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This post will walk you through picking two or more Asus routers into a well-performing and seamless AiMesh setup.
"Well-performing" is the key here. It's in the nuance—you might want to pay close attention to the details.
This is part of my series on Asus's AiMesh, a popular way to build a robust home Wi-Fi mesh system. Check the box below if you have any AiMesh-related questions.
How to pick the best AiMesh Router Combos: The three rules
There are a few dozen and counting AiMesh-enabled broadcasters, and while they all supposedly work together, there are better combos than others. Some are outright no good.
If you somehow end up with multiple AiMesh devices, chances are you can make them work. But if you're actively looking to build one from scratch, based on the router you're using or about to get, it's best to pick and choose them wisely.
Asus hardware and AiMesh
The drawer below consists of existing Asus routers for the US market that can work as part of an AiMesh Wi-Fi system. Most are also available worldwide. Some other regions might have other models unavailable in the US.
Extra: Current AiMesh broadcasters
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) AiMesh broadcasters
Most of these are legacy broadcasters that might not support the latest version of AiMesh.
- Tri-band: GT-AC5300, RT-AC5300, Lyra, and ZenWiFi AC.
- Dual-band: RP-AC1900, RT-AC1900, RT-AC1900P/U, RT-AC2900, RT-AC3100, RT-AC5300, RT-AC68P/R/RW/U/UF/W, GT-AC2600, Lyra Trio, Blue Cave, RT-AC86U, RT-AC88U, and possibly more.
Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax) AiMesh broadcasters
These non-complete lists only include mostly the latest broadcasters already covered on this website.
- Tri-band (Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E):
- Traditional tri-band (5GHz + 5GHz + 2.4GHz): GT-AX11000, RT-AX92U, ZenWiFi XT8, ZenWiFi Pro XT12, ZenWiFi XT9, ROG Rapture GT6, and more.
- Wi-Fi 6E tri-band (6GHz + 5GHz +2.4Ghz): GT-AXE11000, ZenWiFi ET8, ZenWiFi Pro ET12, GT-AXE16000, RT-AX7800 and more.
- Dual-band (Wi-Fi 6): RT-AX88U/RT-AX88U Pro, RT-AX89X, RT-AX3000 / RT-AX58U, RT-AX56U, ZenWiFi XD4, RT-AX86U/S/Pro, RT-AX82U, RT-AX68U, RP-AX56, GS-AX3000, GS-AX5400, ZenWiFi XD6, GT-AX6000, ZenWiFi AX Hybrid XP4, ROG Rapture GT6 and more.
Wi-Fi 7 Aimesh broadcasters (so far)
- Quad-band: GT-BE98 Pro, ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro
- Tri-band: RT-BE96U
The way it works, you use one router as the primary node, and the rest will work as satellite node(s) to scale up the coverage. The primary router decides the features of your mesh.
Technically, you can arbitrarily use a combo of any broadcasters above to create a mesh system, and it will likely work. It's a matter of degrees. The point is don't do that. Instead, follow these tips to ensure you get the best out of your hardware.
For the most part, picking AiMesh hardware is similar to any mesh system.
AiMesh combo rules #1: Consider wired backhauling
Like all home mesh systems, you should use wired backhauling. That's when you use a network cable to connect the main router and a satellite unit.
Wired backhauling is highly recommended when:
- You want to enjoy true Gigabit or faster connection speeds. In this case, it's also recommended that you consider hardware with Multi-Gig ports.
- You want to get the best Wi-Fi speeds, especially out of dual-band Wi-Fi 6 or Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E broadcasters. Even low-end Wi-Fi broadcasters can deliver Gigabit-class sustained speeds via wired backhauling.
- You want to use hardware with mixed Wi-Fi standards or tiers.
Use CAT5e or higher-grade network cables. You can daisy-chain the hardware units or place unmanaged switch(es) between them.
Generally, if you're looking to build the best-performing AiMesh (or any mesh) system, think about getting your home wired first. Or you can consider a good MoCA connection when applicable.
With wired backhauling, you can use almost any AiMesh router combo without worrying about performance or reliability. "Almost" is the key here. You might want to avoid using wired backhaul in some specific sets—more below.
