RT-AX86U / RT-AX55 AiMesh - Single shared channel?

[ComputerAbuser]

I needed a 2nd router to replace a TP-Link AX router and figured I would get an ASUS AiMesh capable unit.

I got a RT-AX55 and got it meshed up with my AX86U over Ethernet. It worked fine, but I couldn't find a way to specify the frequency for the AX55.

I wanted the AX86U on a channel 157 (80MHz) and the AX55 on a DFS channel (80MHz). From what I can tell, they automatically share the same channel and there is nothing you can do about it.

Is that correct or is there some roundabout way of specifying that somewhere?

 

[Hawk]

I needed a 2nd router to replace a TP-Link AX router and figured I would get an ASUS AiMesh capable unit.

I got a RT-AX55 and got it meshed up with my AX86U over Ethernet. It worked fine, but I couldn't find a way to specify the frequency for the AX55.

I wanted the AX86U on a channel 157 (80MHz) and the AX55 on a DFS channel (80MHz). From what I can tell, they automatically share the same channel and there is nothing you can do about it.

Is that correct or is there some roundabout way of specifying that somewhere?

All devices in aimesh share same channel. So far no way around it.

 

[ComputerAbuser]

OK, thank you for the verification. I was hoping for more granular control. I will have to run the 2nd router as an access point instead.

 

[thiggins]

Mesh systems use Wi-Fi to connect APs/nodes. Both radios must be on the same channel to establish a link.

If you want different 5 GHz channels, the mesh link would need to be 2.4 GHz. Apparently, AiMesh will not allow you to do this.

Your plan to run the second router as an Ethernet-connected AP is the way to go.

 

[ComputerAbuser]

Ya, it makes sense that they might need to run on the same channel if you are using WiFi for backhaul. If you are using Ethernet, like I did, you should be able to specify the WiFi channels.