Just discovered this video while trying to figure out an efficient setup for my new home. You explained everything so clearly, I love it! Definitely subscribing.
my question is I already have a Asus mesh network how well will this integrate or do I need to replace my main router as the main node as it runs my PC etc Wired.
Hi. Thanks for the great demo. Sir I have a question, I have an Asus RTXA55 wifi6 router initially installed. It works great and my internet speed was really fast. However I also bought Asus AX mini XD4 and plan to use both of my routers at the same time. Can you please help me how to set it up? Thanks and more power!
No problem! You just need to power them on within 3 meters or so of each other and add it in the ASUS app. There's a little + icon on the top right, click on that and select Add AiMesh node and follow the instructions from there.
Hello, having an issues with my nodes on this system. I have my main one hard wired with the two nodes located wirelessly around my house. However, I wanted to pull a ethernet connection from one of the nodes to connect my desktop to and no matter what I do I can not get a connection from the lan port on the node. Am I doing something wrong or do I have to adjust a setting?
Did you try restarting your computer? Ipconfig /release followed by a ipconfig /renew in command prompt should address it as well but a restart takes care of it make sure the Ethernet cable works and make sure the Ethernet port on your computer is enabled
Honestly, one of the best network guys out there on YT. Do you know any setups that have 'nodes' that can be powered by PoE? I know the X50-PoE does it, but its rare to find
Man nice video very informative. If I use the last option with all wired connections do I still get the mash WIFI? like if I still get all seamless connections, that I can walk freely at my house and the router detect the closest "router" and switch automatically? thanks.
Got confused at the end, too many wires, switches and stuff. To do a wired backhaul for all 3 to provide ultimate coverage in a medium sized house... its modem to WAN on router, then router LAN to switch right? From that switch I just plug the other 2 nodes into that switch?
Does mini xd4 has the bridge mode ? I'm trying to configure my old modem that isnt 5g so I've have created new networks trough asus router and wondering, Bridge Mode ... hm ... ?
Yes you can. You can't replace the Verizon modem though. If it's a modem/router combo, then you can call Verizon and they should tell you how to disable the router portion of it. You can use the MoCA adapter and connect it to the other asus in the other room
Great video! My operator modem has 1 fiber optic iput and 4 output ethernet connectors, coud i connect the three asus wifi nodes directly to the modem to avoid using a switch? If not, which wifi 6 mesh do you recommend me? Right now i have Tenda mw12 wifi 5 mesh (also 3 nodes) and they are all attached to the main modem. Im thinking in buying this product to jump to wifi 6 because i have read that this is good for performance when i have a lot home automation devices, which i use with nest speakers, do you think i will notice the update from wifi 5 to wifi 6? Thanks in advance!
Thanks! It sounds like your modem might also be a router. I would connect it the following way: Modem -> XD4 Router -> Switch -> Both XD4 Nodes If your modem is actually also a router, I would recommend disabling it by putting it in bridge mode. If you don't want to do that, then you can go to the Asus settings and run this XD4 in Access Point Mode. A great alternative to the XD4 is the TP-Link Deco X20 or X60 assuming you want to stay in the dual band territory. If you have wifi 6 devices then you should get better range and better speeds, if most of your devices are on wifi 5, you're not going to notice much of a difference. Another thing to note is that while your Tenda is not exactly fast in terms of speed ratings, it is a tri band where all these mentioned are dual bands. If you're considering upgrading I would at least get the Deco X68 (tri band) and if budget permits, eero pro 6 or netgear orbi rbk752 and if you're feeling lucky, then get the ASUS ET8. At these points, you will notice better speeds and range.
@@landpet, many thanks, I appreciate your help and your explanation, my main problem is that i have around 15 google home devices (most of them lamps, led strips, plugs...) and they disconnect randomly from my wifi network... so in terms of speed im quite satisfied because my house is fully wired. The only devices that requires speed are the ipad and the smartphones but the speed is enough for these devices... even if the wifi mesh nodes are going to be wired to router router, also is the tri band important? or with dual band is enough? I can't expend so much money in the other models you recommend me so finally and analyzing my specific case where config is going to be with wired nodes (bridge) and adding the problems I related about home automation wifi connection problems, what would you do, stay with wifi 5 triband Tenda? or update to dualband wifi 6 Asus or similar? In fact I have until 26th of this month to return Tenda and the 19th arrives Asus model, so I could compare during almost a week.Thanks in advance!
@@LuisPeris If you're going wired, then dual band is fine, it also doesn't sound like you have too many wifi devices so dual band will be fine either case. I would probably go with the wifi 6 dual band.
Thanks! I haven’t tried the power line but it should work fine. It would operate at the slowest of all the connections so if the power line was the bottleneck, then that would be the limit
I just ordered this after watching al of your videos on it. Question: Why can I not go modem to switch to primary router? I’ll be moving into a three story home soon with Cat6 coax jacks throughout the house. What I’m initially thinking is modem to switch that distributes internet throughout and then connect each node to receive internet. Will that work?
Thanks for watching! Modem needs to goto router first then router to switch. At this point you can go to switch to the remaining devices. Router needs to be connected to modem for several reasons like the ability to detect your internet, the ability to assign ip addresses even through a switch, the ability to route. The whole NAT that it does so Router needs to be first.
Hi Landpet, Thanks for this great video. Much appreciated. Just need your thoughts please. I have an Asus zenwifi xt8 (1pack) and is working fine. Thinking of buying for the first floor an Asus zenwifi mini xd4 (1 pack) to wirelessly connect it to the xt8 as a node. Since both supports Aimesh will it work fine. Thanks
Will it work if I put the router in AP mode and then connect the router + 2 nodes directly to my modem/router combo using ethernet? Or do the XD4 nodes NEED to be connected to the XD4 router? UPDATE: Bought the XD4. Connected the router and the 2 nodes to a switch via ethernet which connected to my modem/router combo. Works fine as long as the operation mode is in AP.
I haven't tried that, that's a good question. Normally you would need to connect the nodes to the XD4 router. I can't say I have a definite answer for that, I will say that connecting it to the XD4 router will work for sure.
