RT-AX86U with AX88U node latency?

[shleeven]

Hello, I currently have an AX88U as my main router which is upstairs in a corner of my house (living room media center) that has 7 devices on LAN and 1 port going to my basement as a backhaul to an AC88U. I am wanting to replace the AC88U with an AX router, so I’ve been considering getting an 86U and using it as the router since I’ve read that that results in the best latency. I only have 1 device on LAN on my basement node, but can easily pull a new cable from my fiber box to that downstairs spot.

So I am wondering if making my router the basement then having my node with all its devices attached will result in the same WAN latency, as those are the devices I care most about (2 PS5s 2 desktop computers Apple TV etc).

If that won’t work then I assume I’d need to have the 86U upstairs but then add a switch on the 2.5G port?

btw currently on stock firmware but will flash Merlin to the 86U and then also to the 88U node if that’s worth doing.

thanks

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hello, I currently have an AX88U as my main router which is upstairs in a corner of my house (living room media center) that has 7 devices on LAN and 1 port going to my basement as a backhaul to an AC88U. I am wanting to replace the AC88U with an AX router, so I’ve been considering getting an 86U and using it as the router since I’ve read that that results in the best latency. I only have 1 device on LAN on my basement node, but can easily pull a new cable from my fiber box to that downstairs spot.

So I am wondering if making my router the basement then having my node with all its devices attached will result in the same WAN latency, as those are the devices I care most about (2 PS5s 2 desktop computers Apple TV etc).

If that won’t work then I assume I’d need to have the 86U upstairs but then add a switch on the 2.5G port?

btw currently on stock firmware but will flash Merlin to the 86U and then also to the 88U node if that’s worth doing.

thanks

Just spit balling here without dwelling too much on your constraints which are not bad...

I would make the AX86U the router upstairs, and not to near the media center... try to keep it more central, high, and in the clear, however that suits your layout.

Some options to consider... I think the AX86U can aggregate the WAN and a LAN for a 2 Gbps WAN to two ISP modem ports(?)... subject to working on all fronts. And, the AX86U 2.5 Gbps port could connect a wired backhaul or switch or one fat client.

Then I would put a switch at the media center and wire as much as possible.

A wireless node in the basement seems sufficient for now. If you set 5.0 control ch 36-42 at 160 MHz, and there is no DFS activity on ch 52-64, the wireless AX backhaul might enjoy steady 2+ Gbps Tx/Rx rates (half-duplex) which might work out as good as Gigabit Ethernet(?) in the moments you are using it.

I would get it working on Asuswrt first. And only consider Asuswrt-Merlin, if you need some feature it has or just want to try it.

OE

 

[shleeven]

Just spit balling here without dwelling too much on your constraints which are not bad...

I would make the AX86U the router upstairs, and not to near the media center... try to keep it more central, high, and in the clear, however that suits your layout.

Some options to consider... I think the AX86U can aggregate the WAN and a LAN for a 2 Gbps WAN to two ISP modem ports(?)... subject to working on all fronts. And, the AX86U 2.5 Gbps port could connect a wired backhaul or switch or one fat client.

Then I would put a switch at the media center and wire as much as possible.

A wireless node in the basement seems sufficient for now. If you set 5.0 control ch 36-42 at 160 MHz, and there is no DFS activity on ch 52-64, the wireless AX backhaul might enjoy steady 2+ Gbps Tx/Rx rates (half-duplex) which might work out as good as Gigabit Ethernet(?) in the moments you are using it.

I would get it working on Asuswrt first. And only consider Asuswrt-Merlin, if you need some feature it has or just want to try it.

OE

Thanks for the reply, not very knowledgeable on the aggregation thing so help me to understand that. My modem (outdoor utility fiber box) does have 2 ports but I only get 1 gig fiber. Would I still benefit from having the 2nd cable aggregated?
I forgot to mention that my house is all plaster so I haven’t even considered wireless backhaul. This is also why I haven’t moved my main router to a more central location because the only spot in my house to do that is a closet that will introduce another plaster wall on every side. I do have the main router up on a shelf to the right of my media center, it’s not actually in the media center. Also if I use a gigabit switch at my media center, would it benefit from being in the 2.5 port or just the same in a normal port?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thanks for the reply, not very knowledgeable on the aggregation thing so help me to understand that. My modem (outdoor utility fiber box) does have 2 ports but I only get 1 gig fiber. Would I still benefit from having the 2nd cable aggregated?
I forgot to mention that my house is all plaster so I haven’t even considered wireless backhaul. This is also why I haven’t moved my main router to a more central location because the only spot in my house to do that is a closet that will introduce another plaster wall on every side. I do have the main router up on a shelf to the right of my media center, it’s not actually in the media center. Also if I use a gigabit switch at my media center, would it benefit from being in the 2.5 port or just the same in a normal port?

The single WAN port is sufficient. I was mostly pointing out the AX86U options as the router.

If you can wire the backhaul, do so. But I would try the wireless AX backhaul to see what you get in the Wireless Log for your layout.

Sounds like you already have the router away from the media center. I would not put it in a closet... more trouble than it's worth.

The 2.5 Gbps port will operate no better than the lowest common denominator in the link. So, connecting it to a 1 Gbps port is not going to operate above 1 Gbps.

OE