AiMesh combo rules #2: Traditional tri-band hardware is best (only) for a fully wireless setup
When wired backhauling is unavailable, which is often the case, consider tri-band Wi-Fi 6 (or 5) AiMesh routers.
Specifically, you want to use broadcasters with an additional 5GHz band that works as the dedicated backhaul. dual-band hardware works in this case but only at 50 percent of the satellite unit's bandwidth due to signal loss.
This applies to quad-band Wi-Fi 6E broadcasters, too, such as the GT-AXE16000. However, in this case, consider using multi-Gigabit wired backhauling to make your investment worthwhile.
The idea is that you want a 5GHz band working solely or mostly as the dedicated backhaul. Conversely, if you have wired backhauling, it's generally good to avoid tri-band hardware.
Hardware with the extra 5GHz band generally works well in a wired backhauling setup. However, in this case, this band is unnecessary, and managing it can be a pain in an AiMesh setup if you're not an advanced user.
It's important to note that wireless backhauling will cause slow connection speed at the satellite. In the best-case scenario, a wireless mesh system using Wi-Fi 6/6E or older standard generally sustains at around 800Mbps when hosting a single client, no matter how expensive the hardware is. Most of the time, you'll experience significantly slower speeds.
AiMesh wireless combo: Avoid mixing Wi-Fi standards
In a fully wireless system, it's best to avoid broadcasters of the different Wi-Fi standards.
Specifically, mixing Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5, in this case, will be problematic. Among other things, the nodes will not link to each other reliably, and Wi-Fi 6 devices will need to work in compatibility mode, which is slow.
AiMesh wireless combo: Don’t count on the 6GHz band
It's important to note that all Wi-Fi 6E routers are at least Tri-band, but they have no extra band that can be dedicated for backhauling—you need all three to host clients.
Additionally, the 6GHz band has a short range and can't work reliably over distance or in a home with walls. (This is completely true, all that marketing hype about the band's range is false.)
That said, if you use Wi-Fi 6E AiMesh routers, treat them the same as dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (or 5) hardware—use them via wired backhauling or expect reduced performance.
The takeaway is this: Don't count on the 6GHz unless you live in a small or open space.
AiMesh combo rules #3: Be smart about mixing hardware
It's generally safest in terms of performance and reliability when you use the same routers across the entire system. But that's hard to follow and also not a must.
In most cases, mixing a high-end primary router with affordable satellites can be a financially smart way to have an effective AiMesh system. That is if you can live with some inherent issues with using mixed hardware—like all things, you can't expect to cut corners and get the benefits of paying the full price. Specifically:
- Only common hardware features apply: If you use a higher-end router with lower-end satellites, many router features, such as VPN, Guest networking, etc., will not work on the satellites. Sometimes, turning these features on can cause the system to crash.
- The base Wi-Fi grade of the system is required: You need to use the (high-end) primary with the settings of the lowest-end satellite. If you use performance-favored settings that are not available to a satellite, the system might be disconnected.
- Unexpected bugs: Mixing routers of different Wi-Fi grades or number of bands (Dual-band vs. tri-band vs. Quad-band) is always tricky and can cause unexpected issues.
With that, the following are some tips for mixing AiMesh hardware.
1. Use wired backhauling when possible
As mentioned above, using networking cables to link Wi-Fi broadcasters is the only way to get the best-performing mesh system. It also gives you more flexibility in hardware combos.
A mix of wired and wireless backhaul is still better than full wireless. In this case, the primary router unit should be wired to the first node, but you can wire only the nodes together.
AiMesh hardware with wired backhauling: Consider the AP mode
With wired backhauling, you can use standard access point (AP) mode for any satellite unit.
While this setup will not give you a real mesh system—you can't control the AP's Wi-Fi settings via the main router—it'll give you excellent performance, reliability, and more control. Specifically:
- You can fully control the satellite hardware, including some extra features available in the AP mode (Wi-Fi settings, USB-related, lighting, and others).
- If your primary router is a dual-band and the AiMesh satellite is a traditional Tri-band, you can use the node's 5GHz-2 band, which is unavailable in the AiMesh mode.
- You can use a third-party router (or AP) or a non-AiMesh Asus router, such as the RT-AC3200.
