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ASUS WL-Router RT-BE88U
Question about ASUS WL-Router RT-BE88U
Which would be the right / suitable access points / repeaters if I want to set up an AiMesh system? My Swisscom Internetbox 3 is currently in bridge mode and a Fritzbox 7690 is connected to it, but it's just no good. The 2.4 GHz WLAN keeps failing. I suppose / hope I can throw out the Fritzbox and just connect the Asus? As I have a large house without network cables, I still need more APs for a mesh.
It worked pretty well for me :
ASUS WL-Router RT-BE88U connected to UPC modem + 3 x ASUS ZenWiFi XT9 + ASUS ZenWiFi XT8
connected by cables to RT-BE88U. No issues anywhere at home, no problems to move from area connected by one AP to another one. No issues with setting up and/or monitoring (ASUS Web GUI is pretty nice).
But then suddenly after re-boot RT-BE88U was not seeing the modem anymore :-( 1 day of trobleshooting, reset to factory settings, multiple reboots, no success => RT-BE88U is now with Digitec Support Case and I am waiting for conclusion on this case.
ASUS was always my 1st recommendation, but now i am not 100% sure anymore :-(
ASUS WL-Router RT-BE88U connected to UPC modem + 3 x ASUS ZenWiFi XT9 + ASUS ZenWiFi XT8
connected by cables to RT-BE88U. No issues anywhere at home, no problems to move from area connected by one AP to another one. No issues with setting up and/or monitoring (ASUS Web GUI is pretty nice).
But then suddenly after re-boot RT-BE88U was not seeing the modem anymore :-( 1 day of trobleshooting, reset to factory settings, multiple reboots, no success => RT-BE88U is now with Digitec Support Case and I am waiting for conclusion on this case.
ASUS was always my 1st recommendation, but now i am not 100% sure anymore :-(
ChatGPT provides a possible answer:
Good question - short and clear: Yes, you can expand your ASUS RT-BE88U with AiMesh, and the best choice depends on budget, desire for future-proofing, and whether you want to use a wired backhaul (LAN between router and node).
Recommendation - three levels (with reasons)
1. best / future-proof (top performance)
- Identical device (another RT-BE88U) - perfect compatibility, full Wi-Fi 7 performance, easiest AiMesh integration.
- Alternative (very strong if you don't want a second BE88U): ASUS ZenWiFi Pro ET12 (Wi-Fi 6E, tri-band) - very powerful as a node; in mixed setups AiMesh works, but wireless backhaul speed is limited by the slower component.
2. good all-round ratio (performance vs. price)
- ASUS ZenWiFi XT9 (Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6) or RT-AX86U / RT-AX88U as AiMesh nodes: strong performance, reliable in mesh, better value for money than high-end Wi-Fi 7 hardware. If you want to triangulate / cover several rooms, tri-band nodes are advantageous.
3. budget / wired backhaul optimisation
- ASUS ZenWiFi XD5 (dual-band Wi-Fi 6, AX3000) - solid, inexpensive, especially good if you can connect the nodes via Ethernet (LAN). Dual-band nodes are cheaper, but with pure wireless backhaul they can limit performance compared to tri-band/newer devices.
Important tips (practical)
- Update the firmware first: update both the RT-BE88U and the node(s) to the latest firmware (AiMesh 2.0 improvements). Without the latest firmware level, AiMesh may run incorrectly or with restrictions.
- Favour wired backhaul: if possible, connect router ↔ node via Gigabit/2.5G/10G LAN - this prevents your fast Wi-Fi 7 router from being slowed down by slower wireless backhaul connections.
- Same SSID / centralised Management: AiMesh manages SSID/password centrally; with mixed hardware, there may still be differences (band steering, 6GHz availability) for client devices.
- If you want pure wireless mesh: use tri-band nodes (better dedicated backhaul radio channel). With a pure Wi-7 router + Wi-6 node, the 6GHz advantage only goes to devices that support 6GHz - and only on the device that offers 6GHz.
Good question - short and clear: Yes, you can expand your ASUS RT-BE88U with AiMesh, and the best choice depends on budget, desire for future-proofing, and whether you want to use a wired backhaul (LAN between router and node).
Recommendation - three levels (with reasons)
1. best / future-proof (top performance)
- Identical device (another RT-BE88U) - perfect compatibility, full Wi-Fi 7 performance, easiest AiMesh integration.
- Alternative (very strong if you don't want a second BE88U): ASUS ZenWiFi Pro ET12 (Wi-Fi 6E, tri-band) - very powerful as a node; in mixed setups AiMesh works, but wireless backhaul speed is limited by the slower component.
2. good all-round ratio (performance vs. price)
- ASUS ZenWiFi XT9 (Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6) or RT-AX86U / RT-AX88U as AiMesh nodes: strong performance, reliable in mesh, better value for money than high-end Wi-Fi 7 hardware. If you want to triangulate / cover several rooms, tri-band nodes are advantageous.
3. budget / wired backhaul optimisation
- ASUS ZenWiFi XD5 (dual-band Wi-Fi 6, AX3000) - solid, inexpensive, especially good if you can connect the nodes via Ethernet (LAN). Dual-band nodes are cheaper, but with pure wireless backhaul they can limit performance compared to tri-band/newer devices.
Important tips (practical)
- Update the firmware first: update both the RT-BE88U and the node(s) to the latest firmware (AiMesh 2.0 improvements). Without the latest firmware level, AiMesh may run incorrectly or with restrictions.
- Favour wired backhaul: if possible, connect router ↔ node via Gigabit/2.5G/10G LAN - this prevents your fast Wi-Fi 7 router from being slowed down by slower wireless backhaul connections.
- Same SSID / centralised Management: AiMesh manages SSID/password centrally; with mixed hardware, there may still be differences (band steering, 6GHz availability) for client devices.
- If you want pure wireless mesh: use tri-band nodes (better dedicated backhaul radio channel). With a pure Wi-7 router + Wi-6 node, the 6GHz advantage only goes to devices that support 6GHz - and only on the device that offers 6GHz.