At present, the ASUS RT-AX55 mesh capable router with is compatible with the SB Radios when WiFi6 is disabled. Unclear if this makes any difference but I used separate 2.4 and 5 Ghz SSIDs and an ethernet backhaul. However, compatibility could change either due to future firmware updates or software glitches. This post is a long read, but I wanted to provide details.
I will provide future updates here on post 1, so people do not have to read through the entire thread to get key information. BACKGROUND I have three SB Radios (Kitchen, Living room, Bedroom) and a Touch. In the past 8 months, I have had the WiFi interference problem (i.e., becomes disconnected from WiFi) on two of the Radios, but the Kitchen Radio seems to be unaffected. I have concluded the problem is due to a neighbor using WiFi6 and it might be ASUS router because I see a network called ViMesh. I solved the interference problem in two ways. First, on the most affected Living Room Radio I bought a TP-Link travel Nano router to be a Wifi to ethernet bridge. I installed wlanpoke on the Bedroom Radio when the simplified installation instructions were posted. (Many thanks to POMDev for creating wlanpoke!) I am no longer forced to pay $10/month for my ISPs router, so I want to install my own equipment to save money and get better features. I would like a mesh approach so it can extend into the back yard and provide service to our guest cottage. I had been using an old router as an access point to extend the system; thus, I had four primary SSID, plus a guest SSID. REQUIREMENTS I want to use an ethernet backhaul for the mesh system. I want to separate the 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands; all the legacy squeezebox goes on the 2.4, and new stuff on the 5 Ghz. I need a guest network for the internet of things (IoT) and for the guest cottage. I need at least 3 ethernet ports on the routers for the pCP running LMS, Roku, DirectV, Arlo camera system. (I dont recommend Arlo, but that is another story.) The ASUS routers seem to meet my requirements. Other mesh systems dont have enough ethernet ports, dont use a wired backhaul, or allows limited custom setup. MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE RT-AX55 https://www.asus.com/us/Networking-IoT-Servers/WiFi-Routers/All-series/RT-AX55/ The AX55 supports the mesh system and allows the disable of features to get hopefully compatibility with legacy SB Radios. I went with RT-AX55 model because it is cheaper than the ZenWiFi models and achieves much of the same capability. I do not need extra features or power for gaming. I did an initial testing at a vacation house where I have not observed any interference with the SB Radio. The only difference from the default set up was separate 2.4 and 5 GHZ SSID and disable WiFi6. In this test situation I used WiFi backhaul. The system ran the entire weekend without the SB radio becoming disconnected from the router. Based upon the test, I concluded the AX55 will work at home. Upon returning home, I set up the system and changed the backhaul to ethernet. The system worked fine, except for a problem that the guest network would not work when attempting to connect to the mesh node. The guest network would only work if the device was connected to the main router. Previously, this was a limitation in the ASUS mesh system, but certain models, which includes the AX55, does have guest network on all nodes capability with updated firmware. The call to ASUS customer support was disappointing. Initially, the level 1 provided outdated information that the guest network is limited to the main router. I then pointed them to the ASUS website that shows guest network does work on all the nodes with the AX55. I am put on hold, and when the agent returns, we check various settings, and guest network still did not work properly. I was asked to send configuration and logs, and my problem was escalated. Two days later, Level 2 support sends me an email saying the guest network works only on the main router and includes help links that no longer exist. I reply with links to the ASUS website that shows guest network support on all nodes and screen shots of my settings showing the guest network is enabled for all nodes. (There is a settings option to apply the guest network to the only the main router or all nodes.) Meanwhile, the SB radios are not having any problems. Things are looking, good, but that was not to be. After about 10 days, problems occurred. The router software says the mesh node no longer exists. I could not reconnect it. A call to customer service says to reset the node router and reestablish the mesh network. All attempts to re-establish the mesh node fail. I replace the ASUS node, with my older router in access point mode. Later, I notice there is an ASUS firmware update, so I install it on the main router. Now more problems begin, the SB Radios become disconnected from the WiFi. The Kitchen Radio will work for a few minutes, and then disconnect. The Bedroom Radio with wlanpoke will not work. In the ASUS settings, I enable and then disable WiFi6 to make sure it is off. That does not solve the problem with the SB Radios. I dont have time to deal with this, so I turn-off all the ASUS routers and install my old equipment and music returns. I include the above experience in my email to ASUS support, and a day later I get a reply saying the equipment is defective and return it. I suspect the problem is software settings, so over the weekend I decide to set up the system from scratch by factory resetting the routers and making sure I have the latest software update. From the default set-up I disable WiFi 6 and I select separate 2.4 and 5 Ghz SSIDs. I use is ethernet backhaul. I enable guest network on all nodes. Now the guest network is working on both the main router and node. More important, I am not having any problems with the SB radios. My question is, how long will it last? SUMMARY My conclusion is the ASUS mesh network can work with the SB Radios, but WiFi 6 will need to be disabled. I did not test if smart connect with one SSID or separate 2.4 and 5 GHz SSIDs make any difference on the WiFi interference with the Radios. You are on your own for support because ASUS phone support is relying on outdated help scripts and level 2 support does not seem to be any better. I need to save firmware versions that work in case a future update creates SB Radio interference problems, so I can roll back if necessary; however, that could create security issues. I have another 10 days to return the equipment at the point of sale, I will see if the system is stable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ P Nelson's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58158 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=114996
_______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
