Switch capabilities of AIMesh Nodes?

[TD99]

The managed switch is for situations where you need wired clients to be members of a VLAN and your AiMesh nodes don't support wired VLAN tagging. I don't remember off the top of my head your specific setup as it's been awhile since I've been in this thread, but an AiMesh node can't magically make an unmanaged switch start VLAN tagging traffic so the switch isn't playing a part at all in your VLAN setup.

RT-AX57 Go runs 3006 firmware with Guest Network Pro support.

I was under the impression that "Guest Network = VLAN", regardless of Ethernet vs. WiFi, because when a guest network is created, so is the VLAN. Even Asus Support stated that a managed switch is REQUIRED for Guest Network/VLAN support (but I do take what they say with a grain of salt).

 

[jksmurf]

I was under the impression that "Guest Network = VLAN", regardless of Ethernet vs. WiFi, because when a guest network is created, so is the VLAN. Even Asus Support stated that a managed switch is REQUIRED for Guest Network/VLAN support (but I do take what they say with a grain of salt).

My take on this is that yes a GN=VLAN under Asus GNP.

And that for a GN utilizing AImesh nodes:

1. GN Wi-Fi (regardless of Wi-Fi or Ethernet Backhaul) will be propagated to those nodes in the numbers of interfaces the specific nodes allow; if the nodes are on “ASUS list”, IIRC then the limit is around 5 interfaces per band, otherwise it is 1 i.e. fir the latter yes we support many rioters as AIMesh nodes but it’s limited, you want more, buy one from the list. RT-AX57 Go is on that list but gee wouldn’t it be be grea5 if it had 2.5Gbps ports.
2. GN propagation to the nodes Ethernet Ports will NOT be propagated to those nodes unless the nodes are on “ASUS list”, so (absent these models) you will not get IP addresses for a desired VLAN on the nodes Ethernet ports. You can, as @Seth Harman and @visortgw and I think @bennor have pointed out, attach a managed switch onto the nodes ports and get the switch to tag wired-attached devices.

Earlier on in this thread I also tried a managed switch between a primary device on the “list” and a node that wasn’t, using the ASUS directions for wiring it up, but that did not propagate the VLAN ID to the node, for, i believe the reasons in my earlier note (as also suggested by ASUS) that the backhaul is required for the AIMesh connection.

That’s my take, based mostly on my experiences, FWIW.