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Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

blue_eyes777 — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 18:58:09 GMT

Dear All,

I have used the search function to try tof igure out what to do but I am still unsure so please forgive me for my question.

I have a BT smart Hub Typwe A - FTTC - with BT Whole Home Wifi connected and would like to directly connect the ASUS RT-AX59U which I have just purchased to improve range and bandwidth.

Is there a way to connect the hub to the Asus and use the existing Whole Hub wifi set up using the same ssid and password as the Whole Home Wifi as I have many devices connected? Would I be using the smart hub or the Asus as the router?

FTTC connection Router

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

licquorice — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 15:52:56 GMT

There are 2 ways to connect a second router to a hub, both have been described in detail many times on the forum.

1. Use the second device purely as a WiFi acces point by either configuring it in access point mode if it has one or simply turning off DHCP and giving it an address outside of the DHCP range of the hub if it doesn't. Connect the 2 devices LAN port to LAN port.

2. Create a whole new subnet and connect the second device's WAN port to one of the Hub's LAN ports. Either configure the WAN port for DHCP or again give it a static address outside of the DHCP range of the hub. Set it's gateway address as 192.168.1.254

With the second option you will have 2 networks but you can give them the same WiFi SSID and password. You won't be able to connect devices on one network to devices on the other but unless you have a NAS that shouldn't be a problem.

Option 1 is much simpler.

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

blue_eyes777 — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 15:57:58 GMT

Thank you.
Please could you explain how to do this" by either configuring it in access point mode if it has one or simply turning off DHCP and giving it an address outside of the DHCP range of the hub if it doesn't" as I am a newbie.

Does option 1 allow me to " use the existing Whole Hub wifi set up using the same ssid and password as the Whole Home Wifi?"

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

licquorice — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 16:04:58 GMT

As for the first point, I have no idea, I don't have an Asus device. You need to consult the manual, I can only offer principles rather than detailed instructions.

As for the second point, yes, simply give the Asus the same SSID and password.

@TimCurtis (resident Asus guru) may be along to offer detailed Asus advice.

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

gg30340 — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 16:20:39 GMT

@blue_eyes777

I know it might be a long shot but you have posted a picture of your BT hub and it is showing the hubs SSid, wireless passkey and the Admin password. You should blank them out in the off chance that somebody nearby can use them to hack into your network.

EDIT: Just noticed the time limit that your picture can be edited has passed so I have asked a moderator to blank out the details.

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

Crimliar — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:11:27 GMT

If you want to use the RT-AX59U in AP mode, the easiest way is to connect a LAN cable from the BT hub to the WAN cable on the Asus, and then use the Asus Router app to set it up. It'll only take a minute or two - just follow the instructions on the app like a pedant!

There is little point in setting up this router any other way as it's only real advantage over the BT hub is going to be it's WiFi 6 capability.

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

blue_eyes777 — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:30:00 GMT

Thank you. What is AP mode? Will I be able to keep the smart hub's ssid and password using the Asus app?

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

Crimliar — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 06:16:40 GMT

In AP (Access Point) mode the router just acts as a replacement WiFi system and as a network hub, you can manually set the unit to replicate the BT Hub's SSID and Password. Using the Asus router as an AP, you'll need to turn the WiFi on the BT Hub off!

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

licquorice — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 06:49:11 GMT

No need to turn the WiFi off on the hub.

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

TimCurtis — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 09:38:59 GMT

@blue_eyes777

I'm not sure what you hope to gain by using this router as a Smarthub with Whole Home wifi should give you good wifi coverage.

And regards throughput you'll gain nothing as you're only on FTTC and what you have is more than adequate for the download/upload speeds you get.

How many black discs do you have?

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

blue_eyes777 — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 09:45:26 GMT

I have a lot of ip cameras connected and they sometimes drop out. BT said this was happening as I have too many devices connected.

I was hoping that the Asus would help with this. Do you think that it might?

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

gg30340 — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:34:51 GMT

I think you have been told a load of flannel. How many devices did the BT person say is the maximum that the BT Smarthub can handle. I have at least 15 devices connected at any one time.

A "normal" router can in theory handle up to 250 devices. Obviously if the devices are wired into the router without any additional Ethernet switches or ports the wire connected devices can only be the same as the number of Ethernet Ports. The rest being on wireless connections.

Re: Using my ASUS RT-AX59U in conjunction with my BT Smart Hub

Crimliar — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 17:00:03 GMT

Hmm, I wonder what a lot is when it comes to IP cameras and are these constantly transmitting or is it just on detection/demand? With the Asus router in AP mode (definitely the easiest option) you'd actually use the WAN port on the new router to connect to a LAN port on the BT hub. If you feel you need the extra WiFi bandwidth make sure the two routers are a minimum of 2-3 meters apart. If you can then set up the SSID/pass on the new router to mimic the hub, but set each router on none overlapping WiFi channels it'll give you the most available bandwidth with the least interference.

We've currently 29x2.4GHz devices and 10x5GHz devices connected to an Asus GT-AX6000 and RP-AX58 for a couple of devices in a service cupboard, along with another 30 ish devices on 433/866MHz connected to hubs. The previous RT-AC86u router here had been struggling for quite a while with the number of devices on the 2.4GHz band.

It's probably worth pointing out that you can see design philosophy changes in routers as you move up the scale of those that are expected to perform better. So the RT-AX59U would probably not have been my router/device of choice for your goal!

Whatever else you do, ensure the RT-AX59u only uses WPA2 WiFi security a mixed WPA2/WPA3 environment is just asking for trouble!