Asus RT-66U wireless router for RV

[TheGatherer]

I've been reading about upgrading my RV wireless repeater. I bought a JEFA Tech system a few years ago and it works good, but there's always that greener grass just over the hill... So, I was looking through my 'old' routers from my home and found the Asus wireless router that can be used as a 'wireless repeater'. So this will be a continuing thread as I get the data to report. I'm familiar with WW-DRT firmware, and have just learned some about the 'Tomato', and a couple of others that will convert the router into a repeater. Any information you may have or can point me in the right direction would be appreciated.

[ramgunner]

The RT-AC66U is a great router. It's one of the most versatile, and very stable. It will also connect to most USB modems and hotspot devices. I don't run it in the Wireless Repeater mode, although it can do that. We use ours as the core of our LAN with a couple of gigabit switches to connect as many wired devices as we can.

When I need to hook up to an external WiFI, I use a Netgear PR-2000 to do that right now. It then feeds the RT-AC66U. We also have DOCSIS3 and ADSL2+ modems if we have hookups. I'm looking at some other options, but so far it's the best I've found.

[TheGatherer]

For whatever my motivation to set the Asus RT-AC66U (or RT-AC66R if you bought it at BestBuy) it was in my mind a success. I can 'repeat' whichever wifi I want with no trouble and the output is stronger than my other repeater, plus I have 5g which I won't use much but it's there. I have yet to connect to the 'outside' 15db gain antenna which in the case of the JEFA Tech repeater received signals from 1/4 mile in a neighborhood with trees on line (3 without 16-17 with antenna), that is the next project, though I have looked and the cable will be easily run in the 'attic' of the RV. Thanks for all the information which was really helpful... but, that's what's really great about this forum... more to come...

[Aridon]

If you are going to use custom firmware make sure the router you buy is supported. There are many router models which have different / changed versions of the same router. Not all of them are compatible all the time.

Really the biggest jump will be going to the 5ghz band. If you get a newer unit with an upgrade processor (quad core or more) you can use them as NAS and they work well. The older versions, like my RTAC66 have a dual core and it chokes after a time when using it as a plex box connected via usb. Instead i went to a BlacX connected to a laptop I leave on all the time as a media server and I have far less issues.

[wa8yxm]

There are two point two types of Wireless Repeaters have 2.1 of them.

First: There is a common type of Repeater, like my T-link, that "repeats" data on the same channel.. So it works like this

Gets a packet from the park, Stores it, sends it to the computer, goes back to teh park for the next packet.... As you can see this takes TIME, your throughput in theory is 1/2 of what you'd get directly connected to the park.. In practice I'd be real happy if it was that fast..

The other type,, the .1.2 it can be two boxes with cat-5 between them (What I have) or all in one box

In this case the "REMOTE" Wi-Fi Device acts like a "modem" this picks up the packet from the park router and sends it via CAT-5 or 6 to the next box (router) which is inside the RV adn which then sends it out,, Will the Router is sending the packet to the Laptop/phone/tablet, the "modem" is getting the next packet.. I do not see a noticable difference between direct and repeated speeds.

Just so you know.

I really like the two box devices with nice long cables.. WHY.. Well mine is a bit rube goldburg cause i put it together before repeaters became popular.. But the modern ones (including the ones the park uses) your REMOTE gets its power via that same Cat-5.. You can easily have the two units 100 feet (or more) apart. So the "Outside" long range receiver can be on top of my flag pole, on teh roof of the RV, on a ladder, Behind or in front of the RV, wherever it needs to be to get a clear view of the park's hardware. Works fantastic.

[Sam_Spade]

TheGatherer wrote:
So it was my thinking I may be not able to connect to 'providers' on a different channel.

And it is my thinking that you should not try to solve a problem until AFTER you really know that it exists.

The post right prior to this one indicates that you probably won't have the problem that you have dreamed up.....and so your equipment change probably won't accomplish much of anything useful.

[GordonThree]

3x3 MiMo is just marketing hoopla. It'll have very little impact on anything real world.

What are you planning to connect to at the other end? I would not worry about A/N (or 5ac) for that matter - I strongly doubt any RV park owners are installing any 5 gig gear, when they barely put effort into their 2.4 gig gear (B/G/N)

However, if you are in control of the other end, like installing WiFi in the back 40 for you and your friends to have a connection, then it matters.

Basic 2.4 ghz B/G will work at any RV park or hotel that's offering WiFi. Some higher end places might offer 2.4 ghz N, but N is backwards compatible with B/G unless programmed not to be (unlikely)

The 5 ghz A/N or ac is designed for a high density short range environments - like a cubical farm office where every desk has a WiFi phone, a WiFi laptop, there's wireless cameras everywhere, etc. Shorter range, narrower channels, more radios, more antennas, designed to handle dozens to hundreds of clients at the same time.

[TheGatherer]

To make it a little more clear, the Jefa Tech is limited by the 'types' of wifi (now keep me straight if I stray) b/g and the asus is a/g/n 3x3:3 and b/g/n 3x3:3. So it was my thinking I may be not able to connect to 'providers' on a different channel. I like the ease of setup and use of the JEFA Tech so that is not the issue. I'm just trying to get a little more on my travels..

[Sam_Spade]

TheGatherer wrote:
I've been reading about upgrading my RV wireless repeater. I bought a JEFA Tech system a few years ago and it works good, but there's always that greener grass just over the hill...

Is this "project" just something to pass the time or is there a deficiency that you need to solve ?

Or to put it another way, what do you want the equipment to DO that your present equipment is NOT doing ?

The router, hub or switch at your end is highly unlikely to be limiting your speed any.....so "upgrading" it will likely not make any noticeable improvement. Same for a repeater.

[RoyB]

I have the ASUS RT66U here and it works great using my house wired cable internet connection and feeding several wired computer setups as well as sending out a strong WIFI signal using its antennas to allow many of our portable computers, tablets, etc to work from my cable internet connection.

I was not aware the RT66U could be used to act as WIFI REPEATER so to speak where you have a small unit sitting in the back part of your home and pick up the wireless WIFI signal and "REPEAT' it to extend the WIFI to be available in poor signal locations...

I always had to purchase small WIFI range entenders like this one shown to be able to do that...



Is this what you are referring too to be used in RV's to extend some of the various WIFI signals you may pickup...??

Roy Ken