Hello SBN community, newbie here, please be gentle with me.
1st of all, I hope that I have post in the correct forum/topic.
I would like to learn and play with my new ASUS router and eventually use AiMesh mode and VPN (if my ISP will agree to put ONT modem in Bridge mode)
I have a few questions:
1.)
I have just purchase new RT-AC86U (2020 model, made in China) that is running stock ASUS fw 3.0.0.4.384.32799 out of the box.
I would like to clean install latest 384.19 Merlin fw and I'm confused regarding Merlin’s note about backup and restoring JFFS on RT-AC86U if proceeding from older fw.
Do I need to go through backup and restoration process of JFFS for the new unit or can I just upgrade and trigger Factory default restore after upgrade? I assume there is nothing in JFFS portion for now.
In the GUI there are 2 options for Factory default: RESTORE and INITIALIZE, can someone please explain to me which option should I use?
2.)
I currently run RT-AC86U in AP mode (DHCP server is running on my GPON ONT G640W optical modem) and it runs nice using WiFI Smart connect.
Another RT-AC86U is also coming this week. Plan is, to use them both as AiMesh in AP mode if successful, if not just as second AP (I have two flats about 180m2 each to cover).
It seems that at the moment there are a few options for me:
A.) Upgrading both to latest Merlin and use Merlin AiMesh on them,
B.) Upgrade both to the new official Asus 386 fw with AiMesh 2.0
C.) Wait with Mesh until 2.0 is coming to Merlin fw, and just leave both as they are on stock fw until then.
Can you guys please suggest, based on your experience, what will be the best thing for now and which fw version is preferred (I see a lot of problems and bugs across forum).
I use to run Apple Airport Extreme Base Station gen2, that was rock solid, set and forget unit, but there was lack of coverage and bandwidth, that is now much better with RT-AC86U.
Thank you for your help and comments in advance.
P.S.
For now AIMesh will be used in AP mode (putting modem in Bridge is in a long term plan, as my network needs to be reconfigured and routers repositioned if one of RT-AC86U will acts as main router).
1st of all, I hope that I have post in the correct forum/topic.
I would like to learn and play with my new ASUS router and eventually use AiMesh mode and VPN (if my ISP will agree to put ONT modem in Bridge mode)
I have a few questions:
1.)
I have just purchase new RT-AC86U (2020 model, made in China) that is running stock ASUS fw 3.0.0.4.384.32799 out of the box.
I would like to clean install latest 384.19 Merlin fw and I'm confused regarding Merlin’s note about backup and restoring JFFS on RT-AC86U if proceeding from older fw.
Do I need to go through backup and restoration process of JFFS for the new unit or can I just upgrade and trigger Factory default restore after upgrade? I assume there is nothing in JFFS portion for now.
In the GUI there are 2 options for Factory default: RESTORE and INITIALIZE, can someone please explain to me which option should I use?
2.)
I currently run RT-AC86U in AP mode (DHCP server is running on my GPON ONT G640W optical modem) and it runs nice using WiFI Smart connect.
Another RT-AC86U is also coming this week. Plan is, to use them both as AiMesh in AP mode if successful, if not just as second AP (I have two flats about 180m2 each to cover).
It seems that at the moment there are a few options for me:
A.) Upgrading both to latest Merlin and use Merlin AiMesh on them,
B.) Upgrade both to the new official Asus 386 fw with AiMesh 2.0
C.) Wait with Mesh until 2.0 is coming to Merlin fw, and just leave both as they are on stock fw until then.
Can you guys please suggest, based on your experience, what will be the best thing for now and which fw version is preferred (I see a lot of problems and bugs across forum).
I use to run Apple Airport Extreme Base Station gen2, that was rock solid, set and forget unit, but there was lack of coverage and bandwidth, that is now much better with RT-AC86U.
Thank you for your help and comments in advance.
P.S.
For now AIMesh will be used in AP mode (putting modem in Bridge is in a long term plan, as my network needs to be reconfigured and routers repositioned if one of RT-AC86U will acts as main router).