Using the satellite units in the AP role is far more reliable than using them as wireless AiMesh nodes in my trial. So, consider that an alternative when you have issues with a pure AiMesh setup.
2. Pick the right primary node and appropriate settings
In an AiMesh system, the primary router is the device that decides the features of your network. Consequently, keep the following in mind for the hardware for this role:
- It should be one of the highest Wi-Fi tiers, measured in the number of streams (4x4, 3x3, 2x2, etc.).
- It's the one with the most bands. So, pick quad-band over tri-band and tri-band over Dual-band.
- Use the latest router in terms of Wi-Fi standards with the most features. So, pick Wi-Fi 7 over 6E over 6 over 5.
- Use the Wi-Fi settings at the primary router applicable to the satellite. For example:
- In Wi-Fi 6, avoid the 160MHz or UNII-4 if any of the satellites only support 80MHz or do not support this portion of the 5GHz band.
- When mixing a router of a newer Wi-Fi standard (such as Wi-Fi 6) with satellites of an older standard (such as Wi-Fi 5), use the latest hardware in compatibility mode. (Mixing Wi-Fi standards is always problematic, especially with wireless backhauling.)
3. Pick the proper hardware for the satellite nodes
In an AiMesh setup, you generally have little or no control over the satellite nodes' features or settings. They only extend the network by providing additional Wi-Fi coverage or network ports.
There are two scenarios: wired and wireless backhauling. For wired backhauling, it's best to use dual-band hardware throughout.
If you mix hardware of different numbers of bands and use a dual-band as the primary router, note that you won't be able to use any of the satellites' third or fourth bands—they are not available—unless you use the hardware in the AP mode as mentioned above.
Important notes in mixing AiMesh hardware, especially with wireless backhauling
Keep the following in mind:
- Use the primary router and satellite of the same Wi-Fi standards and tier(•). If that's not an option, pick satellites with the same Wi-Fi standard (and tier) as the router's backhaul band (5GHz).
- When mixing tri-band (traditional or the new Wi-Fi 6E) and dual-band hardware, we have two scenarios:
- If you use a tri-band primary router, its dedicated backhaul band (5GHz-2) is unavailable to a dual-band satellite, which will connect to the router's 5GHz-1 (or 2.4Ghz) band as backhaul. (You can open the primary router's 5GHz-2 band to clients.)
- If you use a dual-band primary router, a tri-band satellite's extra band—the second 5GHz (5GHz-2) band—might not be used at all or, worse, be available as an open ISSD. This band will not work as backhaul, nor will you be able to make it work for the client. The satellite will use its common bands with the router—5GHz or 2.4GHz—as a non-dedicated backhaul. (A similar thing can be said about having a tri-band router and quad-band satellites.)
- Mixing tri-band Wi-Fi 6 and Tri/Quad-band Wi-Fi 6E hardware: Consider the third band (5GHz-2 or 6GHz) as a common band in terms of management. But this combo is generally problematic in a wireless setup.
(•) If you use broadcasters of different tiers, your network's Wi-Fi connection speed will generally be that of the lowest-tier broadcaster. For compatibility reasons, the system must support the lowest denominator.
Asus AiMesh combo: Bugs and firmware updates
Since there are so many possible AiMesh combos, mixing hardware, even when you do that right, likely will result in unexpected bugs. This is especially true when you use a fully wireless setup and after a firmware update.
Asus hardware and firmware updates
Considering the vast number of hardware options, most of which can be combined into a mesh system using the AiMesh feature, firmware can be tricky for Asus, especially with hardware running firmware versions that start with the 3.0.0.4 kernel.
AiMesh was first added as a major feature via firmware version 384 in early 2018—represented by the RT-AC86U. It was buggy at first, but it became stable with the latest minor updates. In early 2020, Asus released version 386, which was also buggy in the early stages, to add AiMesh 2.0 via the introduction of the ZenWifi product line. By late 2022, version 386 had become fully mature, and Asus released version 388 (dubbed Asuswrt 4.0) to add better VPN support, triple gaming/protection levels, and more. This version became stable by late 2023.
When it comes to updating—especially in an AiMesh setup of mixed hardware units using wireless backhauling—keep the following three items in mind:
- Avoid the initial major release: This is the first firmware version of a model where the middle three digits of the firmware version change, such as from 384 to 386 or from 386 to 388. Generally, things start to be good with the first minor update to a major firmware release.