I like using the google assistant on the nest...does any of these others allow you to set timers, ask questions, or talk between the points like an intercom? Having problems with my 1st gen nest and am looking for a new setup
Thanks for the very detailed wiring setup review. I suppose you wire everything up from the router to the nodes and then you power up or run the mobile app?
You’re welcome! The app runs you through setup, in this particular case you don’t need to wire anything initially other than connecting the router to your modem. The app tells you to power on all 3 devices within 3 meters or so of each other and once everything is recognized in the app, then you disconnect the nodes and place them in your desired locations. You can switch between wired and wireless backhaul at any time, the app will auto detect it
Thank God I found this the last option is exactly what I want to do only difference/question is can I start with my Asus GT-AC5300 then have a wired connection to the other 3 instead of using the first one as a router and just use it as a node?
Hi, wondering if you could help us. We spent quite a bit of money a few months ago on an Asus rt-ax88u router, primarily for the Gaming enhancements it would provide our son. We was hoping this would also fix the weak wifi signal in our daughters bedroom which is further away from the router. Unfortunately it hasnt done much to help that side. Thus I was looking at the AX MINI XD4 and thinking I could install both the router and access point modules and connect them all up to the rt-ax88u in AIMesh mode. I think I have that correct :-) Will that work? Second option I was just looking at was to instead buy two Asus rt-ax55 routers (Price for both of these is the same as the AX Mini XD4s) and setting these up in AIMesh mode. Will that work and what in your opinion will be better? The last dumb question I have is, can I connect the two Asus rt-ax55's via ethernet cable rather than have to rely on wifi signal between the two rt-ax55's Asus rt-ax88u >wifi> Asus rt-ax55 (1) >ethernet> Asus rt-ax55 (2) Appreciate your time
All the options you mentioned will work since they support AiMesh. If you can hook them up to each other via Ethernet, then they should give you similar good performance regardless of the option you choose. You can mix and match wired and wireless backhaul as well but as soon as you introduce a wireless connection to each other which I see you mentioned, from there on the speeds will get slower for the rest of the routers down that line but shouldn’t be terrible since you have the rest of them connected via Ethernet. In summary, try to maximize Ethernet connections and save money if you’re going down this route since the performance between them will be minimal. If you’re going the wireless backhaul route, you probably need to spend more money to get better routers so they won’t lose as much speeds. That’s really the main reason in my mind to go with the expensive router vs a cheaper one.
Still need further testing Like the Tenda Nova's do each of the nods / AP's connect to each other meaning the 2nd AP connect as a mesh (Connect to All) to the main router and 3rd AP or is it like some others all the additinal units only connec to the Main router that it will only exend from the main rotuer only. ??????????? seems like no one tests this. Look at it like a spiders web and each join point being an AP does each of the units try commuicate with each other as not all do this?
I presently have an ASUS AX82U in my basement. It works great but on the top floor is spotty. I was looking at these zen wifi mini's as a way to expand my networks coverage. I do have some hardwired outlets on the first floor. What would be the best way to use these with my existing router?
You can connect the main XD4 to the Ethernet port on the first floor. You would need to add them in the app or the browser to your existing AiMesh. Then you can add the other two, wired would be preferred but wireless would also work and place them in the spotty locations.
If i connect all (main router+nodes) to ISP via switch then i will be using them as access point, will mesh work in this mode? If yes then which is preferable using them as access point or as routers. Which will give good quality mesh without roaming issue
if your ISP has a modem/router combo, then you can run this in Access Point mode. Mesh should work fine in either mode, I just prefer running this in router mode not in Access point mode.
@landpet this ain’t my field so forgive me for this dumb question. If I was to only use the contents provided in the box, would this create a WiFi network that I’d be able to use or not?
Technically speaking yes, this would create a WiFi network but in order to get that WiFi network internet access, you would need to connect this to a modem from your Internet Service Provider.
Hi, what if I want to balance two connections? The first 5g with a ZTE MC801A (connected with an external antenna) and the second a Fiber/Radio with a HUAWEI WS5200. I imagine I should connect the two routers to a netgeae or tplink switch (port 2 and 3) and to port one the router (for example) a qsus rapture ax11000 and then to this connect the first DX5 to the LAN and the others, once paired, put them in wifi in the most remote rooms of the house. Right? Then should I connect via LAN to the switch or directly to the Asus router?
quick question, have you tried using an asus modem/router as your main and that zenwifi mini xda (main) will connect as on of aimesh to your asus modem/router? I have an asus rog which supports aimesh.
The theoretical limit is 253 (255 actually but 2 of those are reserved). In reality, the "high end" routers (this being mid range) typically can do close to 200. If I had to guess, I would say around 100 or so for this one. I typically have around 60 devices and no mesh I've tried has given me any issues.
Thanks for the video. Are the satellite nodes able to offer guest WiFi network, that only offers access to internet (not intranet), when they are connected to the XD4 router by wired backhaul? I read one review on Amazon that suggests only the router node is able to offer the guest WiFi network.
No problem. Technically that's correct but it's misleading. It is true that only the router can create a network (whether it's the main or guest) however it is the task of the nodes to increase that network coverage. Whatever the main router does, the nodes blindly follow, therefore if you create a guest network, the nodes will offer access to that guest network. Mesh wifi acts as one, so yes if you're close to the nodes, then you can have access to that guest network. Hope this helps and great question!
@@landpet Thanks. My previous research in to extending the range of a guest network has suggested that a wired access point ends up exposing the local network. I was optimistic that the Asus ZenWifi mesh products would overcome that but I stumbled on an Amazon review that mentioned the Asus ZenWifi suffers the same limitation with the additional nodes not being able to offer a guest network. It's a pity Asus only offer a "quick start" guide on their site and not a detailed user manual.
