Mesh question

[Chris Green]

I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.

However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.

If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

[Rupert Moss-Eccardt]

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking but, generally, the devices in
a mesh system talk to each other over a private network but that
doesn't affect the service network.

I had a look at the AImesh pages. I'm not entirely sure what the "AI"
bit brings that the Asus Zen mesh doesn't do. There is mention of
routers which seems to suggest the nodes will be more expensive. Anyone
spot the real differences?

[Nick Finnigan]

Post by Rupert Moss-Eccardt

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking but, generally, the devices in
a mesh system talk to each other over a private network but that
doesn't affect the service network.
I had a look at the AImesh pages. I'm not entirely sure what the "AI"
bit brings that the Asus Zen mesh doesn't do. There is mention of
routers which seems to suggest the nodes will be more expensive. Anyone
spot the real differences?

It looks to be a firmware download which you can put on your existing
Asus router, and then add another router rather than 2 less powerful mesh
nodes.

But, yes, using wired backhaul is not what they expect, and hard to work
out what would happen.

[Chris Green]

Post by Rupert Moss-Eccardt

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking but, generally, the devices in
a mesh system talk to each other over a private network but that
doesn't affect the service network.

Yes, but..... If I have an AiMesh node router (that's one of the
'slave' routers) it's connected to the main/control router via its WAN
port and I don't see then how the other ports on the node router can
be on the same LAN as the main router.

[Rupert Moss-Eccardt]

Post by Chris Green

Post by Rupert Moss-Eccardt

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking but, generally, the devices in
a mesh system talk to each other over a private network but that
doesn't affect the service network.

Yes, but..... If I have an AiMesh node router (that's one of the
'slave' routers) it's connected to the main/control router via its WAN
port and I don't see then how the other ports on the node router can
be on the same LAN as the main router.

You sort of answered it yourself. This is where the word "network"
gets somewhat overused. The physical connection can carry many
"networks". For example, you can have VLANs. They can be, sort of,
separate broadcast domains and therefore also different subnets

[Chris Green]

Post by Rupert Moss-Eccardt

Post by Chris Green

Post by Rupert Moss-Eccardt

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking but, generally, the devices in
a mesh system talk to each other over a private network but that
doesn't affect the service network.

Yes, but..... If I have an AiMesh node router (that's one of the
'slave' routers) it's connected to the main/control router via its WAN
port and I don't see then how the other ports on the node router can
be on the same LAN as the main router.

You sort of answered it yourself. This is where the word "network"
gets somewhat overused. The physical connection can carry many
"networks". For example, you can have VLANs. They can be, sort of,
separate broadcast domains and therefore also different subnets

Yes, I have some VLANs floating around already (from my venerable
Draytek 2860n). I'll just have to try the Asus AiMesh set-up I guess
and see whether there's still a single subnet available everywhere.

[Andy Burns]

Post by Chris Green
I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?

In mesh mode, it *might* re-configure the WAN port to bridging rather
than routing for the wired backhaul?

[Chris Green]

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Chris Green
I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?

In mesh mode, it *might* re-configure the WAN port to bridging rather
than routing for the wired backhaul?

Yes, possibly, I guess I'll have to try it. I do have two Asus
routers that support AiMesh.

[Peter Johnson]

Post by Chris Green

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Chris Green
I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?

In mesh mode, it *might* re-configure the WAN port to bridging rather
than routing for the wired backhaul?

Yes, possibly, I guess I'll have to try it. I do have two Asus
routers that support AiMesh.

I have two Asus routers configured using AiMesh and cable backhaul.
There are no separate sub-nets and the routers have their own
addresses in the 192.168.1.x range (in my case.)

[Chris Green]

Post by Peter Johnson

Post by Chris Green

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Chris Green
I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?

In mesh mode, it *might* re-configure the WAN port to bridging rather
than routing for the wired backhaul?

Yes, possibly, I guess I'll have to try it. I do have two Asus
routers that support AiMesh.

I have two Asus routers configured using AiMesh and cable backhaul.
There are no separate sub-nets and the routers have their own
addresses in the 192.168.1.x range (in my case.)

Ah, OK, thank you, that's good to know. Presumably the 'node' router
is using its 'WAN' socket for the up-connection to the 'master'
router.

