Transfer WRT-Merlin Configuration from RT-AC88U to RT-AX58U

[woodb01]

I have 2 very good RT-AC88U routers but the 5G range is not the best. They work reasonably well but I am upgrading to an RT-AX58U as the main router. I will be turning the other 2 routers into AIMesh routers. My question is, as long as both routers are on the same firmware (I'm running WRT-Merlin), can I just export the configuration file from the existing base router and then import it into the new AX router? Will it just transfer the settings from one to the other without having to set it up all over?

 

[Tech9]

can I just export the configuration file from the existing base router and then import it into the new AX router?

No. You have to configure the new router manually.

I am upgrading to an RT-AX58U

Not much of upgrade. Your AC88U routers have 4-stream radios, AX58U has 2-stream. What is now common AC 2-stream client will have no speed improvements whatsoever. If you have AX 2-stream clients, they may eventually get ~40% faster connection (866Mbps vs 1200Mbps link speeds). Don't count on 160MHz wide channels. I wouldn't "upgrade" AC88U with AX58U.

 

[woodb01]

No. You have to configure the new router manually.



Not much of upgrade. Your AC88U routers have 4-stream radios, AX58U has 2-stream. What is now common AC 2-stream client will have no speed improvements whatsoever. If you have AX 2-stream clients, they may eventually get ~40% faster connection (866Mbps vs 1200Mbps link speeds). Don't count on 160MHz wide channels. I wouldn't "upgrade" AC88U with AX58U.

Thanks for the insight. I have a fairly large area to cover and am looking for something to provide a bit more distance. Would I be better to use the AX as a mesh node so it can reach out further until I decide to get more AX nodes?

 

[Greg2053]

I have a very similar scenario to above, so I've posted here.

I've been running an ASUS RT AC88U for several years now, with the Merlin Firmware. It now has the very last version of the Firmware that will ever be available, since it will be no longer supported after this year (2024). Given the lack of future support, and more importantly the fact that the Wi-Fi was never updated to WPA 3, (so I've never USED it's insecure WPA2 wi-fi, but the wi-fi of a TP-Link Archer C7 v5, running DD-WRT - with the security of WPA 3), I'm now going to upgrade.
I'm thinking of the ASUS RT BE86U, which is also Merlin compatible.

I've done research on that, and noticed that it's capable of migrating from the saved settings of many previous ASUS Routers - but presumably when running the stock ASUSwrt firmware.

So the updated question is, can I import the firmware settings from my ASUS RT AC88U - running Merilin, to a new ASUS RT BE86U, which I also hope to run with Merlin.

One complication I can forsee, is that my ISP uses triple VLANs to allow IPTV and IP phone. The BE86U seems to be compatible with those WAN based Triple LANs, but will that be a spanner in the works??
I don't USE the IPTV or the IP phone, but the ISP insist on bundling it... So I need the ASUS's easy set up of that - which worked great!

Further Note - I noticed a review which talked about updating Asus RT-AC86U to Asus RT-BE86U, using the backup file. The review described "A straightforward process". But he never mentions the VLAN setup, which is crucial - for my ISP...

 

[bennor]

So the updated question is, can I import the firmware settings from my ASUS RT AC88U - running Merilin, to a new ASUS RT BE86U, which I also hope to run with Merlin.

Can you import the settings from one Asus router model to another? Yes. Should you do so? Generally no. There may be settings that are different between the two models, especially if you are going from 3004.x firmware to 3006.x firmware. Bottom line is that you are better off starting from scratch and manually configuring the new router when that router is a different model and using a different firmware track than the previous router. Less chance of something wonky happening when importing a different model's settings.

 

[Tech9]

So the updated question is, can I import the firmware settings from my ASUS RT AC88U - running Merilin, to a new ASUS RT BE86U, which I also hope to run with Merlin.

This one is even less predictable than the original question. Don't do it, manual configuration of the new router only.

 

[Greg2053]

Thanks for your replies. This seems to be the same standard answer, which I had seen before. I only "Re-Asked" the question because somewhere in my research, it was mentioned that it was possible (at least for ASUSwrt).
Going back and checking the various sources I read, I can't find that reference in ASUS official documents, so it must have been a reviewer. So less reason to trust it!!

Looking back I remember the setup process for the RT AC88U was very easy, - so I'm hoping that the RT BE86U will be the same!

 

[Tech9]

I only "Re-Asked" the question because somewhere in my research, it was mentioned that it was possible (at least for ASUSwrt).

I have tested it in Asuswrt and it works very well between 3004 firmware, but I never tested it with 3006 firmware. The newer versions of 3006 change the way of doing things around Network menu (replacing completely Guest Network Pro) and the difference in configuration settings becomes much larger. Having this in mind - don't even attempt it. Manual configuration is your only option even on stock Asuswrt.