Found more evidence that only the router node is able to broadcast the guest network. forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/mesh-solution-with-working-guest-network.6296702/
@@LeiChat Take a look at this article below. If I am reading right, it suggests that the ZenWifi Mini XD4 router unit does extend guest network to its nodes, but only the included nodes, not to other AiMesh routers serving as nodes. Or if running all XD4's as nodes from a separate AiMesh router the guest network will not be extended past the main router. dongknows.com/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4-review/
@@bwallace5692 Thanks for sharing. I decided to buy the XT8 system and I can confirm there is a "Sync to AiMesh Node" option under each guest network that has options "Router Only" and "All". With mine set to "All" I am seeing guest devices connecting to both nodes. And it appears to still isolate the devices connected to non-router node from the intranet. Hoorah!! Perhaps the previous forums posts/blogs were published before Asus updated the firmware to support that functionality?
I live in a 2-story house. The modem and router are in the main office on the first level. If I do wired backhaul with the 3 nodes, you're saying the upstairs of the house can still get very good speeds?
Great begginers video! Do you know how to connect all three a Imesh nodes to another ASUS Imesh router with ethernet cable? I can cannot nodes without problems, but I cannot make router working as simple node, while it has such operation node. I tried to connect XD4 router to 4G-AC68U by XD4's lan and wan ports. Network starts working slow, nodes constantly switch beetwen connecting to 4G-AX68U and XD4 router.
If they are too close to each other, it's not going to work great. Need to place it optimally. Since they both support AiMesh, it should work well enough with each other. Should be able to set them all up in the asus router app or on the browser at router.asus.com
I want the exact setup you use in the video. Im setting up option #5.... The router and 2 access nodes. My question is Amazon sells 3 access nodes, I think. Where is the router listed on Amazon ?
I have an AC66u-b1 running merlin as my only router. It connects to my fiber router which is bridged. I use the wifi for the whole house and use the lan ports for a roku and NAS. Merlin has only the roku going through the vpn, all other devices run their own vpn client. Can i run a switch off of the 66u and hardwire the three xd4 modules as nodes (aimesh) and have other devices connected to them be run through the vpn in the 66u?
Hello mate, i have a question. Does this ZenWifi AX mini XD4 support web configuration? Or only using app? I'm planning to buy this, but still considering the configuration option. Is this device capable to split into the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz configuration? Thanks in advance!
Yes it works both on web and the app. I don't have this anymore but I believe it does let you split the SSID. For sure on the XT8 and ET8 you can split it. Asus in general gives tons of options
Here is my problem I have a huge house with multiple dead zones. I have installed the main router (SSID 1) and two access points using an ethernet port through routers using AP mode (SSID 2 & SSID 3). I'm slowly building up my smart home and can't get all my devices near SSID 1 to communicate with SSID 2 & 3 making smart home accessories not connect to the same SSID so will this product solve my problem?
Hi. I v got a question. I use 3 pack of this asus thing. The ethernet goes from my modem to that asus thing ( as a router) and then conneted to a switch by ethernet (because i need more ethernet ports) will be able this 2 last things work wirelessly as node (as mesh system) ?
Sure as long as the other network is using the XD4, it may even work as long as the other network is asus that supports AiMesh but I haven’t tested this scenario so just a guess.
@@landpet but not this cases..my house are using Tplink brand modem and router,i intend to add this mesh because of existing coverage not good..and i intend to break out my node unit to my sibling house which he using Dlink modem and router..he need to add mesh to support the coverage too..
I just bought this mesh system. Can I just use the Asus mesh router as both the modem and router. My ISP doesn't use coax cable to connect to the router, it uses the LAN ethernet coming straight from the outside box of my home then directly to the router (the one provided by our ISP) inside my house. So couldn't I technically plug in the LAN ethernet straight into the Asus mesh router thus eliminating the need for a separate internet modem?
Let me just say that the Asus is only a router, so it cannot take the place of your modem. However, it's worth a try to replace your ISP router (assuming that's just a router) with this Asus XD4 router. I think your suggestion can work but it's also worth mentioning that someone who had starlink mentioned that they couldn't get away from using the starlink provided router, so I suggested they run the mesh wifi in Access Point mode instead. It varies by ISP.
@@landpet yeah I just got the Asus router but I wanted to make sure it'll work before I opened it. Might just give it a try anyways like you mentioned. Thanks! 👍
Thanks for the open detailed reviews. I recently brought it, all wirelessly connected. But sometimes it lose internet from the main wired zenwifi mini router but have white LED. NO INTERNET
Fast roaming performance. I have seen in elsewhere that the zenwifi XD4 supports 802.11k/v but does not support 802.11r. In the manual for the XD4, the Roaming Assistant feature can be enabled so that the client's device will automatically disconnect from the wireless router/node if the signal strength is under specific threshold and it will connect then to a stronger signal from another node. I assume there will be a 1-2 sec. delay as it does not support the fast transition 802.11r. Apart from that, do clients become sticky?
I didn't play with that, but I did walk from one place to another and it switches in about 30 seconds or so when it detects the other node is a "stronger" signal.
I don’t have this mesh anymore but generally speaking, the Ethernet and WiFi are still part of the same network, IP addresses are assigned to either or from the same pool
I bought these model, my doubt is how I change the operator router to bridge? Just to have network working in the asus. By what I understand, we must do the configuration by wifi, and only then can connect by wire, is that right?
On your existing router, you would need to go to an up address on a browser or an address to access it, you would need to search for the options there. Or if it’s a standalone router, you can just remove it and replace it with this asus xd4. Or you can leave your router alone and setup the asus xd4 to run in access point (ap) mode
@@landpet I have this sistem to, and the all 3 are conected wired, but i have the set up as router wi-fi, if i change to acess point, some of devices won´t conect. My operator in Portugal can´t permite to use bridge mode.
Option 3 will ensure the best possible speeds. Option 4 gives more flexibility in terms of placement of the node. You can also mix and match, meaning have one wired and another wireless
I'm using the ZenWifi AX mini for my work, We're a small company. But I can not access our website from the Wifi. I'm using squarespare thru a provider. He says to check my internet settings for a security blocking. I still can't access my own website from my work but I can from home or on my phone.
hi there, I buy an ASUS ZenWiFi AX Mini AX1800, My network still shows not available after I set it up completely, my modem is NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem CM1200. What's the problem.
I’m assuming you have the main xd4 router plugged into the cm1200 via Ethernet directly? I’m assuming you have the asus app to check the status of your xd4. Try restarting the modem and asus xd4 nodes
When there are 3 ASUS ZenWiFi AX Mini XD4R devices, probably bought three times as single ones, is it possible to connect them as one router and two nodes?