- Avoid using Auto-Update for firmware: Instead of letting the hardware update itself, you should update the firmware when you see fit. (It's OK to choose Auto-Update for the security-only updates when that's an option.)
- Version consistency (in a mesh system): Generally, it would be best to use the firmware version of the same major release for all AiMesh members. (Mixing hardware of different major releases can produce mixed results.)
On the one hand, moving between major releases might break your AiMesh setup or even your standalone router. On the other hand, new hardware comes with a specific initial version that is out of the box—you have no option to downgrade it—and some old models won't get the latest release. So, depending on the mesh combo, your luck will vary.
As a rule, when using hardware with the 3.0.0.4 kernel in a mesh system, it's best to wait for a few minor updates of a major release before upgrading. Depending on the hardware combo, you might need to rebuild the system from scratch or reset and re-add a satellite node if you change the major firmware version (in one or all hardware units involved.)
To minimize issues, tread lightly with firmware updates and setting customization. Don't rely too much on the Asus Router mobile app. Instead, opt for the web user interface.
The takeaway
With many hardware combo options and regular firmware updates, AiMesh has been up and down in terms of reliability. But that's also the case with most Wi-Fi systems. They are all about nuance.
AiMesh is one of a few mesh approaches that allow for a flexible hardware combo. Consequently, picking the correct hardware combination is the first important step. The next step is to set up them properly.
With fiber finally getting to my home, I now have 1Gig service up/down(!), so I want to replace my trusty but slow Asus RT-N66U router.
My setup is somewhat unique:
1) Modest size home (about 3000sf, router centrally located)
2) Separate building for workshop, which needs wifi, and does not have ethernet wiring, about 50′ away from house.
3) Generator and Sprinkler controls about 150′ from garage need 2.4GHz wifi. Low bandwidth is OK and they tolerate a signal from a TP-Link RE650 at the workshop today.
Since I can’t use wired backhaul (due to separate buildings), I’m looking for the best wireless backhaul setup. Luckily, I don’t need high bandwidth at the workshop/generator, but I would like high speeds within the house.
To summarize: Want high speeds within the house using a central router, but need long range (low speed OK) on the 2.4GHz band.
Was thinking about the new Asus ExpertWiFi components: EBG15 router with EBA63 APs, and then a RP-AX58 repeater to send signal to the generator, as the most cost-effective option. But, I could even go with BQ16 Pros if that is tangibly better. I do have power at the generator/sprinklers, but it’s all outdoors.
For your case, the ExpertWiFi EBM68 will likely work out great. You can even reuse the N66U as an access point exclusively for those 2.4GHz devices. Good luck!
Thanks! Another thought I had was to get a dedicated wireless bridge and use that as my backhaul for 2 of the mesh units (they would think they’re on a wired backhaul). This way I don’t have to worry about the mesh wireless backhaul spanning the distance between the two buildings, but I get the single SSID advantages when roaming between the two buildings (which I do a lot). I’m thinking the bridge, since it’s directional, will travel further with higher bandwidth than a mesh unit. Thoughts on that setup?
Hi! Can you please elaborate on below:
A mix of wired and wireless backhaul is still better than full wireless. In this case, the primary router unit should be wired to the first node, but you can wire only the nodes together.
My setup is Fibre cable internet to Mesh router to unmanaged switch to cat5e to mesh router 2, and same unmanaged switch to cat5e to mesh router 3.
Mesh routers 4 and 5 are wireless. Is this not ideal? Please advise. Thanks so much!
It’s plain English, Sabrina (mine is not very good but that’s a different story). The point is full wired backhauling is best and a bit of wired backhauling is better than no bachauhaluing at all. For your case, you can start with this post. Good luck!
Hello,
I just purchased the Asus GT BE-98 as of my main router. But I also want to make an AiMesh system in my house for the rooms which are at the back of the house. Just to get the Wifi better in those rooms. And also I want to use one of the 2.5G ethernet ports of the node. As for the node, I was planning to buy the Asus Rog Capture AX6000 which is only Wifi 6 standard. I don’t know if this will bottleneck the main router but the main router is quad band and AX6000 is only Dual Band. But it will be connected via Ethernet Cable. This won’t be a Wireless AiMesh setup. It will have direct connection the the main router and then extend the Wifi range. I assume that only the 5GHZ and 2.4GHZ channels will be extended which I think will be enough for the rooms at the back. My internet connection is only 1Gbits.
