x 5300 and an 88U as nodes, all Ethernet backhauled, all running Merlin (I and others have found running stock on the nodes can make for some issues) and it works great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Grisu]

Do you have ethernet cable going upstairs?

 

[splatee]

Hey thanks for the replies everyone.

So using the ac5300 as the main router is the wrong direction it sounds like?

I do have Ethernet cable running upstairs.

Any recommendations on a decent setup?

Would running two ac5300 work?

or

ac86u as the main and two ac68u ?

 

[JDB]

Definitely 86U as the main router as it has the CPU you want doing the routing.


If you have ethernet backhaul the 5300 is bringing nothing to the party.
The 88U offers identical Wi-fi performance to the 5300 in an AiMesh with Ethernet backhaul.

I use and rate highly Smart Connect (others do not...) and on that basis the 68U is inferior as it does not support the feature, so I’d go for the 88U (or indeed the 86U) for the AiMesh nodes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[splatee]

Great info, thank you everyone

I will then go with two 86u.

thank you