Hi, what you mean by « two nodes » ? Can you create a wired cascading network with 2 or more AX Mini XD4R ? The point of buying multiple routers is to prevent the possible failure of one of them, right? PS: I would like to create a network at home, but I’m noob in networking
@@AuTsuba The point of a mesh wifi system (i.e. adding nodes) is not for redundancy but rather it's used to expand wifi coverage at your home. I highly recommend watching this demonstration I did: ua-cam.com/video/90BFxA2yEUY/v-deo.html I clearly explain what a home network is and what mesh routers do.
@@benjaminkhoo7257 I should also mention that it would be ideal to make your XD4 the main router and the RT-AC68U a node since you always want your best router as the main router.
Thanks! I'm surprised it doesn't let you change the MTU, you tried the ASUS browser settings to change the MTU as well? Seems such a basic thing to change the MTU.
If you mean 4 ASUS router or nodes then yes you can. If you mean wifi or ethernet devices then yes to that as well, you would need a switch though for more ports if you meant ethernet devices
Im abit lost on this. So i have only one asus Xd4 which i want to make as a node and just a normal router(not asus brand) how do i set the xd4 as a mesh rather than a router?
A very important issue is that the switch that you connect the wired backhaul thru, needs to be UNMANAGED. I learned this the hard way and had to buy a unmanaged 24p switch and replace my 24p Netgear layer 3 switch. The reason is that backhaul uses VLAN-tags and there is no documentation from Asus about that. The unmanaged switch doesn't see the tags.
@@landpet hmmm mine work great but only had them a week. Wired connection is 600 and that’s actually more than I pay for and ran all the way to the other side of my house and upstairs
Bro what is this.try to explain how to set it up not how to connect. The application or through cable connection. This specific vedio is helpful at all.total waste of time
I’m explaining all the possible ways of setting it up by showing the connections. Once you get the Asus app, it’s fairly straightforward so I skipped that part
Whatever you do, do not buy the ASUS xd4s. They are truly a terrible product. Constant crashes and weak connection even when close to the router. Truly a terrible product product with a completely unsubstantiated price .
Product Links:
ASUS ZenWiFi AX Mini XD4 (AX1800): amzn.to/3N7bCka
16 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch: amzn.to/3frkSi8
8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch: amzn.to/3waDJDP
Network (Ethernet) Cables: amzn.to/3w9czNH
Cable Modem: amzn.to/3dmUnrg
Just as practical as it gets, no one who reviews such mesh systems never mentioned about switch option. Very nice!
Glad you liked it!
Just discovered this video while trying to figure out an efficient setup for my new home. You explained everything so clearly, I love it! Definitely subscribing.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for subscribing!
Awesome review. Learned what I didnt know I didnt know. Totally changed how im going to run by setup. Appreciate what you do
Thank you! Appreciate the feedback!
my question is I already have a Asus mesh network how well will this integrate or do I need to replace my main router as the main node as it runs my PC etc Wired.
Thanks for the video. Lots of hard work done by you. Much appreciated.
Appreciate it!
Actually very well explained.great job
Glad it was helpful!
Man, I love your videos! I like how you show the different ways to connect the nodes especially for Ethernet backhaul! I'm gonna get this system!
Hi. Thanks for the great demo. Sir I have a question, I have an Asus RTXA55 wifi6 router initially installed. It works great and my internet speed was really fast. However I also bought Asus AX mini XD4 and plan to use both of my routers at the same time. Can you please help me how to set it up? Thanks and more power!
No problem! You just need to power them on within 3 meters or so of each other and add it in the ASUS app. There's a little + icon on the top right, click on that and select Add AiMesh node and follow the instructions from there.
Hello, having an issues with my nodes on this system. I have my main one hard wired with the two nodes located wirelessly around my house. However, I wanted to pull a ethernet connection from one of the nodes to connect my desktop to and no matter what I do I can not get a connection from the lan port on the node. Am I doing something wrong or do I have to adjust a setting?
Did you try restarting your computer? Ipconfig /release followed by a ipconfig /renew in command prompt should address it as well but a restart takes care of it make sure the Ethernet cable works and make sure the Ethernet port on your computer is enabled
I suck at this stuff and you are a life saver.
Thanks!
Thanks a lot for putting this awesone video. If we go with option 2, will connecting second node to a Desktop via a wire make internet speed faster?
You're welcome! It should make it faster than connecting it to wifi but don't expect full speeds on the secondary nodes.
Honestly, one of the best network guys out there on YT. Do you know any setups that have 'nodes' that can be powered by PoE? I know the X50-PoE does it, but its rare to find
Thanks,
Yeah that’s one of them, Netgear has a few like the WAX630E or the WBE750 of which I have reviewed
@@landpet Amazing! What a legend!
Excellent way of explaining how to connect. Excellent work!
Glad it was helpful!
Man nice video very informative.
If I use the last option with all wired connections do I still get the mash WIFI?
like if I still get all seamless connections, that I can walk freely at my house and the router detect the closest "router" and switch automatically?
thanks.
Thank you and yes you will get that seamless switching whether you do wired or wireless. It's all automatic
Got confused at the end, too many wires, switches and stuff. To do a wired backhaul for all 3 to provide ultimate coverage in a medium sized house... its modem to WAN on router, then router LAN to switch right? From that switch I just plug the other 2 nodes into that switch?
Yes, that's correct.
Does mini xd4 has the bridge mode ?
I'm trying to configure my old modem that isnt 5g so I've have created new networks trough asus router and wondering, Bridge Mode ... hm ... ?
Can I replace my Verizon router with Asus router and run moca adapter threw cable wire to another Asus router 4 rooms away
Yes you can. You can't replace the Verizon modem though. If it's a modem/router combo, then you can call Verizon and they should tell you how to disable the router portion of it. You can use the MoCA adapter and connect it to the other asus in the other room
Great video! My operator modem has 1 fiber optic iput and 4 output ethernet connectors, coud i connect the three asus wifi nodes directly to the modem to avoid using a switch? If not, which wifi 6 mesh do you recommend me? Right now i have Tenda mw12 wifi 5 mesh (also 3 nodes) and they are all attached to the main modem. Im thinking in buying this product to jump to wifi 6 because i have read that this is good for performance when i have a lot home automation devices, which i use with nest speakers, do you think i will notice the update from wifi 5 to wifi 6? Thanks in advance!