Would still AX6000 be a good choice? I really like its design. Thank you for your help.
I haven’t tried the combo, and won’t be able to test every possible combo, so I don’t know. Kaan. But this post will help.
Thank you. I received the following message from someone so I think I’ll postpone adding an Aimesh Node. It may not be really necessary for me.
“Make sure you really need this AiMesh node. Home routers work best as single device and adding more “nodes” when not needed will make your Wi-Fi only worse, not better. To me this GT-AX6000 as node doesn’t make sense. The band with less coverage on your main router is 6GHz. This new node doesn’t have 6GHz radio. In this case why pay more for GT-AX6000 when an RT-AX58U at half price will do the same thing basically? Wired it will be an extra Access Point only.
Also for the rooms at the back you can relocate the router to more central position. This will work better than AiMesh. You don’t need full bars coverage everywhere and none of your tablets/phones need full speed. Don’t overdo it – it won’t get any better. You are overpaying already with perhaps “futureproofing” ideas. There is no such thing with home AIO routers.”
Yes, I explained that in detail in this post. Generally, its best to spend time reading stuff that’s already there before asking questions as stated in the comment rules above.
You explained great things for sure. Thank you. I didn’t get it as suggesting someone to consider whether they need an Aimesh system or not but most of the things were very useful to read. I appreciate it. If I had the answer I needed though, I wouldn’t ask a question in the comments.
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Hello,
I appreciate all your articles related to ASUS aimesh and I am a big fan of your site.
I have a related question.
I have a long existing ASUS AC aimesh network in my home with an AC88U and 4 AC68U satellites (all cat 5e backhaul between router and satellites).
One aiesh satellite is in a room with a Meta Quest 3 and I want to use Wifi 6E to connect a Quest 3 and a gaming PC.
I just purchased an ASUS RT-AXE7800 with the intent to use it as a wifi 6E connection for the Quest and gaming PC.
I read your aimesh articles and realized that I could not use the wifi 6e on the new RT-AXE7800 if I connected it via aimesh.
So I have the RT-AXE7800 in AP mode connected back to the main router (AC88U) and I have the gaing PC connected by cat5e to the AXE7800 and the quest connected by wifi 6e to the AXE7800.
BUT I did see you mention the advantages of using some ASUS routers in AP mode so I can still backhaul to the router, but I can use the more advanced features of the newer router like Wifi 6E.
BUT I realized an important question for my special use case (of connecting a gaing PC to a quest 3) that if AP mode causes all traffic between the 2 boxes to be bachhauled to the router and then back again, then I may lose a lot of the benefit.
So my questions are:
1) Would an ASUS satellite in AP mode send all traffic back to the main router (meaning the gaming PC connected the the same RT-AXE7800 by cat5e as the quest 3 connected by wifi 6e) would send all the traffic back to the main router (AC88U) and then back again?
2) If the above case does use the main router for routing between these 2 boxes connected to the AXE7800 AP, then should I instead create a pure separate network in my house with this AXE7800 as the router and have it separate from the aimesh? I could connect this on a separate port on my broadband modem.
For your case, it’s best to use the RT-AXE7800 in the AP mode and connect your VR computer to one of its network port, Brian. More here.
Thanks Dong for an informative post! Just wanted to pick your brains – got a pair of XT8s last year when I was staying in a condo (informed in no small part by your review!). Currently building a house here in the Philippines, where we normally use concrete and not wood. Basically the data/utility room where the fiber connection will be is a small concrete room on the ground floor. Plan is for an XT8 to serve as a router, and just have CAT6-wired satellites for the ground, 2nd, and 3rd floors. Was thinking of adding some XD5s (in addition to the remaining XT8) to save money – logical? Or would it still be best to stick with more XT8s in the name of compatibility, even if intent is for wired backhaul?
Either should work, Mickey. Note the part about mixing hardware above and you might want to follow the steps in this post for the setup.
