RT-AX86U as AP with AiMesh and ethernet backhaul on link aggregated WAN port?

[henkih]

I have an issue.
I want to use a RT-AX86U (Pro) as an AiMesh AP (a RT-AX88U router is master of my AiMesh network), but the uplink of my RT-AX86U must be a link aggregated connection (connected to the link aggregated LAN-1 and LAN-2 ports of the RT-AX88U).
When making the RT-AX86U an (AiMesh) AP, I can't configure its WAN link aggregation (WAN and LAN-4 ports).
And when the RT-AX86U is on LAN link aggregation (LAN-1 and LAN-2 aggregated and NO ethernet connection active on WAN port), I'm not able to get the ethernet backhaul active when the RT-AX86U is an AiMesh AP.
Am I missing something, or do I want the impossible?

 

[Tech9]

Ask @slackjaw99 for details. I personally don't think this is supported by AiMesh.

upgrade from RT-AX86U to GT-AX6000?

You'll get all the pro features now months before ASUS The only issue - Guest Network. If you can help with scripting that on AX86U - great.

www.snbforums.com

 

[L&LD]

You may want the impossible here.

But you may (possibly) achieve what you want with a switch with 2.5GbE and 1GbE (with LAG) Ports. If you want to spend that kind of money (and it actually works as you want).

What I would suggest is to replace the non-par RT-AX88U with another RT-AX86U, or better, replace both with 2x GT-AX6000s.

How many cubic dollars do you have?

 

[drinkingbird]

I have an issue.
I want to use a RT-AX86U (Pro) as an AiMesh AP (a RT-AX88U router is master of my AiMesh network), but the uplink of my RT-AX86U must be a link aggregated connection (connected to the link aggregated LAN-1 and LAN-2 ports of the RT-AX88U).
When making the RT-AX86U an (AiMesh) AP, I can't configure its WAN link aggregation (WAN and LAN-4 ports).
And when the RT-AX86U is on LAN link aggregation (LAN-1 and LAN-2 aggregated and NO ethernet connection active on WAN port), I'm not able to get the ethernet backhaul active when the RT-AX86U is an AiMesh AP.
Am I missing something, or do I want the impossible?

I think the only way you're going to do that is skip AIMesh, set the AP as standard AP mode, and do LAG between them that way. Aimesh isn't really adding much, just some centralized management. All the "features" of aimesh (roaming assistant, minimum rssi, etc) can be configured independently.

The only real thing you'd lose is the ability to isolate Guest Wireless 1 on the AP, not sure if that is a feature you need. Could be done with a script.

Any reason you aren't using the better 86U Pro as your router?

Another option is a 2.5G USB dongle in the AX88 but not sure if you can do Aimesh over that, at least not without scripting.

 

[Tech9]

Another option is a 2.5G USB dongle in the AX88 but not sure if you can do Aimesh over that, at least not without scripting.

I don't see such options. Good luck getting 2.5Gbps with USB dongle and scripting around closed source AiMesh.

 

[drinkingbird]

I don't see such options. Good luck getting 2.5Gbps with USB dongle and scripting around closed source AiMesh.

Considering Aimesh requires you to use the "WAN" port on the node and USB adapters typically show up as WAN - it *might* work. In reality even if not you could script it to trunk vlans 501 and 502 which might also force it to work. Not a great option, but a possible option.

 

[henkih]

I think the only way you're going to do that is skip AIMesh, set the AP as standard AP mode, and do LAG between them that way. Aimesh isn't really adding much, just some centralized management. All the "features" of aimesh (roaming assistant, minimum rssi, etc) can be configured independently.

The only real thing you'd lose is the ability to isolate Guest Wireless 1 on the AP, not sure if that is a feature you need. Could be done with a script.

Any reason you aren't using the better 86U Pro as your router?

Another option is a 2.5G USB dongle in the AX88 but not sure if you can do Aimesh over that, at least not without scripting.

I believe in what I want to achieve, this is the best suggestion.
As I call it a "poor man's mesh", configuring each AP with the same SSID...
But this helps me to achieve my wired solution.

In the end I will build a setup with 3 netgear switches to create a 2Gbps backbone in my home.
On each Netgear switch I connect an ASUS router: 2 times the RT-AX86U Pro (it is a Pro indeed) as an AP with 2,5Gbps port for a PC. The 3th ASUS is the RT-AX88U as router, as an Internet gateway.
On each Netgear switch a NAS will be connected too...

 

[Tech9]

Not sure why the connection "must be link aggregated" when the router has up to Gigabit ports and Wi-Fi clients rarely get to Gigabit speeds. Link aggregation can have >Gigabit traffic with multiple connections only. It's not 2Gbps link, but more like 1Gbps + 1Gbps. If you really want stable 2Gbps throughput and often - you're playing with toys. Replace the home routers with better 2.5GbE capable business equipment.

 

[L&LD]

Your 'poor man's mesh' isn't even close to providing you a network with greater than 1GbE speeds for a single device (much less 2.5GbE speeds for your 2.5GbE enabled PC).

A network is a chain and is only as strong as the weakest link. Get rid of the RT-AX88U that is stuck on 1GbE LAN and WAN ports. Replace it with dual 2.5GbE WAN/LAN connections if you really need/want that client PC (and all other 2.5GbE capable client devices on your network) to have the benefits of the higher speeds and lower latency the faster LAN speeds will provide.

LAG is good for total network throughput capacity. Faster LAN ports offer those benefits to each matching client device.

The 'poor man's mesh' idea you have is a very expensive way to not get what you think you will.