Thanks!
It sounds like your modem might also be a router. I would connect it the following way: Modem -> XD4 Router -> Switch -> Both XD4 Nodes
If your modem is actually also a router, I would recommend disabling it by putting it in bridge mode. If you don't want to do that, then you can go to the Asus settings and run this XD4 in Access Point Mode. A great alternative to the XD4 is the TP-Link Deco X20 or X60 assuming you want to stay in the dual band territory.
If you have wifi 6 devices then you should get better range and better speeds, if most of your devices are on wifi 5, you're not going to notice much of a difference. Another thing to note is that while your Tenda is not exactly fast in terms of speed ratings, it is a tri band where all these mentioned are dual bands. If you're considering upgrading I would at least get the Deco X68 (tri band) and if budget permits, eero pro 6 or netgear orbi rbk752 and if you're feeling lucky, then get the ASUS ET8. At these points, you will notice better speeds and range.
@@landpet, many thanks, I appreciate your help and your explanation, my main problem is that i have around 15 google home devices (most of them lamps, led strips, plugs...) and they disconnect randomly from my wifi network... so in terms of speed im quite satisfied because my house is fully wired. The only devices that requires speed are the ipad and the smartphones but the speed is enough for these devices... even if the wifi mesh nodes are going to be wired to router router, also is the tri band important? or with dual band is enough? I can't expend so much money in the other models you recommend me so finally and analyzing my specific case where config is going to be with wired nodes (bridge) and adding the problems I related about home automation wifi connection problems, what would you do, stay with wifi 5 triband Tenda? or update to dualband wifi 6 Asus or similar? In fact I have until 26th of this month to return Tenda and the 19th arrives Asus model, so I could compare during almost a week.Thanks in advance!
@@LuisPeris If you're going wired, then dual band is fine, it also doesn't sound like you have too many wifi devices so dual band will be fine either case. I would probably go with the wifi 6 dual band.
@@landpet many thanks! Today arrives asus model, i try it it and i will decide between tenda and asus. Kind regards.
Nice detail! Have you tried using a powerline for the wired backhaul option? Curious about the speeds/performance/issues using a powerline. Thx man!
Thanks! I haven’t tried the power line but it should work fine. It would operate at the slowest of all the connections so if the power line was the bottleneck, then that would be the limit
I just ordered this after watching al of your videos on it.
Question: Why can I not go modem to switch to primary router?
I’ll be moving into a three story home soon with Cat6 coax jacks throughout the house. What I’m initially thinking is modem to switch that distributes internet throughout and then connect each node to receive internet. Will that work?
Thanks for watching!
Modem needs to goto router first then router to switch. At this point you can go to switch to the remaining devices. Router needs to be connected to modem for several reasons like the ability to detect your internet, the ability to assign ip addresses even through a switch, the ability to route. The whole NAT that it does so Router needs to be first.
Hi Landpet, Thanks for this great video. Much appreciated. Just need your thoughts please. I have an Asus zenwifi xt8 (1pack) and is working fine. Thinking of buying for the first floor an Asus zenwifi mini xd4 (1 pack) to wirelessly connect it to the xt8 as a node. Since both supports Aimesh will it work fine. Thanks
No problem. Yes they should work together but the XD4 will have much slower speeds.
@@landpet Thank you. Again, do I use the xd4 as the router and xt8 as node or wiseversa. Your thoughts will be highly appreciated. Thanks again.
@@austintoms The goal is to use the best one as the router, in this case using the XT8 as the router is ideal.
@@landpet Thank you Landpet
All working fine. Thanks again
Will it work if I put the router in AP mode and then connect the router + 2 nodes directly to my modem/router combo using ethernet? Or do the XD4 nodes NEED to be connected to the XD4 router?
UPDATE: Bought the XD4. Connected the router and the 2 nodes to a switch via ethernet which connected to my modem/router combo. Works fine as long as the operation mode is in AP.
I haven't tried that, that's a good question. Normally you would need to connect the nodes to the XD4 router. I can't say I have a definite answer for that, I will say that connecting it to the XD4 router will work for sure.
I like using the google assistant on the nest...does any of these others allow you to set timers, ask questions, or talk between the points like an intercom?
Having problems with my 1st gen nest and am looking for a new setup
not from what I'm aware of, only the nest point has that capability
Thanks for the very detailed wiring setup review. I suppose you wire everything up from the router to the nodes and then you power up or run the mobile app?
You’re welcome! The app runs you through setup, in this particular case you don’t need to wire anything initially other than connecting the router to your modem. The app tells you to power on all 3 devices within 3 meters or so of each other and once everything is recognized in the app, then you disconnect the nodes and place them in your desired locations. You can switch between wired and wireless backhaul at any time, the app will auto detect it
Thank God I found this the last option is exactly what I want to do only difference/question is can I start with my Asus GT-AC5300 then have a wired connection to the other 3 instead of using the first one as a router and just use it as a node?
You can if that Asus supports AiMesh but I wouldn't since the main one would be a wifi 5 router, I would rather have my wifi 6 mesh be the main.
Great comprehensive review. Do you happen to know if this system supports PPPoE?
Thanks! Yes from what I remember. ASUS typically has the most options from any router
very helpful, helped me see that mesh is what i probably need
Glad it helped out!
Please let us know whether , the Nodes (satellite) supports PoE?
They do not support PoE
Hi, wondering if you could help us. We spent quite a bit of money a few months ago on an Asus rt-ax88u router, primarily for the Gaming enhancements it would provide our son. We was hoping this would also fix the weak wifi signal in our daughters bedroom which is further away from the router. Unfortunately it hasnt done much to help that side.
Thus I was looking at the AX MINI XD4 and thinking I could install both the router and access point modules and connect them all up to the rt-ax88u in AIMesh mode. I think I have that correct :-) Will that work?