Hello,
I read through the entire article and I must say I’m a bit confused. The most confusing part is the AP mode instead of AiMesh.
I’ll try to focus my question on my local home situation:
1. I have a 5-room apartment.
2. Today I use a very old (Wifi5) modem router with additional non-mesh Access point. This setup is just horrible as I need to change the wifi network every time I step from one side of the apartment to the other (from the router’s network to the AP network and vice versa). No way for a connection to stay alive when walking 5 meters inside the house.
3. I decided to buy the gigantic Asus Rog rapture AXE-16000. After analyzing various reviews of people replacing their multi AP-setup mansions with this single router, I was sure it will suffice as a single router to my entire apartment.
4. In my house there is a concrete room, like a shelter, and their the router coverage is problematic when I place it in the living room, where my optic cable will be installed next. When I put it on the office room next to that “shelter” this router suffices to the entire house. Issue is I’m not sure I can make the optic cable travel until there.
5. In that case I need another router for Ai-Mesh. AXE16000 is the best out there, and after reading this long article I wonder what is the best combo with it:
a. In a wired setup.
b. In a wireless setup.
Should I use a Wifi 6 triband? Or wifi 6E triband in a wired/wireless setup?
Will I have compatability issues with 160Mhz channels offered by AXE16000?
Should I change configuration for 5GHz channels on main router?
It’s always best to use wired backhauling when possible, Omer. More in this post.
As for the 160MHz channel width, your question is arbitrary. Read about that in this post on Wi-Fi 6.
Make sure you take your time with the reading before asking questions.
Hi Dong,
A question to make sure I correctly understand your point about “AiMesh hardware with wired backhauling: Consider the AP mode”
I interpret this point as not setting up a mesh network, but having all devices configured in access point mode and sharing the same SSID and psw, so not one AP as main aimesh node extended with satelite nodes.
Kind regards,
Johan
Read the entire post, starting from the beginning, Johan. That portion is to add information to the parts above it. Use the Table of Content and you’ll see the flow.
Hello Dong,
Thanks for your post!
I currently have an asus GT-AC5300, my house doesn’t have a wired setup. I’m debating between if I should buy another asus router to form the mesh with ac5300 being primary node, or just buy a new set of google wifi.
What do you recommend?
I have no idea, David.
Here’s my review on the Google WiFi.
Here’s how you can get your placed wired.
Here’s the link to this post in case you haven’t actually read it.
Good luck!
Dong, currently I am considering moving from a premade mesh to either dual Synology rt6600ax, dual Asus gt-ax11000 pro, or 1 gt-ax11000 pro with 1 rt-axe11000. all scenarios will have a wired backhaul.
my home is fairly large with a lot of Wi-Fi devices (smart devices, gaming, etc). if I set up a hardwired mesh with either of the traditional tribands, am I correct that all 3 networks will be exposed similar to if they were individual routers? I’d like the second 5ghz to balance some load between the active devices.
secondly, if I go with the Asus wifi 6 and 6e combo in a mesh, could I effectively create a quad band network in that I have a 6ghz band near one node, and a second 5ghz band near the other node, with the 2.4ghz and 5ghz-1 being common between the two nodes?
I’m not basing this set up on price, I am trying to find a set up that is borderline as hands off as a premade setup(currently have a Deco), but with the added options available when I need to make modifications (something the deco severely lacks). I only have a few wifi 6e items, so that network isn’t a huge deal; but the aspect of a quad band set up is intriguing if it’ll work out.
A couple of things, Dave:
1. If you go with wired backhauling, it’s best to use Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 or Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E. More on Dual-band vs Tri-band here.
2. You shouldn’t mix hardwawre of different Wi-Fi standards. More on picking mesh system here.
3. For your case, I’d recommend using one of these Multi-Gig options.
Good luck!
