Secondary AIMesh device recommendation

[tnemrap]

I have an AC5300 unit and i want to buy an additional unit to run AIMesh to get better coverage upstairs.
Does someone have any recommendation on what unit i should buy.

/Mike

 

[tallytr]

RT-AC86U

 

[tnemrap]

Buy Tenda MW6 (Amazon Link).

Tenda MW6 Review

1. Install the Firmware Asuswrt-Merlin on the RT-AC5300.
2. Disable 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz in the RT-AC5300. (Wireless -> Professional -> Enable Radio: No)
3. Connect the WAN port of the Tenda MW6 to a LAN port in the RT-AC5300.
4. Use Bridge mode in Tenda MW6.
5. Install FreshJR Adaptive QoS.
6. Use AdGuard DNS for Block ads! (WAN -> Internet Connection -> WAN DNS Setting)

Doesn't this give a slower solution than AIMesh with two Asus devices.

/Mike

 

[tnemrap]

RT-AC86U

Don't i get better performance with RT-AC88U or is it not worth the extra money?

/Mike

 

[tallytr]

Don't i get better performance with RT-AC88U or is it not worth the extra money?

/Mike

That may be the case. In my use case (no gaming) the RT-AC86U is plenty. I have 32 clients connected 1/3 wired, 1/3 2.4GHz, 1/3 5GHz.
I'd definitely go with Asus for the service, I chat with them often, "easy" interface and with AiMesh it becomes a lot easier to manage the node, personally I really like this, would not go to another make simply due to the learning curve involved. Took me a while to be familiar with Asus...

 

[doczenith1]

There have been multiple people on this site including myself that have noticed better range and throughput with the 86U over the 88U. The 88U is the little brother to your 5300 having similar hardware but one less 5 GHz band. You might do fine with adding a RT-AC66U_B1 as the upstairs node. The 66U_B1 has the same hardware as the more expensive AC1900 but at roughly 2/3 of the cost. I spoke too soon. Looks like the 66U_B1 is not compatible with AiMesh so maybe take a look at the AC1900 although looking at some current pricing it's at $160 so might be worth the extra $40 for the 86U.

Third times a charm...Poking around the AiMesh thread I see that people are using the 66U_B1. I know that it is possible to flash Merlin's 68U firmware on that model so perhaps you can flash the factory AiMesh enabled firmware on that model as well to get it to work on AiMesh. Might be worth reading through the AiMesh thread but set aside some time as there are 401 messages as I write this.

 

[AlphaGator]

I am having success with AC3100

 

[tallytr]

RT-AC-68U also works great with AiMesh. I had one and added / replaced with RT-AC86U as main mesh router, RT-AC68U became wired AiMesh node in basement. I like it, works well.

 

[Wutikorn]

Don't i get better performance with RT-AC88U or is it not worth the extra money?
/Mike

Keep in mind that RT-AC86U is newer than RT-AC88U, newer hardware/platform. Although WiFi throughput is slightly slower, I don't think it will be that much of a difference. Asus seems to replace RT-AC68U with this new RT-AC86U. If that is the case, RT-AC86U probably get faster firmware updates compared to RT-AC88U, and for longer period of time too.

 

[tnemrap]

Using this tread again.
Would it not be better with a triband router if AIMesh uses one 5GHz to communicate between routers?

 

[Grisu]

forget all advertising values, you wont see much difference in all this 100 antennas solutions.
so both 68U and 86U will fit, but as said 68U is 4 years old and will soon end of life (sell), 86U support will be much longer.


Maybe interesting feedback:

I read this thread before purchasing two brand new RT-AC66U B1 routers. I flashed both with rt-ac68u firmware (3.0.0.4.384_20942) and aimesh works great! I get great speed and awesome coverage.

 

[Andrew Ostrom]

I have a RT-AC88U as my "primary" router, and to eliminate dead spots, and my WiFi AP in the back of the house I picked up a used RT-AC68U on EBay, cheap (like uinder $70). AIMesh has been working great - I have great coverage everywhere at really good speeds (my ASUS Android tablet is reporting 433 Gbps in most of the house, and 200+ everywhere).

Just make sure it's really a RT-AC68U, not a re-flashed T-Mobile one that isn't supported by ASUS for AIMesh.

EDIT - I can't say anything about tri-band for backhaul - I have gigabit Ethernet into every room, so I use that for the backhaul.

 

[Gregg]

Hello All,

I have the RT AC 5300 as my main router. I am installing a ethernet back haul to my living room where I currently have spotty coverage. I am interested in setting up the AiMesh. Would I be better off saving the money with the 68U or go for the 86U? I have around 40 clients, so one of my follow up questions would be do I need the smart connect feature that the 86U has and the 68U does not in order to maintain the smart connect feature from my RT AC 5300?

Thanks,

 

[Andrew Ostrom]

As I said earlier, I'm using a RT-AC68U as my mesh node. It works great. I don't see what the extra $$$ is going to get you. I picked up the 68U on eBay for less than $70. I use a hard wired connection for my backhaul, I think it's a smart way to configure it if you can do it that way. I have ~30 devices, about half are hard wired, and half Wifi. Some of the WiFi nodes are really low throughoth (like Nest thermostats). My performance is excellent.