Second option I was just looking at was to instead buy two Asus rt-ax55 routers (Price for both of these is the same as the AX Mini XD4s) and setting these up in AIMesh mode. Will that work and what in your opinion will be better? The last dumb question I have is, can I connect the two Asus rt-ax55's via ethernet cable rather than have to rely on wifi signal between the two rt-ax55's
Asus rt-ax88u >wifi> Asus rt-ax55 (1) >ethernet> Asus rt-ax55 (2)
Appreciate your time
All the options you mentioned will work since they support AiMesh. If you can hook them up to each other via Ethernet, then they should give you similar good performance regardless of the option you choose. You can mix and match wired and wireless backhaul as well but as soon as you introduce a wireless connection to each other which I see you mentioned, from there on the speeds will get slower for the rest of the routers down that line but shouldn’t be terrible since you have the rest of them connected via Ethernet.
In summary, try to maximize Ethernet connections and save money if you’re going down this route since the performance between them will be minimal. If you’re going the wireless backhaul route, you probably need to spend more money to get better routers so they won’t lose as much speeds. That’s really the main reason in my mind to go with the expensive router vs a cheaper one.
@@landpet Thanks for the reply, much appreciated
Thanks for the guide, explain all the different way to setup and to achieve the best performances. Well done!
Glad it was helpful!
Still need further testing Like the Tenda Nova's do each of the nods / AP's connect to each other meaning the 2nd AP connect as a mesh (Connect to All) to the main router and 3rd AP or is it like some others all the additinal units only connec to the Main router that it will only exend from the main rotuer only. ??????????? seems like no one tests this.
Look at it like a spiders web and each join point being an AP does each of the units try commuicate with each other as not all do this?
I presently have an ASUS AX82U in my basement. It works great but on the top floor is spotty. I was looking at these zen wifi mini's as a way to expand my networks coverage. I do have some hardwired outlets on the first floor. What would be the best way to use these with my existing router?
You can connect the main XD4 to the Ethernet port on the first floor. You would need to add them in the app or the browser to your existing AiMesh. Then you can add the other two, wired would be preferred but wireless would also work and place them in the spotty locations.
If i connect all (main router+nodes) to ISP via switch then i will be using them as access point, will mesh work in this mode? If yes then which is preferable using them as access point or as routers. Which will give good quality mesh without roaming issue
if your ISP has a modem/router combo, then you can run this in Access Point mode. Mesh should work fine in either mode, I just prefer running this in router mode not in Access point mode.
@landpet
this ain’t my field so forgive me for this dumb question. If I was to only use the contents provided in the box, would this create a WiFi network that I’d be able to use or not?
Technically speaking yes, this would create a WiFi network but in order to get that WiFi network internet access, you would need to connect this to a modem from your Internet Service Provider.
Hi, what if I want to balance two connections? The first 5g with a ZTE MC801A (connected with an external antenna) and the second a Fiber/Radio with a HUAWEI WS5200. I imagine I should connect the two routers to a netgeae or tplink switch (port 2 and 3) and to port one the router (for example) a qsus rapture ax11000 and then to this connect the first DX5 to the LAN and the others, once paired, put them in wifi in the most remote rooms of the house. Right? Then should I connect via LAN to the switch or directly to the Asus router?
You just need a load balancing router.
quick question, have you tried using an asus modem/router as your main and that zenwifi mini xda (main) will connect as on of aimesh to your asus modem/router? I have an asus rog which supports aimesh.
through wireless btw. not lan. :)
I haven’t tried it but in theory if both routers support AiMesh, it should work
Is there a limit of devices i can connect to these? I am moving to a three floors house and planning to add many smart home devices. Thanks a lot
The theoretical limit is 253 (255 actually but 2 of those are reserved). In reality, the "high end" routers (this being mid range) typically can do close to 200. If I had to guess, I would say around 100 or so for this one. I typically have around 60 devices and no mesh I've tried has given me any issues.
@@landpet thanks a lot for the reply
Thanks for the video.
Are the satellite nodes able to offer guest WiFi network, that only offers access to internet (not intranet), when they are connected to the XD4 router by wired backhaul? I read one review on Amazon that suggests only the router node is able to offer the guest WiFi network.
No problem. Technically that's correct but it's misleading. It is true that only the router can create a network (whether it's the main or guest) however it is the task of the nodes to increase that network coverage. Whatever the main router does, the nodes blindly follow, therefore if you create a guest network, the nodes will offer access to that guest network. Mesh wifi acts as one, so yes if you're close to the nodes, then you can have access to that guest network.
Hope this helps and great question!
@@landpet Thanks. My previous research in to extending the range of a guest network has suggested that a wired access point ends up exposing the local network. I was optimistic that the Asus ZenWifi mesh products would overcome that but I stumbled on an Amazon review that mentioned the Asus ZenWifi suffers the same limitation with the additional nodes not being able to offer a guest network. It's a pity Asus only offer a "quick start" guide on their site and not a detailed user manual.
Found more evidence that only the router node is able to broadcast the guest network. forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/mesh-solution-with-working-guest-network.6296702/
@@LeiChat Take a look at this article below. If I am reading right, it suggests that the ZenWifi Mini XD4 router unit does extend guest network to its nodes, but only the included nodes, not to other AiMesh routers serving as nodes. Or if running all XD4's as nodes from a separate AiMesh router the guest network will not be extended past the main router.
dongknows.com/asus-zenwifi-ax-mini-xd4-review/
@@bwallace5692 Thanks for sharing. I decided to buy the XT8 system and I can confirm there is a "Sync to AiMesh Node" option under each guest network that has options "Router Only" and "All".
With mine set to "All" I am seeing guest devices connecting to both nodes. And it appears to still isolate the devices connected to non-router node from the intranet. Hoorah!!
Perhaps the previous forums posts/blogs were published before Asus updated the firmware to support that functionality?
Exactly what I was looking for... thanks a lot
Glad it was helpful!
I live in a 2-story house. The modem and router are in the main office on the first level. If I do wired backhaul with the 3 nodes, you're saying the upstairs of the house can still get very good speeds?