Thanks Dong, actually your point #1 above is what brought about all these questions in my head in the first place! Your article on the subject is great but still leaves me wondering, if you have relatively few 6e clients (<5) of which will mostly not be close to the access points anyway; doesn't it make more sense to use a traditional triband wifi set up even in the mesh network?
understanding that very rarely does the router need to have the extra concurrent stream ability for both 5ghz bands, but given the minimal value of the 6e band in this case it seems the potential value of the traditional triband is worth it. Often times I have multiple gaming/4k streaming/video calls going at the same time on 5ghz. So my Wi-Fi network is extremely taxed
given this I have been struggling to understand your comment that traditional triband wifi routers are not recommended for a mesh setup. I think in my case it may actually be better to have the traditional triband in this case
Read the post I linked on Tri-band vs Dual-band, Dave. You’ll find your answer there. Please make sure you actually read it. 🙂
Hi Dong,
Thank you for the article, an interesting read. I recently purchased some hardware for a mesh system in our home. I have an RT-AX58U as my main router and two ZenWiFi XD4 Plus that I use as nodes. As soon as I connect one of the nodes WAN ports for a wired backhaul, the node goes offline in the app. The LED still lights up as white (connected and working). But I cannot connect to it wirelessly. The internet passthrough via the LAN port to another device works though. It stays offline until I disconnect it physically and restart it. What do you think is the issue here?
Use the web interface for the setup process, Cihan. And follow this post.
Hi. thank you for the explanation on the Aimesh and the different situations and combos.
I have a traditional tri-band, ROG GT-AX11000 and am thinking if I should get another ROG GT-AX11000 or ASUS TUF Gaming AX4200 as the satellite node for the best result. I am only able to run the Aimesh via wireless backhauling.
Another question is, if the TUF AX4200 is chosen as the satellite node which is a dual-band, will I be able to connect to the primary router GT-AX11000 5Ghz-2 band?
You missed this part of the post. Give this post a good read!
Did you actually just publish this post for he first time a couple of days back??
I could’ve sworn I read something like this a month or so back, which is why the AIMesh combo in my house consists of a GT-AX11000 as the primary and two XT8s as the satellites via wireless backhaul. (Traditional tri-band, because slightly weird house size, construction and layout renders the 6 GHz band mostly useless for me..)
It works great so far!
I updated the posts in the series regularly, and a couple of days back, I made major changes to clarify the topic. This new post includes information once included in other parts of the series.
Ah okay phew I wasn’t hallucinating then 😀
At any rate thanks for this terrific resource, I finally have a functional and high quality wifi mesh around my house!
👍
Hi Dong. I wanted to ask for your advice regarding setup of home network. I have a 2-storey house with an attic, where there is a modem from ISP (through optical fibre). I also have the ASUS RT-AX55, in the first floor living room, which is being used as an access point (in order not to multiply WIFI). However, I want to turn off WIFI from ISP modem and replace it with my router, so that I have manage the network better. I have two solutions:
– move ASUS RT-AX55 to an attic as the main router, and buy 2x ASUS Zenwifi AX Mini XD4, one for each floor as access points
– buy ASUS RT-AX58U/TUF-AX5400 as main router in the attic, and buy additional RT-AX55 as access point in the second floor
Could you please advise what the best solution would be in that case?
I am attaching the blueprint of each floor: https://ibb.co/JqXDWS8
You’re reading the right post, Marcin. Check out the related post in the series, too.
I generally don’t comment on the specific situation, nor do I offer IT consulting service — More here. Take your time, read and you’ll figure things out, or get a local professional. 🙂
Hi. I have an RT-AC86U as my primary node(3rd floor) and another RT-AC86U as secondary node (1st floor). I’m planning to add second secondary node (2nd floor). All wired backhaul.
I’m planning to use RT-AX53U. Is this OK? Are they compatible? Thank you.
As mentioned in the post, Albert, mixing Wi-Fi standards is never a good idea, but it might work since you have wired backhauling. I’ve never tested the RT-AX53U.
Hi. I have AX55 (AX enabled) at my 1st floor and as a node AC68u on second floor (all wired backhaull) and it works fine.
Hello Dong,
Great post. I have a question regarding choosing the best AiMesh pair for my main router which is an Asus AX86U Pro. The main router is placed in the basement and the AiMesh pair will be placed in the first floor. I don’t have the option of going the wired backhaul way, so which router(s) do you think will give me more performance for the buck as an AiMesh pair?
Best,
ASZ
I’d recommend running one cable (or use MoCA), ASZ, then you can use any Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 AiMesh router as the satellite. If that’s not possible, get another the AX86U to be safe and mind the distance between the two. Good luck!