As a matter of interest what Asus routers are you using? I'm aiming
to use a DSL-AC68U as my 'main' router (its WAN side being my PlusNet
VDSL) and an RT-AC86U as the node. I may well add another RT-Axxx at
some time to give more complete coverage.

I'm running the Asuswrt-Merlin software in the routers as I'm aiming
to tune the dnsmasq configuration.

[Peter Johnson]

Post by Chris Green

Post by Peter Johnson
I have two Asus routers configured using AiMesh and cable backhaul.
There are no separate sub-nets and the routers have their own
addresses in the 192.168.1.x range (in my case.)

Ah, OK, thank you, that's good to know. Presumably the 'node' router
is using its 'WAN' socket for the up-connection to the 'master'
router.
As a matter of interest what Asus routers are you using? I'm aiming
to use a DSL-AC68U as my 'main' router (its WAN side being my PlusNet
VDSL) and an RT-AC86U as the node. I may well add another RT-Axxx at
some time to give more complete coverage.

RT-AX86U Pro as master and RT-AX86U as the node. Don't need DSL now
I'm on FTTP. Apart from the Pro having more memory the routers are the
same. I can't see any difference in use. The node's wan port is
connected to the master via two switches.

Post by Chris Green
I'm running the Asuswrt-Merlin software in the routers as I'm aiming
to tune the dnsmasq configuration.

I'm using the Asus firmware.

[Chris Green]

Post by Peter Johnson

Post by Chris Green

Post by Peter Johnson
I have two Asus routers configured using AiMesh and cable backhaul.
There are no separate sub-nets and the routers have their own
addresses in the 192.168.1.x range (in my case.)

Ah, OK, thank you, that's good to know. Presumably the 'node' router
is using its 'WAN' socket for the up-connection to the 'master'
router.
As a matter of interest what Asus routers are you using? I'm aiming
to use a DSL-AC68U as my 'main' router (its WAN side being my PlusNet
VDSL) and an RT-AC86U as the node. I may well add another RT-Axxx at
some time to give more complete coverage.

RT-AX86U Pro as master and RT-AX86U as the node. Don't need DSL now
I'm on FTTP. Apart from the Pro having more memory the routers are the
same. I can't see any difference in use. The node's wan port is
connected to the master via two switches.

Post by Chris Green
I'm running the Asuswrt-Merlin software in the routers as I'm aiming
to tune the dnsmasq configuration.

I'm using the Asus firmware.

Thanks, that sounds quite similar to how mine is going to end up,
except that your routers are a bit newer/flasher than mine. I'll be
configuring the DSL-AC68U to take over from my Draytek 2860n soon,
then the moment of truth when I actually us it for my VDSL connection! :-)

[Roger Barrett]

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

No the WAN port is only really "WAN" when that node is being used as
therouter - otherwise its part of the LAN

[Chris Green]

Post by Roger Barrett

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

No the WAN port is only really "WAN" when that node is being used as
therouter - otherwise its part of the LAN

OK, but why does it specify that one has to use the WAN port for the
up-connection?

[Theo]

Post by Chris Green

Post by Roger Barrett

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.

No the WAN port is only really "WAN" when that node is being used as
therouter - otherwise its part of the LAN

OK, but why does it specify that one has to use the WAN port for the
up-connection?

The WAN and LAN ports are (probably) just two ports on the same switch,
identified by VLAN tags. It is just how they've configured their software:
the WAN port is used for upstream backhaul, be it to your cable/fibre modem
(when being a router) or to your primary router (when bridging ethernet to
wifi). The writing on the ports doesn't matter, the way they are used is
software defined.

Theo

[[e-mail]]

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.
--
Chris Green
·

If you are using wired back hall then you just want simple WAPI's. They all appear to be part of the same network.

[Rupert Moss-Eccardt]

Post by ***@gmail.com

Post by Chris Green
I have been looking at using Asus' Aimesh to provide a mesh system
through our large house. I have UTP wiring through much of the house
so it makes sense to use that for wired backhaul.
However...... I notice that the nodes use their WAN connection for
the wired backhaul, does this mean that each one has its own subnet?
If so it's going to be pretty useless for me as I spend half my life
connecting from one system to another on my LAN using ssh.
If a mesh system uses multiple subnets it's going to be completely
useless for me.
--
Chris Green
·

If you are using wired back hall then you just want simple WAPI's. They all appear to be part of the same network.

You need to choose carefully to get beam forming, steering etc.