Yes
Great begginers video! Do you know how to connect all three a Imesh nodes to another ASUS Imesh router with ethernet cable? I can cannot nodes without problems, but I cannot make router working as simple node, while it has such operation node. I tried to connect XD4 router to 4G-AC68U by XD4's lan and wan ports. Network starts working slow, nodes constantly switch beetwen connecting to 4G-AX68U and XD4 router.
If they are too close to each other, it's not going to work great. Need to place it optimally. Since they both support AiMesh, it should work well enough with each other. Should be able to set them all up in the asus router app or on the browser at router.asus.com
Can I recycle and use this with my new Asus router ? I upgraded to a GT axe16000 and wanted to use these as ai mesh nodes to extend
Sure
I want the exact setup you use in the video. Im setting up option #5.... The router and 2 access nodes. My question is Amazon sells 3 access nodes, I think. Where is the router listed on Amazon ?
The package comes with 1 router and 2 nodes.
I have an AC66u-b1 running merlin as my only router. It connects to my fiber router which is bridged. I use the wifi for the whole house and use the lan ports for a roku and NAS. Merlin has only the roku going through the vpn, all other devices run their own vpn client. Can i run a switch off of the 66u and hardwire the three xd4 modules as nodes (aimesh) and have other devices connected to them be run through the vpn in the 66u?
Hello mate, i have a question. Does this ZenWifi AX mini XD4 support web configuration? Or only using app? I'm planning to buy this, but still considering the configuration option. Is this device capable to split into the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz configuration? Thanks in advance!
Yes it works both on web and the app. I don't have this anymore but I believe it does let you split the SSID. For sure on the XT8 and ET8 you can split it. Asus in general gives tons of options
Really good video. Awesome explanation. Many thanks!
You’re welcome!
Here is my problem I have a huge house with multiple dead zones.
I have installed the main router (SSID 1) and two access points using an ethernet port through routers using AP mode (SSID 2 & SSID 3).
I'm slowly building up my smart home and can't get all my devices near SSID 1 to communicate with SSID 2 & 3 making smart home accessories not connect to the same SSID so will this product solve my problem?
Why not use the same SSID?
Hey just having a issue when I setup the router the other one won’t act as a extender (wifi mesh)
Hi. I v got a question. I use 3 pack of this asus thing. The ethernet goes from my modem to that asus thing ( as a router) and then conneted to a switch by ethernet (because i need more ethernet ports) will be able this 2 last things work wirelessly as node (as mesh system) ?
Yes you can use the other 2 wirelessly or wired, up to you. Wired gives better performance
Awesome video man. Good job.
Thanks
Hi there,can i ask if i brought this asus router..can i breakout to use it?example i use router..another 2 node i gv to other network to use it?
Sure as long as the other network is using the XD4, it may even work as long as the other network is asus that supports AiMesh but I haven’t tested this scenario so just a guess.
@@landpet but not this cases..my house are using Tplink brand modem and router,i intend to add this mesh because of existing coverage not good..and i intend to break out my node unit to my sibling house which he using Dlink modem and router..he need to add mesh to support the coverage too..
if i connect the node (or satellite) by wire, in the configuration setup, it should be setup as AP node or AiMesh?
It's just AiMesh, it does it automatically, you don't need to set an option.
I just bought this mesh system. Can I just use the Asus mesh router as both the modem and router. My ISP doesn't use coax cable to connect to the router, it uses the LAN ethernet coming straight from the outside box of my home then directly to the router (the one provided by our ISP) inside my house. So couldn't I technically plug in the LAN ethernet straight into the Asus mesh router thus eliminating the need for a separate internet modem?
Let me just say that the Asus is only a router, so it cannot take the place of your modem. However, it's worth a try to replace your ISP router (assuming that's just a router) with this Asus XD4 router. I think your suggestion can work but it's also worth mentioning that someone who had starlink mentioned that they couldn't get away from using the starlink provided router, so I suggested they run the mesh wifi in Access Point mode instead. It varies by ISP.
@@landpet yeah I just got the Asus router but I wanted to make sure it'll work before I opened it. Might just give it a try anyways like you mentioned. Thanks! 👍
Thanks for the open detailed reviews. I recently brought it, all wirelessly connected. But sometimes it lose internet from the main wired zenwifi mini router but have white LED. NO INTERNET
How far is it from the main? Sounds like you need to bring it closer
I have the same problem. Everything wired backhaul.
Now I'm trying in AP mode with a separate router.
Fast roaming performance. I have seen in elsewhere that the zenwifi XD4 supports 802.11k/v but does not support 802.11r. In the manual for the XD4, the Roaming Assistant feature can be enabled so that the client's device will automatically disconnect from the wireless router/node if the signal strength is under specific threshold and it will connect then to a stronger signal from another node. I assume there will be a 1-2 sec. delay as it does not support the fast transition 802.11r. Apart from that, do clients become sticky?
I didn't play with that, but I did walk from one place to another and it switches in about 30 seconds or so when it detects the other node is a "stronger" signal.
15:16 - This answers my question! Can you run one node wired + one wireless? Yes. Thanks.
Yup
@@landpet I just ordered them! Thanks again for the well presented and very informative review and set up videos. Much appreciated!
How do u manage to have the same ip mask in the wired network and the wifi
I don’t have this mesh anymore but generally speaking, the Ethernet and WiFi are still part of the same network, IP addresses are assigned to either or from the same pool
Isnt the LAN port on the nodes used to only give internet signal instead of receiving????
Can do both
I bought these model, my doubt is how I change the operator router to bridge? Just to have network working in the asus.
By what I understand, we must do the configuration by wifi, and only then can connect by wire, is that right?
On your existing router, you would need to go to an up address on a browser or an address to access it, you would need to search for the options there. Or if it’s a standalone router, you can just remove it and replace it with this asus xd4. Or you can leave your router alone and setup the asus xd4 to run in access point (ap) mode
@@landpet I have this sistem to, and the all 3 are conected wired, but i have the set up as router wi-fi, if i change to acess point, some of devices won´t conect. My operator in Portugal can´t permite to use bridge mode.
Helpful. I am interested in option 3&4 because I have the newest Asus Zenwifi (multiple routers). Thanks.