Sell the RT-AX88U. Design your network on the right hardware. Hint: the RT-AX86U Pro (or not) isn't going to get you there either. The model(s) best suited for your goals is the GT-AX6000.

Time to make a choice.

 

[henkih]

Appreciate your advice.

I only need redundancy and enough backbone capacity.
When NAS devices are backing-up to each other and/or to cloud, I need enough capacity for the other traffic.
So, in my believe 1Gbps + 1Gbps (Tech9 remark) is enough for that.

What I call "Poor man's mesh" is having multiple AP's with ONE SSID and no mesh technology active (L&LD remark).
And I don't need to have more than 1Gbps connections on my PC's (L&LD remark), only doing multiple actions simultaneously with connections to several devices (in my home and/or at Internet).
So, for that, 1Gbps + 1Gbps should be sufficient too.

Bringing in two RT-AX86U Pro devices gives me a full AX (Wifi 6) network, while currently part of network is still AC (Wifi 5).

Working to a solution with a real 2,5Gbps backbone (3 times a 5-port switch with 2,5Gbps ports, and 3 times a GT-AX6000 router configured like router or AP) as suggested will cost me more than double my current change (L&LD remark).
Way too much now, as my Internet connection currently VDSL (200Mbps) and hopefully fiber (1Gbps) soon...

 

[Tech9]

You don't need Internet Gateway and Access Points with 2.5GbE ports if you don't have/need >Gigabit ISP service. What you need is internal LAN 2.5GbE capable. 2.5GbE capable switch(es) will do that and your NAS boxes will be connected there given they also have 2.5GbE ports. Forget about this Link Aggregation, WAN Aggregation, Dual WAN etc. on consumer toy routers. None of it is working the way it works on much cheaper business routers. It's so much marketing involved with consumer products you can get dizzy. You don't need 2x ugly GT-AX6000 "Gaming" routers with RGB lights either.

 

[Tech9]

ISP -> AX86U Pro -> 2.5GbE switch(es) for your internal LAN -> AX88U AP or AiMesh node.

All you need is switches, not new routers. Use what you already have and don't spend money for nothing. My NAS does backups at night. In the future - don't buy AIO routers for AP use. There are APs better and cheaper than AIO routers and with VLAN support. Look beyond false "home mesh" advertising.

 

[fcoayuso]

Your 'poor man's mesh' isn't even close to providing you a network with greater than 1GbE speeds for a single device (much less 2.5GbE speeds for your 2.5GbE enabled PC).

A network is a chain and is only as strong as the weakest link. Get rid of the RT-AX88U that is stuck on 1GbE LAN and WAN ports. Replace it with dual 2.5GbE WAN/LAN connections if you really need/want that client PC (and all other 2.5GbE capable client devices on your network) to have the benefits of the higher speeds and lower latency the faster LAN speeds will provide.

LAG is good for total network throughput capacity. Faster LAN ports offer those benefits to each matching client device.

The 'poor man's mesh' idea you have is a very expensive way to not get what you think you will.

Sell the RT-AX88U. Design your network on the right hardware. Hint: the RT-AX86U Pro (or not) isn't going to get you there either. The model(s) best suited for your goals is the GT-AX6000.

Time to make a choice.

Why would the ax6000 be the best choice? Currently I am aiming to replace my ax88u with a multi gig network and thought about the ax88u pro, ax86u or ax6000...I think all of them share the same specs....just wondering why should I go for the ax6000 as you mentioned. Thank you

 

[Tech9]

Why would the ax6000 be the best choice?

Because it's small, very pretty, has RGB lights and looks amazing wall mounted?

Copyright:

ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 finally announced

could you tell me how much speed on vpn you get with your new router? Based on CPU type and clock speed alone, I expect about 300Mbps on OpenVPN.

www.snbforums.com

I would suggest going one step further with this one:

Even better performance! You can't unsee the obvious advantages.

 

[drinkingbird]

Because it's small, very pretty, has RGB lights and looks amazing wall mounted?

View attachment 49552

Copyright:

ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 finally announced

could you tell me how much speed on vpn you get with your new router? Based on CPU type and clock speed alone, I expect about 300Mbps on OpenVPN.

www.snbforums.com

I would suggest going one step further with this one:



Even better performance! You can't unsee the obvious advantages.

Looks like something you'd see on the wall in Australia. Missing a couple legs though.

 

[Tech9]

Missing a couple legs though.

The territorial fight result with other router models. You get the strongest one though.

 

[L&LD]

Why would the ax6000 be the best choice? Currently I am aiming to replace my ax88u with a multi gig network and thought about the ax88u pro, ax86u or ax6000...I think all of them share the same specs....just wondering why should I go for the ax6000 as you mentioned. Thank you

The reasons are simple.

Great sales on the GT-AX6000 now, it will get 3.0.0.6.xxxx level firmware, has RMerlin support, and maybe most importantly, had proven itself (even when it was at full price).

Ignore the looks, look deeper.

 

[henkih]

ISP -> AX86U Pro -> 2.5GbE switch(es) for your internal LAN -> AX88U AP or AiMesh node.

All you need is switches, not new routers. Use what you already have and don't spend money for nothing. My NAS does backups at night. In the future - don't buy AIO routers for AP use. There are APs better and cheaper than AIO routers and with VLAN support. Look beyond false "home mesh" advertising.

I understand and I probably do that in future, if there are reasonable priced 2,5Gbps switches available and my ISP is providing me fiber (1Gbps). So thanks for your advice. You got me thinking for the future...