Option 3 will ensure the best possible speeds. Option 4 gives more flexibility in terms of placement of the node. You can also mix and match, meaning have one wired and another wireless
Do I need an Asus router to use these nodes?
This is an Asus router, so it will work without another Asus router. It can also work with other Asus routers as well.
I'm using the ZenWifi AX mini for my work, We're a small company. But I can not access our website from the Wifi. I'm using squarespare thru a provider. He says to check my internet settings for a security blocking. I still can't access my own website from my work but I can from home or on my phone.
can setup node 1,2 with mesh and connect between node 2 (fl.2) ,3(fl.3) to lan line and send wifi signal for all node 1,2,3 ?
You can mix and match wired and wireless backhaul.
Hello there, do u know how to set up port forwarding to 44518 for ASUS XD4 router?
This should do the trick: www.asus.com/support/FAQ/114093/
@@landpet Thanks dude. I did tried the steps from the ASUS FAQs couple days ago, but the port still appear CLOSED and I cannot identify what is wrong.
So I have a OPTUS modem, is it compatible with these ASUS routers?
It should be as long as it has an ethernet port.
hi there, I buy an ASUS ZenWiFi AX Mini AX1800, My network still shows not available after I set it up completely, my modem is NETGEAR Nighthawk Cable Modem CM1200. What's the problem.
I’m assuming you have the main xd4 router plugged into the cm1200 via Ethernet directly? I’m assuming you have the asus app to check the status of your xd4. Try restarting the modem and asus xd4 nodes
Helpful, thank you for the video
Glad it was helpful!
When there are 3 ASUS ZenWiFi AX Mini XD4R devices, probably bought three times as single ones, is it possible to connect them as one router and two nodes?
Yes
@@landpet Thanks for your quick response! :-) Will the app do this automatically?
Hi, what you mean by « two nodes » ?
Can you create a wired cascading network with 2 or more AX Mini XD4R ?
The point of buying multiple routers is to prevent the possible failure of one of them, right?
PS: I would like to create a network at home, but I’m noob in networking
@@Chris86JD Yes, it all happens automatically
@@AuTsuba The point of a mesh wifi system (i.e. adding nodes) is not for redundancy but rather it's used to expand wifi coverage at your home. I highly recommend watching this demonstration I did: ua-cam.com/video/90BFxA2yEUY/v-deo.html
I clearly explain what a home network is and what mesh routers do.
Thanks for the detailed review!
My pleasure!
Question: I have an RT-AC68U router, would it be possible to connect these XD4s to it via aiMesh?
I believe so, I had that router for years and remember it supporting AiMesh.
@@landpet so they are compatible and I would not need to change out the router, correct?
@@benjaminkhoo7257 I haven't tried but according to Asus they should be compatible. So you should be able to use it.
@@landpet alright 👌, thank you very much for ur help
@@benjaminkhoo7257 I should also mention that it would be ideal to make your XD4 the main router and the RT-AC68U a node since you always want your best router as the main router.
Sadly the XD4 doesn't allow you to set the MTU and this would help me with my TMobile Home Internet.
Good content sir!
Thanks! I'm surprised it doesn't let you change the MTU, you tried the ASUS browser settings to change the MTU as well? Seems such a basic thing to change the MTU.
@@landpet Yes, I have done the change on one desktop via command prompt. The old school way.
what a great video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Can i connect more than 4 devices with this?
If you mean 4 ASUS router or nodes then yes you can. If you mean wifi or ethernet devices then yes to that as well, you would need a switch though for more ports if you meant ethernet devices
Im abit lost on this. So i have only one asus Xd4 which i want to make as a node and just a normal router(not asus brand) how do i set the xd4 as a mesh rather than a router?
XD4 will only work with another ASUS router because it only works with AiMesh.
How does this compare to the tp link deco x20?
Haven't played with the deco x20, should be similar performance based on specs. The deco X60 is better than this
A very important issue is that the switch that you connect the wired backhaul thru, needs to be UNMANAGED. I learned this the hard way and had to buy a unmanaged 24p switch and replace my 24p Netgear layer 3 switch. The reason is that backhaul uses VLAN-tags and there is no documentation from Asus about that. The unmanaged switch doesn't see the tags.
I thought I mentioned unmanaged, maybe I didn’t in this video? Either way I have links to the unmanaged ones
CAN I ADD A THIRD NODE TO THE ASUS ? Seems like i should be able to
Yes
@@landpet So I had to buy additional nodes for our system (3 pack), We are a business. Is there any way to configure the extra router as a node ?
@@donsnelgrove1918 It happens automatically. You just add it to the network and it gets configured.
Can I do wireless backhaul on my second node and connect my laptop through ethernet cable into that second node?
Yes
Is it possible to change the WiFi channel?
Yes
Can i connecr another router to the wireless one
if it's an ASUS router that supports AiMesh, then in theory you can.
It’s support pppoe connection?
It should
Thank you very much !
no problem!
EXCELLENT!!!
Thanks!
Have XD4R and my phone says "unable to join network" Cannot setup?
Tried two different phones
Thanks
No problem
👏👏👏👏👏
Thanks
3 of them wired to 3 of my house rooms best way .
Yup
Mines not 50%. My drop offs about 20% less than my main
Interesting! What are your internet speeds?
@@landpet 600 in the main room and around 450-500 everywhere else
That’s very impressive for wireless backhaul. I wouldn’t expect this to be that good. My results were much worse
@@landpet hmmm mine work great but only had them a week. Wired connection is 600 and that’s actually more than I pay for and ran all the way to the other side of my house and upstairs
Are your Asus nodes wired via ethernet to the Asus router? Or is there no ethernet connection between the Asus nodes and the Asus router?
Bro what is this.try to explain how to set it up not how to connect. The application or through cable connection. This specific vedio is helpful at all.total waste of time
I’m explaining all the possible ways of setting it up by showing the connections. Once you get the Asus app, it’s fairly straightforward so I skipped that part
Whatever you do, do not buy the ASUS xd4s. They are truly a terrible product. Constant crashes and weak connection even when close to the router. Truly a terrible product product with a completely unsubstantiated price .